Chelsea striker Diego Costa. (Photo : Getty Images)
Recent rumors are out that dethroned English Premier League winners Chelsea FC is set to sell Spanish striker Diego Costa to several unnamed Chinese clubs for £70 million to fund an alleged £72 million Gonzalo Higuaín transfer this summer.
Metro reported that the Blues are "hoping to bring in around £70 million from the summer transfer window sale of Diego Costa" as the team is keen on meeting "Gonzalo Higuaín's £72m release clause at Napoli".
The report also noted that Atletico Madrid, who is said to be the club that is targeting Costa this summer, "would unlikely be able to afford that kind of fee" and so the Stamford Bridge residents are contemplating on the option of offering the 27-year-old Spaniard to the wealthy clubs of the Chinese Super League at the end of the season.
Aside from Higuaín, who is the top goal scorer with 30 goals in 31 games so far in the Italian top flight's current season, Chelsea is also reportedly eyeing forwards Romelu Lukaku of Everton and Edinson Cavani of Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain in the summer as the club attempt to upgrade their attacking options for next season.
It was initially reported that Costa's "preference is to return to Spain" particularly with Atletico Madrid, but with the Spanish capital city squad seemingly unwilling to pay his designated transfer fee, agent Jorge Mendes is rumored to be convincing his client to consider the more lucrative China move.
Mendes is also said to be "eager to expand his business empire" in the Far East Asian region starting with the first division association football competitions in China.
Two Chinese clubs are reportedly interested in Costa at the moment, although both squads are not yet officially named.
Meanwhile, Sports Mole indicated that the 6-foot-2 Brazil-born Spaniard is "open to a summer move to the lucrative Chinese Super League" as he is keen on exiting the Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.
Costa is currently playing in his second season for the Pensioners and after a successful stint last season when they won the Premier League title, his performance is on a downhill. He scored 20 times in 26 appearances in the domestic top flight last season while he has only netted 11 goals in 24 games so far this season.
