'I have to leave': Diego Costa declares intention to exit Chelsea after Antonio Conte message

Chelsea striker Diego Costa is contemplating re-joining Atletico Madrid this summer after being made surplus to requirements by the Premier League champions.

Manager Antonio Conte has informed the Spain international he is no longer wanted at Stamford Bridge, but ahead of the World Cup next summer Costa is keen to ensure he is playing first team football.

The 28-year-old netted 22 goals last season as the Blues stormed to the title with two games to spare, while they also reached the FA Cup but lost to Arsenal at Wembley.

Costa fell out with Conte mid-way through the campaign amid speculation he was subject to interest from the Chinese Super League.

Following the climax to the campaign, Conte messaged Costa to tell him his days at Chelsea are over. The forward scored the winning goal as Spain beat Macedonia in their latest World Cup qualifier and afterwards confirmed he would indeed leave England and could return to Spain with Atletico.

"I do not know," Costa told AS after the 2-1 win. "I have a contract with Chelsea, they have to know what to do with me and I have to wait and know the decision that my club takes. Things do not work in that way. The fight for the place has to be fair to stay and fight, but the fight is not fair and I have to leave.

"I have a contract of two years with Chelsea, they have to decide. If they sell me, I will look for the best choice. Atletico is among them, it would not mean not playing, they can loan me out to some team in Spain, Brazil or wherever, but I have to play.

"Everyone knows that I have a lot of affection for them. Of course I rule out China, I have to think about the World Cup. Atletico is a club that I have a lot of affection for, independently of whether I go there or not, I will continue to love them."

Atletico are currently banned from registering new players due to a transfer ban imposed by Fifa and would have to wait until January 2018 to complete the signing of their former striker. However, Costa would be permitted to move back to the Spanish capital this summer and play elsewhere on loan for the first half of the campaign.

Costa had appeared destined to move to China earlier in the season after Spanish radio station Cadena Ser reported that the hitman had agreed a deal to move to Tianjin Quanjian in a deal worth a total of €90m (£77.1m). Speculation regarding Costa's departure comes amid reports linking the club with Real Madrid forward James Rodriguez and Juventus' Paulo Dybala.

Six players, including former club captain John Terry, have left Chelsea this summer. The club have made just one signing in the form of Scottish youngster Billy Gilmour from Rangers.