Report: Chelsea, Atletico Madrid Finally Agree on Deal for Diego Costa
Premier League side Chelsea are close to selling Diego Costa back to Atletico Madrid and the deal could happen as early as next week.
Chelsea are set to face Atletico in the Champions League next Wednesday and according to Spanish radio station Cope, via the Evening Standard, a £57.2m deal has been agreed and Costa will be in Madrid by this weekend.
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte made it clear to Costa that he no longer required his service at the club following a text message sent to the forward back in January. The Brazilian did not take the message well and has been missing from the squad all summer - claims have been made that he has been in Brazil with his family and has been doing basic drills to keep himself fit.
The report suggests that Atletico are keen to sign Costa before the clash next week - despite their transfer ban and their inability to play him until January - they want him to return to full training as soon as possible having worries over his fitness.
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The 28-year-old does have incentive to resume to full training with Madrid as the World Cup in Russia looms and the Spain boss Julen Lopetegui insists that he will need to be training and performing well if he is to make the squad for the summer's competition.
Lopetegui said: Costa’s summer has been unusual, strange, complicated - not just for him but for his club. He is still a Chelsea player. It’s a complicated issue.
He added: "Our hope is that he will resolve his situation as soon as possible and that he can compete, train and play, which is what he likes doing the most and what interests the national team."
