DIEGO DIGS HEELS IN
Defiant Costa holds out for Atletico
STUBBORN Diego Costa is determined not to be forced out of Chelsea until he seals his dream move back to Atletico Madrid.
Starsport understands the Spain star is ready to go head-to-head with boss Antonio Conte and refuse a move to anywhere but his old club.
Atletico’s transfer ban won’t be lifted until January 2018 with AC Milan and Juventus both keen on taking Costa.
But the 28-year-old does not want a move to Italy and it is increasingly likely he will stay at Stamford Bridge for the first half of the season.
That would leave Conte red-faced after he told Costa (right) he was no longer part of his plans via text.
A source close to the player revealed he has no intention of heading to Italy and was ready to stay at Chelsea and wait for Atletico to make their move.
Costa had been heavily linked with a big-money switch to China, but last month he ruled that out.
The Blues striker and Conte endured a rocky relationship last season with the Turn to Page 46
Brazil-born star’s antics upsetting the former Juventus and Italy coach.
It now looks like he will have to handle him until January when Atletico are free to re-sign a player they sold to Chelsea for £32m three years ago.
The Blues want £50m for Costa with Everton striker Romelu Lukaku lined up as his replacement.
Starsport revealed this week that Lukaku is their No.1 target and wages of over £150,000-a-week have been agreed with the Belgian.
But there is no chance of Chelsea, or Manchester United, making a move for Bayern Munich’s Polish striker Robert Lewandowski despite claims he was interested in a switch to the Premier League.
The 28-year-old is said to be unhappy with the attitude of his team-mates, claiming they did not help him win the Golden Boot in the Bundesliga.
He scored 30 goals last season, but missed out on the top-scorer prize to Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang by a single goal.
Lewandowski said: “I was not really happy with how my team helped me. I was annoyed and disappointed with the team’s attitude.”
Bayern issued a statement hours later saying: “Robert Lewandowski has a contract with FC Bayern, which he recently extended to 2021. There are no talks with other clubs, and there will not be.”