COSTA IN LIMBO

Atletico may keep out of Diego’s ugly Chelsea break-up

ATLETICO MADrID are reluctant to enter the ugly row between Diego Costa and Chelsea, leaving the striker sweating on a dream return to Spain.

The bad blood between Costa and the Premier League champions took an explosive turn this week following

Sportsmail’s world exclusive interview with the Spanish striker.

Costa has made it clear that he only wants to join his former club Atletico this summer to be reunited with manager Diego Simeone.

But the fiery feud between Costa and Chelsea is threatening to scupper the 28-year-old Spain international’s dream of a return to the Vicente Calderon.

While Atletico retain a concrete interest in re-signing the controversial star this month, there is a hesitation from club chiefs to get involved in the messy argument with his Stamford Bridge employers.

The Spanish club are prepared to pay in the region of £40million to fulfil Costa’s wish of returning to Madrid this month.

But the row between Chelsea and Costa has complicated matters.

The lines of communication between Atletico and Chelsea remain open and the La Liga outfit do not want to do anything to jeopardise that.

Despite Costa’s refusal to return to the club’s Cobham HQ, Chelsea are adamant they are expecting their AWOL striker to resume training.

They have ordered Costa, who has two years left on a £180,000-a-week contract, to come back from his native Brazil, train, get match-fit and put himself into contention for first-team selection.

The player has said there is no reason why he should return to Stamford Bridge after receiving a text from boss Antonio Conte which informed him he was no longer in his plans.

In the Sportsmail interview, Costa said he was prepared to continue training in his hometown Lagarto and will accept club fines rather than train with the reserves.

He also said that Conte was ‘a great coach’ but lacked ‘charisma’ and that the manager was used to working in Italian football ‘where everyone is very serious’.

The stand-off between the player and the Premier League champions could yet have have legal implications meaning the row could turn even uglier as Costa refuses to return to England.

Meanwhile, Eden Hazard and Tiemoue Bakayoko have handed Chelsea boss Conte a huge boost by returning to full training after recovering from respective ankle and knee injuries.

The pair missed all of Chelsea’s pre-season fixtures, the Community Shield loss to Arsenal and Saturday’s shock defeat against Burnley.

But they have returned to full training, though it is unlikely they will be considered for the clash against Tottenham at Wembley on Sunday.

Pedro, however, remains sidelined through injury.