Chelsea striker Diego Costa’s career was on the rails until Watford boss Quique Sanchez Flores put him back on track claims Spanish journalist Fran Guillen.

He says Atletico Madrid wanted to off-load the Brazilian when he returned to training late and overweight and that it was only Quique Flores that was prepared to stand by him.

Guillen makes the claim in his biography on the Brazilian-born Spanish international saying that the Madrid club wanted to off-load him after the incident.

But with no buyer meeting the asking price, Costa threw himself back into training and it was head coach Quique Sanchez Flores who showed confidence in him.