Chelsea has met buy-out clause of Diego Costa.
The clause is Believed to be around £32million.
Chelsea are on the brink of signing striker Diego Costa from Atletico Madrid after they met the buyout clause to buy the Spanish forward.
The clause is Believed to be around £32million.
Chelsea are on the brink of signing striker Diego Costa from Atletico Madrid after they met the buyout clause to buy the Spanish forward.
The West London club have acted quickly to secure Jose Mourinho’s principal summer target and Chelsea have announced that a deal has been agreed with the Spanish club.A statement read: ‘Chelsea Football Club can confirm an agreement has been reached with Atletico Madrid for the transfer of Diego Costa, with Chelsea meeting the buy-out clause for the Spanish international.’
It is understood that personal terms have been agreed with the 25-year-old and the move has been in the pipeline for several weeks.
Costa, who was part of the Spanish squad that failed so miserably at the World Cup in Brazil, scored 35 goals as Atletico enjoyed a magnificent season, with Diego Simeone’s side winning La Liga and reaching the Champions League final, only to be defeated by city rivals Real Madrid.
Costa will become the club’s second signing of the summer transfer window after Mourinho added fellow Spanish international Cesc Fabregas to his squad in a £30m move from Barcelona in June.
Mourinho has been determined to add to his striking options after he felt that the club’s chances of success were last season hampered by the inconsistent form of Fernando Torres, Demba Ba and Samuel Eto’o.
The Chelsea manager attempted to sign Wayne Rooney from Manchester United last summer but the striker was eventually persuaded to remain at Old Trafford before signing a new five-year contract at the turn of the year.
Atletico are now understood to be targeting Manchester City forward Alvaro Negredo to replace the outgoing Costa. The Spanish club believe that Manuel Pellegrini may be prepared to allow Negredo to leave after his form tailed off in alarming fashion in the second half of last season.
The former Sevilla striker scored 23 goals by January for City but then failed to hit the net at any point in the final months of the campaign.
Mourinho, meanwhile, will now focus his attention on securing a left-back to replace Ashley Cole, whose contract was not extended at the end of the season. He may return to Atletico for Filipe Luis but Chelsea are hoping to pay a little less than the Spanish side’s £20m asking price.
