Atletico Madrid Must Prove They Want Me Badly – Diego Costa

Diego Costa has said in an interview that he believes Chelsea are pricing him out of a move away from Stamford Bridge.

Costa, 28, said that Chelsea need to lower their asking price to honour his achievements at the club, and admitted he may have to consider transfer offers from other clubs if Atletico Madrid do not make a “big effort” to sign him this summer.

“I’ve demonstrated I care for Atletico and have interest in playing for them,” “But if Atletico and Chelsea don’t come to an agreement and Atletico don’t make a big effort, I can’t keep on wanting to play for a club that isn’t going to make a bigger effort to try and sign me.

“I know that this [big effort] will happen, but if it’s to pay the amount that Chelsea want it won’t be possible.

“What I know is that this offer Chelsea will get is bigger than what they paid [when they signed Costa from Atletico for £32 million in July 2014], so I’ve given them something back in all senses [sporting and financial].”

Asked how much Chelsea are demanding in order to sell him, Costa replied: “I don’t know, but my agent said that Chelsea want something that Atletico can’t get near.

“When we heard that [Antonio] Conte didn’t want me anymore, my agent went to find out if there was interest from Atletico for me coming back. Of course for the warmth and respect that I earned there, they showed interest. But they wouldn’t pay a fortune. Atletico is a team growing every year, a big team, but they can’t pay an extraordinary amount.”