As reported in an exclusive by The Daily Telegraph, Antonio Conte has found his long-term replacement for Diego Costa, despite the striker returning to first team training.

What's the word?

Costa missed the weekend trip to Leicester after missing first team training because of a fall out with the coaching staff at Stamford Bridge.

The Telegraph report that the player returned to training on Tuesday ahead of Chelsea's weekend fixture, attempting to win his place back in the team.

His long-term future is less certain though and the paper also reports that Antonio Conte is looking for a reunion with former Juventus striker Alvaro Morata, currently playing at Real Madrid.

The right man?

After leaving Real Madrid in 2014, Morata enjoyed two seasons at Juventus, scoring 27 goals in two season in Turin. That was enough for Madrid to enforce a buy-back clause in his contract last summer.

The Spanish international has scored 9 goals, including 2 in the UEFA Champions League, under Zinedine Zidane despite being unable to force his way to a regular start at the Bernabeu.

That lack of La Liga action could mean a move to the Premier League tempts Morata, who would also take comfort in returning to work under Antonio Conte. It was the Italian who signed him from Madrid for Juventus when he made that move.

His goalscoring record may be less impressive than Costa's, who has 51 goals in 99 appearances for Chelsea but his all round game would be an adequate alternative to the controversial striker.

If Costa's time at Chelsea is indeed up in the summer then signing one of La Liga's finest would likely go some way to appeasing Blues fans.

[ad_pod id='Shoot-Xmas-Survey' align='left']