Newcastle target Rui Costa again

Newcastle United have offered £6 million to sign Fiorentina's Portuguese play maker Rui Costa.

The Premiership side were interested in a deal to sign the 27 year old in the transfer week in November in Italy shortly after Ruud Gullit took over as coach. The midfielder refused to move as Fiorentina were starting a title challenge that only floundered in the spring but Fiorentina have long hoped for more than the player seems able to deliver in the intense atmosphere of Serie A. Coach Giovanni Trapattoni has left the player out on occasion to try a more orthodox 4-4-2 formation but the unpredictable passing and invention of the former Benfica player has always returned to the side.

Newcastle are looking to improve the quality of the squad which was badly exposed in the FA Cup final defeat by Manchester United at the weekend. They are expected to be one of the biggest spending clubs of the Premiership again this summer although their board will hope for a better return than the £38 million spent last summer brought them in terms of league success.