Atletico Madrid emptying their pockets to try and re-sign Diego Costa from Chelsea

Takey-backsies.

Atletico Madrid didn't mean to sign the papers. A season and a half without their prized centre forward is too much and Diego Simeone wants him back. He wants him back for good. And not just because Gary Barlow says so. The Spaniards enjoyed their most successful spell in recent history with the Brazilian-born attacker leading the line. They won La Liga at a time they said the Barca and Real Madrid stranglehold was unbreakable and they were a minute or two away from winning the Champions League too. Costa took off for Chelsea though, guided them to the Premier League title and Simeone was force-fed Fernando Torres in the meantime. They lost on Saturday to Barcelona and now they're three points behind having played a game extra than their Catalan counterparts. So the chase for Costa has stepped up. The beauty of it? Atletico can guarantee him Champions League football. AS are reporting that the Madrid club have launched a 45 million euro bid for the Spanish international but that Chelsea has turned it down.

"The coach (Diego Simeone) has been very persuasive in convincing the club owner (Gil Marin) about the need to sign a striker," the Spanish reports read. "Several names like Lucas Pérez were put on the table but Simeone was clear, 'I want Costa.'"

Apparently Atletico will be signing someone on Monday regardless but, the message is clear from Chelsea, 45 million euros is not enough for Diego Costa who they bought for around 42 million euros.