Chelsea reject Atletico Madrid's increasing offers for Diego Costa

Chelsea have reportedly turned down a €45 million bid for Diego Costa. Atletico lost to Barcelona at the Camp Nou and now sit three points behind their rivals having played a game more. Diego Simeone has apparently taken action and convinced Miguel Angel Gil Marín that he needs Diego Costa to compete at the very top of La Liga and the Champions League.

Simeone was offered other players the board of directors believed were attainable but the Argentine was unequivocal in his response that he wanted and needed Costa and nobody else. Initially, Atletico Madrid had flirted with the idea of sending Jackson Martinez the other way but on Thursday, Jorge Mendes sent word of the €45 million offer to London.

Roman Abramovich turned down the offer according to the reports and he is not willing to discuss any possible transfer of his one of his best assets. Costa had struggled at Stamford Bridge under Mourinho in his second year at the club but has scored five goals in five games for the English club. There have been murmurings of Costa "pining" for a return to the Calderon based on rumours that he keeps in regular contact with his former teammates in Madrid and further comments suggesting he still supports the club and kept a very close eye on how they were performing.

Atletico are in desperate need of goals with summer import Jackson Martinez failing to adjust to Diego Simeone's system and Luciano Vietto having a similar start to life at the Vicente Calderon.

The official word, according to the report, is that there is now no time to negotiate a deal for Costa unless the bid is raised and something spectacular happens in the last two days of the winter transfer market.