Football
Liam Twomey, Chelsea correspondent 7y

Chelsea fine Diego Costa two weeks' wages for not training - reports

Chelsea have fined Diego Costa two weeks' wages for failing to return to training as the dispute over his future rumbles on, according to reports.

Costa, who remains in his home town of Lagarto in Brazil, claimed in an interview with with the Daily Mail on Sunday that Chelsea are treating him "like a criminal" and that he has lost all personal respect for head coach Antonio Conte over the Italian's handling of the situation.

Sources at Chelsea told ESPN FC on Monday that four conditions have been set out for Costa to resolve the current stand-off. The first is that he return to England, the second that he return to training, the third that he get himself match fit and the fourth that he make himself available for selection.

It is considered highly unlikely in any circumstances that Costa would play for Conte again, but Chelsea have made it clear that they expect the 28-year-old to fulfil the terms of his contract while talks continue over a move back to Atletico Madrid, who remain some way off meeting the Premier League champions' valuation of their top scorer last season.

Conte informed Costa via text message in June that he would not be in Chelsea's plans for the new campaign, though the club's position is that their striker and his representatives were informed in January -- when he was dropped following a training-ground row and lucrative offer from Chinese Super League club Tianjin Quanjian -- that his time at Stamford Bridge was coming to an end.

Costa is adamant that he will only consider a move back to former club Atletico, who are banned by FIFA from registering new players until January 2018.

The Spain international was granted an extra few days off when the rest of the Chelsea squad gathered at Cobham for preseason training in early July, but he has not come back since and claimed on Sunday that the Premier League champions have asked him to return and train away from his teammates.

It is reported that Chelsea, who have been wary of commenting on the situation publicly or privately in recent days due to the spectre of legal proceedings threatened by Costa's lawyer Ricardo Cardoso, have fined the striker around £300,000 -- or two weeks' wages -- for his refusal to return to England. When contacted by ESPN FC, the Premier League champions said they did not want to comment on disciplinary matters.

Costa says he is prepared to live out the next year of his contract -- which runs until June 2019 -- in Brazil if Chelsea do not agree to sell him back to Atletico, where he was a key figure in his final two seasons as Diego Simeone's team won the Copa del Rey, La Liga and reached the 2014 Champions League final.

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