Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits he would've signed Chelsea striker Diego Costa if given the chance.

Gabriel and Per Mertesacker were both sent-off for tangling with Costa last season and Laurent Koscielny was engaged in a running battle which resulted in a retrospective three-match ban for the Chelsea striker.

Yet Wenger nevertheless holds a grudging respect for the man who has taken over from Didier Drogba as Arsenal's chief tormentor.

“I was surprised when Costa signed for Chelsea because I never thought he would leave Atletico Madrid at the time," Wenger confesses.

“Of course I would have liked to sign him because I like his qualities as a player."