Chelsea Transfer News: Diego Costa Eyed by PSG as Zlatan Ibrahimovic Replacement

Diego Costa has added a refreshing new dimension to Chelsea’s forward line since signing from Atletico Madrid, leaving the Stamford Bridge faithful purring.

But reports claim the unruly striker could be a target for Paris Saint-Germain as they ponder the unenviable task of replacing the effervescent Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who—as good a player as he remains—is approaching the twilight of his career at 33 years old.

This news comes via Alex Harris of the Daily Star, who reported the following in his piece:

"

[Costa's] red-hot form could see Chelsea's European rivals try to prise him from their grasp.

Ligue 1 champions PSG are looking at long-term replacements for veteran Swedish superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic and sensational reports in France suggest Costa is high on their wanted list.

Ibrahimovic has 18 months left on his current deal with the French capital club, who are willing to spend big to strengthen their attack.

"

Victor Fraile/Getty Images

Here’s a look at why Ibrahimovic will eventually be such a difficult and expensive player for the French champions to replace:

Edinson Cavani is a player capable of potentially filling that void, and you suspect the Uruguayan would relish the chance of getting a prolonged run in a more central berth after being shunted out to the wing to accommodate the talents of the mercurial Swede. But according to Harris, the Parisians do not see the player as a long-term solution.

David Ramos/Getty Images

Cavani has been linked with a host of English clubs, per David Wright of the Daily Express, and while he is a classy forward, he's not quite in the class of Ibrahimovic or indeed Costa.

But he's yet to be given an appropriate chance in the French capital in his preferred position and is often made an unfair scapegoat for poor performances, as noted here by Jonathan Johnson, one of Bleacher Report's chief experts on French football:

It’s easy to see why the French outfit would be interested in Costa. The Spanish international is a throwback forward very much in the target-man model, and while he may not possess technical ability comparable to Ibrahimovic, his nuisance factor, power and forensic finishing would make him as good an option as any to spearhead PSG’s attack when the Swede hangs up his boots.

Here’s how the two players have fared in domestic action this season:

	Ibrahimovic	Costa
Apps (Sub)	9 (1)	13
Goals	8	12
Assists	0	0
Shots per Game	3.9	3.2
Key Passes per Game	0.9	1.8
Dispossessed per Game	1.4	2.5

It seems highly unlikely that Costa will be the man to fill Zlatan’s shoes, though. He is a player that looks tailor-made for English football and for Jose Mourinho's stylistic principles; as such, it’s difficult to see Chelsea selling their rumbustious striker unless they were to receive an outlandishly massive transfer bid.

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

But with PSG having already been levied with sanctions on the back of Financial Fair Play investigations, it seems unlikely they’d be able to legally lodge a bit of substantial clout without selling one of their key men for a comparable fee.

Indeed, with Chelsea in an eminently stable financial situation, Harris himself admits that any deal between the two clubs—who will meet in the last 16 of the Champions League—is “highly unlikely to be sanctioned.”

Blues supporters and Premier League fans alike can look forward to sampling some more of this intriguing centre-forward for a few more campaigns yet.