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Cape Town - Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo confirmed the club weren't really in any position to bring Chelsea striker Diego Costa back to Spain.
The Spain international has been linked with a return to the Vicente Calderon - where he spent four years before moving to Stamford Bridge in 2014 - after being involved in numerous controversial incidents in the Premier League.
New Blues boss Antonio Conte stressed on Wednesday that Costa remained a part of his future plans amid continued speculation the 27-year-old could be heading back to Los Rojiblancos.
"Diego Costa is a Chelsea player and very happy to stay with us," Conte had told reporters.
Cerezo admitted on Thursday there were fleeting talks with the Brazil-born marksman, but Atleti were never really in with a chance of re-signing him during the current transfer window.
"Costa [talks] do not have a long tail or anything of the sort," he told Marca. "Diego has a contract with Chelsea and he belongs to Antonio Conte's team.
"Chelsea are our friends, just as the great Atletico man Diego Costa is our friend. But his place is with Chelsea and we are sure that he will be successful there.
"We cherish Diego for what he has given us and he knows where his home is."
