Chelsea forward Diego Costa is reportedly set to snub a move to China this summer to instead pen a lucrative new deal with the Premier League leaders.
Although the 28-year-old has encountered a bit of a goalscoring drought in recent weeks, he has been influential for Antonio Conte so far this season with 15 goals in 26 appearances in all competitions.
In turn, he remains a crucial part of the club’s push for success, and according to The Sun, he could be set to commit his long-term future to the Blues with a contract that would make him their best-paid player.
As per the report, Costa has reached an agreement in principle over a five-year contract worth £220,000-a-week plus bonuses, which is a staggering amount of money.
It all seemed as though the Spaniard would be moving on after he was dropped for the trip to Leicester City last month amid rumours of an exit for China and a bust-up between him and a Chelsea coaching staff member.
As noted by the Sun, the Blues reportedly rejected an offer from Tianjin Quanjin who had put a £30m-a-year deal on the table, but it looks as though Costa could be staying at Stamford Bridge for the long-term.
The former Atletico Madrid star has become an important figure for Conte, with Chelsea looking to reclaim the Premier League title this season as they sit eight points ahead of Manchester City after 25 games.
It remains to be seen what impact potentially winning the title has on the situation, but Chelsea fans will be hopeful that Costa remains, as ultimately it would be extremely difficult to find a suitable replacement for him to play the role that he carries out so effectively in this side.