Chelsea Close In On €43.5m Diego Costa Deal

The Blues have held meetings with the striker's camp over the past month and are near
to securing an agreement to bring the Atletico Madrid star to Stamford Bridge in the
summer

EXCLUSIVE
By Wayne Veysey
Chelsea are close to clinching the €42.5 million signing of Atletico Madrid striker Diego
Costa.
Representatives of the Londoners have held a series of meetings with Costa's camp over
the last month and further talks are planned around the Champions League semi-final
first-leg clash between the two teams.
Chelsea have indicated in discussions that they are willing
to pay €42.5m for the striker, although a significant
portion of the transfer fee includes agents' fees.
The Europa League champions are also prepared to more
than triple the wages of Costa, who is believed to earn
around €61,000-a-week at the Estadio Vicente Calderon.
The west Londoners are keen to tie up the deal before the
end of the season and ahead of Costa departing for the
World Cup, where he is expected to be an integral member
of the Spain squad trying to defend their 2010 crown.
Atletico coach Diego Simeone cleared the way on Tuesday
for Costa to leave by admitting that his side were
powerless to stop him being sold to a club of Chelsea's
financial might.
"It will depend on [Costa] and what he thinks is the best
for his future," Simeone told AS. "I will support any
decision he makes. It's natural that Chelsea are interested in him. That makes me happy
because my aim and that of my coaching staff is to see our players improve.
"We understand that Chelsea have huge financial power and, if he wants to live off
football for the rest of his life, I will have no problem in him going. It was like Radamel
Falcao, how could I tell him not to go to Monaco?

"Samuel Eto'o is getting older and Diego Costa could do his thing there but, for now, he
is ours."
Costa has emerged as Chelsea's top centre-forward target
following a stellar campaign for Atletico, who head the
table in La Liga as well as being in the last four of the
Champions League.
The 25-year-old has scored 34 times in 45 matches this
season and his 26-goal league haul is second only to
Cristiano Ronaldo (28).
Chelsea were keen to trigger the Brazil-born forward's
release clause in January, when he was also being closely
monitored by rivals Arsenal, but the player did not want to
leave in mid-season.

The buy-out figure was understood to be €36m in
January, although a slightly higher sum of €42.5m will
need to be paid to capture him in the summer window.
The Gunners have subsequently dropped their interest in Costa following lukewarm
scouting reports, leaving Chelsea in pole position to capture the prolific striker.
Jose Mourinho has made no attempt to hide his desire to recruit a blue-chip striker
amid doubts over the futures of all three of the Blues' senior frontmen - Fernando Torres,
Samuel Eto'o and Demba Ba. At least two of the trio are expected to leave in the
summer, while Romelu Lukaku will hold talks with Chelsea chiefs when he returns from
his season-long loan at Everton.
Atletico Madrid lead the chase for Torres and there is also interest in the Spaniard from
Inter, Tottenham and Galatasaray. A growing possibility is that he could leave on a
season-long loan to free up space in Chelsea's attack and on their wage bill.
Ba's representatives have already begun speaking to interested parties, while current first
choice Eto'o, 33, is out of contract in the summer.
KC UMEOKAFOR AND JASSY NWAKPADOLU