Saturday, 26th July, 2014
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is preparing a €20m tempter for Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Douglas Costa.
The Brazilian is looking for the exit door at the Donbass Arena after growing concerned about his safety in the Ukraine, with the eastern half of the country the subject of fighting between government forces and pro-Russia rebel groups.
Costa was amongst a group of South Americans who refused to return to Donetsk following a club friendly in France recently.
In response, Shakhtar Donetsk moved their training base westwards to the capital Kyiv, while agreeing to play their home games at Arena Lviv, in Lviv, over 600 miles away from Donetsk.
Midfielder Fred has since returned to the Ukraine, but the club have accused several other players of using the crisis in the country to force a move.
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Costa is one of the man who could leave and, according to Dutch outlet Voetbal Primeur, Arsenal are ready to push to sign the 23-year-old.
The Gunners are thought to be preparing an offer of €20m to test the water with Shakhtar Donetsk, who paid €6m to sign him from Brazilian outfit Gremio in 2010.
Costa has collected five Ukrainian Premier League titles in his time at the Donbass Arena, as well as scooping up three Ukrainian Cups and three Ukrainian Super Cups.
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