Diego Costa has revealed that current club Chelsea urged him to reject advances from Liverpool in 2013 and join the Blues just one year later.

It is believed that both Roman Abramovich and Jose Mourinho told Costa to reject Liverpool's offer two years ago and join them at Stamford Bridge for the following season, for more money.

In Costa's new book 'The Art of War', Spanish writer Fran Guillen explained the situation surrounding Brazil-born Spanish striker Costa before he joined Chelsea.

Guillen said: "Liverpool were the quickest off the mark, offering £17 million for the Brazilian and triggering the release clause in his contract.

"However Jose Mourinho, who recently returned to Chelsea, had also identified Costa as a primary target, a Didier Drogba-style centre-forward around whom he could forge a new winning machine. The Portuguese coach had watched Costa since he first arrived at Braga, and he felt the force of the striker during his breakout season close-up as manager of Real Madrid.

"If Costa could not be signed now, a strategy was needed to ensure he was delayed, and not diverted. Chelsea and Mourinho made their case to Costa and Atletico: turn down Liverpool now and we will sign you for more money in 12 months."

Having signed Costa in the summer of 2014, the striker duly provided Mourinho's side with 20 goals to help win the club's first Premier League title in five years.