Chelsea striker Diego Costa after suffering rib injury at Cup game. PHOTO/AFP
LONDON, December 14- Under-fire Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has dismissed speculation linking controversial striker Diego Costa with a January move back to Atletico Madrid.
Costa has been struggling this season, netting a paltry three goals in 12 Premier League appearances for the defending champions, leaving Chelsea in a precarious position.
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Costa’s poor form has led to suggestions that Mourinho would be willing to allow the 27-year-old to return to his former employers. This after the player admitted recently that he would be open to a return to the Vicente Calderon Stadium.
Mourinho remains confident that Costa will stay at Stamford Bridge, however, as Costa still has three years remaining on his current contract.
“Atletico is a great club, La Liga is a great league, so why should a 28-year-old player not think it is possible to go back?” Mourinho said.
“I don’t see a problem. He is happy here. He has, I think, three more years under contract.
Costa was part of the Blues side that saw off the challenge of Mourinho’s former club, Porto, in the Champions League last week. He added to his goal-scoring tally with the teams’ opener, helping them qualify for the knockout stages in the Champions League as Group G winners.
Costa is expected to take that momentum with him when Chelsea take on second-placed Leicester City on Monday night, where the foxes will be aiming to reclaim pole position in the league standings with a victory over Mourinho’s men.
