How would Diego Costa’s departure impact Chelsea?

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Diego Costa is edging closer to a move away from Stamford Bridge and is likely to rejoin Atletico Madrid, according to Spanish outlet AS. The Chelsea striker has been heavily linked with his former club since reports emerged that he had fallen out with manager Antonio Conte, who allegedly informed Costa by text that he was no longer part of his plans.

The Spain international has scored 59 goals from 120 appearances in all competitions for the Blues, since swapping Madrid for west London in 2014. However, his time in the Premier League looks set to come to an end following an irreparable rift with Conte.

Atletico are currently under a transfer embargo that prohibits new players from registering until January, but this does not seem to have discouraged Costa from returning to the club in which he became a cult figure. The Mirror article claims that Atletico boss Diego Simeone will not seek to loan the 28-year-old to another club while the ban is in place; instead he will stay and train with the La Liga outfit.

Costa’s departure would leave a huge void at Chelsea. He is a prolific goalscorer, having notched 20 Premier League goals in two of his three seasons, and is a general menace to opposition defenders. Costa has courted controversy on numerous occasions thanks to a chequered disciplinary record that has often kept him on the back pages for the wrong reasons.

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His exit will undoubtedly see Chelsea step up their search for a replacement, with Everton’s Romelu Lukaku and Andrea Belotti of Torino both reported, by the Daily Star, to be on the club’s list of targets.

The reigning Premier League champions have only landed Willy Caballero so far this summer and adding firepower to a squad that will be playing European football next season is a priority for Conte. Michy Batshuayi showed at the tail end of the last campaign that he possesses the ability to score goals at this level and he may be afforded more opportunities to justify his £33 million price tag.

However, a proven marksman is a necessity if Chelsea are to remain a force. Lukaku and Belotti are likely to fetch in the region of £70 million apiece. Everton in particular will be extremely reluctant to lose their prized asset to a domestic rival, so it would take a mammoth bid from the Blues to re-sign their former striker. However, a sizeable chunk of any fee would be generated from the proposed sale of Costa.