A year ago, Diego Costa was an Atletico Madrid player.
He couldn’t actually play for them, having to wait for the January transfer window to be registered, but he was there, fresh from hiding out in Brazil.
The striker had been forcing his way out of Chelsea, seemingly using a message from Antonio Conte as reason to behave how he liked. Costa flew to Brazil, got a bit chubby, and waited for Chelsea to agree a deal for his return to Atletico.
He scored three La Liga goals in the second half of the season, and two in the Europa League as Atletico won the competition.
This season he’s on one La Liga goal and one in the Champions League.
There’s been muscle injuries, of course, but he’s still managed 10 full league games.
Now, Mundo Deportivo have taken claims from Spanish radio that Costa could be off to China, or anywhere else that wants him. The Chelsea exit may not have been his last move.
Dalian Yifang, who signed Nico Gaitan and Yannick Carrasco from Atletico last winter, are said to have asked about the striker. The Spanish club’s response is said to be that he can go for €75m.
It’s not the player pushing for it, or Diego Simeone, but those around Costa, namely Gestifute… according to the claims.
This comes not long after reports in Spain that Costa wanted a pay rise after finding out what Antoine Griezmann earns.
Mundo Deportivo add: ‘Now, according to LaSexta, the club would have transmitted to anyone who may be interested in taking him that the starting price would be €75m.’
