Wolves flying in Diego Costa for trial after Kalajdzic blow

The former Chelsea and Athletico Madrid striker is expected to arrive at Compton Park on Tuesday for the club to assess his fitness as they consider offering him a deal.

Costa, 33, scored 52 goals in 89 appearances for Chelsea between 2014 and 2017 but has seen only limited playing time after leaving Madrid in late 2020.

The former Spain international has been a free agent since January when he terminated his contract at Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro.

Wolves are exploring their options after Kalajdzic was struck down with injury just days after arriving in a £15.4million move from Stuttgart. The 25-year-old was forced off at half-time during Saturday’s 1-0 win over Southampton and the club should learn on Monday how long he will be sidelined.

Though Wolves boss Bruno Lage initially suggested the problem was not serious, subsequent scans revealed Kalajdzic had damaged his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

He will see a specialist to determine the extent of the problem and the next course of action.

It is the second time Kalajdzic has suffered an ACL injury. The first, in 2019, caused him to miss most of his first season in the Bundesliga.

The latest setback comes as a particularly severe one to Wolves, who have struggled for goals and recruited the 6ft 7in frontman to provide much-needed support for Raul Jimenez.

The latter has been struggling with injury issues of his own after a truncated pre-season caused by a knee injury. Jimenez was named among the substitutes for the win over the Saints but withdrawn during the warm-up with a groin issue. He is expected to return to training later this week, ahead of Saturday’s trip to Liverpool.

Daniel Podence's goal earned Wolves a 1-0 win over the Saints but Kalajdzic's injury made it a bittersweet weekend for Lage.