Man Utd and Tottenham handed Diego Costa transfer boost after unnamed club launch bid

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Diego Costa could be on his way back to the Premier League before Monday’s transfer deadline, according to reports. The veteran forward has been without a club since his contract with Atletico Madrid was terminated by mutual consent in December.

Costa, who scored twice in seven La Liga appearances for Atletico during the first half of the campaign, has been tipped to join a number of elite clubs from across Europe before the end of the season.

It was revealed earlier on Monday by Sky Sports that an unnamed Premier League side, currently in the division’s top six, had tabled an offer.

Speculation has been rife as to which club have approached the 32-year-old.

Table-toppers Manchester City have been touted as a potential destination, with former defender Micah Richards claiming last week that the signing of Costa would all but secure the Premier League title for Pep Guardiola’s side.

However, it has been revealed that the Sky Blues are not interested in a move.

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BBC journalist Simon Stone has claimed on Twitter that City have decided against pursuing a deadline day swoop for Costa, narrowing down the source of the mystery approach to Manchester United, Tottenham, Liverpool, Leicester City or West Ham United.

It seems feasible that Spurs are the side in question, with talisman Harry Kane set to miss at least a few weeks of action after injuring both ankles in Tottenham’s defeat to Liverpool on Thursday.

The Reds are unlikely to have approached Costa as the club aim to pull out all the stops to secure defensive reinforcements before this evening’s cut-off point, while United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed on Monday afternoon that no further signings will arrive at Old Trafford this window.

Former England defender Danny Mills previously suggested that Costa could be the perfect fit for Spurs as they look to reignite their Premier League title charge.

“There’s also Diego Costa still out there, you know,” Mills told Football Insider last week.

“Okay, he’s got one or two issues that you have to deal with Diego Costa but as a short-term measure from now to the end of the season I’m surprised nobody has taken a gamble on him. With his record which is outstanding.

“Carlos Vinicius is there to step up but I think it depends how long Harry Kane is going to be out for. That’s ultimately going to be the key.

“Is it going to be 10 days to two weeks or is it going to be a month to six weeks? That’s what Mourinho will be fearful of.

“Harry Kane has had injuries in the past, but he’s always come back from those injuries and when he’s back to fitness it doesn’t look like those injuries are holding him back in any way shape or form, so that’s a good sign for Tottenham.”

Costa is best known to English fans for his time at Chelsea, during which he lifted the Premier League trophy on two occasions.

He is often controversial, using mental warfare and bending the rules in order to get into the heads of opponents, an attribute that makes him dangerously effective when leading the line up top.

Costa has scored 181 times from 474 total career appearances, averaging a goal every 2.6 games since making his professional debut in 2006.

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