Where would the Premier League be without its characters?

One such 'character' is Chelsea's Diego Costa. The man with mad eyes, a temper to match and an injury record that is starting to catch up with him is now in his third season at Stamford Bridge, yet strong rumours that he wants to leave, then that he's staying, then that he's leaving are circulating.

Costa joined the Blues from Atletico Madrid for £32m in July 2014 and enjoyed a productive first season at Stamford Bridge, scoring 20 goals in 37 appearances. A further 16 goals last season followed during a poor year for the former league champions.

But what next for the Brazilian born Spaniard?

With the arrival of Michy Batshuayi and new boss Antonio Conte, things are surely starting to look promising for the Blues this coming year.

Conte is full of energy with a devastating will to win that will filter down to the players and an attacking style of play witnessed at the recent EUROs.

Batshuayi will need to live up to his £33m price tag and will probably be grateful to have the experienced Costa alongside him as they lead the attack. Conte sometimes favours one up front and that could see the older man lose out if Conte fancies the young Belgian striker more.

However, Conte has made it known that he wants Costa to stay

To be honest, this season can't be much worse for the Stamford Bridge club than last season was and so Costa should look on with optimism.

However, there is a huge part of the striker that wants to go home. To go back to his former club Atletico Madrid and it would seem as though the Madrid club share the sentiment.

A return to Atletico Madrid two years after leaving the Vicente Calderon, is close, according to the Spanish club’s President Enrique Cerezo recently.

But Cerezo, who has since denied the claim, was quoted as saying: “We like him a lot, I’ll admit. We are talking to the player and working on him returning to Madrid. It’s close, but I can’t say anymore.”

The 68-year-old moved to distance himself from the remarks hours later, telling Spanish news outlet AS he would “not speak of players at other clubs”.

The former Braga and Valladolid striker, who has scored 36 goals in 54 starts for Chelsea, was handed a start for Conte’s first match in charge, a 2-0 pre-season defeat to Rapid Vienna, but his future very much seems to be uncertain.

According to Conte on Sky Sports: “I see him very happy and I don’t know any other situation. Diego Costa is Chelsea’s player.”

In these days of players pushing for moves, you can't rule out the possibility of Costa leaving, but Conte may just do enough to convince him to stay for another season.

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