Diego Costa has reportedly been granted his work permit ahead of completing a free transfer to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Premier League outfit have opted to delve into the free agent market for a new striker after summer signing Sasa Kalajdzic sustained an ACL injury on his debut against Southampton last weekend.
With Kalajdzic set to face several months on the sidelines, former Chelsea striker Costa has recently emerged as Bruno Lage's top target.
The 33-year-old was due to travel to the UK for medical tests on Tuesday, but he was denied a work permit to play in England, with Wolves since lodging an appeal.
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According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Costa has now been granted his work permit and the striker will fly to England on Wednesday night to discuss the "final details" of his transfer to Wolves.
Romano adds that Costa has agreed to sign a one-year deal with Wolves until June 2023, and his move to Molineux will depend on whether he passes medical tests, which are set to take place on Thursday.
Costa did not automatically qualify for a work permit as he has not played a professional game since December last year.
The 24-cap Spain international has been without a club since leaving Brazilian side Atletico Mineiro in January, where he scored five goals in 19 appearances during a six-month spell.
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Prior to his move to Brazil, Costa had three separate spells with La Liga outfit Atletico Madrid, where he recorded 83 goals and 36 assists in 216 appearances across all competitions.
Costa is also familiar with the Premier League after spending three years at Chelsea between 2014 and 2017, winning two English top-flight titles and the EFL Cup.
The striker, who worked under Jose Mourinho, Guus Hiddink and Antonio Conte during his time at Stamford Bridge, scored 59 goals and registered 23 assists in 120 games for the Blues.
Costa is set to compete with the likes of Raul Jimenez, Goncalo Guedes and Hwang Hee-chan for a place in Lage's starting lineup at Wolves.
It remains to be seen whether Costa will be signed and registered in time to make his debut away against Liverpool on Saturday.
Oliver Thomas
