Diego Costa’s return to his beloved Atletico Madrid has hit a snag as the Spanish club’s president has hinted that the move will not now happen.
Costa has been linked with a move back to Madrid throughout the transfer window, and appeared set to leave Stamford Bridge.
His future has been the subject of endless speculation since the window transfer window, when Chelsea blocked a £76m transfer from Chinese Super League outfit, Tianjin Quanjian.
A training ground fallout with Chelsea manager Antonio Conte ensued, with Costa briefly dropped from the first team squad.
Despite sealing the Premier League title, Costa fuelled rumours of a fallout, when he made public details of a text exchange between himself and Conte. Conte allegedly told the Spanish interntational that his services were no longer required, much to the chagrin of the Chelsea board looking for the winter bid of £76m to be matched.
Only last weekend, Costa angered the Chelsea faithful by broadcasting a video of himself dancing in an Atletico shirt and mocking Conte, making a return to Madrid appear a formality.
Yet, according to AS, Atletico president Enrique Cerezo has surprisingly suggested that his club are not close to sealing the transfer of the Chelsea striker.
“Costa is a Chelsea player at the moment, and you know for a long time now that we cannot sign anyone (this summer),” Cerezo said.
“This shows that pyjamas come in all different colours. Everyone can put on whichever ones they want. Diego is a magnificent player, a great player, he was in Spain for many years. He has had a good spell in England, learned English, English customs. He will return to Spain someday… On holiday. Madrid is a lovely place to visit, if you have the money to enjoy it.”
“It is a long time since I spoke with him,’ he added. ‘At least a year, since he left here. I have seen him with the (Spanish) national team, but spoken to him very little.”