The Spanish international, who is on the cusp of 500 games in football, boasts 12 major honours to his name, including two Premier League titles from a memorable time at Chelsea, and a reputation for scoring goals at the highest level.
That time in London rivalled the 33-year-old’s two trophy-littered spells at Atletico Madrid, and now, having completed medical tests at Compton Park on Thursday, brings that experience and attacking bite to Bruno Lage’s squad.
Born in Brazil, it’s in Spain where Costa made his name, displaying a hunger and determination to score goals and achieve major honours, which came to fruition in 2010 when he settled in the Spanish capital and his career took off.
Having wrestled his way to the top of the attacking pecking order at the Vicente Calderon, Costa came to life during the 2013/14 campaign, as he fired Atletico to the La Liga title – their first in 50 years – and the final of the Champions League.
His 36 goals in all competitions, and all-round attacking performances, proved a thorn in the side of defenders across Spain and the continent that year, and saw him named in the Team of the Season for both La Liga and the Champions League.
Those unplayable performances continued in West London, where Costa made a big impression, lifting the Premier League and League Cup and continuing his run of appearances in Team of the Season selections, in his debut campaign in England.
Those three years at Chelsea are well remembered for wholehearted performances, full of grit and determination, including at Molineux back in February 2017, when the striker netted in an FA Cup clash against the Blues.
The hunger remained when Costa returned to Madrid the following summer and went on to lift the Europa League and hit three goals for Spain at the 2018 World Cup – the last time he played international football.
After signing off from his latest four-year Madrid stint with another La Liga title in 2021, Costa added another league and cup double to his CV with Atletico Mineiro in Brazil, the country of his birth, and the nation he represented before switching allegiances to Spain.
During that homecoming, Costa’s predatory instinct remained sharp, as did the desire to occupy defenders and link up play, and that impressive goalscoring record was lifted to 188, before he departed at the start of the year, opening the door for a fresh challenge at Molineux.
Wolves chairman Jeff Shi said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Diego Costa to Wolves, and back to the Premier League.
“A serial winner with a wealth of experience at the highest level, Diego will bring something unique to our dressing room and on the pitch, and we look forward to his impact at Molineux and Compton this season.”
