- Manchester City are showing great interest in Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
- Paris Saint-Germain are also among the clubs interested in the Porto captain this summer.
- Costa’s release clause was reduced to £51m when he signed a new contract earlier this year.
Manchester City are reportedly keen to sign Porto captain and Portugal international Diogo Costa this summer, according to reports in Portugal.
Costa has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in European football over the past two seasons, playing for Porto and at international level, making him one of the most coveted players in his position ahead of what could prove to be the biggest transfer window of his career.
The Portugal international was one of the standout players of the tournament. and in North America, claiming man of the match honors in Portugalgroup stage victory over Colombia and further enhancing a reputation based on his exceptional shot-stopping abilities and his remarkable composure under pressure following the penalty shoot-out.
Manchester CityInterest in the 26-year-old is believed to be partly due to his uncertain future James Trafford at the Etihad Stadium, where England are set to hold talks with a new coach Enzo Maresca over the status of his team before a final decision is made on his future.
Trafford move leaves director of football behind Hugo Viana with a clear requirement to recruit for the goalkeeper position, Costa’s profile – proven at the highest level of club and international football – and playing for a club whose financial position makes a sale achievable – closely matches the type of signing Viana’s priorities at the Etihad Stadium.
Report: City and PSG show strong interest in Porto
According to Correio da Manhã and Sport Witness, Costa could leave Porto after the World Cup due to “strong interest” from Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain – and that the goalkeeper’s performance at the tournament has only heightened expectations that this summer he will finally be able to take the step that his career trajectory has long pointed towards.
The report comes amid ongoing coverage of Costa’s situation in the Portuguese media, with outlets including the Record repeatedly exploring what a post-World Cup transfer might look like, discussing Porto’s asking price, the financial logic of selling the academy graduate and the possibility of his value rising further as the tournament progresses.
Porto cut Costa’s buyout price to £51m when the goalkeeper signed a new contract earlier this year, although Portuguese reports suggest the club will still await offers well above that figure before seriously considering a sale, with Porto continuing to publicly insist they have no intention of losing their captain at this stage.
Correio da Mañan describes Costa as Portugal’s biggest weapon ahead of their Round of 16 tie against Croatia – a draw in which the head coach Roberto Martinez increased penalty practice during training ahead of a potential penalty shootout, and Costa’s record from 12 yards makes him a uniquely valuable asset should the match require such a decision.
What will Costa’s arrival mean for Manchester City’s goalkeeping system?
Costa famously became the first goalkeeper in European Championship history to save three penalties in a single shoot-out as Portugal eliminated Slovenia at the 2024 European Championship, and then made another emphatic penalty save in the UEFA Nations League final less than a year later, saving against Alvaro Morata before Portugal won the trophy.
That reputation for being cool during the sport’s most intense moments is precisely the profile Maresca and Viana see as important in the goalkeeper position as they look to assemble a team capable of competing on multiple fronts in the 2026-27 season.
The increasingly specific framing of a potential departure in the Portuguese media, focusing on the terms of a departure rather than the possibility of it, suggests that Porto’s public insistence on keeping Costa may not fully reflect the private reality of their position, especially if offers come in that significantly exceed his £51m figure.
Whether Manchester City are prepared to lead that race in the coming weeks, or whether the breadth of their summer rebuild requires them to prioritize other positions first, remains to be seen – but as Costa’s World Cup form continues to attract the attention of Europe’s biggest clubs, the window available for City to act may be shorter than the complexity of the deal involving the Porto captain suggests.