Talks with Diogo Costa drag on, but Porto confident of new deal | OneFootball

FC Porto remains intent on reaching an agreement with Diogo Costa for the renewal of his contract, which ends in June 2027, at the end of next season, according to this Wednesday’s edition of the newspaper O Jogo.

The administration led by André Villas-Boas began negotiations with the Portuguese international’s agents in September, but so far, no agreement has been reached. Talks are ongoing, and the expectation is that they will eventually result in an understanding.

The club’s management aims to extend the 26-year-old goalkeeper’s contract until 2030, recognizing the player’s growing role both on the pitch—he is the most used footballer by Francesco Farioli this season—and off it, as symbolized by the captain’s armband.

In this regard, the intention is to make the Portuguese-Swiss player the highest-paid athlete in the squad, a position currently held by Jakub Kiwior, who was signed from Arsenal in the last summer transfer window on loan, earning close to 3.5 million euros gross per year.

“It’s a great honor and I hope another 100 will come”

Much of FC Porto’s confidence in completing the renewal with Diogo Costa is based on the positive signs he himself has given publicly, as happened last week when he expressed his satisfaction at reaching, in the emphatic 3-0 win over Nice, his 100th game at Estádio do Dragão.

“It is a great source of pride for a Porto fan to have this number of games at Estádio do Dragão. Looking back to when I was a kid, I wasn’t sure what the future would hold, so it’s a huge honor and I hope another 100 will come,” the Portuguese international began by saying.

“It has always been one of my dreams to play for FC Porto. Reaching this milestone of 100 games at the Dragão makes me very proud and happy, as well as my family,” he added, in statements made to the club’s official platforms.

‘Sharks’ won’t let go

On the other hand, it must be considered that Diogo Costa is among the most coveted goalkeepers in European football, being, for example, on the radar of Ruben Amorim, who is not satisfied with the options available at Manchester United, despite the recent acquisition of Senne Lammens from Antwerp for around 21 million euros.

Chelsea has been closely monitoring the progress of the Rothrist-born goalkeeper from Switzerland, as has Bayern Munich, where the departure of Manuel Neuer (who will turn 40 in March 2026) points to an imminent retirement.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.