Benfica deny transfer agreement with Diego Costa

Benfica have quickly denied reports claiming a transfer has been agreed with Diego Costa ahead of next season.

Benfica have denied reports that they are on the verge of signing former Atletico Madrid and Chelsea striker Diego Costa.

Spanish sports newspaper Mundo Deportivo claimed on Wednesday that Costa had reached an agreement in principle to join Jorge Jesus’s side ahead of next season.

In all fairness, the Portuguese side have been linked with the veteran forward since last summer. In fact, reports even claimed the only reason a deal didn’t happen at the time was because of the player’s ‘excessive’ weekly wages.

However, Benfica took the unusual step of refuting any claim about Costa on Thursday.

A club statement read on their website: “Benfica denies that any negotiations have taken place regarding the signing of forward Diego Costa” it read.

“The club reiterates that until the end of the season their entire footballing professional structure’s focus will only be on the remaining ten games of the league season and the Taca de Portugal final.”

Costa’s second spell at Atleti came to an end by mutual consent in December last year for what the club described as ‘personal reasons’.

The 32-year-old has remained without a club since and has also been linked with a Premier League return, with Wolves reportedly keeping an eye on his situation.