Tianjin Quanjian scotch Diego Costa £77m transfer rumours

Tianjin deny Chelsea striker has agreed a deal to move to the Chinese Super League after reports in Spain claim the forward will move to China in the close season

English Premier League

Reuters

Published: 11:11am, 5 May, 2017

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Tianjin Quanjian have denied Chelsea striker Diego Costa has agreed a deal to move to the Chinese Super League after reports in Spain claimed the Brazil-born forward would move to China for a record-breaking £77 million (HK$773.7) transfer fee in the close season.

Tianjin, coached by Italian World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro and last season’s Chinese second division champions, denied they had entered into any negotiations with the prolific Premier League player.

“Regarding the widely spread rumour of the transfer of Chelsea player Diego Costa to Tianjin, we hereby declare that so far we have not communicated with Costa regarding a transfer,” read a statement on the club’s official Weibo account.

Spanish newspaper Cadena Ser reported on Thursday that Costa had met with officials from the club along with his agent, Jorge Mendes, and a deal had been struck.

Chelsea striker Costa is tipped to move to the Chinese Super League in the summer. Photo: AFP

The newspaper said the forward would join Tianjin from Chelsea for £77m, with Costa to receiving a salary of £25.5m per year.

Should the deal be completed as reported, the transfer fee would set a new Asian record and eclipse the highest amount paid by a Chinese club for a foreign player, the £51m Shanghai SIPG spent to lure Brazilian forward Oscar in January.

Tianjin have made no secret of their ambition, having already lured Belgium international midfielder Axel Witsel, who joined from Zenit St Petersburg, and former AC Milan forward Alexandre Pato to the port city.

Chinese Super League club ‘scraps moves for Costa, Benzema, Falcao and Cavani’ after limits on foreign players

They were linked with a move for Costa during the January transfer window and British media reports said the striker had rowed with, and been dropped by, coach Antonio Conte after a lucrative offer was rebuffed by the London club.

Costa looks set to win his second Premier League title in three years at Stamford Bridge with his 19 league goals helping Chelsea to a four-point lead over Tottenham Hotspur with four matches remaining.

Asked last week about persistent speculation that Costa might leave Chelsea after the current season, Conte said such talk seemed to be an attempt to distract his players from their target of winning the title.

“We must be stronger than this speculation because we must be compact and think that our target is really important,” the Italian said.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Tianjin pour cold water on £77m Costa transfer rumours

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