Somehow, Diego Costa is still a Chelsea player just two weeks before the Premier League season kicks off.

Antonio Conte has done his best to rid himself of the striker, texting him right at the start of the summer to tell him he wasn't part of his plans.

Shifting the 28-year-old has proved difficult. Potential suitors have to weigh up the 20 league goals he scored last season with his notorious attitude and his tendency to act out.

Atletico Madrid are keen, but they are unable to formally register players for another six months because of their transfer embargo.

AC Milan are the other team being regularly linked with the Spanish international, as interest from Chinese Super League outfit Tianjin Quanjian has gone cold.

Frankly, as far as Chelsea are concerned, it doesn't matter where he goes.

The Telegraph report that the Blues are so determined to get rid of him that even while he is in exile in Brazil, they have given him a personal fitness regime to ensure he doesn't get out of shape and scupper his chances of leaving.

It's especially important for him to continue training if he re-joins Atletico, as there's a chance he won't play again competitively until January if the Rojiblancos don't send him on loan.

Costa needs to go

With Costa having asked to leave three times in the last season alone, it would be best for all parties if he were to make his move sooner rather than later.

Chelsea have already replaced him with the signing of £58million man Alvaro Morata. Yet, they would ideally like to make some of that money back and finally end the speculation surrounding Costa's future.

There's absolutely no point in the player returning to Cobham, as he would simply be a disruptive influence, so it makes sense for him to keep fit away from the main group.

Chelsea's summer business clearly isn't complete. The same source suggest Juventus full-back Alex Sandro is now Conte's number one target, while he is also considering moves for Leicester's Danny Drinkwater and Everton's Ross Barkley as he looks to fulfil the quota of homegrown players at Stamford Bridge.

Would Costa be a good signing for Atletico? Have your say in the comments.