According to reports, new Premier League champions, Chelsea, have slapped a hefty price tag of £60 million on their star striker and top scorer, Diego Costa, as chances of the Spaniard leaving the club mount. A lot of clubs have been his admirer since his first breakthrough at Atletico Madrid despite his on-field antics and disciplinary problems, but this fee would surely prove unaffordable to many.
The 28-year-old was heavily linked with a move to a side in the Chinese Super League last winter but any kind of a deal failed to materialise midseason. He was linked with a whopping £76 million to Chinese club Tianjin Quanjian, but that deal looks increasingly impossible now as the Chinese Football Association has announced ‘100 percent tax’ on foreign player spending.
The Blues would have got their targeted price had the deal gone through, which could have funded them with more than enough to get an equally potent replacement, but that is not to be. Everton’s Romelu Lukaku is Chelsea’s top target this season, and with the Toffees putting a £100 million price tag on their Belgian star, the Blues need to squeeze out most of that amount through Costa’s sale.
However, with the Chinese suitor out of the prospect, there are only a few clubs who would be ready to splash the cash for the prolific striker, Here are three of them:
Atletico Madrid:
A sensational return to Vicente Calderon is long fancied by one and all. It was with the La Liga side that Costa broke into the scene, scoring 37 goals in two seasons. Now with their star striker Antoine Griezmann likely to move away for a huge price himself, with Manchester United a prime destination, the Rojo Blancos could meet the asking price for Diego Costa. His familiarity with La Liga will make him a brilliant replacement for the French hitman too.
Manchester United:
Yes, Manchester United are linked with anyone and everyone at the moment but this deal would make actually makes sense. The Red Devils are set to lose Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney in a single season and Griezmann alone might not be sufficient to fill the large void. Although with the likes of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford up front United have quantity in the striker’s role, they have been largely inconsistent and challenging for the title would require much more and Costa could be the answer.
Borussia Dortmund:
Dortmund had a pretty underwhelming season both in their domestic campaign as well as in their European one. Under Thomas Tuchel, DFB Pokal final is the one thing they could reach this season and with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang a likely departure at the end of the season, the Bundesliga outfit would surely need an equally potential replacement. The Gabon international has been sensational with Dortmund and Costa’s scoring boots could come in handy for them in their title challenge next season.
