Diego Costa´s Atletico Madrid return finalised

Diego Costa has finalised the terms of his move back to Atletico Madrid from Chelsea, both clubs have confirmed, with his registration to come into effect on January 1, 2018.

Atleti agreed a deal worth up to a reported €60million to re-sign Costa last Thursday, the switch subject to a medical and personal terms being agreed with the 28-year-old striker.

Diego Simeone’s side are banned from registering new players until the new year, but the Argentinian will have Costa at his disposal from January.

Costa was quoted by Atleti’s official website as saying: “I am very happy to return to my home. I have always said Atletico is my home. I am very, very, very happy.”

OFFICIAL: @diegocosta is now an Atlético!https://t.co/19JjYkFeNN#VuelveCosta pic.twitter.com/Rkze4X73mA

— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) September 26, 2017

Costa, who scored 63 goals in his first spell in Madrid and will wear the number 18 shirt, will doubtless be eager to make an impression once he is available to return to action, having been frozen out at Chelsea following a fall-out with Antonio Conte.

Having claimed in June that Chelsea boss Conte had told him via a text message that he was free to leave, Costa subsequently refused to return to training with the Premier League club, instead remaining in Brazil as he accused his team of treating him “like a criminal”.

Conte laughed off the comments and said he would not pick the striker even if he made himself available, having signed Alvaro Morata from Real Madrid to become his first-choice forward.

However, after a deal with Atleti was agreed last week, Conte did acknowledge the achievements of a player who was Chelsea’s top scorer in each of his three seasons in England, finding the net 59 times in 120 appearances.

Thank you, @diegocosta and best wishes for the future. pic.twitter.com/axFS3sjV5i

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 26, 2017

“We want to thank him for what he did with this club,” said the Italian. “We wish him all the best for the future. I don’t forget that we won together last season.”

In a statement on Tuesday, Chelsea thanked Costa for his efforts and wished him well for the future.

He leaves Chelsea having won two Premier League titles, and the 2014-15 League Cup.