Diego Costa

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

This pic is making the rounds, although im not sure if this is from the CL semi final.

Nice phone, for some reasons I always thought most high profile footballers now use a smartphone or typical Iphone/Samsung Galaxy

[bushman 2,043]

Toli,

If 30m quid is 40m eur, then that's fine.

He is the best striker available on the market at the moment.

I just worry about his injury. Otherwise, I am certain he will score goals. Some folks, think it is going to be pretty tough for him in the PL, better defense & all that jazz. I believe, he is a pest & a relentless bulldog who will muscle his way in. He is not afraid of contact either.

[Toli 977]

Cerezo, Atleticos president, has denied that any club has met his release clause

http://futbol.as.com/futbol/2014/06/04/primera/1401899976_140493.html

[bushman 2,043]

Toli,

That Spanish fly is one bitter A-hole. He cannot pipe it down that Costa has walked out. Now, under his guidance atletico is falling apart. See how many players are leaving for greener pastures.

[Term-X 7,891]

[Dy-lan 142]

Nice phone, for some reasons I always thought most high profile footballers now use a smartphone or typical Iphone/Samsung Galaxy

I noticed that too lol. It's like he's stuck in 2003.

[ChelseaFanUK 1,014]

Correct me if im wrong, but the Costa fee was paid or agreed before the Luiz sale? So that money from Luiz sale still hasnt been touched?

[Polo7 3,496]

Cerezo, Atleticos president, has denied that any club has met his release clause

http://futbol.as.com/futbol/2014/06/04/primera/1401899976_140493.html

Skysports and BBC have reported he had a medical. Its as good as done.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Correct me if im wrong, but the Costa fee was paid or agreed before the Luiz sale? So that money from Luiz sale still hasnt been touched?

Yes that is why we are going for Fab+Luis as well. Even without Luiz sell we would still have 50-60m min to spend anyway from BPL,TV,CL,sponsors...etc money. Not to forget the wages bill going down massively thanks to the likes of Cole, Lampard...etc leaving.

[ChelseaFanUK 1,014]

Yes that is why we are going for Fab+Luis as well. Even without Luiz sell we would still have 50-60m min to spend anyway from BPL,TV,CL,sponsors...etc money. Not to forget the wages bill going down massively thanks to the likes of Cole, Lampard...etc leaving.

funny you mention that, guy on twitter, Jake Cohen [think hes a lawyer] worked out that with new broadcasting deals and revenue streams and player sales so far, we could spend £150m on players and still pass FFP

[mediator 2,026]

It's something special in Spain.

Every player has a release clause in his contract. But when a club from abroad want to trigger it, this club has to pay an extra 40% tax.

So may be we will have a "gentlemen" agreement with Atlético to pay 99.99% of his release clause.

[Tomo 21,733]

Costa wasn't the team's goal-scorer in 12/13. And I have to say, 10 goals and 7 assists in 24 starts is more than decent considering the circumstances (first year at Atletico, playing in different positions).

And since we're going by statistics, 10 goals and 4 assists in 15 starts for Rayo Vallecano in 11/12. Not too shabby.

I have a good feeling about this guy. He's had an interesting journey to the top. Seems like he's constantly had to prove himself.

And more importantly, he's more than a goal-scorer. Think he'll do fine.

That's a good point, the likes of Costa and Drogba battled adversity (in Drogs case life as well as football, have no idea re Costa's childhood backstory) and faced a long hard battle to get to the top. Nando had it made for him at Leti and Liverpool, which goes a long way to explaining why he struggled to cope mentally when thing's started to unravel with us because in football he always had it good.

[Toli 977]

It's something special in Spain.

Every player has a release clause in his contract. But when a club from abroad want to trigger it, this club has to pay an extra 40% tax.

So may be we will have a "gentlemen" agreement with Atlético to pay 99.99% of his release clause.

its also with clubs in spain. the thing is, this "clause" must be deposited by the player, if the clubs dont find an agreement. so chelsea would give 40 m to diego and he would deposit the money in madrid. but if he gets the money, it is rated as an income and it has to be taxed. in most cases though, the clubs find an agreement for example, 39,99999 mio euros, so the clause wont get triggered.

[Shane 2,275]

Getting worried about this now. We seem to have some curse on strikers and Costa has only really had one great goalscoring season.

Not trying to be negative, but it's vital we keep Lukaku so we have decent back up for him.

[Beigl 1,387]

Getting worried about this now. We seem to have some curse on strikers and Costa has only really had one great goalscoring season.

Not trying to be negative, but it's vital we keep Lukaku so we have decent back up for him.

In 2012-13 he scored 20 goals and gave 15 assists.Not a bad return for a striker,which played more often than not the second fiddle for Falcao.This season he exploded as first striker upfront.

[boshman 1,073]

That's exactly what we said we Torres signed.

That's not true.... We had Drogba and Anelka. It's not like the situation we have now where no fucker can put the ball in the back of the net consistently.

[HD3D 1,038]

Get in! Exiting times ahead, we have a striker!

He is very injury-prone and tbh I failed to see him preform in every big game Atletico played. Hopefully we keep Lukaku just in case.

Now just get rid of Torres, Etoo and Ba and everything is perfect. Make it a 3 for the price of 1 pack.

[Polo7 3,496]

He is very injury-prone and tbh I failed to see him preform in every big game Atletico played. Hopefully we keep Lukaku just in case.

Now just get rid of Torres, Etoo and Ba and everything is perfect. Make it a 3 for the price of 1 pack.

Very injury prone? Didn't he play nearly the whole season?