Atletico Madrid urge Diego Costa to return to Chelsea training

Atletico Madrid have advised Diego Costa to end his Chelsea exile after his proposed return to the Spanish capital fell through on Friday night.

The Spain international has refused to report to the Blues' Cobham training complex in recent months after Antonio Conte clarified that he has no future at Stamford via a simple text message.

According to The Mail, Costa's former club want him back in Blues' training in the coming weeks in order to simplify their pursuit of his services at the start of 2018.

Diego Simeone's side had discussed a £40m fee to sign Costa prior to the Spanish transfer deadline, but the Blues remained firm on their £50m price tag for the marksman.

Atleti were nevertheless under a transfer ban until the New Year, and they will seek to sign the player for a lesser sum in January - with the World Cup coming up in about 10 months' time.

Costa has been excluded out of Spain's latest squad, and Atleti are worried that the player's rift with Conte could see him potentially miss out on the World Cup finals in Russia next year.