Costa closing in on £76m move to China
Tianjin confident of making summer signing Chelsea likely to use windfall to lure Lukaku
By Matt Law FOOTBALL NEWS CORRESPONDENT Tianjin Quanjian are confident of signing Chelsea striker Diego Costa in a £76million deal this summer.
Costa has been offered the chance to become the most expensive player in the Chinese Super League, eclipsing the £71 million Shanghai Shenhua paid for Carlos Tévez, and earn upwards of £25 million a year.
Chelsea could put the huge windfall towards a bid for their top target, Romelu Lukaku, who is valued by Everton at £100million.
Pictures emerged last week of Costa meeting with agent Jorge Mendes at a London restaurant, at which representatives of Tianjin were also believed to be present.
Reports in Spain claim Costa has pledged to join Tianjin, although sources close to the player believe nothing is yet signed.
Tianjin owner Shu Yuhui said: “We have agreed terms with two or three stars. The players have no problem with the deals and their clubs are willing to let them leave. The only issue that remains is reaching agreements with their clubs over the transfer fees.”
Chelsea would be unlikely to reject a bid of £76million for the 28-year-old, who will have two years left on his contract at the end of the season.
Asked specifically about Tianjin’s interest in Costa, Edinson Cavani, who has signed a new contract at Paris Saint-Germain, Radamel Falcao, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nikola Kalinic, Shu added: “It’s safe to say we did make contact with all of those players, some of whom are still in talks with us.”
The only stumbling block to Tianjin’s bid for Costa would be if a big European club, such as PSG or Inter Milan, were to make a lucrative offer. Costa has told friends that he would seriously consider a move to Paris, but PSG have been linked heavily with Borussia Dortmund’s Aubameyang.
Despite the fact he has helped Chelsea towards a Premier League and FA Cup Double with 20 goals in all competitions, Costa’s form has dipped dramatically during the second half of the season.
He was left out of the starting line-up for the FA Cup semi-final victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley, but returned to score twice against Southampton.
Should Costa move to Tianjin, Chelsea would have collected £161 million in transfer fees from Chinese clubs in 18 months for the Spain international, and Brazilians Oscar and Ramires.
There is also Chinese interest in 28-year-old Willian, who has become frustrated at spending so much time on the bench behind Pedro this season.
Other than chasing Lukaku, Chelsea hope to sign central defender Virgil van Dijk from Southampton. They are interested in Monaco midfielder Tiemoué Bakayoko, and want at least one new wing-back as part of a summer spend that could hit £200 million.
Chelsea are also determined to retain both Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois, who have been linked with Real Madrid, and plan to offer the Belgian pair new contracts at the end of the season.