Reports: Premier League club interested in signing Chelsea's Diego Costa
Diego Costa is set to leave Chelsea after a strained relationship with Antonio Conte.
What's the story?
Diego Costa has attempted every trick possible in the book to leave Chelsea. He also questioned Antonio Conte's relationship with the players.
Everton boss Ronald Koeman, on the other hand, has reiterated his desire to sign a striker and the Metro believe that the Dutchman would welcome Costa.
"We are still looking to bring in a striker. It is not about being unhappy with Dominic [Calvert-Lewin] – I am very happy with him – but he is still young and we need more competition up front," said the manager when asked about the possibility of signing Costa.
In case you didn't know...
Even though Costa joined Chelsea, his heart was arguably still at Atletico. When Conte was appointed the manager, the first thing the Spanish international hinted at was that he wanted to go back to Spain.
The 28-year old rejected the chance to play for AC Milan on loan earlier this summer and has not been named in the Spanish squad ahead of the World Cup qualifiers which takes place after this gameweek.
The heart of the matter
Costa has openly demonstrated his love for Atletico and has always said he would only play for them after the whole saga started.
But with the La Liga giants handed a transfer ban, the deal looks more complicated. The club can sign players but can't register them till January 2018. This means even if Costa signs for them, he won't be able to play before the start of 2018.
When asked about the possibility of striking a deal for the Chelsea star, Koeman said that he will always welcome a good player, and Costa is a good player. He went on to add that they have some tough fixtures coming up and that he has a lot of international players and lot of them have also been selected for the England U-21s.
Costa isn't in Conte's plans this summer and he is open to selling the Spanish attacker to the club who meet the demand set by Chelsea.
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Author's take
Costa might have played a vital role in Chelsea winning the Premier League last season, but his attitude towards the manager has not gone down well with the fans.
Also, with the signing of Alvaro Morata, Chelsea's most expensive signing so far, and the availability of Michy Batshuayi as a backup, Costa does not seem to have a place in the squad. Sooner the 28-year old leaves, better it is for the Blues.
