Wolves Fans' Verdict: Diego Costa signing is low risk and hopefully high reward!

Clive Smith

It's not Diogo its Diego. With the long term injury to Sasa Kalajdzic and the long term form of Jimenez, a focal point upfront is needed. Wolves have either been thinking outside the box and come up with an inspired signing or hit the panic button and shown a sign of desperation. Time will tell of course but we should at least applaud their prompt decision making.

Costa has always been the sort of player opposition fans dislike but hey, most of us are no fans of Vardy, Kane, Grealish and many others. Now it looks like he will be playing for us, and the shoe is on the other foot, opinions might change.

The Premier League is a huge jump up from under-23 level so our options are limited until January. Having a player who knows the level expected is beneficial and he will already be aware of the pace and physicality required. Pace and fitness might require some fine tuning but physicality should not be an issue based on his former life.

Wolves are certainly short of that as we have seen Hwang, Neto, Podence and Silva all come off second best in too many challenges. Jimenez too.

So, lets wish Diego all the best and hope he adds something to the team, makes us stronger, and a few goals and assists would not be unwelcome either.

Rob Cartwright

The signing of Diego Costa for Wolves is a big shock, but I’m pleased that they have reacted quickly to the unfortunate injury to Sasa, in his first game.

He is 33, having had a successful career for over 15 years, most memorably with Atletico Madrid and Chelsea. No-one ever liked playing against him, for Chelsea, but this was five years ago now and he hasn’t done anything of real note since.

We have no idea whether the gamble will pay off, but it is worth the small risk in my opinion. Available on a free but with big wages you would think. Perhaps the biggest risk is upsetting the existing squad harmony.

I remember him as an aggressive, busy forward who never gives defenders a minutes break. He plays the game “nasty” and he knows where the goal is. Expect lots of antagonism and referees “having a word”.

I can’t even imagine how he will get on in the world of VAR.

He is certainly what we are lacking, if he can get anywhere near to his best form.

I think we can accept his fitness will be limited, so if we can get 60 minutes from him in games and he is scoring everyone will be happy.

The simple facts are that this is a stop-gap measure. We are desperate to find a goal scorer. Defensively we are sound and the midfield looks like it is capable of creating lots of chances for someone in the box!

The uplift has the potential to be massive, both in terms of excitement and league table position.

John Lalley

No doubt the sullen swagger and the peppery belligerence will still be in abundance and the appetite for confrontation will be coursing through his veins, but pushing thirty-four and comparatively inactive of late with his best days long gone, it’s asking a heck of a lot.

It’s a frustrating gig up front for Wolves these days, feeding on scraps and Costa’s short fuse might just start smouldering pretty rapidly. Safe to say, this fella tends to bear grudges and has a less than benevolent approach in matters of retribution!

That said, Wolves have little to lose in the short term by taking a punt; Costa will bring a grouchy physicality which if channelled effectively might prove beneficial. Expecting him to be a prolific scorer is unrealistic; the Wolves approach simply doesn’t accommodate such blandishments.

But maybe his cantankerous approach might prove distraction enough to create some opportunities for his colleagues. The injury to Kalajdzic meant that Wolves were forced into Hobson’s Choice; needs must and if nothing else Costa will stimulate some interest. The warrior in him will see him striving to trample underfoot any barrier that gets in his way. Whether fitness and mobility allow him to succeed is another matter.

Robbie Meakin

Remember the days when we were signing Yanick Sagbo and Grant Holt to try and fill a gap? Yeah, that wasn't too long ago! Now we're signing a Premier League and La Liga winner.

Yes, he's past his prime and he hasn't played since January, but the general feeling is that Diego Costa will do the job for Wolves. Costa has already got fans excited. The old fashioned bruiser of a number nine has also won the hearts of fans, after he posted a video of himself walking around Tettenhall at the weekend.

With the Liverpool game postponed and it currently unknown if Saturday's test against Man City will go ahead, it will allow the former Chelsea man some extra time to bed in to life at Molineux and work on his match fitness and I'm all for it. Hopefully, when football returns after the international break, he'll be ready and raring to go!

Personally, I'm of the opinion that this transfer will work out. He's not going to be competing for the golden boot again but, as long as the service is of a good standard, I can see Costa hitting double figures if he stays fit. This could be the kick up the back side that Jimenez needs too, some strong competition to fight for his place, and I can't see the Spaniard backing down from the challenge.

I can't wait to see what he can produce in a Wolves shirt. Bring it on.

Chris Ward

Age is nothing but a number but without playing any competitive football for close to nine months you wonder how much of the Costa of old remains, but regardless everything about this signing just feels so so right!

At 33 Costa is no spring chicken however the world's best are now playing and producing into the latter playing years which makes me think he still has so much to offer. Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic and Cavani all played and scored goals in the Premier League into the late 30s so there is no reason Costa won't either, providing he still has that hunger and can stay fit and injury free.

I and others won’t be expecting him to be running into the channels and darting past players, however his experience, tenacity and ability to hold the ball up and bring others into the game is something we have been lacking for many years. This side seriously lacks aggression and Costa will bring that in abundance, he will get the crowd fired up and have defenders second guessing his every move.

The signing has already caused a huge buzz with the Wolves fans, and it almost seems the whole footballing world is excited to see him back in the Premier League. I think he will be a great success and a real folk hero who the Molineux faithful are really going to enjoy watching.

James Pugh

Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

You may think I’m talking about the behemoth that is Diego Costa, but I am actually referring to Jeff Shi. Two strikers in one transfer window, I never thought I’d see the day!

While many have seen the signing as a “panic buy”, following the unfortunate injury to Sasa , it actually shows how reactive Wolves remain to be. People forget that they got in one of La Liga's best (believe it or not at the time) strikers in William Jose in January when an 18 year old Fabio Silva was struggling after Raul's injury. While that didn’t work out for either parties, Diego Costa's call up is another example of how the owners understand the needs of the club and will break the piggy bank when necessary.

It’s also refreshing to see Wolves dip into the free agent market again. Diego is following in the footsteps of legends John Ruddy and Ryan Bennett, two players who were crucial in getting Wolves back to where they belong.

But back to the player, let’s not pretend that Diego Costa isn’t a premier league legend. His brutality, eye for goal and reputation as a “wind up merchant” put him in the “streets would never forget” category of Premier League icons.

While he won’t be his best following half a year off, people forget he’s the same age as Aubameyang and four years younger than Ronaldo. While getting in older legends has been a hit-and-miss strategy in Premier League history, for every Eto'o, Higuain, Schweinsteiger, and Falcao, there’s an Ibrahimovic, Cambiasso and (most significantly) Moutinho.

This extra week off gives him more time to get back to match fitness allowing him to hopefully make an immediate impact against City. Wolves need goals, and it’s easy forget he only needs a third of his average premier league goal tally to become Wolves’ top scorer from last season.

For free, it’s a low-risk, high-reward strategy. And whether it works or not, any team with Adama, Neto, Podence, Nunes and Costa as options is going to be incredibly fun to follow.

Adam Virgo

Signing Diego Costa is huge for the club in regards to many things on and off the pitch. He has the attributes to fit in well with our squad, he’s got a nasty side to him on the pitch which I think we’ll really thrive off and he’s a very good goalscorer as he’s proven, as well as being able to link up play well too.

Granted he’s not played since January, he’s 33 years old and is obviously not at the same level he was at Chelsea but he knows what the Premier League is about and I don’t think defenders will enjoy playing against him that’s for sure, which can only benefit us.

Liam Kennedy

Diego Costa is at wolves, and just like that guy outside the megastore last week I can’t believe it.

I mean we’ve all known for a while this was done but to see him actually wearing a Wolves top in what was the greatest announcement video of all time was a surreal experience.

Now, is he definitely going to score three goals in 24 appearances? Probably but who cares. Just having a presence like him in the team and on the pitch will be great for the squad, and worse comes to worse it provides Jimenez with some much-needed competition whilst also taking the pressure off of him slightly.

I really want Costa to succeed at Wolves, that type of player, him against the world mentality is something the club hasn’t had for years, and I also believe it will lift the crowd seeing him come on, as you could see by Chelsea fans on social media, they loved him.

If he can provide even a fraction of that then he will have been a success but whilst this is exciting it’s important to remember he has just been released by a Brazilian club, but am I going to ignore all the warning signs and just pretend we’re getting prime ‘Diayygoo Costa’? Absolutely!