He's back.
After months of procastination(although he claims he always kept fit), the man with the faulty birth certificate, love him or hate him...he's one of the best strikers when he's on his game.
Atletico finally have a striker...and his name ain't Gameiro.
Putting how acrimniously things ended between Costa and Chelsea to one side, this is a move that makes so much sense for both parties.
Costa needs to play. It may be too late for him to enter a very competitive Spanish squad for the World Cup, but he has to at least get back on the pitch to give himself the chance.
That was not going to happen at Chelsea under Conte, who made it very clear that Mr's Costa's future at Stamford Bridge was over. And no other team really needed a striker in this midfield-loving world that we find ourselves in.
So he needed to not only find a club that needed him, but a system that he'd fit in.
Atletico, as good as they are defensively and in midfield, don't have a striker. I mean, between Gameiro and Torres, you can play those two for a decade and they still won't find the net.
To opt for not only a really good striker, but someone who played for you and found great success, it's a perfect match and one that could make Atletico pretty dangerous during the latter part of the season.
Watching Atletico lately, I admire how well coached they are. As far as organisation, discipline and hard work goes, they are the very best at it. Simeone is an amazing tactician.
But when they approach the final third, that presence which a striker brings is badly missing. Nothing really sticks, and too much work is placed on Carrasco, Koke and Griezmann to try and find the opening.
Let our midfielders be midfielders and our attackers be attackers.
With Costa there, you now have someone who can hold the ball up, which Torres and Gameiro can't do, and wait to roll it across for Griezmann or Carrasco.
But you also have a striker who can actually keep possession of the ball and turn to make a shot.
Options. Options. Options.
It's what Costa did to devastating effect for Chelsea, and if he can bring that kind of play for Atletico, then you have a team who can again make a run in the Champions League.
But Atletico, please don't get into another final and NOT win. That wouldn't be cool.
As I say this, maybe all those months camped out in a house in Brazil eating Doritos has made Costa lose all the goodness he once had. Maybe he is in fact finished, and Simeone will have to place all the pressure on midfielders to keep passing and passing until they can luckily find some space.
From my experience I doubt that, but nothing is guaranteed in football. However, from what Atletico have, it's something to at least get a little excited for.
Do I hear a three-horse La Liga Race? HH
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