Chelsea striker Diego Costa is still yet to return to training following his summer break.

Costa was told by text that he is not in Antonio Conte's plans earlier this summer and the Blues kicked off their season with a humiliating 3-2 home defeat to Burnley on Saturday.

Chelsea splashed the cash on Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata but still have the Brazilian born former Atletico striker on their books.

Costa gave an explosive interview to the Daily Mail this week in which he confirmed his desire to quit Chelsea and re-join Atletico Madrid.

He revealed that he had been fined £300,000 for refusing to return to training and suggested he was being treated like a criminal by the club.

Costa's relationship with Conte has completely fallen apart and the chances of him returning to the Chelsea first team appear to be incredibly slim at this point.

On Thursday morning a brand new statement was released on behalf of the 28-year-old striker by the Federação Sergipana de Futebol, a regional football association in Brazil situated in the area where Costa was born.

Costa visited the football associations's offices yesterday and the statement suggests he'll be leaving Brazil in the coming days but, despite Chelsea's wishes, not to return to England.

“My destination is already set," admitted Costa.

"I must return to Atletico Madrid next season. It turns out that there is the impasse that Chelsea doesn’t want to release me.

"But I believe this situation will be resolved now on my return to Spain.”

There is only one club Costa wants to join and it's causing quite problematic for the Blues who still hope to make a tidy profit on last season's top scorer.

He was signed for £32m from Atletico Madrid in 2014 and has gone on to score 52 Premier League goals in just 89 games.

Costa has received plenty of interest from China but recently made it clear that he has zero intention of strutting his stuff in an inferior league.

Diego Simeone's Atletico are currently hamstrung by a FIFA imposed transfer ban and are unable to sign players until January 2018.

Costa's value is certainly being driven down by this ridiculous saga and the Spanish club could eventually sign one of the Premier League's finest strikers at a minimal price.