Costa Set For Chelsea Return After Settling Differences With Conte

Chelsea have been handed a huge boost after Diego Costa was allowed to return to full training today after resolving his differences with boss Antonio Conte, according to the Daily Mail.

Costa has been training away from the rest of the main squad for almost a week following a furious bust-up with Conte and a member of his backroom staff over a supposed back injury.

The Brazilian born hitman claimed he was suffering from back pain but Conte sided with his medical team after they declared the striker fit and he was subsequently axed from the squad for Saturday’s win at Leicester City.

The row occurred amid intense speculation over a potential move to China with the Daily Mail claiming that the players agent, Jorge Mendes, was in China having talks with Tianjin Quanjian last week.

Shu Yuhui, the clubs owner, confirmed that a meeting with Mendes took place but a deal now looks highly unlikely as Chelsea have refused to do business this month and will only consider selling the striker in the summer – months after the Chinese league starts.

Yuhui is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail:

‘I made an appointment with (Jorge) Mendes and he came to my hometown to visit me,’

‘At that time, we were interested in signing Costa,’

‘PSG told us (Edinson) Cavani would only be allowed to leave in June, even though the player himself was willing to join us. The same can be said for Costa because Chelsea would only let him leave in June.

‘However, the new season of CSL will almost reach the halfway stage in June, we can’t wait so long.’

With Chelsea refusing to sell Costa during the January window, it looks like the striker has had little option but to back down and settle his differences with Conte and the Daily Mail claim the pair held clear the air talks at Cobham today.

Costa trained alone on Monday but the 28-year-old was allowed to train with the rest of the first team squad today following his talks with Conte and the newspaper says he could now return to the starting eleven against Hull on Saturday.

The news will come as a welcome relief as the last thing the Premier League leaders needed was losing their top scorer as the Blues look to continue their march towards reclaiming the title.