Andre Villas-Boas rules out Marseille move for free agent Diego Costa

Andre Villas-Boas has ruled Marseille out of the race to sign Diego Costa - citing the Spain striker's enormous wage demands.

Former Chelsea striker Costa, 32, is a free agent after Atletico Madrid released him from his £270,000-a-week contract six months early and is searching for a new club.

Premier League side Wolves have been linked with Costa and Marseille were also mentioned. But their manager Villas-Boas emphatically ruled out any chance of a move for him.

'First of all, Diego Costa earns 16 million euros [£14m] gross every year. It's the first thing that we should recognise,' the Marseille boss said.

'I received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number telling me that Diego Costa wanted to come to OM. I thought it was a joke.

'He's one of the best strikers in the world, [but we are] going to look for something else. We cannot pay his salary.'

After scoring 59 goals in 120 games for Chelsea over three seasons, Costa returned to Atletico Madrid in 2017. But his second spell there hasn't been as profitable as his first, with 19 goals in 81 games.

With Nuno Espirito Santo's side in need of firepower in the absence of Raul Jimenez, who suffered a fractured skull, Wolves have been linked with a move for free agent Costa.

The striker helped Diego Simeone's Atletico win LaLiga and reach the Champions League final in 2014 before moving to Stamford Bridge later that year for £32million.

Costa won the Premier League in his first and last seasons at Chelsea under Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte respectively, finishing as the Blues' top scorer in each of those campaigns.

Costa, who was born in Brazil, also has ten goals in 24 international appearances for Spain.