Diego Costa Says Desire for Atletico Transfer Led to Antonio Conte, Chelsea Row

Chelsea striker Diego Costa has revealed he did "everything" possible to force a move back to former club Atletico Madrid ahead of the current campaign, prompting an "angry" reaction from manager Antonio Conte. 

The Blues forward was linked with a switch back to the Spanish capital ahead of the 2016-17 term, having endured an inconsistent second season at Stamford Bridge. In an interview with El Larguero (h/t Alex Smith of the Daily Mirror) Costa spoke candidly about his desire to make a return to the Vicente Calderon.

"I've done everything to come to Atletico, but it did not happen," he said. "I’ve done everything to return, but I would not fight like that to return. When Atletico had to wait I did not wait."

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Costa added that his willingness to move on did not go down well with Conte. "He got angry with me, almost didn't [look] at me; I would have done the same," he said. "When Atletico did not wait for me I went with the tail between my legs to talk to Conte."

Although Costa clearly wanted out of Stamford Bridge in the summer he’s not played like someone with his mind elsewhere. Indeed, the former Atletico man has been a wrecking ball at the point of the attack for the Blues, with 17 goals and five assists so far in the Premier League.

His manager has been impressed with his efforts too, especially his harnessed aggression:

While Costa and Conte’s relationship seemingly got off to a spiky start, reports have suggested it became toxic in January.

According to Dominic Fifield of the Guardian, the duo are reported to have fallen out after Costa was the subject of interest from Chinese Super League side Tianjin Quanjian, with the striker said to be interested in a move that would have potentially landed him £30 million a year. As a result, Costa was excluded from the game at Leicester City.

Costa joked about learning Chinese in the interview although suggested he was happy with the Blues. "Now I'm doing very well at Chelsea but do not rule out anything in the future," he said. "In life everything can happen, do not close the door to anyone."

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If the Blues were to lose Costa it’d be a huge blow, although they would potentially command a substantial fee for his services. The striker’s aggression, intelligence in possession and work rate is a difficult blend to find in a centre-forward.

As these numbers from OptaJoe last month illustrate, the striker finds the back of the net:

Costa’s desire to return to Atletico last summer is understandable. Not only had his own form sagged at Stamford Bridge, but Diego Simeone’s side are in a position to challenge for the top honours domestically and in European competition, while the striker is adored by the club’s supporters having fired them to the title in 2013-14.

Conte would surely want to keep him on board, though. While his antics on and off the pitch can make him difficult to cope with at times, the striker’s output makes him worth the hassle. For the aggressive, high-energy football the Italian coach wants his team to play, it’s tough to think of a forward more suited to leading the line.