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Arsenal target Diego Costa wants Madrid stay

Diego Costa is happy at Atletico © Getty Images

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Reported Arsenal target Diego Costa says he hopes to stay and continue his development at Atletico Madrid.

Costa, who made his senior Brazil debut against Italy in March, is contracted to Atletico until the summer of 2014. but speculation in Spain has recently linked him with a €25 million switch to the Premier League.

After scoring the first goal in Wednesday's 3-1 Primera Division win at Celta Vigo, the 24-year-old said he was not planning to move onto pastures new.

"I am working so that I grow and improve every day," Costa said. "There are great players here and I want to fight to be in the first XI. I hope to keep growing here. At Atleti."

The result at Balaidos plunged 19th-placed Celta further into relegation trouble, while ensuring direct qualification for next season's Champions League for Atletico.

Colchoneros coach Diego Simeone said this was the result of the hard work put in by all at the club in the 18 months since he arrived.

"To get into the Champions League was one of our objectives," Simeone said. "I want to highlight the work of everyone at Atletico. When we arrived in December [2011] we set out to become one of the best in Europe, and after six months we were close to fourth place.

"Then we won the Europa League and the European Super Cup and we worked hard to achieve this objective. What the players do is incredible. We must look at the huge amount of points that we have achieved which, possibly, has only been bettered when we were champions. This is a very important day for Atletico."

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