Diego Costa appeared before the court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to defrauding the Spanish state of more than €1 million (£813,000/$1,127,000).

The Spain international’s charges followed after his move to Chelsea in the summer of 2014.

Costa was sentenced to six months in prison but will be spared jell time as Spanish law allows sentences below two years for non-violent crimes to be exchanged for an additional fine

He will now pay a fine of just over €500,000 on top of the missing €1m.