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Diego Costa: 'I'll only leave Chelsea for Atletico'

Action Images via Reuters / Lee Smith

Diego Costa would only accept a move back to Atletico Madrid should Chelsea put him on the transfer market this summer.

Reports in January suggested Chinese club Tianjian Quanjian had tempted Costa with the promise of earning £25 million per season, and in doing so drove an apparent wedge between Chelsea and the Brazil-born striker.

He was dropped from Antonio Conte's starting lineup before returning to finish the Premier League with 20 goals.

In an interview Saturday, however, Costa said he has no intention of leaving west London in the summer.

"I will only leave Chelsea for Atletico. If not, I will stay here. I'm not interested in other clubs. I know Chelsea wants to sell players, but I told them, I have two years left in my contract and I won't go somewhere else just because they want so," the 28-year-old said, according to The Telegraph's Matt Law.

Law reported earlier this week that Atletico is monitoring Costa's situation. Los Rojiblancos tried to strike a deal for the Spain international last summer, Law added.

Antoine Griezmann's potential departure to Manchester United could create the conditions for Costa's sensational return to the Spanish capital and usher in a new era at the club's state-of-the-art stadium.

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