The striker has been the subject of interest from the Premier League but insists he remains happy in the Spanish capital

Diego Costa has rubbished reports he is set to leave Atletico Madrid and join Liverpool in a €24 million deal.

The Brazilian has been the subject of considerable interest from the Premier League side, though Atleti have so far refused to be drawn into negotiations having already sold Radamel Falcao to Monaco earlier this summer.

And Costa insists he remains confident of playing a key role next season after scoring 20 goals in 44 appearances last term and cited his happiness in the Spanish capital.

He told AS: “I’m happy here, if the club want me to be here, I’m going to be here. I think that the coach (Diego Simeone) counts on all of us, not just me. He knows how important it is to maintain the squad, the fans know it as well.”

The club’s sporting director Jose Luis Caminero was also quick to echo the sentiments of the striker by issuing a hands-off warning to Liverpool and any other interested parties.

“Yes, he’s going to continue,” Caminero told AS when asked if Costa would remain with the Liga side.

“Diego Costa is a very important player for Atletico, we value him very highly and we are convinced that this year he is going to score a lot of goals with Atletico. He is an idol for the fans.”

Costa then added he had read little about the ongoing transfer speculation as he is focused on preparing for the new season on Atleti’s tour of South America.

“As I’ve been in Argentina and Uruguay I’ve not heard anything about this,” he added.

The 24-year-old’s current deal runs until June 2016, while he will face competition from new signings David Villa and Leo Baptistao for a starting spot in upfront next season.