Blues to raid Atletico Madrid for impressive Brazilian pair.
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Chelsea are set to follow up their interest in in-form striker Diego Costa with a move for his Atletico Madrid and Brazil team-mate Miranda, CaughtOffside understands.
It had emerged in the last few days that the free-scoring Costa was a top target for Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho for the January transfer window, as he remains keen on strengthening upfront after a difficult summer in the transfer market for a striker.
Having missed out on main target Wayne Rooney, Mourinho moved to sign Samuel Eto’o from Anzhi Makhachkala on a short-term deal, though the veteran Cameroon international has not looked at his best since moving to the Premier League, while the likes of Fernando Torres and Demba Ba also continue to struggle for form for the club.
Costa, meanwhile, has 8 goals in his first 7 league games for Atletico this season, with the latest coming as a crucial winner against fierce rivals Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, and looks like one of the best strikers in Europe on current form.
The Brazil international had been a target for Liverpool during the summer, though he committed his future to Atletico at the time. Still, with Chelsea being able to offer Champions League football and a more realistic title challenge this season, Costa may be tempted by a potential move to Stamford Bridge.
Centre-back Miranda is another of Atletico’s impressive performers, and could be a strong candidate to improve the Blues’ fortunes at the other end of the pitch, with Mourinho also missing out on the signing of top target Eliaquim Mangala in pre-season.
The Portuguese coach knows Miranda well, as the 29-year-old scored the winner against his Real Madrid side in last season’s Copa Del Rey final, and he has been suitably impressed to see him as another potential candidate to shore up his backline.
There is already a strong Brazilian contingent at Chelsea, with the likes of David Luiz, Oscar, Ramires and Willian representing the club, and this could prove to work in Chelsea’s favour as they seek to tempt the two samba stars away from La Liga in January.
Atletico currently have Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois on loan at the club, and are likely to ask to keep the promising young Belgian on a permanent deal as part of a deal that would see Costa and Miranda leave the club, though manager Diego Simeone is likely to hold out for only one of the two players to be sold.
The Argentine’s side are currently looking like strong title contenders this season, and won’t want to lose too many more key players from their squad having already sold Radamel Falcao to Monaco during the summer.