Atletico to make move for Costa

Atlético Madrid are working on a deal to offer Diego Costa an escape route from Chelsea.

The Spanish club are prevented from registering any new players until January, after a Fifa transfer ban was upheld by the Court of

Arbitration for Sport at the start of this month.

However, talks are being held at the club as to how they can bring back their former striker, who wants to return to Spain and has been told by Chelsea manager Antonio Conte that he is not in his plans for next season.

Atlético could attempt to acquire Costa and not play him until the new year, but the player has indicated he does not want to do this with the World Cup next summer.

Instead a deal could be struck whereby Costa leaves Chelsea on loan until January and then switches to Atlético on a permanent deal. No fee has yet been discussed.

Costa tried to force his way out of

Chelsea in January when a lucrative move to China was proposed, and that offer was put back on the table towards the end of the season – for a fee of £76million – but the striker has indicated a preference now for Atlético.

The 28-year-old reiterated after scoring in Spain’s 2-1 World Cup qualifying win over Macedonia that he felt his Chelsea career was over and there was no point in him trying to remain at the club, where he is contracted until 2019, to fight for his place.

“Things don’t work like that. The fight for a place has to be fair. When there is a fair fight you stay and fight, but if there isn’t then you have to go,” he said.