Liverpool set up Diego Costa transfer by triggering the Arsenal target's buy-out clause
Liverpool set up Diego Costa transfer by triggering the Arsenal target's buy-out clause
Atletico Madrid won't stand in way of Brazil forward who scored 20 goals last season PLUS Ayre adamant Suarez is staying
Latte challenge: Costa in action for Atletico against Madrid rivals Real
Helios de la Rubia
Rising star Diego Costa will make a stunning move to Liverpool. The Anfield giants
have made an official offer of £21.8millon - enough to trigger a
buy-out clause in the forward's contract with his club, Atletico Madrid.
And
the Spanish club's coach, Diego Simeone, has conceded he will not stand
in the way of the Brazilian, after splashing out himself this summer on
both David Villa and young Brazilian Leo Baptistao as replacements for
£55m Radamel Falcao.
But while the Reds are now supremely
confident of completing the deal for the forward boss Brendan Rodgers
argues he needs to strengthen his squad, sources within the club insist
it does NOT signal the departure of Luis Suarez.
MD
Ian Ayre was at pains to point out earlier on Thursday that Liverpool
are determined to hang onto the South American, and explained that Arsenal have NO chance of signing him, because a so-called release clause in his contract simply doesn't exist.
Costa enjoyed a stunning end to last season that earned him a call-up to the Brazil squad.
He made his debut against Italy in March, then faced Russia in a friendly staged in London.
It capped a remarkable season for the 24-year-old, who seemed
to be heading out of Madrid when he suffered a serious injury in July
2011.
He was out for most of the ensuing season before being farmed out on loan to Madrid neighbours Rayo Vallecano.
However,
he bounced back in style by scoring four goals in his first three games
for Rayo, and hit nine in just 16 appearances before being hastily
recalled to the mothership.
Ironically, Costa emerged as a summer target for Arsenal after netting 20 goals in 44 games last season.
He
finished as top scorer in the Spanish Cup - where his goal in the final
steered Atletico to an historic win over hated neighbours Real Madrid.
Liverpool
will take great pleasure from stealing the Brazilian, who holds a
Portuguese passport, away from Arsenal after relations broke down
between the two clubs over the Suarez affair.
Ayre is adamant that, no matter who comes into the club, the Uruguayan will not leave.
He said: "He will not be going - "I'm sure he's going to stay.
"That's
always been our intention and that's what we expect to achieve. It's
not something we're interested in and, as our fans would expect, we
rejected both.
"The player is not available for sale - that's where we are and that's where we'll stay."
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