What’s the story?
Reigning Premier League champions Chelsea have not had the best of days in terms of transfers. The Blues first received a blow in their pursuit of Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, with report in English media claiming that Manchester United had agreed a deal for the former Chelsea man for a fee in the region of £75 million. However, fresh reports have refuted those claims and we will have to wait and watch how that pans out.
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Now, it is being reported by Spanish outlet AS (courtesy Sky Sports) and The Sun, that the Blues are set to lose one of their best players to Spanish giants Atletico Madrid. According to the report, the Vicente Calderon outfit are close to reaching an agreement for the return of Chelsea striker Diego Costa to Spain for £40 million and that an announcement can be expected in the next few hours.
In case you didn’t know…
Diego Costa’s future at Chelsea has been shrouded in uncertainty ever since he revealed in June that he no longer featured in manager Antonio Conte’s plans.
Following Spain’s 2-2 draw against Colombia in June, Costa told reporters: “Conte has sent me a message telling me I'm not in his plans. It seems I didn’t have a good season. It was just a simple message after all I’ve done for the club but if he doesn’t want me there then I will have to look for a [new] team.”
The heart of the matter
Diego Costa has been eyeing a return to his former club with which he won the La Liga title back in 2013-14, while he has also been linked with a move to the super lucrative Chinese Super League. Owing to the transfer ban currently imposed on Atletico Madrid, it was believed that they will not sign the 28-year-old anytime soon, as was the case with their pursuit of Alexandre Lacazette – which ended in disappointment as their transfer ban was not upheld.
However, the fresh reports suggest that the Vicente Calderon outfit are going ahead with the deal and Costa will either stay at the club and train for the next 6 months or will be loaned to a Chinese Super League outfit.
Also Read: Why Manchester United have possibly ended their interest in Alvaro Morata
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Author's Take
While Diego Costa was always going to leave Chelsea, especially after he revealed that he no longer featured in Antonio Conte’s plans, the Blues’ plans to sign a replacement have suffered a huge blow after English media claimed that Manchester United have agreed a deal for their #1 target Romelu Lukaku.
It leaves the Stamford Bridge outfit with only a few options and they will have to complete a deal fast or risk starting the season without a recognized striker.
