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Shipping Diego Costa off the club might even be more difficult than anticipated as his sale is far from being concluded.

There are no many suitors for the 28-year-old Spain international, and now Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has refused to talk about signing the Chelsea striker who has been banished by Chelsea boss Antonio Conte.

Speaking after Madrid’s’ 3-2 friendly win at Brighton, manager Simeone said: “I don’t want to comment too much. The fact is he is still with Chelsea.

“The most important thing to me is the work of my club in general, not only in training. I have to work with what I have.”

Due to the transfer embargo placed on Atletico Madrid, the Madrid giants would not be able to buy Costa until it is lifted in January.

Simeone said about that: “When I found there was no other possibility to get new players at the club I accepted it.

“Maybe I could improve the quality, but for the moment with this team I can work very well and I’m satisfied with that.”

The future of Costa seems far from a concluded one at the moment.