Diego Costa set for Chelsea return

Chelsea have told rebel striker Diego Costa they want him back in training. The champions expect the  striker back, fit and available for selection and are adamant he will not force a move to Atletico Madrid for a cut-price fee.


It comes with Costa  in Brazil and threatening  in an unsanctioned interview to see out the remainder of his Blues contract unpaid instead of returning to play for Chelsea’s reserves.

Such a move would represent a nightmare scenario for club chiefs who have been battling to resolve the situation ever since Antonio Conte’s controversial text message, sent in June, telling Costa he was finished at the club. Chelsea, however, are not prepared to let Costa languish on the other side of the Atlantic when he has two years left on a £180,000 a week contract and they are short of players.

Chelsea finished the game with nine men, adding to a feeling of disarray with echoes of 2015 when the title defence went awry under Jose Mourinho. Last month, Conte said he feared a repeat of 'the Mourinho season' and could be sacked.

His reservations about the strength of his squad were compounded by the sale of Nemanja Matic to Manchester United. With Roman Abramovich's fondness for change and Conte's propensity to storm off in a huff, focus will sharpen on the manager's position if harmony cannot be restored. 

He is the bookmakers' favourite to be the next manager to leave. His contract runs until 2019  the same as Costa's  and while no-one expects the striker to outlast Conte, anything can happen at Stamford Bridge.