He still has some friends at Chelsea.
Despite the fact that Chelsea’s Premier League season didn’t get off to the best of starts following their defeat to Burnley, Antonio Conte isn’t panicking just yet because there’s an abundance of talent in the champions’ squad.
This being said, it’s clear that the Italian manager was disappointed in his pursuit of Romelu Lukaku after the Belgain opted to join Manchester United, but Blues fans will be pleased to see Alvaro Morata getting off the mark so early.
One man who seems like he’s heading for the Stamford Bridge exit door though is Diego Costa and despite contact from his former manager Jose Mourinho, there’s only one place that the Spanish international wants to go.
“My desire is to go to Atletico. I’ve spoken to Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia. I said, “If the manager doesn’t want me, I want to go to Atletico Madrid.” Costa’s decision not to return to pre-season training and remain in his childhood home in Lagarto, Brazil has seen the club fine him £300,000.
In a recent interview with Sportsmail, Costa claims that the Chelsea manager has been treating him ‘like a criminal’ while adding that ‘I am waiting for Chelsea to set me free. I didn’t want to leave. I was happy. When the manager does not want you, you have to go.
While there’s obvious tension between player and manager, it appears that the striker still has friends in the Stamford Bridge dressing room.
‘If you were to ask all my teammates, they’d say the same. They send messages saying “I miss you” and that they love me.I am always talking with the boys — particularly Cesc Fabregas, David Luiz and Willian. We have banter over WhatsApp. They ask how I am. They really love me for the person I am. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be saying they miss me and love me,’ he said.
Given the fact that Atletico Madrid can’t register any new players this summer and will have to wait until January 2018 to do so, the Spanish international will be waiting a long time to play for his former club – if in fact he gets his moves there.
Next up for the champions is a trip to take on Spurs at Wembley.
