Samu Costa: The Midfield Engine Al-Nassr Are Banking On

Al-Nassr are closing in on a very deliberate kind of signing. Not a headline-chasing forward or a YouTube-compilation winger, but a midfielder built for structure and control.

According to press reports, the Saudi club have reached an agreement with Real Mallorca to bring in Portuguese midfielder Samu Costa for around nine million euros in this summer window. On paper, it looks like a solid, mid-range deal. On the pitch, it could be a strategic piece for Ange Postecoglou’s new project.

A Player Forged in a Relegation Battle

Few environments test a midfielder quite like a relegation fight in La Liga. Spanish coach David Martinez, speaking to Al-Arabiya, underlined exactly that context when assessing Costa’s profile.

“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.

That kind of backdrop shapes a certain type of player: alert without the ball, disciplined without glamour, and constantly reading danger. Martinez painted Costa as precisely that.

“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,” he explained.

No frills. No illusions about what he is and what 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.”

In other words, he is the player who keeps the back door locked while others chase the spotlight.

Rhythm, Balance, and the Postecoglou Blueprint

Under Postecoglou, Al-Nassr are expected to lean hard into an attacking identity. High tempo. Short passing. Territory in the opponent’s half. That kind of football needs a stabiliser.

“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,” Martinez said.

That vision demands a midfielder who doesn’t lose his head when the game speeds up. Someone who sees the whole picture and plugs the gaps others leave behind.

“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.

This is where Costa’s value lies. He may not be the one threading the final pass, but he is the one making sure Al-Nassr can keep committing numbers forward without collapsing in transition.

Tactical Flexibility in the Spine

Martinez also highlighted Costa’s versatility, a trait that becomes crucial in a side trying to dominate the ball from deep.

“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 said.

Dropping between the centre-backs, Costa can help initiate attacks, offer an extra passing option, and give Postecoglou’s side a cleaner build-up. Higher up, he can screen, intercept, and recycle possession, allowing more creative teammates to operate with freedom.

He is not the star of the system. He is the system’s hinge.

The Ronaldo Factor

Any new arrival at Al-Nassr walks into a dressing room dominated by one figure: Cristiano Ronaldo. For Costa, that dynamic could be an asset rather than a challenge.

“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,” Martinez said, referencing the shared Portuguese background between Costa and the Al-Nassr captain.

Familiarity matters. Communication becomes easier. Trust builds quicker. In a team trying to evolve its style under a new coach, that can shave weeks off the adaptation period.

“Samu Costa can create balance, and I am certain that Cristiano Ronaldo will welcome him greatly, and that will be beneficial for Al-Nassr,” Martinez concluded.

If the deal is finalised, Al-Nassr will not just be signing another midfielder. They will be bringing in a specialist in control, rhythm, and defensive balance—exactly the kind of player who lets stars like Ronaldo stay high, stay dangerous, and keep chasing titles.