Diego Costa has revealed he wanted to leave Chelsea in the summer and came close to returning to Atletico Madrid.

The striker's goal against Stoke sealed Chelsea's 13th consecutive Premier League win but he admitted afterwards he thought he would be back in Spain this season.

'It was not to be,' said Costa. 'I was about to leave. I was about to… but, well, I'm happy here as well and that's that.

Diego Costa came close to leaving Chelsea in the summer with Atletico Madrid interested

Costa says he is 'very content' at Chelsea despite having reasons for leaving not too long ago

'I had the possibility to go to Atletico, because of a few things: the family, the life I have there. But not because of Chelsea, because here there's a lot of love with the supporters, with the people, so I'm very happy here, I'm very content.

'There was one thing I wanted to change for family reasons but, well, it wasn't to be and I continue to be happy here. It was important too that the manager (Antonio Conte), from the very first minute, said he counted on me.'

Costa said there were 'various factors' for wanting to leave Chelsea and one of those is understood to be the unfair treatment he believes he received from referees last season.

He refused to be drawn into doing anything silly on Saturday as the not-so-subtle Ryan Shawcross marked him for the majority of the match at Stamford Bridge.

Stoke used centre-back Ryan Shawcross in a man-to-man marking mission against Costa

Costa had been well-marked during the game but managed to find space to score again

SUPER STAT Diego Costa has been directly involved in 19 PL goals this season (14 goals, five assists). In only three games has he failed to either score or assist a goal. Advertisement

Afterwards Costa spoke about how he decided to clean up his act before this season. 'I know when I do bad, so I thought about it and knew I had to improve that aspect because, here in the Premier League, the reality is there's no mercy,' Costa said.

'A lot of the time it seemed like they (the referees) were against me. There was no other way, because if they're not going to change, I had to change.'

It was in last season's London derby between Chelsea and Tottenham — the 2-2 draw that confirmed Leicester as champions — when Mousa Dembele eye-gouged Costa.

Chelsea and Spurs meet on Wednesday at White Hart Lane with Conte's side aiming to break the record for the most successive Premier League wins in a single season.

Costa holds no grudges. 'Nah, it's a derby,' he said. 'It's that. Both want to win. It's a London derby, so the match is played a bit stronger but there's no problem with it. We go there looking to do the best we can.'

Costa is the Premier League's top goalscorer with 14 and credits Conte for Chelsea's change in fortunes after last season when Jose Mourinho, now Manchester United manager, was sacked.

Antonio Conte is delighted to have kept hold of his star striker after interest from Atletico

Willian scored twice as the runaway leaders eased past a battling Stoke at Stamford Bridge

'The truth is things are coming out well for me this season,' he added. 'The team has changed, not just me.

'Last season, we felt a frustration. We didn't give the account of ourselves we should have done. We weren't the team we should be. I wasn't the player I should be.

'This season it has changed. The manager has come, and he's applied his ideas, and things are going well.'

Costa got Chelsea's fourth goal after Gary Cahill's headed opener and two from Willian.

Conte, who injured his calf after getting involved in a training drill with Chelsea's squad over Christmas, ran on to the pitch to congratulate his players at full-time.

'The manager is good with the players,' Costa added. 'Every time making more jokes with the players and that's good for us, to have a manager who is not just a boss but a person we can talk with.'

Costa is the Premier League's top goalscorer this season with 14 goals from 18 games played

Chelsea's players enjoy themselves after their wins — they are allowed a beer each, and have had a magician come into the changing room to entertain them.

During the week, however, it is all work, though Costa feels the atmosphere at Cobham can give them an advantage over their rivals.

'I think if you work hard and there's not a good atmosphere, the work doesn't mean a thing,' he said. 'I think you can run 20km, 80, 100, and if there's no spirit between the players, the coaches, as colleagues, it won't come out as well.'