Chelsea striker Diego Costa trained with the first team on Tuesday after being linked with a move to Chin – and has hugged it out with the coaching staff.
The Spain international was back training with his team-mates on Tuesday, after training by himself on Monday, and being left out of the squad for the league leaders victory over title holders Leicester City.
The 28-year-old was a target for Tianjin Quanjian but any potential move was scuppered by new rules in the Chinese Super League, according to the club’s owner. – a story Ben Kelly gave us earlier today.
It is said that the interest from China played a part in a row Costa had with Chelsea boss Antonio Conte – after a disagreement between Costa and the fitness staff at Chelsea’s Cobham training complex.
They are believed to have held peace talks on Tuesday morning, and the forward now looks one step closer to playing for the Blues again – after returning to training and hugging it out with the staff he was said to have had the disagreement with.
On the rumoured bust-up, Conte said: ‘I don’t know about this [reports that Costa refused to play for Chelsea] because it’s true what I told you before [he has a back injury].
‘Now we see in the next week.’
Another rumoured reason for Costa’s apparent desperation to leave Stamford Bridge was ‘because he hates English football and the Football Association.’
Costa has had his clashes and problems with the English FA before, regarding his behaviour on the pitch – but has gone on record as saying that even though his behaviour has improved tenfold this campaign, he still feels targeted by refs and officials.
Conte and Costa’s team-mate Marcos Alonso, have both said that this story has been blown way out of proportion, and that Costa was only sidelined due to the back injury Conte had mentioned.
It seems for now, Diego Costa will not be leaving Chelsea for China – but with this comes a new question, if he is not leaving now, does he want to go in the summer?
Based on the strikers brilliant form, Chelsea fans will certainly hope not – but with the Spanish striker all smiles during his training session, and after hugging it out with the staff.. maybe fans can afford to feel better.
