Chelsea defender Filipe Luis could return to Spain as Atletico Madrid show interest in re-signing player

Chelsea defender Filipe Luis is reportedly be set for a return to Spain with former club Atletico Madrid monitoring his situation at Stamford Bridge.

According to the Telegraph, the reigning La Liga champions are keen on taking the player back after they sold him to Chelsea for a reported £16m last summer.

The Brazilian defender has struggled in the Premier League and has failed to displace Cezar Azpilicueta in Jose Mourinho's first team.

The manager has preferred to use the Spaniard on the left, despite his primary position being right-back, for all the big games thus far this season. This has left Luis watching most of the games from the bench.

The 29-year-old defender has made just 11 appearances in the Premier League so far this season and his lack of action under the Portuguese manager has alerted the Spanish champions and they could launch a move to take him back to the Vicente Calderon ahead of next season.

However, the report claims that Chelsea would be reluctant to sell a defender, who was only bought during last summer's transfer window and it is believed that Mourinho will utilise him more after he settles down in the Premier League.

The report states that the only chance Atletico have of re-signing their former player is when the defender himself asks the manager to allow him to return to Spain.

Meanwhile, Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was disappointed after their 1-1 draw against Southampton on Sunday, but has credited the Southampton team for putting in a valiant effort to get a point at Stamford Bridge.

He also praised Fraser Forster, after the England international made a string of fine saves to keep the Saints in the game.

"It's a pity we couldn't score the second goal, we pushed Southampton back into their box but we couldn't find the gaps to score. We had quite a few chances but Forster made some good saves," Courtois said, as quoted by Chelsea's official site.

"Sometimes there are moments in a season where things aren't going as well as you want them to. Teams are playing very defensively against us, maybe at the start of the season they were more offensive and there was more space."

"We've gained a point on Man City, obviously if we were three ahead it would have been better so that's a pity, but Southampton are a good side, they've done well this season and it wasn't an easy game," the Belgian international added.