Antonio Conte sent Diego Costa a text message informing him that he’s no longer in his plans.
After helping Chelsea win the Premier League title last season, it seems that Diego Costa’s future with Chelsea has hit a wall. It’s utterly amazing to see a player of Costa’s stature deemed ‘surplus.’
What went wrong? Who’s to blame? How might the situation be resolved?
Courtesy; The Mirror
I believe it all started in January 2017 when it was reported that Costa was on the verge of moving to China. The rumor came during Chelsea’s title challenge. The development didn’t sit well with the manager. and it came at a time when the striker had a rumoured bust-up with Chelsea’s fitness coach.
Soon thereafter Antonio Conte told Costa–by text message, no less–that he was no longer in his plans.
That pronouncement seemed to be in line with Conte’s determination to take full control of his squad and avoid negative influences in the dressing room.
What did Costa think? He recently granted an exclusive interview with Sportsmail at his family home in Brazil. Costa voiced frustration and anger over his treatment. The striker accuses Chelsea of treating him ‘like a criminal.’ He also refused to rule out legal action against the club and accused the manager of blocking his contract negotiations.
Unfortunately, this melodrama continues. Costa has been fined two weeks wages for not participating in pre-season training. And it’s likely that he’ll continue to be fined for every week he remains absent.
And while Costa has made no secret that he desires a move to Atletico Madrid, it remains to be seen how he will achieve that intent.
Courtesy: The Sun
Meanwhile, Costa has been ordered to return to training, get himself fit, and be available for selection. But he’s still 5000 miles away from Stamford Bridge, a clear indication that he’s not planning to return anytime soon– unless the club grants his wish by selling him to the Spanish outfit.
There’s no doubt that Chelsea wants to off-load Costa, but they won’t let him leave at a bargain price. Besides, Costa has shown terrible professionalism by staying away from his team. His fitness is now a major concern and that could affect his market value.
On the other hand, Athletico Madrid could be involved, too, encouraging Costa to stay put in Brazil. The longer the issue drags on–so the thinking goes–the better the Spanish side’s chances of getting Costa on the cheap.
In the meantime, Conte’s decision to discard Costa is threatening team unity. Some players fear they could be discarded. too, especially in light of the club’s awful start to the new campaign.
Only thing is certain: Chelsea has taken a hard stand. The club wants Costa to honour his contract, which runs until June 2019.
Fans certainly want a quick resolution to the conflict so that the team can focus on its title defence. Costa’s departure is a likely scenario.
