RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Gremio are set to part ways with Douglas Costa more than six months before his loan from Juventus is due to expire.

The Porto Alegre giants were last week relegated for the third time in their history and football director Denis Abrahao admitted the club would struggle to meet the 31-year-old's salary demands in Serie B.

"Everybody knows that he is very expensive," Abrahao told a news conference on Monday. "He is an exceptional player but has so far provided little return on our investment. He's been injured for a long time.

"It's going to be difficult to keep [him] in the squad, given everything that has happened. We have to talk because nothing has been decided yet."

Abrahao added that talks would be held with Costa's representatives in the coming days.

The Brazil international has made just 28 appearances and scored four goals since rejoining his boyhood club on a year-long loan in June.

Abrahao's comments cast doubt over Costa's future given that his deal with Juventus is also due to expire in June.

Gremio's discontent with the winger is said to have escalated last week when he reportedly asked the club to allow him to miss the last match of the season to celebrate his marriage to partner Nathalia Felix.

The request was declined, prompting Costa to remove mentions of his affiliation with the club on social media. Enditem

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