Diego Costa: I turned down Liverpool

Diego Costa: "I turned down Liverpool"

Blues striker Diego Costa has revealed, that he almost joined Liverpool 12 months before joining Chelsea. Costa who joined Chelsea this summer after a wonderful year at La Liga Champions Atletico Madrid.

Costa who has scored 17 goals in his 21 Premier League games has come off age as he has almost rilled up all the Premier League defenders.

However, the story could have turned out differently had Costa opted to take up an offer from the Reds in 2013 after they activated a £21m release clause in his contract.

"I was close to leaving Atletico," he is quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror. "Liverpool are a great team, but after fighting so hard and overcoming difficulties to get my place at Atletico, how could I leave?

"I thought it was very important to keep growing with Atletico and to play there for many years."

Costa who finally made his move, went on to score 27 times last season for Atletico in their Trophy winning season.