Diego Costa Chelsea exit rumours are ridiculous, but still worrying
Rumours regarding a mega bid for Chelsea forward Diego Costa may teeter on the ridiculous, but they are worrying nonetheless in the modern football world.
With the January transfer window now open, the rumour mill is in full flow. The latest big story regards Chelsea striker Diego Costa. A club in the ever-growing Chinese Super League are reportedly set to lodge an eye-watering bid for his services.
According to The Sun, Tianjin Quanjian are readying an £80 million offer for the forward, having already been rebuffed once in their advancements.
"Chinese club Tianjin Quanjian are plotting a stunning £80million bid for Chelsea striker Diego Costa. SunSport sources in China revealed Tianjin had a £50m offer rejected by the Blues last month."
Many Chelsea fans will laugh this off as a ridiculous bid that will never lead to anything significant. However, there is reason to fear such an approach.
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The Chinese Super League are trying their utmost to draw talent to their competition. They are throwing money at both current stars (such as Chelsea’s Oscar) and veterans of the game (like Carlos Tevez).
They are reportedly even offering referee Mark Clattenburg millions to officiate in the Far East.
The rumours are that the Chinese government is providing significant support to the league, in an attempt to put it on the map. Given that Tianjin Quanjian have just been promoted to the top tier, their liberal dishing of the dough indicates that this could be true. Having said that, their billionaire owner could also be the answer.
However, the key issue is that £80 million for an injury-prone striker nearing his thirties is a hard deal to turn down. Furthermore, the player will supposedly earn £480,000 per week in China, a contract he is unlikely to reject.
Should Tianjin formally submit an offer, Chelsea’s reaction will be interesting. If all these stories are true, they evidently left the door slightly ajar when dismissing the initial £50 million bid. For those taking the club’s business interests to heart, selling Costa for £30 million more is a no-brainer.
This will have detrimental effect on the field. As the Premier League’s leading scorer, Costa is vital to the club’s current title charge. There are significant fears regarding Chelsea’s longevity should he succumb to injury. Selling him will leave Conte with many problems.
The manager doesn’t trust Michy Batshuayi yet, as proven against Bournemouth when Eden Hazard, Pedro and Willian comprised the forward three. While this is serviceable for the odd game, relying on such a set-up for half a season seems destined for failure.
What do you think of this rumour? Are you concerned? Let us know in the comments below!