Chelsea eye £62m bid for Real’s Alvaro Morata as Diego Costa gets time to seal Atletico deal
Stamford Bridge chief Antonio Conte is desperate to agree a deal for the Spain striker after missing out on Romelu Lukaku
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CHELSEA are set to make a £62million move for Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata.
Antonio Conte is desperate to agree a deal for Morata as Diego Costa has been given time off to secure a switch to Atletico Madrid.
Costa wanted to try to find a way of healing his rift with boss Conte but the Italian was not interested in allowing him to stay at the club.
Spain star Costa was due to report for training yesterday at Cobham but has been handed a week off.
All the signals are he will have left the Blues before Conte and his squad fly out to the USA next week.
After losing out to Manchester United for Romelu Lukaku, 24, Chelsea are under increasing pressure to sign Morata.
Yet their bid is likely to be turned down by the Spanish giants who know they are in a strong bargaining position.
Real boss Zinedine Zidane would prefer the 24-year-old to remain at the Bernabeu although the player is keen on a move to the Premier League – having also been keen to go to Old Trafford.
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Atletico are certain to make an offer for Costa who was told via a text message from Conte that he could leave Stamford Bridge.
Costa joined Chelsea in a £32m switch from Atleti in 2014 but has repeatedly wanted a move elsewhere.
A big-money transfer to China was mooted but nothing came of it.
Chelsea have rejected Atletico’s first offer of £22m and will be keen to at least get their money back on the 28-year-old.
The La Liga club, due to a Fifa ban, cannot register new players until January, meaning Costa would either be loaned for the first half of the season or he would just spend the time without playing competitively.
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