The transfer saga that surrounded Diego Costa for most of the summer came to its conclusion last week following Atletico Madrid’s decision to re-sign the striker for a £57.5 million fee.
Atletico and Chelsea meet in the Champions League later this week, but Costa will be unable to play, as the Spanish side are currently under a transfer ban from FIFA. The Spanish international will likely be among the onlookers though.
With his move away from Stamford Bridge complete, we’ve looked at the highs and lows from Diego Costa’s time in the Premier League.
2014/15
High – Scoring on debut and his first hat-trick
Costa hit the ground running with a goal after just 17 minutes on his debut at Burnley in a 3-1 victory. He went on to score in his next three league games, including a hat-trick against Swansea. He was named Premier League Player of the Month for August.
Low – Emre Can stamp and subsequent three-match ban
Costa’s first nasty encounter with a member of the opposition took place during the semi-final of the League Cup against Liverpool. The striker stamped on Emre Can after competing for the ball which earned him a three-match ban.
High – Finishing Tottenham off in the League Cup final
Costa scored regularly in his first season at Stamford Bridge, including in the League Cup final against Tottenham. The goal boosted his popularity with the fans and ensured that he won his first medal as a Chelsea player.
High – Winning the Premier League and being named in PFA Team of the Year
Costa’s 20 Premier League goals fired Chelsea to a first league title in Mourinho’s second spell at the club. As a result, he was named in the PFA Team of the Year for his efforts.
2015/16
Low – A three-match ban for clash with Arsenal defence
Neither Costa nor Chelsea started the following season well and the striker attracted all the wrong headlines in a game against Arsenal.
Costa received a three-match ban for an altercation with Laurent Koscielny, where he put his hands to the Frenchman’s face and struck him with a flailing arm. Also in the same game, his provocative actions led to Gabriel Paulista being sent off.
Low – Continuing the feud with Martin Skrtel
Costa and Skrtel had a brewing rivalry, after clashing in the League Cup semi-final and an international game between Spain and Slovakia. He appeared to stamp on Skrtel’s chest in a league match in October, but the incident was missed by the referee.
Low – Having a tantrum on the touchline at Tottenham
A month after his incident with Skrtel, Costa was causing trouble off the field. His relationship with Mourinho was nearing the end and he threw his bib up in the air from the dugout in frustration after realising he wasn’t going to be used as a substitute.
Low – Training ground bust up with Oscar
Even after Mourinho’s departure, Costa continued to make enemies at the club. He came to blows with Oscar at the training ground after a series of violent challenges on each other. Costa had scored just four goals all season and his frustration was evident.
High – Returning to form under Hiddink
After a terrible first half of the season, Costa returned to form on Boxing Day and scored 11 goals in his next 15 games under Guus Hiddink. Blues fans were still angry at him however, citing him as one of the three players, alongside Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas, as a reason for Mourinho’s departure.
Low – Collecting a first Chelsea red card at Everton
Costa received his only red card as a Chelsea player in a poor performance at Goodison Park. The striker thrust his face into the neck of Gareth Barry. He collected a three-match ban and a £20,000 fine for his actions.
2016/17
High – Regularly scoring and Player of the Month
Costa was back among the goals as Antonio Conte took charge of the team. He scored five goals in five games and was Chelsea’s focal point before picking up the Player of the Month award for November.
Low – A training ground row with Conte and a proposed move to China
Costa had his first bust up with Conte in January and their relationship never really recovered. He was the subject of a bid from the Chinese Super League, only for it to collapse. He was dropped for one game, but returned to score against Hull in a 2-0 win.
High – Winning a second Premier League title
By May, Costa had returned to the side and his 20 goals fired Chelsea to a second league title in three years. He scored his 50th goal for the club last season in just 85 games, the second fastest Chelsea player to reach that milestone, only bettered by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
Low – Dumped by text and a hiatus in Brazil
Conte and Costa’s relationship was rocky for the second half of the season and the striker found out via text message that he would not feature in the Italian’s plans for the following season. Since then, Costa has spent most of his time in Brazil and giving out interviews criticising his former manager.
