Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa has admitted that he is desperate for teammate Antoine Griezmann to reject interest from elsewhere and remain at the club.
The France international turned down the chance to join Manchester United last summer and is now rumoured to be at the top of Barcelona's wishlist.
Griezmann intends to make a decision on his future one way or another before the World Cup begins in June, and Costa hopes that the 27-year-old returns a favour by staying on for at least another season.
"He knows he's an important player for Atletico. He's still with us and we hope he stays," he told reporters on Spain duty. "I'd love it if he stays here, but each person has to look for what's best. For me, the best thing would be for him to stay.
"I think he's going to stay. When I was in Brazil, he used to call me and tell me to come to Atletico. I don't want to stay here alone now! Griezmann knows we love him at Atletico. I hope he stays with us. He hasn't told me he is going to leave."
Griezmann recently became the third Atleti player to surpass the 100-goals mark for the club this century, following in the footsteps of Sergio Aguero and Fernando Torres.
Daniel Lewis
