Chelsea Transfer News: Latest on Diego Costa and Romelu Lukaku Rumours

Chelsea reportedly won't sell striker Diego Costa, despite rumours linking him with a return to old club Atletico Madrid. But the Blues won't explore a deal to bring Everton's prolific frontman Romelu Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge.

Costa has endured a rough second season with the Blues, but incoming new manager Antonio Conte still wants to keep him. That request will be granted, according to John Cross of the Daily Mirror:

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Antonio Conte has been reassured that Chelsea will refuse to sell Diego Costa this summer.

There is interest in striker Costa from his old club Atletico Madrid and the Chinese Super League.

But the Blues are adamant that the 27-year-old Spain international does not want to leave and they will not listen to any offers for him.

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Cross noted how Conte recently made a "surprise visit" to look over the squad he'll inherit this summer. The Italian will also be backed in the transfer market.

Maurizio Degl'Innocenti/Associated Press

Yet that backing will not include bidding for Lukaku, who has thrived since being dispatched to Everton by former boss Jose Mourinho in 2013, per Cross: "But they are unlikely to move for Everton frontman Romelu Lukaku because, having sold him for £28 million two years ago, they may not revisit the deal so quickly."

Chelsea recently got a first-hand glimpse of how far Lukaku has progressed since joining the Toffees. The jet-heeled and burly Belgian bagged a superb brace to knock his old club out of the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage.

But as good as Lukaku has become, Costa can match him as a finisher provided he stays free of injury and manages to avoid suspension. The temperamental attacker has improved mightily since Guus Hiddink succeeded Mourinho this season.

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Costa has scored 15 times in all competitions, according to WhoScored.com. That includes finding the net 11 times in England's top flight.

He was the key figure in Chelsea's push to claim the Premier League title in the 2014/15 season. That came after Costa rose to prominence in Madrid, helping Atletico win La Liga the season before.

It's the past success driving rumours of Costa's return to the Spanish capital. The striker laments his disciplinary woes in England, something making him keen on a move, per Paul Brown of the Daily Star.

Brown also fuelled more Lukaku rumours, but he insists Conte still wants his current centre-forward to lead the line: "The Italian wants to bring £50 m-rated Everton striker Romelu Lukaku back to the club, but still believes Costa has a massive role to play next season."

Contradictory reports about Costa and Lukaku can't dispute two obvious facts about Chelsea's squad. First, Conte will be inheriting a marquee, match-winning striker who only needs to focus to be at his best.

But that doesn't mean the Italian still won't need to add some fresh talent in forward areas, even if it's not Lukaku. With Loic Remy, Radamel Falcao and Bertrand Traore as alternatives, another striker is needed at the Bridge, whether Chelsea's prolific No. 19 sticks around or not.