Samu Costa: La clave para el equilibrio en Al-Nassr
Al‑Nassr are closing in on another major piece of their midfield puzzle, and those who have watched Samu Costa closely believe they know exactly what the Saudi side are buying.
The Riyadh club have reached an agreement with Real Mallorca to sign the Portuguese midfielder for around nine million euros in this summer window, according to press reports. The fee is modest by Al‑Nassr’s recent standards, but the value may lie in everything Costa does that rarely makes a highlight reel.
Spanish coach David Martinez, speaking to Al‑Arabiya, painted the picture of a player forged in survival football.
“I know Samu Costa well, as he plays for Real Mallorca, a club that is always fighting to avoid relegation to the second division,” Martinez said, underlining the context in which the 23‑year‑old has grown. Every point, every duel, every interception has mattered.
From that pressure, a certain type of midfielder emerges.
“Samu Costa will add strength to the team, as well as balance on the defensive side, because he is a tactically sharp player, and he usually reads matches very well,” Martinez explained. This is not the archetypal luxury signing for a star‑driven side; this is the organiser, the firefighter, the one who plugs gaps so others can shine.
Martinez did not dress him up as something he is not. “He is not technically gifted, but he makes a lot of good decisions during matches, and he usually prefers to play in his own team’s half rather than in the opposing team’s half.”
So Costa will not arrive in Riyadh to dribble past three men or spray Hollywood passes. His game lives in the shadows of the back four, in second balls and broken attacks. He anchors. He screens. He simplifies.
“He always maintains the rhythm of matches, which will help the forwards a great deal, and therefore his role will be essential in achieving balance in the team’s defence,” Martinez added. Tempo control, not tricks. Rhythm, not risk.
That becomes even more intriguing in the context of Al‑Nassr’s expected playing style under Ange Postecoglou. Martinez highlighted how the Australian coach’s philosophy could mesh with Costa’s qualities.
“With (Ange) Postecoglou, Al‑Nassr will play attacking football, and they will try to dominate matches through short passes and moving the ball forward to play in the opponent’s half,” he said. High possession, high territory, high responsibility on the holding midfielder.
In such a system, the man at the base must be brave on the ball yet disciplined without it. Martinez believes Costa offers that blend and, crucially, the flexibility Postecoglou demands.
“Samu Costa can play in the midfield position or in any other position, but this will depend on who plays alongside him, and he can also play between the two centre‑backs to build attacks,” he noted. That ability to drop into the back line to start moves could be vital in stretching opposition presses in the Saudi Pro League.
The tactical fit is only half the story at Al‑Nassr. Every signing now is inevitably measured against one reference point: Cristiano Ronaldo.
On that front, Martinez sees another advantage. The shared nationality and potential understanding between captain and newcomer could accelerate the adaptation process.
“From my point of view, a coach always wants players who know each other, because the adaptation period is short, and this relationship will be beneficial for the club,” he said. Even if they have not played together extensively, the cultural and footballing shorthand matters in a dressing room full of different profiles and backgrounds.
Martinez is convinced Costa’s understated profile is exactly what a star‑laden squad needs to function.
“Samu Costa can create balance, and I am certain that Cristiano Ronaldo will welcome him greatly, and that will be beneficial for Al‑Nassr,” he concluded.
The headlines will stay with Ronaldo. The spotlight will chase the goals and the flicks. But if this move goes through, Al‑Nassr’s season may quietly depend on the man tasked with keeping everything around their captain in perfect balance.
