What’s the story?
Chelsea striker Diego Costa’s future at the club has been thrown into doubt after the Spaniard had a heated argument with Antonio Conte over his fitness, according to the Daily Mail. Consequently, Costa has been left out of Chelsea’s squad that travelled to face defending Premier League champions Leicester City.
In case you didn’t know...
Diego Costa has a history of hamstring injuries, and believes that that is indirectly causing his issues with his back currently. The Chelsea striker however, has enjoyed an injury-free season this year, scoring 14 goals as his form has been one of the major reasons why Chelsea are on top of the Premier League.
The heart of the matter
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has taken a dim view of Costa’s current back complaints, according to the report. The Spanish striker has been handled with cotton wool by Chelsea’s medical staff this season, ensuring that he has adequate recovery time so that his hamstring problems do not flare up again.
However, the medical staff at Cobham cannot find a medical cause for Costa’s back complaints and have conveyed the same to manager Antonio Conte. The Italian is a notorious task-master and reportedly had a blazing row with Costa over his apparent ‘excuses’ asking to be rested.
As it stands, that is precisely what has transpired, and Costa has not travelled with the Chelsea squad to face Leicester City.
What next?
Diego Costa has reportedly instructed his representatives to put out feelers for a lucrative contract from Chinese clubs, and this could signal the beginning of the end of his career at Chelsea. The Spaniard was on the verge of signing for Atletico Madrid in the summer, only for Conte to intervene and keep him at the club.
Either way, Costa’s future being up in the air comes at a bad time for Chelsea, who have a title race to fight for.
Sportskeeda’s Take
Losing Diego Costa in January would be the death knell for Chelsea’s title ambitions. The striker has been instrumental in the style of play Chelsea play under Conte, with Michy Batshuayi barely making an impression in a similar role.
Chelsea were in the market for a backup option for Costa, with Swansea’s Fernando Llorente being a target, but the Blues will have to set their sights higher, if they are properly replace Diego Costa.
