Arsenal 'preparing bid for Douglas Costa'

Arsenal are reportedly ready to make a £15.8m bid for Shakhtar Donetsk playmaker Douglas Costa.

The 23-year-old is currently refusing to return to Ukraine because of political unrest in the country, and is said to have asked for a move away from the Miners this summer.

A report in The Metro claims that Arsene Wenger will make a fresh bid for the versatile attacker, three years after his agent claimed that the Gunners had a bid rejected for Costa's services.

Costa joined Shakhtar in 2010, and has since made over 100 appearances for the club.