Diego Costa is reportedly demanding a staggering £300,000 a week contract to stay at Stamford Bridge after the Blues reopened negotiations this week.
The Sun have reported that Diego Costa only returned to training this week after Chelsea agreed to reopen contract negotiations with the striker. The Spain international is now demanding a hefty pay rise and wants wages worth £300,000 a week.
To say that it has been an eventful six months for Diego Costa at Chelsea this season would be a massive understatement. The Spain international had a lot of uncertainty surrounding his position in the team and the future at the club at the start of the campaign, after what was an underwhelming 2015/16 season.
However, he put all that behind him and hit the ground running right from the off this season, roaring back to form and scoring goals regularly. And after the first few games, Costa seemed to have shed his combative attitude on the field as well, choosing to focus on his football rather than getting involved in on-field squabbles.
Costa’s influence for Chelsea this season was iterated by the fact that he scored match defining and match winning goals for Antonio Conte’s side on several occasions.
? Here’s a look at training today. Up next – Hull City! pic.twitter.com/Mm2OvEsq1B
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 17, 2017
He was the difference maker against the likes of Watford, Middlesbrough, Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion among others, scoring 14 goals in all in the Premier League to be the joint top scorer as Chelsea romped to the top of English football.
However, last week it looked like the combustible side of his character was back on display again, as Costa allegedly involved in a bust-up with Conte during training, that reportedly put his Chelsea future in huge doubt.
Costa was subsequently not included in Chelsea’s comprehensive 3-0 wins over Leicester City. And even though manager Antonio Conte insisted that his absence was due to an injury, speculation continued to crop up, with the likes of Barcelona and former club Atletico Madrid being linked with a summer move for Costa.
Chelsea themselves have been rumoured to be on the lookout for replacements in case Costa forces a move in the summer, having been linked to the likes of Thomas Muller, Alvaro Morata, Romelu Lukaku and Christian Benteke this week.
However, as per the report Costa has made a truce with Conte, having returned to training earlier this week, but only after making a demand. That demand was that Costa wanted the club to reopen contract negotiations with a pay hike to £300,000 a week.
However, it has also been reported that Chelsea will not be bullied by his demands by doubling his pay, but have promised to resume talks next week, when an offer of £225,000 a week, five-year deal could be put on Costa’s table.
It now remains to be seen whether Costa reaches a compromise with Chelsea or continues to demand the staggering amount, and if so what course of action the Blues will adopt.
