Diego Costa’s team-mates at Chelsea reportedly believe the Spain striker is considering calling off his strike to return to the club.
Costa, who scored 24 Premier League goals last season, has remained in Brazil all summer after being informed by Antonio Conte that he no longer featured in his plans.
Chelsea have fined the talisman every two weeks while he has failed to return to west London but friends of Costa think he may change his stance and decide to come back, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Costa was determined to clinch a return to Atletico Madrid during the summer transfer window but a move failed to materialise, leaving his future far from certain.
The Spanish club are believed to hope to complete a deal in January when their transfer ban will be lifted but Costa still faces several months of uncertainty.
The Telegraph say friends of the Brazilian-born attacker have indicated that he could return to Stamford Bridge and train with the development squad.
If he does indeed travel back to London, Costa would face extensive talks with the club’s hierarchy over his absence while Conte is unlikely to change his stance and offer him a chance to revive his career in the English capital.
Speaking about his decision to axe the Spain international, Conte said in July: ‘I don’t like to talk about players who are not here.
‘But the only thing I can tell you [is that] in January, the Costa situation was very clear, for the club for him and his agent. For me the situation is closed.’
Chelsea, who have taken six points from their three league games so far this season, travel to the King Power Stadium on Saturday to take on Leicester City.
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