Chelsea are concerned striker Diego Costa will have put on too much weight over the summer for them to be able to find a buyer before the transfer deadline, according to The Sun.
The Spain international received a text from Blues head coach Antonio Conte soon after the end of last season informing him that he would not be in his plans for the 2017/18.
Since then, Costa has been allowed to stay away from Cobham and skip pre-season training. He has stayed on holiday in his native Brazil.
But the Blues are reportedly concerned about how much – or little – the 28-year-old has been looking after him. The Premier League champions have been tracking his partying antics via social media and fear he is piling on the pounds.
If Costa is losing his fitness, it will hard to convince a buyer to match his asking price with the new season now underway.
The player is thought to favour a return to his former club Atletico Madrid, who are banned from registering new players until January.