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Chelsea Set Price For Diego Costa

Chelsea Set Price For Diego Costa

The Chelsea striker is no longer wanted at Stamford Bridge. Now Atletico Madrid and everyone else know how much he'll cost.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

The text that Antonio Conte sent Diego Costa is the most famous use of a phone in football since Joleon Lescott's pocket tweeted a picture of a car. Now the Blues have named their price for the striker.

Players had barely got down to the sunbeds early in the morning to reserve their space by the pool when Antonio Conte decided to tell Diego Costa he was no longer wanted.

The Spaniard text his manager about next term only to be told that he wasn't in the Italian's plans going forward and it was time to get himself a new club.

From Chelsea's top scorer to unwanted in a matter of weeks. Image: PA

It all seemed to stem from January when the 28 year old who looks 57 told the Premier League side that he wanted out having had his head turned by the millions of Chinese Renminbi apparently on offer.

Costa is expected to head back to Madrid to re-sign for Atletico but that will be held up by the Spanish side's current transfer ban.

It could also be held up by price. According to the Daily Mail the Spanish side have offered £26 million for the forward whilst the Blues actually want £55 million.

Diego Simeone
Diego Simeone

Costa made his name at Atleti under Simeone. Image: PA

Atleti aren't Costa's only option right now, and that's a good thing because otherwise he wouldn't be able to play until January, with AC Milan also heavily linked.

The Rossoneri's chief executive Marco Fassone told press today, "Diego Costa? He is Chelsea and I do not want to talk about players from other teams.

"We went to see [Costa's agent] Jorge Mendes; there is a lot you can talk to him about. Costa is a great player but he is of Chelsea. That's all."

Diego Costa
Diego Costa

Image: PA

Milan have been on a crazy spending spree this summer and it does look like they'll be bringing in at least one more forward before the end of the window.

Chelsea obviously want to sell Costa outright so the likely option is that Atleti pay the price and loan him out to Milan before January.

£55 million is a good price in the current market.

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Topics: Chelsea, Diego Costa