Chelsea Transfer News: Christian Benteke Deal Blocked, Fresh Diego Costa Rumours

Saturday's showdown between Liverpool and Chelsea has received some added spice after it came to light Jose Mourinho was blocked from signing Christian Benteke this summer, while exit rumours surround Diego Costa.

The Telegraph's Matt Law reported Benteke would have moved to Stamford Bridge this summer if Mourinho had his way, but the Blues hierarchy weren't willing to pay the striker's £32.5 million release clause.

Jon Super/Associated Press

As we know, Liverpool forked out that sum and signed the Belgium international, whom Law stated would even have been content playing second fiddle to Costa.

The regret of missing out on his signature will be that much greater given the Blues' struggles so far this term, and Kristof Terreur of Het Laatste Nieuws provided evidence Benteke could have fitted Chelsea's wing-heavy approach very well:

Mourinho instead added Radamel Falcao to his ranks on a season-long loan deal, but the Colombian has played little more than a supporting role to Costa and second-choice striker Loic Remy.

According to the Mirror's Ben Burrows, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is hopeful Benteke will be fit to make his return from injury against Chelsea on Saturday, giving the west Londoners a chance to see what they're missing.

Benteke's return of three goals in six Premier League starts this season has made for a positive start to life at Anfield, but things could have been so much different for the 24-year-old had the Chelsea board not intervened.

The west Londoners' return of 15 goals this season still makes them the highest-scoring team in the bottom half of the table, but it's hardly been a glamorous run of late, as Breathe Sport attested:

"

Chelsea's top scorers in the Premier League this season: Own goals: 3 Diego Costa: 2 Willian: 2 Oscar: 1 Pedro: 1 pic.twitter.com/DKvRYJW9ZP

— BreatheSport (@BreatheSport) October 23, 2015"

Costa is one of those in poor form this campaign, and according to Spanish magazine Don Balon, his agent Jorge Mendes is working to earn him a move to Barcelona in 2016 (via Daily Star's Luke Gardener).

The former Atletico Madrid star is a known commodity in La Liga after scoring 64 goals in 133 appearances for Los Rojiblancos over the course of four years at the Vicente Calderon.

Steven Governo/Associated Press

Despite the Premier League's reputation as one of Europe's more physical divisions, even Costa has stood out as one of the more ill-disciplined figures, already earning three yellow cards in eight games this season.

Former Arsenal and West Ham United frontman John Hartson has voiced his appreciation of Costa's battering-ram approach, however, per Match of the Day:

As explained by BBC Sport, Barcelona's transfer embargo comes to an end on January 1, at which point the Blaugrana will be free to register new players for the first time in a year.

Mendes also happens to be Mourinho's representative, so the lines of communication between the two are likely to be clear in whether Chelsea would be willing to sell their player this winter.

There is reason to think Costa may not fit in at the Camp Nou, however, considering they play a similar style of passing-oriented football to the Spain national team, in which the forward has struggled to fit.

Sulking over the missed Benteke deal won't help Mourinho in reviving the Blues' form, but Barcelona may offer the Portuguese another headache if they choose to press in their alleged chase for Costa.