Diego Costa Agrees Terms for Atletico Madrid Transfer Effective January 1

Diego Costa's proposed move from Chelsea to Atletico Madrid moved one step closer on Tuesday, as the striker came to terms with the Rojiblancos.

The Blues confirmed the news via Twitter:

Due to Atletico's transfer ban, there was no way to complete the move during the summer. As the agreement took place outside of the summer window, the Spain international will not be able to play for the La Liga giants until January.

Last week, Chelsea released a statement revealing an agreement between the two clubs had been reached, bringing an end to a transfer saga that started months ago.

Per Ed Malyon of The Independent, Costa was informed he was no longer needed at the end of last season, setting off an ugly back-and-forth.

The former Atletico man refused to return for pre-season and spent weeks complaining about the way he was being treated, while the Blues tried to focus on the new campaign. A swift resolution was needed, as Chelsea did not need the distraction.