Antonio Conte has said Diego Costa was told in January he was not part of the club’s plans.
The Chelsea forward has not travelled with the squad for the pre-season tour over in Asia, where they will play Arsenal in a friendly at the Bird’s Nest Stadium on Saturday before heading to Singapore.
Costa is said to be keen on a return back to Atletico Madrid, although the Spanish club are currently banned from completing the signing of players until January 2018.
Costa went on to help Chelsea lift the Premier League title and also scored in the FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal at Wembley.
However, while on international duty with Spain, Costa revealed he received a text message in which the Italian coach made it clear his future was to be away from Stamford Bridge.
But Conte, on Friday, said he had clarified his position on the player at the start of the year.
“I don’t to like to talk about players that don’t stay here, but the only thing I can tell you (is) in January, the Costa situation was very clear, for the club, for him and his agent. For me the situation is closed,” the Chelsea boss said at a press conference in Beijing.
See also
Madrid bid £50million for Chelsea striker Diego Costa
Chelsea star has no plans to join Chelsea’s pre-season
Ray Wilkins: ‘I’m disappointed Chelsea want to sign this player’
