Has the lure of Chinese mega-money turned the head of another Premier League player? Following Oscar's eye-watering €60 million move to Shanghai, it seems Diego Costa may also be weighing up a departure from Stamford Bridge according to some reports.
Paddy Power go 6/4 (2.50) that the 28-year-old moves to any Chinese club before the end of the January transfer window.
Costa, currently the Premier League's top scorer on 14 goals this season, has been an integral part of the Blues' transformation over recent months.
GettyA 14-game winning run has seen them surge to the top of the table, going from 25/1 (26.0) for the title to odds-on favourites in the process, and the Spain international is the 2/1 (3.0) market principle for the top-scorer prize.
That price looks set to drift further after a dispute with Conte that has seen Costa left out of the match day squad for Saturday's trip to champions Leicester.
A one-game absence would not be a disaster for the Blues, of course, but a long-term dispute would have a major impact on their title credentials and should the striker decide to move on, it would no doubt be a fillip for the chasing pack.
GOALAtletico Madrid are second favourites to bring in Costa this month at 5/1 (6.0) with Paddy Power, although any departure, even one to a former club, would have be for the kind of fee that perhaps only a Chinese Super League club would be prepared to offer, especially at this point in the season.
A host of other candidates are offered in the market, including Barcelona (10/1), Bayern Munich (14/1) and Juventus (16/1) but in truth, the 6/4 (2.50) looks the only viable option - the one question seems to be whether or not the financial muscle of the Far East will force Costa and indeed, Chelsea, to consider the future of one of their best players.
