Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo insists striker Diego Costa has not yet left the club to join Chelsea, but has conceded that goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will not be returning to the Spanish champions on loan.
Costa fired Atletico to the Primera Division title and Champions League final last season but reports emerged towards the end of the campaign that he was heading to Stamford Bridge for an estimated £32million, and the player has admitted he is set to join Jose Mourinho's side later this summer.
Atletico chief Cerezo confirmed the Blues have been in touch about Costa but that no deal had yet been struck for the 26-year-old, who has endured a hugely disappointing World Cup campaign with Spain.
"We don't know anything about Costa, all we know is that Chelsea have made contact but we haven't received any money or anything else yet," Cerezo told the Spanish press.
"Until we receive the money from his buy-out clause, he remains an Atletico player."
However, Cerezo implied it would not be long before Costa was packing his bags for a move to London.
"We've always tried to convince our players to stay, but the difference between our finances and that of other clubs is very large," he said.
Chelsea have loaned goalkeeper Courtois to Atletico for each of the last three seasons but Cerezo confirmed the Belgium international's time in the Spanish capital had come to an end.
"Chelsea can count on Courtois, because he is their player," he said.
In addition to the likely departures of Courtois and Costa, Atletico have already bid farewell to David Villa, while midfielder Tiago Mendes has reached the end of his contract.
Doubts also remain over the futures of defenders Filipe Luis and Miranda, although left-back Guilherme Siqueira has joined the club from Granada.
"That's the way football is," added Cerezo on the changes the Primera Division champions will undergo this summer.
"We will try and get new players to come in who can score more goals or save more goals than the ones that are leaving."
Source: PA
