Chelsea Transfer News: Diego Costa Fee Could be Reduced by Thibaut Courtois

The saga involving Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Thibaut Courtois and Diego Costa has been going on for months now, and if the latest rumours are to be believed, a potential UEFA Champions League semi-final draw between both clubs could have a big impact on how this story will come to an end.

As reported by Paddy Power, in the event both clubs were to face each other, it would cost Atletico a pretty penny to field Chelsea loanee Courtois:

However, talkSPORT's Graham Hunter now claims the clubs could reach an agreement that would see Chelsea waive the clause (thus allowing Courtois to play without the Atleti having to pay the fee) in exchange for a reduced transfer fee for Atletico striker Costa this summer.

Costa has been linked with a move to the Blues all season, and the Daily Mail's Neil Ashton recently reported the club were in prime position to sign the highly rated forward in a £40 million deal. But even that deal would reportedly be difficult, as the Atleti appear set on involving Courtois in any move:

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Chelsea are in pole position to sign Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa in a staggering £40 million deal this summer.

Jose Mourinho's search for a top-class centre-forward has been narrowed down and he is ready to take the plunge on the Spain international. [...]

Negotiations will be complex and delicate because Atletico want to complete the permanent signing of keeper Thibaut Courtois, who is on loan from Stamford Bridge.

Courtois is part of the succession planning at Chelsea for Petr Cech and Mourinho is unlikely to sanction his sale.

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The Belgian stopper has been on loan with Atletico for several seasons now and has developed into one of the game's best young players in the Spanish capital, even winning last year's Goalkeeper of the Year award in the highly competitive Spanish league.

But with Petr Cech still firmly in control of Chelsea's spot in goal, chances for Courtois to make an impact at his parent club could be limited. The loan deal with Atletico has worked to perfection so far, but Jose Mourinho's interest in Costa could have complicated matters.

Alvaro Barrientos

The report that playing Courtois against the Blues would cost Atletico a reported £3 million per match, and Hunter's claim that the clause could be used to lure Costa to Stamford Bridge without losing Courtois to the Spanish league leaders, could therefore be a tremendous blessing to Chelsea.

Such a fee for two measly matches would be a steep price for any team, and as reported by Reuters' Iain Rogers, via Yahoo! News UK & Ireland, Atletico's financial model isn't the healthiest in world football:

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Atletico Madrid's emergence as a third force in Spain and contenders among Europe's elite rests on wobbly economic foundations and the edifice could come crashing down if they cannot sustain their remarkable run. [...]

Figures for 2011-12 collated by Jose Maria Gay, a professor at the University of Barcelona and an expert on football finances, show the club are saddled with debts of more than 500 million euros and the cost of paying their players and staff alone is more than 90 percent of annual earnings. [...]

However, by selling their best players from time to time and buying decent replacements, as well as bringing through talent from the club's academy, they could remain a strong contender in the second rank behind the richest teams, he added.

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The most logical course of action for Atletico would simply be benching Courtois for two matches in the event of a semi-final draw against Chelsea, preserving Costa's full transfer value ahead of a summer transfer move to Chelsea. After all, Hunter's report is little more than a suggestion at this point.

Unsurprisingly, fans and pundits were none too happy when they found out Courtois might not be playing in the event of a Chelsea-Atletico matchup in the Champions League.

Goal.com's Carlo Garganese was one of them:

The Mirror's Ted Knutson is of the same opinion:

Hunter's suggestion provides a way out for both teams and would give fans the kind of matchup they deserve: both teams at full strength and one of the best young players in the world trying to prove to his parent club that he should be starting over current goalkeeper Cech.

But such a move would not benefit Atletico in the long run, as it would cost the club dearly in the transfer sum they could demand for Costa during the summer. As a result, Hunter's suggestion will most likely remain little more than just that—a suggestion.

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