Now, at last, Atletico had one more space for a non-EU player. This was great news for the club but Costa's new status also made him an attractive proposition for any club shopping for a striker in the summer transfer market.
Liverpool were quickest off the mark, offering €25m for the Brazilian and triggering the release clause in his contract. However, Jose Mourinho, recently returned to Chelsea, had also identified Costa as a primary target, a Didier Drogba-style centre-forward around whom he could forge a new winning machine. The Portuguese coach had watched Costa since he first arrived at Braga, and had felt the force of the striker during his breakout season close-up as manager of Real Madrid.
However, Mourinho had yet to persuade the owner of Chelsea, Roman Abramovich, to accelerate his rebuilding plans. In both acquiring new players and moving others on, the process would be gradual. For example, Benfica's Nemanja Maticc, another immediate target for the new manager, would have to wait until January 2014.
If Costa could not be signed now, a strategy was needed to ensure he was delayed, and not diverted. Chelsea and Mourinho made their case to Costa and Atletico: turn down Liverpool now and we will sign you – for more money – in 12 months. Samuel Eto'o was the stop-gap acquisition. Behind the scenes, Costa was lined up for summer 2014, in negotiations aimed at making all parties happy for the season ahead. On August 14, the club renewed Costa's contract, doubling his salary and extending until June 2018. The release clause also went up, and the understanding was that the new season would be Costa's last for Los Colchoneros.
TREBLE TROUBLE But for Mourinho, Liverpool would have been able to combine Costa with lethal duo Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge in 2013-14
For Atleeti, the sale could wait. At the start of pre-season, Radamel Falcao packed his bags and moved to Monaco for a fee reported at €60m. In came David Villa from Barcelona for €5.1m.
Business was good, but Costa now carried a weight of responsibility for Simeone. A player who had so often been a whisker away from a bargain-basement transfer out of Atleti was now one of the crown jewels of the team.
"I'd like to thank the club for offering me an extended contract. I hope to do even better so that I can help the team achieve everything we have set out to do," Costa declared.
The club's sports director, Josee Luis Peerez Caminero, said: "This is great news for us all. Diego is a vital part of this team and it was a priority to extend his contract. We want to continue to move forward with the same group of players who have brought us so much success over the last few years."
"After everything I've gone through to make it to the first team here, how could I leave now?" Costa asked.
Costa would take another quantum leap forward in 2013-2014 and Simeone's Atleeti would reach
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