Sevilla forward Kevin Gameiro. (Photo : Getty Images)
La Liga giants Atletico Madrid had changed their focus from trying to acquire Chelsea's Diego Costa to luring Sevilla's Kevin Gameiro to move to the Vicente Calderón Stadium next season after Antonio Conte refused to let go of the Spanish striker.
The Mirror reported that this year's UEFA Champions League runners-up are "forced to look elsewhere" for a potential new striker with new Blues boss Conte "refusing to sell Costa" at any price this summer.
Conte is said to be keen on keeping the 27-year-old Brazil-born Spaniard as he plans to feature him prominently as one of his first-team attacking options in the coming English top flight term.
Costa had struggled last season under Jose Mourinho and then with interim manager Guus Hiddink after winning the Premier League title the season before, scoring only 12 times in 28 domestic games.
The 6-foot-2 Lagarto, Brazil native was a 20-plus goalscorer in the previous two seasons prior to last term as he scored 27 goals in 35 games for Atletico in 2013-2014 before netting 20 times in 26 matches during Chelsea's championship campaign in 2014-2015.
At the moment, the report mentioned that Los Colchoneros is targeting Sevilla's French striker Gameiro, who netted 29 goals and provided five assists in a total of 52 appearances for Los Rojiblancos in all competitions last season.
Caught Offside indicated that Conte and Chelsea are "unhappy" about Atleti's chase of their prized striker and have since issued two letters to the Spanish club this summer to convey their anger.
The Premier League side also warned Madrid to stop making up stories about Costa having problems at the Stamford Bridge and wanting an exit as they could send their complaints to FIFA if need be.
"We like him a lot, I'll admit," the report quoted Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo as saying. "We are talking to the player and working on him returning to Madrid. It's close, but I can't say anymore."
Costa was acquired by Chelsea in the summer of 2014 after a two-season stint with Atleti for a £32 million transfer fee. He had a prior stint with the Spanish capital city squad during the 2010-2011 season before he moved to Rayo Vallecano the next season and eventually re-joining Los Colchoneros the season after.
