Chelsea's Diego Costa refuse to return to training

The dispute between Chelsea and their Spanish international striker
Diego Costa has taken a new turn, after he revealed openingly in an
exlusive interview with English tabloid, Daily Mai that he wouldn't
return to training with the reserve, but would rather remain in Brazil
where he is with his family.

He has been embroiled with a dispute with Chelsea's manager, Antonio
Conte that boiled over after the Italian sent him a text message in
June that he was no longer part of his plans.

The Italian reiterated his stand during pre-season that he sees the
striker as being in the past, as he was told he could leave in
January.

The stand point between both parties is that Diego Costa prefers a
move to Atletico Madrid and has turned down other offers, as he has
firmly stood his ground that he would only move to Diego Simeone's
team.

However, the Spanish team are under a transfer ban, and can only sign,
but not register any player.

With the transfer window just under three weeks from being shut, and
the player vehemently refusing to toll the club's line, it remains to
be seen how the saga is resolved.

Here is snippet of his interview with the Daily Mail:

"His [Antonio Conte] ideas are very fixed and clear. I have seen the
sort of person he is. He has his own opinion and that will not
change."

"I respect him as a great coach. He has done a good job and I can see
that, but as a person, no. He is not a coach who is very close with
his players. He is very distant. He doesn't possess charisma."

"I have not deleted the message. If people accuse me of lying, I can
show them. It was clear, saying that he didn't count on me and wishing
me the best for the future. Full stop."

"Why won't they let me go if they don't want me? I have to do what I
have to do. I have to think of myself. I've been a good boy here and
tried to do the right thing."

"My desire is to go to Atletico.
I've spoken to Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia. I
said, "If the manager doesn't want me, I want to go to Atletico Madrid".

"I have rejected other offers. They want to sell me to China or other
teams. The language is better for me in Spain. If I'm off, I'm going
to the club I want to go to — not the club that's paying the most."

"They want me to be there training with the reserves. I wouldn't be
allowed access to the first-team dressing room and I would have no
contact at all with the guys."

"I'm not a criminal! I don't think it is fair after all I have done to
be treated like that."

"I take the hit every week but I'm not driven by money. The important
thing is to be happy with how I live. I'm here with my parents and
people who respect me."

"I am open to being a year in Brazil without playing, even if Chelsea
fine me for a year and don't pay me. I'll come back stronger. If I was
in the wrong, I'd go back now and do as they say."

"At the start of summer, they gave me an extra week of holiday. Then a
week later they called to see where I was but by then the team was in
Asia on tour, so I could go back and not have any contact with the
boys."

"That seems a very bad and ugly life. It doesn't respect what I have
done for the club. I am here with people who love me. I want the fans
to know I still care deeply about them but I'm not going back to be
separated like that."

"I want the deal with Atletico resolved this month. My idea would be
to go to Madrid, train there, get in the best physical shape and be
ready to fire ahead of the World Cup."