Diego Costa Atletico Madrid
Diego Costa remains linked to Stamford Bridge and a deal between Atletico Madrid and Chelsea could get done during the upcoming summer transfer period. Getty Images

As the 2014 summer transfer period creeps closer, multiple teams across the wide spectrum of professional soccer continue to monitor players they view as potential fits with their clubs. While first-year Manchester United boss David Moyes, Arsenal leader Arsene Wenger and Barcelona skipper Gerardo Martino and many others are expected to delve into the signing of numerous talents, two of the most popular clubs in the professional ranks could experience the "swapping" of players, even though both clubs continue to play strong football this season as they pursue championships in their respective leagues.

Heavily linked to Stamford Bridge, current Atlético Madrid striker Diego Costa could find himself in the Barclays Premier League come the start of the 2014-2015 season. Currently pacing Los Rojiblancos to the top of the Spanish Primera Table, Diego Costa is viewed as one of the top scorers in the game and thanks to his impressive numbers this season -- registering 26 goals and 3 assists in 31 La Liga matches -- the 25-year-old remains heavily linked to Jose Mourinho and the Blues. Though he’d love to see his star offensive playmaker remain in Spain, Madrid boss Diego Simeone gave high praise to Costa while saying he’d be in full support of the Brazil native if he elected to depart the club this summer.

“It will depend on him and what he thinks is the best for his future,” Simeone said when asked what he thinks Costa will do. “I will support any decision he makes. It’s natural that Chelsea are interested in him. That makes me happy, because my aim and that of my coaching staff is to see our players improve. We understand that Chelsea have huge financial power and if he wants to live off football for the rest of his life, I will have no problem in him going. He does have room for improvement but he’s rebellious and I like that and he’s something different. Hopefully his development won’t end. Right now he’s among the candidates for the Ballon d’Or.”

Fernando Torres Chelsea 2014
Fernando Torres could rejoin Atletico Madrid this summer. Reuters

If Costa does elect to join Chelsea, Simeone plans to make a splash of his own so he and his team are not left empty-handed. Indicating recently that he remains in communication with former Atlético star Fernando Torres, the Argentine boss says there is a strong possibility that the current Blues forward could return to Spain where he began his senior career. The 30-year-old has recorded 19 domestic league goals since joining the English squad in 2011 and due to the fact that Costa could be headed to Chelsea, a need would open up for a player of Torres’s caliber.

“Fernando is always with us,” Simeone said. “Obviously I have sent messages to him, he is very happy with everything that is happening to this team, he is always present, wishing us luck. Of course he would love to come back to the club he grew up in and where he was very happy. How could he not want to return to the club where he was born?"

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