Chelsea ‘In Pole Position’ To Land €48m Hitman

The January transfer window may have slammed shut but clubs will still be working hard behind the scenes at identifying targets for the summer, so we’ll bring you all the latest news, gossip and rumours. Today, more news on Chelsea’s interest in Diego Costa.

Chelsea are closing in on a sensational €48m (£40m) deal to sign Atletico Madrid hitman Diego Costa this summer, according to the Daily Mail.

Blues boss Jose Mourinho has openly admitted he’ll be in the market for a world class striker at the end of the season and it appears he’s now set his sights on Costa as his No.1 target.

The West Londoners have been strongly linked with the Brazilian-born striker in recent months but stepped up their interest on Wednesday night as Mourinho’s scouts were understood to be in the stands to watch the 25-year-old score the winning goal in a 1-0 win over Granada to take Atletico clear at the top of the La Liga table.

It was Costa’s 34th goal in just 39 appearances in what’s been a prolific season that’s helped Atletico put in a strong title challenge as well as reach the quarter finals of the Champions League, and it appears he’s done enough to persuade Chelsea he’s the man to lead their line next season.

The Mail claim that Chelsea are now ‘in pole position’ to tie up a deal worth €48m (£40m) and while Madrid remain keen on having Thibaut Courtois included in any negotiations, Mourinho is expected to keep hold of the goalkeeper and insists on a straight cash deal as he sees the Belgian as the long-term replacement for Petr Cech.

To make room for Costa, at least one of Samuel Eto’o, Fernando Torres and Demba Ba are likely to leave Stamford Bridge, and there still remains the possibility that Torres could be involved in a player-plus-cash swap deal to return to his boyhood club, but Atletico may opt to bring in a younger striker who has a higher potential sell-on value.

Despite Chelsea currently sitting top of the Premier League and safely through to the last 8 in Europe, they’ve done it without a recognised first choice striker who’s been able to find the back of the net on a regular basis. Torres has managed just 4 league goals this season, Ba has 3, while Eto’o has fared slightly better with 8, so there’s no denying they could do with a lethal front-man next year.

If Costa does make the move to Stamford Bridge this summer, he will spearhead a deadly attack with the likes of Eden Hazard and Oscar and he could provide Chelsea with the firepower they’ve sorely missed at times in recent years.

However, it remains to be seen whether the player will even push for the move. He’s settled in Spain with an impressive Atletico side who are challenging Real Madrid and Barcelona’s dominance in La Liga and are also making their stamp in Europe. So, although Chelsea may be close to doing a deal with Atletico, there’s no guarantees Costa will accept the switch to England.

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