MADRID: Chelsea and Atletico Madrid announced Thursday that they had reached an initial agreement that would see Diego Costa return to the La Liga club.

“Chelsea Football Club has today agreed terms with Atletico Madrid for the transfer of Diego Costa,” Chelsea said in a statement. “The transfer will be subject to the agreement of personal terms and a medical.”

Atletico said the Brazil-born Spain international, who left the club to join Chelsea in 2014, would have a medical in the next few days before completing the move in the New Year.

“Atletico Madrid and Chelsea have reached an initial agreement for the transfer of Diego Costa,” the Spanish side said in a statement.

“The agreement is pending the formalisation of the contract between our club and the Spanish international forward. The English club has authorised Diego Costa to travel to Madrid in the coming days to undergo medical tests and settle his contract with our club.”

Costa will only be allowed to play for Atletico in January, when the club’s FIFA-imposed ban on registering news players ends.

The 28-year-old, has been frozen out by Chelsea manager Antonio Conte and spent the transfer window angling for a return to former club Atletico that never materialised.

Spanish media said that Atletico, who face Chelsea in the Champions League next Wednesday, had agreed a club-record fee of around 55 million euros ($65.55 million) to resign Costa.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2017