• ‘I am not a criminal and I am not in the wrong here,’ says Costa • Chelsea striker wants return to Atlético Madrid ‘resolved this month’

Diego Costa has accused Chelsea of treating him like a “criminal” and revealed he will not return to the club, which he still hopes will sanction his return to Atlético Madrid.



The 28-year-old striker, who has been informed by Antonio Conte he has no future at Stamford Bridge, told the Daily Mail that the Chelsea manager lacks charisma and that he is happy to continue accepting fines for refusing to train with the reserves at the club’s Cobham training base. “They want me to be there training with the reserves,” Costa said.

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“I wouldn’t be allowed access to the first-team dressing room and I would have no contact with the guys. I’m not a criminal. I don’t think it is fair after all I have done to be treated like that. I am not in the wrong here. So, if they need to fine me, let them fine me. I take the hit every week but I’m not driven by money. You know that the manager doesn’t want me. I am waiting for Chelsea to set me free. I didn’t want to leave. I was happy. When the manager does not want you, you have to go.”

Costa made a text conversation with Conte – in which the Italian informed him his Chelsea career was over – public knowledge in June, insisting he “would have to find a way out” of the club. But Costa, who scored 20 Premier League goals to help Chelsea win the title last season, said he was close to agreeing a new contract as recently as January at Stamford Bridge but believes Conte intervened before he could put pen to paper.

“I was on the brink of renewing my contract and they put the brakes on it,” he said. “I suspect the manager was behind it. He has his own opinion and that will not change. I respect him as a great coach. He has done a good job and I can see that. But as a person — no. He is not a coach who is very close with his players. He is very distant. He doesn’t possess ... charisma.”

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Costa remains hopeful of securing a return to Atlético, where he played for four years between 2010 and 2014 before joining José Mourinho’s Chelsea. Costa admits the Manchester United manager has contacted him to “check I am OK” and insists he never had any problems with the Portuguese.

He adds he has informed the Chelsea director, Marina Granovskaia, of his intentions to depart for La Liga and that he has rejected offers to leave Chelsea, who he accuses of trying to sell him to Chinese clubs. “I want the deal with Atlético resolved this month,” added the Spain striker. “My idea would be to go to Madrid, train there, get in the best physical shape and be ready to fire ahead of the World Cup.”