According to reports from The Sun, Chelsea striker Diego Costa is set to sign a new five-year contract at Stamford Bridge that will make him the club’s top earner in a £220,000 per-week plus incentives deal, that could equate to a staggering £65m.
On the surface, it’s a great deal for the Blues; most rate the Spain international as one of the best strikers in world football and he’s played a crucial role in Chelsea’s title charge this season, notching up 15 strikes in the Premier League to help propel his side to an eight-point lead at the division’s summit.
But Sky Sports suggest such reports are a little premature and that could well be a blessing in disguise. Despite Costa’s undoubted ability, FootballFanCast aren’t quite convinced by the plans to tie down Costa to a bumper contract.
In fact, we reckon the Blues should instead consider cashing in on their star striker this summer. Here’s why…
Injury problems
Make no mistake about it, Costa’s a real warrior, more than prepared to play through the pain barrier – something he proved before arriving at Chelsea in the 2014 Champions League final, daring to start despite a serious hamstring injury only to be forced off eight minutes after kickoff. But that hamstring has continued to cause injury problems throughout his west London spell; he’s missed 93 days of the last two-and-a-half seasons according to Transfermarkt, and is yet to make more than 28 appearances in a single Premier League campaign – although, he’s well on course to this season. That hasn’t impacted his ability to find the net too much, with an overall return of 52 in 104, but such problems could really escalate over the next few years.
Age
Most strikers have a top-level expiration age of around 30, although Costa’s style suggests he could go on for a lot longer. Although his ability to burst away from defenders is an asset, he’s still got the power, aggression and height to cope without it whilst maintaining his current supply of goals – provided he’s given the correct service. Yet, the Spaniard is still no spring chicken and will have turned 29 before the end of 2017. While simply getting older won’t necessarily affect his performances, it could make those aforementioned injury problems much harder to recover from – which, inevitably, will corrode his game-time, form and eventually ability.
He’s a loose cannon
On the most part, Costa has been exceptionally well behaved this season; Antonio Conte seems to have contained his inner anger and channelled it towards a higher level of composure and concentration. But we all know how temperamental the Chelsea striker can be and he’s already been suspended nine times since moving to Stamford Bridge – one heck of a return for a centre-forward. Likewise, even amid what has been by far his calmest season to date in west London, Costa still threw his toys out of the pram in January, leading to a bust-up with Conte and his absence during a 3-0 win over Leicester, which proved the Blues can still score goals without him. The 28-year-old still seems like a ticking time-bomb, and there’s no telling which eruption will be the final straw.
Making a statement
Sir Alex Ferguson was famous for it and amid an era in which no Premier League side has successfully defended the title since 2009, it could be the thunderbolt Antonio Conte needs to build a dynasty in west London. Regardless of talent or form, Ferguson moved players on when they just didn’t seem the right fit long term, with Ruud van Nistelrooy perhaps being the most obvious example, and selling Diego Costa after firing Chelsea to the title would certainly make a statement on the Italian’s part, not only keeping the rest of the Blues on their toes to avoid another embarrassing title defence, but also elevating fears amongst the club’s Premier League rivals. Of course, selling your top scorer can always backfire disastrously – but it could also prove a masterstroke from Conte as the top flight becomes increasingly competitive.
Chelsea would get a ridiculous fee
Tianjin Quanjian were linked with an outrageous £80million bid for Costa during the January transfer window and considering Chelsea picked up three quarters of that sum for one of their bench warmers in midfielder Oscar, it’s likely they could squeeze even more out of interested Chinese Super League clubs, who clearly have far more money than sense. Of course, most Chelsea fans would be gutted to see Costa leave but as already alluded to, we are talking about a club-record departure fee for an ageing striker with long-term injury problems who seems almost destined to eventually leave Stamford Bridge under a dark cloud at some point as a consequence of his hot-headedness. Bearing in mind those stipulations, it’s certainly not a sum Chelsea can afford to instantly turn up their noses at and would be enough to sign an immediate replacement sharing Costa’s top-class ability. Atletico Madrid sensation Antoine Griezman, for example, who is almost four years Costa’s junior, has a release clause of £85million.
