5 of the best debut seasons in Premier League history

#3: Diego Costa

Diego Costa scored 20 league goals and fired Chelsea to Premier League glory in his debut season

Combative striker Diego Costa had hit 27 league goals in 35 appearances for Atletico Madrid in 2013/14, but after a poor World Cup 2014 showing for Spain, more than a few eyebrows were raised when Chelsea paid £32m to bring him to Stamford Bridge ready for the start of the 2014/15 season. After all, that 2013/14 season had been the only one in which he’d scored more than 10 league goals in his career.

When the dust had settled in the summer of 2015 though, there could be no doubt that Costa’s debut Premier League season would have to be considered up there with the very best. In every possible way, the Brazil-born Spanish striker delivered in spades.

Chelsea went on to win their fourth Premier League title, and Costa’s goals played a massive part in their victory. He scored a total of 20 in the league, including 7 in his first 4 games, breaking a joint record that had been held by Sergio Aguero and Micky Quinn, the latter since the inaugural Premier League season.

And his lone goal in cup competitions came in the League Cup final, as Chelsea defeated Tottenham to claim another trophy in Costa’s debut season.

Of course, the striker’s dark side also shone through at times. While he became beloved by Blues fans, he hardly endeared himself to anyone else, living up to the combative reputation he carried from his days in La Liga. But a three-match ban for a stamping incident – as well as 8 yellow cards – couldn’t take the shine off one of the best debut seasons in Premier League history.