Diego Costa has labelled Bruno Lage a “great” manager and hopes to repay the trust he has shown in him following his switch to Wolves on a free transfer. The former Chelsea striker has returned to the Premier League and will play for Wolves until the end of the season. At 33 years old, Costa brings a wealth of experience to Lage’s squad, but admits that it will take him time to get back up to speed in the English top-flight.
Diego Costa said: “We did speak. We didn’t really go into the personal side of things or speak about family. We talked about football. I explained how I felt because I am incredibly motivated and ready to play again. I know that I can help but I also explained my current situation which means that I need my own time. I asked him not to rush me into things in the sense of planning things that don’t always go to plan because that will mean I won’t be able to help the way I want to. He was very understanding. He is a great manager and someone who has been doing a great job. He spoke with some of my former colleagues, but he was very serene, which is very important for a player. We might say that ‘Diego Costa is this way’ but a manager taking the time to get to know you as a player, worry about you and trust you – because there might be some doubt since I was not playing for a long time and I understand there, I don’t judge that line of thought because your data people just see your stats. A lot of figures and a lot of bad players just play for the numbers and that shouldn’t be a thing.”
