Diego Costa is reportedly looking for a way out of Atletico Madrid this summer and a return to Premier League could be on the cards, with Everton interested.
According to The Sun, Atletico Madrid forward Diego Costa is willing to leave the club in search of a prominent role in the Premier League next season. The Spaniard is unlikely to have a future at Wanda Metropolitano, following the arrival of Joao Felix. Additionally, the Spanish giants have also completed the permanent signing of Alvaro Morata, further blighting his chances of making into the first-team at Atleti next season.
Everton are one of the clubs linked with a move for Costa. And the ex-Chelsea star is quite shockingly open to a move to Merseyside, which could serve as a massive boost for Marco Silva.
The Portuguese mastermind has struggled to find a reliable goalscoring option during his first season in charge of Everton. Cenk Tosun has failed to find the back of the net consistently since arriving in January last year and ended the 2018-19 season with only three goals in 25 matches. As a result, Silva often preferred to play Richarlison in the number nine role ahead of the Turkish international.
But, the lack of form and consistency from the wide attackers ultimately forced Silva to shift the Brazilian into the right slot as the season progressed. And this, in turn, allowed Dominic Calvert-Lewin to make a breakthrough into the starting lineup.
However, the youngster, despite showing immense work-ethic, has also struggled to find the back of the net consistently. And the Toffees are certainly in need of a more productive attacker if they are to return among the English elites next season.
Costa, in that regard, could be an exciting option given his superb scoring record in the Premier League. During his four-year stint at Chelsea, the Spaniard netted 52 goals in just 89 league matches. He has also scored ten goals in only 24 international games for Spain.
That being said, the 30-year-old is a risky option as well, and this is mainly because of his past controversies off the pitch. Indeed, Costa is infamous for his fights with managers and teammates, which served as a key reason behind his departure from Stamford Bridge at the start of last year.
The Atleti star has a bad temper and is not a very disciplined striker. And this will not bode well for Silva, who is known for his excellent organisation and cohesive setup that led Everton to a promising eighth-placed finish last term.
Furthermore, Costa endured a difficult time since returning to Atletico Madrid last year. As a matter of fact, the 30-year-old has scored only five league goals in 31 La Liga matches since the start of 2018. He has often been held back with injuries while he was notably suspended for eight games at the backend of last season for insulting the referee in the game against Barcelona back in April.
Hence, Costa’s potential arrival at Merseyside could be detrimental to Everton’s attacking setup, despite his stellar scoring record in England. And the Toffees should instead turn their attention towards a more promising individual, who can fit in well under the tactical philosophy of Silva.
