Atletico boss unsure over Costa deal and says Barcelona’s Griezmann interest is good

DIEGO SIMEONE has remained tight-lipped about Atletico Madrid’s striker situation as speculation over the club’s intentions continues.
Simone wants to re-sign Diego Costa, who is free to leave Chelsea.
Costa has been told he has no future at Stamford Bridge and is also keen to return to his former club Atletico.

Meanwhile, Barcelona are eyeing a swoop for Atletico’s Antoine Griezmann if Neymar is sold to Paris Saint-Germain.

Atletico can sign Costa this summer but will not be able to play him until January due to a FIFA-imposed transfer ban on the club.

They have already signed Vitolo from Sevilla and have loaned him out to La Palmas for six months – and a similar deal could work for Costa.
Griezmann, meanwhile, refused to leave the club earlier this summer because of the ban, yet Barcelona could tempt the Frenchman into a switch.

And Simeone refused to give much detail about the transfer situation of either Costa or Griezmann when asked ahead of Atletico’s clash with Napoli today.

“We don’t talk much about the presence of Vitolo and Costa, if they finally come… which we don’t know,” Simeone said.

“Diego Costa? He is not our player, he is Chelsea’s. We talk about those who will start the season with us, those are the important ones to us.
“I’d like to praise the strength of the club in keeping hold of our important players, and besides, those players want to stay at Atletico.




“Interest in Griezmann? It’s good for us that the best clubs want to sign our players.”

Barcelona’s Griezmann pursuit will only begin if PSG trigger Neymar’s £196m release clause and secure a move for the Brazilian.

Barca have so far failed to sign Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho, who may have been used as a replacement for Neymar.

As for Chelsea, they signed Alvaro Morata from Real Madrid in a £78m deal last month.

Morata has arrived as Costa’s replacement but Chelsea still need to get the latter off their books before the transfer window closes.

Source:www.express.co.uk