Atletico Madrid new boy Diego Costa has expressed his delight at returning “home” but insisted that he retains “special affection” for Chelsea.
Costa is set to complete a move back to Atleti next week after a €65m deal was agreed with Chelsea, although the striker will not be able to appear until at least January due to the transfer taking place after the summer deadline and Los Colchoneros ban on registering new players.
“I’m very happy. It’s taken a long time, but it’s had a happy ending,” he said upon landing in the Spanish capital.
“Now I’ll wait to see my teammates and train. Desire is something that I won’t have a shortage of.
“I hope to give my best, like I always have done, and that things go well.
“The long wait? It always makes you a bit nervous, but Miguel Angel Gil made a great effort and I thank him very much, like everyone else at the club.
“I’m very happy and I’ll try to show my gratitude one way or another. Simeone? I haven’t talked to him yet.
“I wanted to come back here, but I won’t be ungrateful to Chelsea, where I was also very happy there, playing for a team that were very big.
“Still, Atletico are my home and here I am. Leaving Chelsea on a bad note? It’s not something I wanted, not at all.
“I have special affection for the Chelsea fans. I’m not a person who’d tarnish an image. They know the person I am, but I’m here now and that’s a different issue.
“My physical condition? I’m not as bad as some people have said and there’s Profe Ortega, who’ll put me right.
“I’m afraid of his training sessions, not the weighing scales!”
