Chelsea Transfer News: Atletico Madrid Send Officials to Secure Diego Costa Move

Atletico Madrid have reportedly "dispatched a delegation to London" to negotiate a January deal with Chelsea for Diego Costa.

According to Chris Hatherall of the Express, officials from the Spanish club will meet Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia, and Los Rojiblancos are said to be willing to spend €35 million (£32 million) to land him.

Costa has agreed terms with his former club and is hoping a deal can be struck in the coming days. 

Atletico president Enrique Cerezo recently spoke of his desire to secure Costa for the winter window when their transfer ban lifts, per Joe Short in the Express: "We cannot sign anyone until January, hopefully by then Costa and many others will come."

As noted by FourFourTwo, the Spain striker came close to joining Fenerbahce on loan before the end of the Turkish transfer window on Friday, but he did not manage to secure a deal.

Blues boss Antonio Conte was evidently unwilling to discuss the situation in his press conference, though, per Goal's Nizaar Kinsella:

He did offer a more diplomatic answer to another question about the striker, though, according to ESPN FC's Liam Twomey:

Bleacher Report's Dean Jones believes there may even be a slim chance of him turning out for the club again:

It is indeed slim, though, and Costa was not registered in the 25-man UEFA Champions League squad.

He would be able to feature in the Premier League or the Carabao Cup, but even if he were to make an unlikely return to action for the Blues, it's difficult to imagine him turning down Atletico when they appear to be just as eager to sign him as he has been to move.

It's in Costa's interests to be as match fit as possible ahead of his move, and he could still offer much at Stamford Bridge, so if Atletico do strike a deal, it would still be worth his time trying to reconcile his differences at Chelsea.