Chelsea Edges Closer to Signing a Striker – Reports

Matters of speculation are becoming increasingly solidified when it comes to Chelsea’s quest to sign Atletico Madrid’s Diego Costa. Recent reports are claiming that preliminary meetings have now been conducted between representatives from both sides, as Chelsea race to secure his signature before the end of the 2013/14 season.

It’s no secret that Jose Mourinho is looking to strengthen/acquire a new first choice striker, and Costa’s formidable scoring record in La Liga this season makes him, statistically, a prime candidate. Costa has scored 32 goals for Atletico Madrid this season, including 7 in 5 games in the Champions League. Brazilian born, Costa is a powerful forward, with clinical finishing ability, preferring to forgo the typically flashy South American technique for brute efficiency in front of goal. However, despite being well built and standing at 6’2′, he regularly comes in for criticism regarding his penchant for overly dramatic tumbles in and around the penalty area.

This marriage of strength, high work rate, and histrionics, make him a prime candidate to lead the line for a Mourinho made team. While any remotely self-critical fan would be ashamed of the way Costa has sometimes behaved, there’s no denying that his energy and stamina would be a welcome addition to Chelsea’s pressing game.

Should Costa come to Stamford Bridge, he would swell the Chelsea striking ranks to include 5 first team options. With Romelu Lukaku returning from loan at the end of the season, at least one of Samuel Eto’o, Fernando Torres or Demba Ba will surely be considered surplus to requirements. Having made the decision to play for Spain in this year’s World Cup (a possibility made available to him by virtue of his acquiring Spanish citizenship in 2013), Costa may well replace Fernando Torres in the international and domestic scene this season.

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