Chelsea Transfer News: Ronald Koeman Open to Loan Deal for Diego Costa

Everton have emerged as surprise contenders to sign Chelsea striker Diego Costa after Toffees manager Ronald Koeman appeared to reveal a willingness to take the attacker on loan.

The Dutchman offered a favourable response when asked whether he will make any loan deals during the remainder of this summer's transfer window, per Nick Lustig of Sky Sports:

"Is this about Costa? Of course you like to sign players for the future, but if you can get the best one that way, then why not? That's for six months, the season, two years."

However, Koeman did reveal one difficulty Everton face when trying to convince top players to join, even on a temporary basis: "We have the possibility maybe to sign good players, but we don't play in the Champions League—and that sometimes makes things very difficult."

Costa staying in the Premier League would mark a contentious end to the striker's increasingly bitter exit from Chelsea. The Spain international could even be sued by the Blues if he continues to stay away from training, according to Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph.

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The two-time title winner at Chelsea is avoiding Stamford Bridge as he plots a return to former club Atletico Madrid.

Costa won La Liga with Atleti in 2014 and is determined to rejoin Los Rojiblancos, something made clear in a message released by Brazilian regional football association Federacao Sergipana de Futebol on the forward's behalf (h/t Richard Parry of the London Evening Standard).

Costa may know where he wants to go next, but Chelsea have grown increasingly concerned about their ability to sell him on. Specifically, the Blues are worried about how much the striker's fitness has deteriorated while he's been away from the team, per Neil Ashton and John Hutchinson of The Sun.

He may be confident of being fit enough in time to join Atletico, though, since the club from the Spanish capital can't register new players until January amid a FIFA-enforced transfer ban.

Whether Everton could sign Costa or whether he would even agree to the move remain open to debate. After all, the Toffees have already added talent up top after bringing back Wayne Rooney from Manchester United following Romelu Lukaku's move the other way.

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Koeman also signed Sandro Ramirez from Malaga in July.

As for Chelsea, the Blues may be prepared to let an unsettled and disgruntled Costa return to Atletico. Yet it's difficult to imagine the west London club would sanction the striker, who scored 20 times in the league last season, strengthening a domestic rival, even if only on a temporary basis.