'Simeone renewal not down to Costa'
Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo says the potential return of Diego Costa was not linked to Diego Simeone extending his contract.
Diego Simeone did not extend his Atletico Madrid contract because of a promise regarding the potential return of Diego Costa, club president Enrique Cerezo has insisted.
Atletico tied Simeone down to a two-year contract extension on Tuesday, locking him in until the end of the 2020 season.
The Argentine's deal was set to expire at the end of the campaign after he last year agreed to shorten his bind to the club from 2020 to 2018 amid speculation linking him with an exit.
Cerezo is adamant Simeone putting pen to paper does not mean he has received a guarantee that Chelsea striker Costa, who has been deemed surplus to requirements by Antonio Conte, will be brought back to Madrid.
"We have not shown [Simeone] Costa's contract," Cerezo told reporters at the opening ceremony of Atletico's new home, the Wanda Metropolitano.
"What happened is that all contracts have an end date, and when that happens there are talks about extending them."
Costa went AWOL as he attempted to push through an exit from Chelsea before deadline day, with Atletico unable to sign him due to a transfer embargo.
The Spain international, who has expressed his desire to return to LaLiga, remains with the Premier League champions but Cerezo says that may not be the case come January.
"We could not sign players [this year]," he said. "In January, Costa could come, or many others."