Diego Costa has released a statement addressed to Chelsea, with a simple message that reads ‘I must return to Atletico Madrid’.
The striker has been been ordered to return to Chelsea training base in Cobham, London after he refused to join his teammates for preseason and the season’s start.
This was after the 28-year old was sent a text message by Antonio Conte, he is no longer needed at the club for next season and he has indeed starting working on a move back to his former club in Spain.
Atletico seem ready to embrace their former forward, but their bid is far off Chelsea’s valuation of Costa.
In a statement released by the Spaniard, via his hometown club Sportivo Sergipe in Aracaju, he maintains he wish to return to the club Chelsea bought him from in 2014.
My destination is already made.
I must return to Atletico Madrid. It turns out that there is the impasse that Chelsea does not want to release me.
But I believe that this situation will be resolved now on my return to Spain.
Diego Costa, Metro
Chelsea have bought Alvaro Morata as replacement and are ready to let Costa leave, but have told the striker he needs to return to training, prove his fitness and make himself available for selection until a deal is secured this summer.
