Barton in bizarre Liverpool, Everton suggestion over Costa

Oli Fisher

Joel Matip and Diego Costa

Joey Barton believes that Liverpool and Everton should be doing ‘everything they can’ in order to sign wantaway Chelsea striker Diego Costa.

Costa has yet to report back for duties at Cobham and has not played for the club since their FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal back in May.

Reports suggest that the forward is still in his native country Brazil and has to return to London if he wishes to leave the Premier League champions this summer.

Costa has been heavily linked with a return to Atletico Madrid, but former Manchester City midfielder Barton feels that Merseyside duo Liverpool and Everton should attempt to sign him.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Barton said: “If I’m Liverpool or Everton I’m doing everything I can to sign Diego Costa. I’m coming in now to Chelsea saying look, you’re clearly prepared to do it having sold [Nemanja] Matic to a title rival in Man United”.

Although Atletico are frontrunners, the club are unable to sign anyone until January – as they are currently serving a transfer ban. With this under consideration, Barton added that his experience would improve the two Premier League clubs in Europe.

“Liverpool are crying out for a forward of Costa’s ilk and so are Everton. If they want to get into that top four consistently and do well in the Champions League – Everton in the Europa League – you could do a lot worse than Diego Costa.

He (Costa) knows the model – he’s done it consistently over the last few years. If I was Ronald Koeman or Jurgen Klopp I’d be on the phone to Chelsea trying to get that done,” he added.

This isn’t the first time the forward has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge. Costa was targeted by a number of teams in the Chinese Super League in January.

“I think this all distils down to the January window, when he was linked with the move to China. I mean, we don’t know what went on behind the scenes, but it looked like he may have thrown his toys out the pram and that Conte hasn’t forgotten or forgiven him for that.” Barton added.