Come and get me Chelsea: Shakhtar's £35m star Costa still dreams of Chelsea move despite Man United keeping tabs

Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Douglas Costa has admitted he dreams of a move to the Premier League with title contenders Chelsea being his preferred destination. Costa, who has a release clause of more than £35million with the Ukrainian side, was originally linked with a move to La Liga giants Barcelona. However, the 24-year-old has revealed to FourFourTwo that both Manchester United and Chelsea had bids for him turned down in January, with Costa hoping a move to the latter could still take place.

He said: ‘I’d be really interested in moving to Chelsea – not only because everything Willian tells me about the club, but because I think that I’d be able to achieve everything I want having someone like Jose Mourinho by my side.

‘Since I left Brazil, I have worked with a marvellous coach (Mircea Lucescu) and got an idea of how much influence such a good professional can have in your football.

‘Now I think it’s time to try a new philosophy and I’m sure that Mourinho’s is the best around He’s always fighting for trophies.’

The current Premier League leaders had an increased offer of £18.7million for the Brazilian rejected in January, having already had an opening bid of £16million rejected days earlier.

But because he was cup-tied for the Champions League the former Gremio man was only ever Mourinho's second choice.

Instead Chelsea used the money raised from the sale of Andre Schurrle to sign Fiorentina midfielder Juan Cuadrado after activating the 26-year-old's £26.8million buy-out clause.