Chelsea Transfer News: Latest Rumours, Big-Name Signings Linked with Blues Move

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has opened up on his regret at missing out on signing Chelsea striker Diego Costa. Meanwhile, it's been revealed Blues youngster Mario Pasalic was subject to keen Premier League interest this summer.

Chelsea will make their way to the Emirates Stadium for a London derby against the Gunners on Saturday, and Wenger told the media he'd have liked to have signed Costa before the Spain international joined the Blues:

"

I like Costa as a player. I like the qualities of the player. All the rest around is not needed. He’s a very strong player. He looks, since the start of the season, to have cleaned up his act, that he behaves more focused on the game. And that makes him more dangerous

I never thought he would leave Atletico Madrid at the time, I was surprised.

Would I have made a harder play for him had I known? Yes. I like him, as a quality striker.

Costa is similar to [Didier] Drogba. I like the qualities of the player. All the rest around is not needed.

"

As fate would have it, Chelsea moved quickest to lure the former Atletico Madrid striker, activating his £32 million buyout clause in the summer of 2014 and thus acquiring one of Europe's biggest attacking threats.

Sky Sports' Adam Bate has predicted much of Arsenal's chances of success on Saturday will depend largely on how they deal with the threat of Costa:

Wenger's comments on Costa come just as the Gunners perhaps wish they boasted a bit more bite in attack, currently relying on Olivier Giroud, Lucas Perez and Alexis Sanchez to fulfil duties up front.

An asset such as Costa would be welcomed to the Emirates as things stand, and ESPN FC's Liam Twomey hailed the Spaniard's impact during Tuesday's EFL Cup clash against Leicester City:

It may rile some Arsenal fans to hear Wenger voice reasons for their failure to capture Costa, however. Merely not anticipating an Atletico exit may not be accepted as sufficient reason to miss out on a signing.

Wenger was recently forced to defend his transfer tactics after a slow summer, pointing out a strong end to the transfer window after recruiting Shkodran Mustafi and Lucas, per BBC 5 live Sport:

In another world, we could have seen Costa in a different light had Wenger pulled the necessary strings to bring the player to north London. 

Elsewhere, the agent of Chelsea youngster Pasalic, Vincenzo Cavaleiro, has revealed West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough were eager to recruit the player before he joined AC Milan on loan for the season.

Lionel Cironneau/Associated Press

Cavaleiro spoke to Italian outlet Calciomercato (h/t Daily Star's James Benson) and revealed the extent of the interest in his client: "Yes, both we and Chelsea had contacts with seven clubs. It’s not easy at the moment to leave [Roman] Abramovich’s club. They believe in Pasalic for the future. We had almost closed with PSV Eindhoven, but I was also asked by Torino, Eibar, Sporting Gijon, West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough."

However, Pasalic may be available again in January, Calciomercato also reporting (h/t Football Italia) the midfielder doesn't sit highly in the opinion of Milan manager Vincenzo Montella, who could cut his loan short.