Chelsea facing fresh fight to retain Diego Costa in the summer

Chelsea have yet to convince Diego Costa to commit to the club with the Brazilian’s head still being turned by the money on offer from China.

Chelsea may have hoped the Diego Costa drama from January was over now, but that’s not the case. Costa continues to have his head turned by money being offered to him from China, according to The Sun.

The striker was the subject of interest back in the January transfer window. Chelsea put that to bed as soon as they could in an effort to not disrupt the team’s Premier League title bid. But although that has worked in the short term, the summer will see the situation reignited.

Chelsea want to sign Costa to a new contract. But Costa wants the Blues to match the money being offered to him by Chinese Super League clubs before he commits his future to the club. Costa has been offered a staggering £38 million per season to make the switch to China, the report says.

Essentially, Costa is now using the offer as a bargaining tool and a water level to garner as much money as he can out of the final big contract of his career. It’s nothing new for players in their late 20s to prioritize money as their last big contract is being negotiated.

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However, Costa might be taking this one a little too far. If all the Brazilian wants is to be paid handsomely as one of the leading earners in Europe, then that’s understandable. Chelsea can reject that if they wish, but it’s understandable.

But matching the offers from China is not something Chelsea – surely – are even going to consider. It’s a false market in the Chinese Super League. If Costa wants the same money that is being offered in China, then he surely will not be at Stamford Bridge next season.

As good as Costa is, he’s not worthy of being easily the highest paid player in Europe. Chelsea will have to find out what is most important to the striker at this stage of his career. If he just wants the biggest contract he can get, then the club should let him leave for China.

The salaries might be big out there, but so are the transfer fees. Chelsea will be rightfully compensated – probably overly so. The moment clubs in Europe start to match the money in China, it’s a downward spiral.

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Soon after, the other top players at the club will want the same level of pay. The mid-level guys will then want what the top guys were paid previously. It will become the club’s new standard. An unsustainable one.

The money may look attractive to Costa now, but the 28-year-old needs to look long and hard before he starts making unmatchable demands. Chelsea may want to keep him, but they surely wont be prepared to match the lunacy levels in China.

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