Blues plot to win race for Morata
Chelsea paid for the Brazilian-born Spain striker in 2014. But with various performance-related add-ons they effectively plan to give the Blues their money back if a deal can be struck.
While offers from China remain on the table, Costa, 28, is less open to a move there than he was six months ago.
The only complication to his return to Atletico is that the club are prevented from any transfer dealings this summer after FIFA-imposed sanctions.
They will be free to trade in January but need to convince Chelsea to agree to keep Costa until December.
Atletico will also ask that he is left out of the Blues’ Champions League squad so he is not cup-tied for the latter stages of the competition.
Conte’s text to Costa is understood to have wiped up to £10m off a potential asking price but Chelsea have refuted claims of a rift between manager and board, including suggestions of a bust-up over his handling of the Costa situation.
And the move for Morata will be seen as evidence that the Italian, who is on holiday, will not be going anywhere this summer.
The stumbling block for both Chelsea and United is that Real would rather trade players then work out cash differentials than focus directly on transfer fees.
Real want David De Gea and would offer United Keylor Navas and Morata for the keeper. They would also take Chelsea No.1 Thibaut Courtois – who is stalling on a new contract – if they could.