Premier League champions Chelsea are set to launch a £62million bid for roping in Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata.
Antonio Conte desperately wants a new striker and is keen on agreeing a deal for Morata as Diego Costa has been given the opportunity to find a new club – with Atletico Madrid in pole position to secure the signatures of the Spanish hit-man.
Costa had taken a U-turn and was willing to have showdown talks with boss Antonio Conte.
The former Atletico Madrid man wanted to make peace with Conte, but the Italian manager has made it clear that he does not want him to stay at the club.
Costa had to report for training on Monday at Cobham but he has been given a week off to secure his switch to Atletico Madrid.
And sources close to the club have revealed that Conte wants Costa to leave the club before the Blues travel to the USA on a pre-season tour next week.
After failing to land their top target Romelu Lukaku, who completed his £75m switch to Manchester United, Chelsea are now desperate to sign Morata.
And it is understood that Real Madrid will reject Chelsea’s £62million bid, having already turned down Man Utd’s €80m (£71m) for the Spanish striker.
According to FootTheBall sources, the Real Madrid hierarchy are now holding out for an offer of €90m (£79m) for Morata.
It is also believed that Zidane would want to retain the 24-year-old talented striker although the player has made it clear that he wants to leave due to lack of game time.
La Liga giants Atletico Madrid are desperate to rope in Diego Costa on the cheap and it is believed that Chelsea would suffer a loss of £50m if the move happens.
Conte had siad Costa that he is not wanted at Chelsea next season and the Spanish striker is furious at the lack of respect the Blues boss showed by snubbing him by TEXT.
It is believed that Chelsea will face an uphill task in recovering the £32m they splurged for roping in Costa three years ago after he publicly disclosed that he is no more in Conte’s plans for the next season.
The Blues could have easily raked in £76m by selling Costa to Chinese Super League club Tianjin Quanjian in the last winter transfer window.
But now it seems very difficult as the Spanish striker went public to reveal that he is not wanted at Chelsea.
And the Spanish club had capitalised upon this opportunity and had offered only £22m plus add-ons which is less than a THIRD of the £76m transfer fee that the Chinese Super League club Tianjian Quanjian had offered.
Chelsea have turned down Atletico’s initial bid of of £22m as they want to recover the money they had splurged to sign Costa three years ago.
The La Liga club can still buy new players but they cannot register them due to a Fifa transfer embargo which will end in January 2018.
Costa can opt for a move to Atletico and then move on loan until the new year.
The Spanish striker can also opt to sit it out until their ban on signing players finishes in January.
