Chelsea Transfer News: Gonzalo Higuain Bid Expected, Latest Diego Costa Rumours

Chelsea are reportedly preparing a bid for Napoli forward Gonzalo Higuain as Blues boss Jose Mourinho looks to bring in a top-quality strike partner for Diego Costa.

Costa had a terrific first season at Stamford Bridge in 2014-15 as Chelsea won the Premier League—scoring 20 goals, per WhoScored.com—but he often struggled with injury.

As a result, the west London outfit are apparently lining up a £30 million bid to bring in Higuain to complement the Spaniard in attack, per Jamie Sanderson in Metro.

Per WhoScored, Argentine Higuain netted 18 times in Serie A last season, as Napoli finished fifth, thus missing out on a Champions League spot.

The 27-year-old scored twice in what was, effectively, a Champions League place play-off against Lazio on Monday, but he also missed a penalty as Napoli eventually lost 4-2. 

Higuain would surely be open to a move to Premier League champions Chelsea, especially with manager Rafael Benitez having departed the San Paolo.

However, Italian football expert James Horncastle believes Higuain could be persuaded to stay on if Napoli secure mooted Benitez replacement Unai Emery:

Chelsea may also struggle to secure Higuain's signature in the face of Premier League competition.

According to beIN Sports' Tancredi Palmeri, Arsenal and Manchester United are both also interested in the former Real Madrid man:

The Blues are in need of a new striker to complement Costa, with Didier Drogba having now departed the club and Loic Remy perhaps not able to deputise for Costa effectively at the top level, especially in the Champions League.

Higuain has the ability and experience to be both an effective partner and competitor for Costa, and a reliable back-up should the Spaniard pick up a long-term injury.

Costa Rules Out Move

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Costa has hit back at reports that he wants to move back to Atletico Madrid. The striker insisted he is happy at Chelsea and will stay at the club.

Spanish outlet Marca recently reported the 26-year-old was unsettled at Stamford Bridge and was eager for a return to Atletico just a year after making a £32 million switch to west London.

However, Costa has now responded, committing his future to the Blues after an opening season in which he won the League Cup and Premier League, per Sami Mokbel in the Daily Mail:

"

It's quite a simple answer. It’s always a bit more difficult for adaptation in the first season, but I have no reason to leave this place, I love it, the fans love me and I want to stay. It’s really good to come in the first season and win two things. It’s really important and next year I’ll be ready to come back and hopefully win a couple more trophies.

"

Mourinho also backed his star striker, admitting he was angered by the rumours of Costa's potential departure as it upset his dressing room, per Mokbel:

"

I’m happy he’s unhappy because his unhappiness destroys my dressing room. He is the guy responsible for every single good moment in the dressing room.He is so happy, he is so funny and he is enjoying every minute at Chelsea and people are enjoying every single minute of him. So if this is unhappiness I am happy with that. But he was not happy with that news. In his bad English I think he has to try to express how unhappy he is with this news and how happy he is at Chelsea.

"

It did seem to be a slightly ludicrous suggestion that Costa would depart Chelsea after his goals were an integral factor in the Blues cruising to the Premier League title.

He played a lesser role in the latter half of the season as he struggled with injury, but he is undoubtedly one of the best strikers in the English top flight. Bleacher Report's James McNicholas recently compared Costa with Arsenal's Olivier Giroud:

A potential partnership with Higuain would surely be lethal, and with the pair leading the line, another Premier League title would be on the cards for Chelsea next term.