Chelsea striker Diego Costa open to loan move next season to secure Atletico Madrid return

Diego Costa admits he is prepared to go on loan for the first half of next season in order to secure a transfer to Atletico Madrid.

Costa confirmed last week that he is no longer wanted at Chelsea after coach Antonio Conte told him he could leave via a text message.

The striker has set his sights on returning to Atletico, who sold him to Chelsea for £32m in 2014. They are banned by Fifa from registering any new signings until January, but have the option of buying someone and loaning them elsewhere in the meantime.

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Standard Sport revealed on Friday that Atletico are looking to use billionaire stakeholder Wang Jianlin to explore a possible temporary switch to a Chinese Super League club, while AC Milan have been in talks with Costa's agent Jorge Mendes.

Speaking after scoring in Spain's 2-1 win over Macedonia, the 28-year-old told Cadena SER: “Signing for Atletico doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t be playing. I could be loaned out.

“Chelsea are my owners. If they want to sell me, they’ll have to sell me. I don't know about my future. I have a contract with Chelsea and they are the ones who know what they will do with me. I have to wait to see what decision my club makes."

Chelsea are determined not to sell Costa on the cheap despite the forward's public admission that he is up for sale.

Costa has scored 58 goals in three seasons at Stamford Bridge, helping them win the title in 2015 and 2017.

The episode has caused the club some embarrassment, however, and Costa has appeared to take a dig at Conte for the way things have unfolded.

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The Spain international, who has two years left on his contract at Chelsea, added on Cadena SER: “Conte? There are ways to do and say things... thank God that I’m not without a team.”

Another problem for Costa is his wage demands. He is looking for in excess of £200,000-a-week to move permanently to AC Milan, which the Serie A club are unwilling to agree too.

The Italian Giants are also hesitant to pay Costa's current £150,000-a-week salary at Chelsea in full if they were to get him on loan.