Chelsea reject €45M Atletico Madrid offer for Diego Costa

Atlético Madrid are making a final bid to bring Diego Costa back to the Calderón from London, a final 45 million euro bid to be exact, but the English side are said to have rejected the offer.

Simeone needs goals, his side have only scored 31 this season to leaders Barcelona’s 54, and El Cholo believes that Diego Costa has the calibre to keep the rojiblanco title challenge alive. The Argentine’s powers of persuasion have convinced chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marín to make a huge offer for Costa.

When various names were put on the table for Simeone, names including Depor’s Lucas Perez, Atleti’s talismanic manager was unequivocal; Diego Costa is the man he wants.

The last meeting was last Thursday and Simeone repeated his wish: "I want Costa back". Atlético, through agent Jorge Mendes, communicated the offer to Chelsea but Abramovich’s club has replied that they are not willing to sell their best striker, who has begun firing again with the departure of Mourinho.

In the beginning of the negotiations, a Jackson Martínez-Costa swap deal plus cash was discussed and Mendes then brought the €45M offer to Chelsea on Thursday. As Simeone continues to demonstrate his lack of belief in his current stock of strikers, neither Jackson, Torres or Vietto started against Barcelona, it looks like that’s who he will have to work with until the end of the season.

The official word is that Atleti will not sign anyone before Monday and if they go for anyone it will only be Siquiera. It seems as if that will be the course the club takes. If, that is, the offer isn’t raised for the current Chelsea striker in the final hours of the transfer window.