Chelsea Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Diego Costa and Danny Drinkwater

Atletico Madrid and Chelsea are reportedly close to agreeing a deal for Blues striker Diego Costa.

According to John Cross and Alex Smith of the Daily Mirror, after being apart in their valuation of the player throughout the summer, the two clubs are said to be close to reaching a £30 million compromise for the out-of-favour striker.

As noted in the report, Costa has yet to return to pre-season training with the Blues having fallen out with manager Antonio Conte; it's suggested the manager advised the striker via a text message that he would not be part of the team's plan for the upcoming term.

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If Costa was to join Atletico, he would not be able to play for the club until January due to the team's transfer ban. The La Liga side are said to be considering sending him out on loan until then.

"Everton are interested in taking the Spain international on loan—with boss Ronald Koeman canvassing opinion behind the scenes among his staff as to whether it is worth taking a punt on the striker," according to Cross and Smith.

As noted by ESPN's Liam Twomey, Costa was absolutely vital to the Blues winning the Premier League title in 2016-17:

Indeed, not only is the forward a fine goalscorer, he's bullish in his hold-up play, a willing worker and a powerful presence. While Chelsea look to have found a fine replacement in Alvaro Morata, those attributes are ones that'll be missed by the champions throughout the course of the season.

Having thrived at Atletico previously—firing them to the title in 2013-14 made Costa a hero at the Vicente Calderon—there's no doubt the striker would be welcomed back by manager Diego Simeone. And if he was to move to Everton on loan, it'd be fascinating to watch the striker in the Premier League until the turn of the year.

Chelsea Close to Danny Drinkwater Deal

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According to Tony Banks of the Daily Express, Chelsea are closing in on the signing of Leicester City midfielder Danny Drinkwater.

The Stamford Bridge club, as noted in the report, have already agreed a fee for Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and are now hopeful of securing another England international. Chelsea are said to be "moving closer" to striking a £40 million fee.

Drinkwater has been missing for Leicester so far this season amid speculation over a potential transfer. And it appears the champions are nearing a deal for the midfielder.

The amount to potentially be paid will prompt some raised eyebrows. ESPN's Janusz Michallik suggested the Blues could have found better value elsewhere:

Yet Drinkwater has established himself as one of the most dependable midfield performers in the Premier League in recent years. For Leicester, he's been the man to make the team tick, and during the 2015-16 campaign, he was outstanding next to current Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante as the Foxes romped to the title.

While Kante and Tiemoue Bakayoko will provide the combative edge in midfield, Cesc Fabregas is the only man in the squad currently with the class to create from a deeper position. Drinkwater would offer crucial depth and strong competition in this area of the team.