Bayern Munich and Douglas Costa may part ways in the winter window after reuniting in summer. According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, Costa’s situation at Bayern has been precarious due to lack of playing time, and he could look for a move away from Bavaria this month.
Considering it is a unique season, FIFA has relaxed rules for loans, so Costa can play for the third team this season if he decides to cut short his loan spell at Bayern. However, the Italian media outlet insists that Costa will find it difficult to find a new club that will pay his high wages.
Die Roten didn’t have Costa as their primary transfer target in summer. They decided to move for him after failed attempts to get Callum Hudson-Odoi from Chelsea late in the summer transfer window. The German Champions didn’t pay any loan fee for Costa, but they are covering his complete wages.
Costa has found it difficult to get playing despite Leroy Sane had a spell on the sidelines due to injury, while Serge Gnabry has not been at his best for few weeks. The Brazilian has been getting opportunities here and there, amounting to a meagre 510 minutes of action across all competitions for Die Roten. (Stats courtesy: Whoscored)
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Bayern Munich should keep Costa
Costa might be frustrated on the sidelines, but he will eventually get a decent amount of playing time as the season progresses. Despite inching towards the end of January, the Bundesliga is yet to reach the halfway stage. Moreover, the European Champions will also take part in the Club World Cup in February.
With more games coming up in the next three to four months, Die Roten will need the entire squad to chip in. There are bound to be injuries for wide players, so Costa will end up getting satisfactory playing time by the end of the season. He just needs to keep himself fit to grab the chances he will eventually get.
Costa is a solid option to have on the bench when Die Roten is chasing games against a tiring team. The Brazilian’s dribbling and trickery help in stretching defenses and create space for other forwards. Considering Bayern wants to defend the CL title, Costa can turn out to be a handy player in the latter stages of the competition.
It is clear as water that Costa is not going to have a long term future at the club, but he can still play a big role for the team this season. Moreover, going to a new environment midway through the season may not help his cause to get more playing time. At Bayern, he is settled and ready to make an impact whenever he is called upon.