Chelsea’s hierarchy have asked Antonio Conte to consider using him again before his likely departure in January.

The Spanish international is currently back in his native Brazil, where he has been all summer since being told he has no future at Chelsea.

A move back to his beloved Atletico Madrid was hampered due to the fact they were unable to sign new players over the course of the summer as they had a transfer ban for the duration of the window.

Football INDEX Watch – Diego Costa £2.27 – He will be back sooner rather than later and at this price looks a great buy.

Now Atletico could sign Costa in January and talks are ongoing, indeed they could have signed him in the summer but he would not of been able to play until the New Year.

Chelsea have already told Costa to report back to training and have fined him for his continued AWOL – but there is still some hope that he may return.

Although not included in Chelsea’s Champions League squad, he has been registered to play in the Premier League, so he could yet feature.

Sources close to Chelsea have told me that there is some hope that, if required, Conte could still use Costa this year.

Costa’s team-mate Eden Hazard has made it known publicly that he would like to see Costa back.

“Diego and I have been playing together for three years, we have won everything together except for the Champions League,” Hazard told Spanish newspaper Marca.

“It’s a pleasure to play with him, he’s a top player and a top person. I would like to see him come back, but I don’t make the decisions.”

Bookmakers are now starting to cut the prices on him Costa re-appearing in the blue of Chelsea, Ladbrokes are offering just 4/1.

Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: “It’s something we never thought we’d be pricing up, but with peace talks apparently taking place and calls for a return to the first-team from other players – we wouldn’t be surprised to see Costa in a Chelsea shirt again.”

Football INDEX is a stockmarket game where players, known as Traders, take a position on the “future success” of footballers with real money – CLICK HERE to play and start winning, and take advantage of your £20 cashback only with TheGamblingTimes.