Striker can make Stamford Bridge switch.
Diego Costa is free to join Chelsea this summer, according to Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone.
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The 25-year-old goal-machine has been linked with a €40m summer switch to Stamford Bridge and Simeone says he will not stand in Costa’s way if he wants to make the move.
“It will depend on him and what he thinks is the best for his future. I will support any decision he makes. It’s natural that Chelsea are interested in him.
“And that makes me happy, because my aim and that of my coaching staff is to see our players improve. We understand that Chelsea have huge financial power, and if he wants to live off football for the rest of his life, I will have no problem in him going.
“It was like Radamel Falcao, how could I tell him not to go to Monaco?”
Simeone lavished praise on his top scorer Costa, who has fired Atletico to the top of La Liga with 26 league goals in 30 appearances.. “He’s a rebel, and I like that, he is destined to be a different player. I just hope he doesn’t stop growing, because he still has room to improve. Right now he is among the candidates for the Ballon d’Or.”
And Simeone is certain Costa would be a hit under Blues boss Jose Mourinho: “Samuel Eto’o has made them better and Diego Costa could do his thing there, but for now he is ours.”
Mourinho is almost certain to sign a top striker this summer after making no secret of his malcontent with his current trio of forwards Fernando Torres, Demba Ba and Samuel Eto’o.