Brazilian Nascimento da Costa has eyes set on MLS

By: Damaris Sacoto
Orlando, FL - Brazilian playmaker Gustavo Nascimento da Costa has spent the past decade building a resume that stretches across four European countries, two championship medals and nearly 200 professional appearances-and now the 29-year-old is poised to bring that pedigree to the United States. According to sources familiar with negotiations, Costa has accepted an invitation to train with Orlando City SC in early August and is in talks with at least two other Major League Soccer clubs ahead of the league's roster freeze.

Costa first flashed onto the radar in 2014 when, wearing Santos FC's No. 10, he helped the storied Brazilian side win the Copa Sao Paulo de Futebol Junior, the nation's premier youth tournament. His move to Europe came soon after, and by 2017 he was captaining Portimonense SC to Portugal's LigaPro title and promotion. A stint in Cyprus followed, but it was his time in Romania that re-established his profile: last season with FCV Farul Constana he produced five assists, three goals and an 82-percent pass-completion rate in the attacking third, key figures in the club's six-match unbeaten run that clinched a Europa Conference League berth. Earlier this year he added another line to his trophy case, helping APO Levadiakos claim Greece's Super League crown and secure a return to the top flight.

"What makes Costa attractive to MLS recruiters is the mix of South-American flair and European polish. At five-foot-ten with a rangy left foot, he can tuck inside as a classic No. 10, drift wide to overload a flank or drop deep to initiate possession," says player agent Damian Lopez.

In Romania he averaged 4.3 key passes per 90 minutes, according to InStat, and coaches praise his work without the ball, traits that would ease the creative burden on Orlando's star winger Facundo Torres. A club scout described Costa as "the kind of player who sees the pass before it's obvious and still gets back to close a lane in transition."

Beyond the stats, he brings intangibles. At Portimonense his captaincy was credited with raising training standards, and Farul boss Gheorghe Hagi said Costa "sets tempo on and off the field." He is also a proven set-piece weapon, with 11 career free-kick goals. For MLS sides that increasingly lean on dead-ball efficiency, that alone can tip close games.

Costa told Portugal's A Bola this spring that MLS has been on his radar for years. "The stadiums are full, the tempo is high, and the league keeps attracting top names-why wouldn't I want to test myself there?" he said. With his contract status allowing a free transfer, front-office executives see a low-risk acquisition who could slot into a lineup the moment his visa clears.

If the visit to Orlando ends in a deal, Costa could land in purple by late August. Should talks stall, Western-Conference suitors are waiting in the wings. Either way, the Brazilian who once trained alongside Rivaldo-appears set to become the next top-flight import riding the wave of international talent reshaping MLS.

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