Former Juventus and Bayern Munich winger Douglas Costa said Monday that he plans to remain at Gremio next year, even if the two-time Brazilian Serie A champions are relegated to the country’s second tier.
A 3-1 home defeat to Palmeiras on Sunday left Gremio 19th in the 20-team top-flight standings, eight points from the safety zone with just 11 games remaining in the season.
“I’m a guy who never throws in the towel,” Costa said in a live discussion with fans on YouTube. “I go all the way. I have a contract for two more years and that’s all that I’m thinking about. A lot of people like to speculate but I’m from here [Porto Alegre] and I’ll continue to play here no matter what happens.”
Costa has scored two goals and provided two assists in 19 league appearances since returning to his original club from Juventus in May.
The 31-year-old bemoaned the team’s inconsistency, which has continued under interim manager Vagner Mancini, who replaced Luiz Felipe Scolari in October.
Gremio’s next clash is an away league fixture against leaders Atletico Mineiro on Wednesday.
