Diego Costa 'refusing to clear out training ground locker'

Diego Costa has reportedly informed his Chelsea teammates that they are free to take whatever belongings they like from his training ground locker as he is refusing to return to the club.

The Spain international is currently on strike at his family home in Brazil and has no intention of showing his face at Stamford Bridge, despite still being under contract with the Blues.

Costa is so unhappy with the way he has been treated by manager Antonio Conte that, according to The Sun, he will not even clear his locker at Chelsea's Cobham HQ.

Reports in Spain overnight suggest that Atletico Madrid, the striker's preferred choice of club, are prepared to pay the Premier League champions up to £50m to re-sign their former player.

Chelsea are reportedly unwilling to sell the 28-year-old until he reports back for training duty, however, which could lead to a standoff in the remaining 11 days of the transfer window.