Norwich City Opinion: Nuno da Costa could be the ideal option to provide cover and competition for Teemu Pukki
According to The Sun, newly-promoted outfit, Norwich City are plotting a £5 million bid for Strasbourg forward Nuno da Costa in the summer transfer window, with reports claiming that manager Daniel Farke is keen to add more firepower to his ranks ahead of the upcoming season.
Norwich are not the only club to have been credited with an interest in the 28-year-old Cape Verdean international, though, with The Sun suggesting that Brighton and Hove Albion are also monitoring the versatile forward.
The Canaries continue to be linked with some high-profile players upon their return to the Premier League. Daniel Farke has already added Patrick Roberts to his attacking options, while the club has also been linked with moves for striker Josip Drmic, right-back Daniel Opare, as well as former England shot-stopper Joe Hart. (h/t The Sun)
Nuno da Costa is probably not a familiar name to the fans at Carrow Road, given that the 28-year-old has spent his entire career playing in different divisions in France.
Currently on the books of Ligue 1 outfit Strasbourg, the Cape Verdean international registered an impressive 8 goals and 5 assists in 34 outings this past season to guide his club to a 11th-place finish in the French top-flight.
Da Costa’s exploits in France haven’t gone unnoticed and he might as well be on his way to the Premier League this summer, with Norwich City and Brighton weighing up moves for him.
The 28-year-old’s strike rate of 15 goals and 8 assists in 67 appearances for Strasbourg in all competitions makes decent readings and the time might just be right for him to test his credentials in a more difficult league.
Norwich secured automatic promotion back to the Premier League as the out-and-out winners of the Championship but the Premier League has often proven to be an unforgiving platform for the promoted teams over the years and Farke should consider bringing in some fresh faces to add more depth and quality to his ranks.
To put things into perspective, Nuno da Costa might not be a household name but he could certainly add a lot of depth to Norwich’s options up front. The 28-year-old is in his prime years and £5 million is just a drop in the ocean for any Premier League side, to be honest.
The Canaries struck as many as 93 goals in the Championship last season and finished with the best scoring record in the division, with Finnish international Teemu Pukki netting 29 in the league. While the 29-year-old is probably going to be the spearhead of the team’s attack in the Premier League next season, the Canaries should not make the mistake of relying too heavily on him.
Prolific scorers in the Championship have often struggled to make a big impression in the Premier League and Farke should be wary of Pukki’s previous struggles at Schalke and Celtic.
His scoring record in Scotland and Germany wasn’t that good and there is every possibility that he might struggle to cope with the competitive nature of the Premier League, meaning that someone like Nuno da Costa could prove to be a useful addition.
A versatile attacker capable of playing out wide on either side of the pitch and up front as a centre-forward, da Costa is an extremely hardworking footballer who catches the eye with his work-ethic, whilst also boasting of well-rounded finishing and playmaking attributes in front of goal.
A good dribbler with a keen eye for key passes and through balls in the final third, the 28-year-old also has a decent aerial game and is adept at putting away the chances that come his way.
Sheffield Wednesday loanee Jordan Rhodes netted 6 goals for Norwich last season but it is still unclear whether the Canaries are looking at him as a viable option in the Premier League.
However, da Costa, with his versatility and wealth of Ligue 1 experience, looks more like the real deal for the Canaries and his arrival would provide Farke with valuable cover in multiple areas of the pitch.
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That said, Norwich should not hesitate to splash the cash on the 28-year-old Cape Verdean star this summer in a bid to enhance their chances of survival in the Premier League.
