Chelsea Transfer News: Stunning Diego Costa Bid, Latest Blues Rumours

Two sides from the Chinese Super League are reportedly ready to test Chelsea’s resolve on the sale of star striker Diego Costa with astronomical bids of €90 million (£72.1 million).

That’s according to Duncan Castles of the Sunday Times, who wrote that the continental-record offers will be tabled to unsettle the Spaniard and his representatives this summer.

The Chinese top flight’s wealth has attracted some of the game’s biggest stars, including Ezequiel Lavezzi and Alex Teixeira, with salaries seemingly impossible to turn down.

And Costa will have a big decision to make if the clubs launch their offers, as Castles wrote that his salary of £4 million per year after tax would be more than doubled.

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The front man still has what it takes to cut it in the biggest leagues in Europe, though, and both Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid will hope that UEFA Champions League football is too attractive to leave behind.

According to France Football, Costa’s agent Jorge Mendes has offered his client to PSG, while Atletico have also been in talks with the striker about a possible return to the Vicente Calderon—via Mark Brus of Metro.

Yet it’s safe to say that neither PSG nor Atletico will be willing to match the outrageous bids coming from China, so the Super League could well be gaining another big name. 

Elsewhere, Chelsea will reportedly look to bring Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster to Stamford Bridge if Thibaut Courtois leaves the club in the summer, per Mike McGrath of the Sun.

Courtois revealed during the international break that he wasn’t sure where he’d be playing his football next term amid rumours of Real Madrid looking to bring the Belgian back to La Liga.

Should Courtois depart, Chelsea will table a £20 million bid for Forster, which appears something of a bargain.

The Southampton stopper has been in exceptional form ever since returning from a knee injury at the start of the year, and he’s been a huge asset for the Saints, as Sky Sports Statto revealed:

His performance in Southampton’s recent 1-0 defeat to champions-elect Leicester City proved exactly why he’s worth £20 million, as he pulled off a number of superb saves to keep his side in the match.

Forster is even giving England No. 1 Joe Hart a run for his money on the international stage, and if Roy Hodgson does give him the nod at Euro 2016, his stock will rise even more.

Luring players to Stamford Bridge next term could be difficult without Champions League football, but the Blues still have a great chance of getting their name in the UEFA Europa League hat.

Guus Hiddink’s men take on Swansea City when the Premier League returns on April 9, although Costa won’t be able to give his Chinese suitors a taste of what he can do, as he’ll be seeing out the last match of a suspension.