If that transfer window isn’t remembered for frankly ridiculous fees being thrown about, it will be remembered for the push-back against player power.
Despite the best attempts of Philippe Coutinho, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Sanchez to force through deals to new clubs, they remain where they were at the start of the summer.
Diego Costa is also a part of that group of players and in spite of his eagerness to rejoin Atletico Madrid after a much-publicised falling-out with Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, the forward was included in the Blues’ final 25-man squad for the 2017/18 Premier League season.
Costa was still able to move to Atletico on Friday due to the fact that the transfer window stays open for a further 24 hours in Spain but there seemed to be little in the way of discussion between the clubs.
He won’t be happy about it but it seems like Costa is staying at Stamford Bridge.
And the best reaction, bar none, came from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
The Belgian stopper posted a photograph to Instagram showing he and Costa celebrating last season’s Premier League triumph but it was is caption that tickled supporters.
“Se queda,” Courtois announced, referencing Gerard Pique’s notorious claim that Neymar would remain a Barcelona player despite the keen interest and deep pockets of Paris Saint-Germain.
Se queda. pic.twitter.com/RtPHUr9iTH
— Gerard Piqué (@3gerardpique) July 23, 2017
“Se queda,” translates to “he stays” and, while we all know what happened with Neymar, it’s just a bit of fun from banter merchant Thibaut Courtois in suggesting that he was responsible for convincing Costa to stay at the club.
