In Focus: Diego Costa exit looks unlikely unless he drops wage demands
According to reports in The Telegraph, Chelsea have been dealt a blow as they look to sell Diego Costa this summer with AC Milan unable to match the striker’s £200,000-a-week wage demands.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the Spain international announced on Wednesday night that he is no longer part of Blues manager Antonio Conte’s plans for next season which means that the club is looking for a potential destination for the 28-year-old.
Costa was heavily linked with a move to the Chinese Super League during the January transfer window but would prefer a return to Atletico Madrid.
However, the La Liga outfit are banned from signing any players until January and the striker will know that he can’t afford to move to the Spanish capital now and not feature for four or five months ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia next summer.
That left AC Milan as a viable option, with Costa’s agent Jorge Mendes said to have met officials from the Serie A giants on Thursday, but the wages were a sticking point.
Why does Conte want rid?
Even though Costa is a key player for the Chelsea team and helped them win the Premier League title by scoring 20 goals, the Italian manager obviously feels that the 28-year-old doesn’t have the right attitude to play a significant role next term.
He certainly wouldn’t have been impressed when Costa had a disagreement with a fitness coach in January which meant he was left out of the squad for a match against Leicester City.
Could AC Milan look elsewhere?
They certainly could.
Backed by their new Chinese owners the Serie A outfit are aiming big this summer and they could instead turn their attentions to impressive Torino striker Andrea Belotti, who they know would accept lower wages than Costa.
Could a deal still be done?
If Costa is prepared to lower his demands or Chelsea subsidise some of his wages then yes, of course.
Whether either of those things will happen is unclear, what is clear is that Conte wants rid of the Spaniard this summer in order to bring in Everton striker Romelu Lukaku and potentially another forward as well.