Koeman set to splash out on £30m Costa

EVERTON are ready to make a sensational cash offer for Chelsea rebel Diego Costa. The Merseyside club have been strongly linked with a loan move for Costa, who is refusing to return to Chelsea from Brazil after a bust-up with manager Antonio Conte.

But the Daily Star Sunday has been told that Everton are weighing up offering £30million – and could go higher than that. Champions Chelsea value Costa, 28, at £50m.

Talks are expected to be held today, when the clubs play each other at Stamford Bridge. Also on the agenda would be Everton midfielder Ross Barkley, 23, who is a £30m target for Chelsea – and also Tottenham. Costa has been holding out for a return to former club Atletico Madrid but they are serving a transfer ban until January.

So Everton boss Ronald Koeman wants his club to make every effort to bring Costa to Goodison this week.

PAUL HETHERINGTON

WATFORD and Burnley are vying to bring Inter Milan defender Andrea Ranocchia back to the Premier League.

The 6ft 3ins Italian defender caught the eye with Hull last season and is available on loan again.

Hornets boss Marco Silva, who took Ranocchia to Humberside, is confident of winning the race and sealing a reunion. Silva is keen to add defensive reinforcements with Ranocchia and Arsenal left-back Kieran Gibbs targets.

Burnley are also in the hunt for a new centre-half after losing Michael Keane – and have informed the Serie A giants of their interest in Ranocchia.

DARREN WITCOOP