In a league with Neymar, Messi and Ronaldo, it is very difficult to stand out. But this season Diego Costa has done just that. Coming out of the shadow of Falcao, Costa has scored ten league goals in eight games to help Atletico to eight league wins out of eight.
His first professional club was Braga but he didn’t make an appearance and spent the 2006-2007 season on loan at Penafiel where he scored five goals in 13 appearances. Atletico saw something in him and signed him for 1.5 Million euros. He went back to Braga on loan and played seven games without scoring. He would continue to go on loan, to Celta and Albacete before he was later sold to Valladolid as part of the deal that sent Sergio Asenjo in the opposite direction.
But after just one season at Valladolid he returned to Atletico but in 2011 his progress took a hit as a serious knee injury ruled him out for the entire season. The next season he went to Rayo Vallecano on loan, scoring nine goals in 16 appearances.
He eventually started to progress and the next season was his breakthrough season. Despite several altercations on the field, namely being sent off in a 2-0 derby day defeat to Real Madrid, he scored 20 goals in 44 games. He also won his first domestic trophy, this time scoring against Real Madrid in the final of the Copa Del Ray and contributing in the 2-1 victory.
His form alerted Liverpool who even made a bid of 21million euros and it did seem like he was going to leave. For Atletico losing Falcao and Costa would’ve been a hard void to fill but he stayed and along with new signing David Villa, has spearheaded their early season form.
Such form will not go unnoticed for very long and if it continues all season, I’m sure that not only Liverpool will be coming after him next summer. Atletico will have to brace themselves for another big money move for one of their top players.