Transfer Centre

Atletico Madrid president would "love" Chelsea striker Diego Costa to return

By Danielle Joynson, Staff Reporter | 07 February 2017

Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo says that he would "love" to re-sign Chelsea striker Diego Costa, but doubts that his current club would allow it.

Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has admitted that the club would "love" Chelsea striker Diego Costa to return to the Spanish outfit.

The 28-year-old, who left Atletico to join the Blues for £32m in 2014, was linked with a move back to his former club last summer, but a transfer failed to materialise.

Costa was rumoured to be considering a switch to the lucrative Chinese Super League in January, and even though the striker stayed put at Stamford Bridge, some media have speculated that a summer move is on the cards.

Cerezo, though, believes that Chelsea will prevent the Brazilian-born Spain international from making the jump to the Far East, and even Atletico would struggle to re-sign him.

"It has been a while since I spoke to him. He is at a great club," Cerezo told Spanish radio. "[The press] say he will go to China, but Chelsea will not allow him to leave.

"I would love for Costa to return but it's not easy. He plays for a strong team, a team that is likely to win the Premier League. I don't think the big teams will allow their top players to leave."

The forward is currently the second-highest scorer in the Premier League with 15 goals, one shy of Romelu Lukaku's current tally at Everton.