In a summer of limited activity on the transfer market, one man almost slipped in under the radar. A Champions League winner, European Championship runner-up and former captain of his country, Costinha is probably one of the top new stranieri to arrive in Serie A, so it is something of a coup for Atalanta to have added him to their ranks for free.
The 32-year-old midfielder has signed a three-year deal at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia and will link up again with Gigi Del Neri, who had a brief spell in charge of Porto during the Lisbon native’s time at the Dragao. It is another strong sign of the Orobici’s intentions. Having finished eighth and just missed out on a European spot last season, the Lombardy outfit are eager to build on their momentum and the Portuguese star’s arrival is a positive step in the right direction.
“I’ve always dreamed of playing in Italy, so when Atalanta offered me this possibility I couldn’t wait to accept,” explained Costinha, a knight of the realm in his homeland after being awarded the Order of Infante Don Henrique. His arrival in the peninsula takes the number of players from Portugal’s Euro 2004 squad now competing in Italy to four, following the addition to Juventus of Tiago Mendes and Jorge Andrade, joining Inter’s Luis Figo.
Starting his career in the lower levels of his home nation, it was a move to Monaco in 1997 that kicked off his career. His performances for the principality side earned him his debut call up for the Equipa das Quinas and in 1999-00 he collected his first major medal as the French club won Ligue 1. A move to Porto followed as he began the best spell of his career.
Over the space of two seasons he reaped consecutive Portuguese championships, the UEFA Cup, the Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup as the Jose Mourinho-inspired club won all before them. These two wonderful years were capped with a run to the Final of Euro 2004 on home soil, although that would be where the gold trail ended as Greece shocked Europe by stealing the Henri Delauney trophy from under the hosts’ nose.
It was after the boom of Euro 2004 that things started to unravel for Costinha, despite having put a stamp on that tournament as one of the better exponents of the holding-midfield role. Another season with Porto failed to live up to the high watermarks the club had set and a switch with teammate Maniche to Dinamo Moscow in Russia followed, before another transfer to Atletico Madrid. Neither change reignited his floundering career and over the course of the summer it became evident that his first-team place at the Vicente Calderon would not be guaranteed. It was time for yet another new challenge.
It has been a positive start in Bergamo, with his debut against Parma ending in a win and pushing his new teammates into a top four spot going into the international break. “He has quality, but there is still room for improvement,” commented new Coach Del Neri. “He brings added value and depth to our squad.”
If the Nerazzurri are going to establish themselves as a realistic contender for the UEFA Cup positions next May then they will certainly need players with experience and a winning habit. If Costinha can recapture the form he showed in his golden era with Porto then he will definitely be hailed as one of the transfer bargains of the summer.
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