REPORT: Chelsea losing patience with Costa as Conte receives Lukaku boost

REPORT: Chelsea losing patience with Costa as Conte receives Lukaku boost

Chelsea are losing patience with Diego Costa and will consider selling him this summer, according to the London Evening Standard.

The striker has struggled for form since Tianjin Quanjian offered a contract worth in excess of £570,000-a-week in January and has scored just three Premier League goals in 2017.

Despite the Chinese Super League side offering £80million, Chelsea made it clear Costa was not for sale at the time because he has been a key part of the quest to win the Double but Tianjin plan another bid during the next transfer window while his former club, Atletico Madrid, remain keen.

The Spain international has started all but two of the club’s League games this term but this is the second time in three years his performances have tailed off significantly in the second half of the campaign.

The 28-year-old has two years left on his contract and while preliminary talks took place over an extension in February, the club are having second thoughts, especially as he wants a significant increase on his £150,000-a-week salary.

Chelsea were already planning a new move for Romelu Lukaku or Alvaro Morata after missing out last summer, according to reports.

Lukaku, who played just one League game for the club between 2011-14 before moving to Everton for £28m, is now first choice, although the Blues are looking to bring two centre forwards in should Costa depart and have added Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez to their wish-list.

As first reported by this paper a year ago, Lukaku has made a return to Stamford Bridge his priority because he feels he has ‘unfinished business’ there and that remains the case.

The 23-year-old has refused a new contract at Goodison Park and it has been reported Everton will demand £100m for the Premier League’s top scorer, who has 24 goals.

The relationship between the clubs soured after Chelsea had four bids rejected for defender John Stones, who is now at Manchester City, in 2015.

But Chelsea’s bargaining position has been strengthened with Everton now interested in their Academy starlet Tammy Abraham, who has impressed on loan at Bristol City.

The 19-year-old forward has 22 goals in the Championship, making him joint-second in the scoring charts in that division.

Everton are keen to invest in young English talent, and have identified Abraham as one of the best outside the Premier League. In January, they agreed a deal worth a possible £11m to sign Ademola Lookman from League One club Charlton.

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