Manchester United backed to sign Diego Costa on a free after Man City transfer claim

Posted Friday, January 29, 2021 by Express.co.uk

Manchester United have been urged to sign Diego Costa on a free transfer.

Manchester United should sign Diego Costa as backup to Edinson Cavani, according to former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O'Hara. Costa is without a club after having his contract at Atletico Madrid terminated last month. Former Manchester City star Micah Richards recently claimed the Spaniard would be a good signing for Pep Guardiola's side.

However, O'Hara instead thinks United should sign the free agent.

The pundit does not rate Anthony Martial as a central striker, with the Frenchman scoring just two Premier League goals so far this season.

O'Hara claims Cavani is United's most important player at the moment but admits the former Paris Saint-Germain star will not be able to start every match, with the forward turning 34 next month.

So he reckons Costa would be a viable alternative to the Uruguayan.

Manchester United backed to sign Diego Costa on a free after Man City transfer claim
Manchester United transfer news: Jamie O'Hara says Man Utd should sign Diego Costa (Image: GETTY)

"Martial, for me, just isn't a No 9," O'Hara said on talkSPORT.

"He’s not clinical enough, he doesn’t bring other players into the game, and he just looks miserable when he plays football.

"I don't understand it because it's the best place to be on the football pitch.

"I know someone said about Man City signing Diego Costa, but if Cavani can’t play every week and you have to look after his legs a bit - who I think is the most important player for them at the moment, Cavani, because he’s so good up front and he brings the whole team into the game with the way he plays - why don’t they sign Diego Costa?

"Then you’d have two to choose from, and they can bounce off each other. When one is a bit leggy, play the other one.

"For me I just don't think Martial gives you anywhere near enough up front as a No 9 and you saw that last night."

Earlier this week, ex-England international Richards claimed City need a striker like Costa to lead them to Premier League glory this season.

Gabriel Jesus has struggled in front of goal this term, whereas Sergio Aguero has not started a match in any competition since last October following a string of fitness and injury problems.

"Costa is 32 and I am not suggesting he is a long-term solution for City up front," wrote Richards for BBC Sport.

"Why not get him in until the end of the season? He would do more than just ruffle a few feathers and be a pain in the backside for opposition defences - he is a proven finisher who would offer Pep Guardiola's side a proper plan B.

"When I won the title with City in 2012, we had four strikers at the top of their game - Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez, Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli. They all played a big part at different times of that campaign.

"Now? They still have Aguero of course, but there are huge question marks over his fitness, with Gabriel Jesus the only alternative."