'It's funny' - Antonio Conte laughs off Diego Costa’s claims and tells striker Chelsea career is over

Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Simon Johnson18 August 2017

Antonio Conte today laughed off rebel striker Diego Costa’s claims that he has been treated like a criminal at Chelsea.

Costa has been moaning about his treatment at Stamford Bridge this week in a bid to force through a move to Atletico Madrid.

The Spain international, who has been AWOL in Brazil for over four weeks, has now travelled to Madrid to put pressure on Chelsea to sell to the La Liga club for a certain price.

Costa is still claiming that Conte first told him he wasn’t wanted in June via text message, but the Chelsea coach says the player was told in January that the club would sell in the summer.

When asked about Costa’s comments in the press, Conte started laughing and then said: “It’s great. But I can tell you, everyone at Chelsea knows what happened last season with him. It’s funny this interview.”

Chelsea, who have already fined the 28-year-old, have ordered him to return to training and make himself available for selection.

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When pressed if that meant he would consider playing Costa again in the future, he added: “No. I’m not interested to continue this issue. For me it is the past.”

With less than two weeks until the transfer deadline and Atletico unwilling to meet Chelsea’s £50m asking price, the club is in danger of this situation not being resolved.

A club spokesman added: “Antonio is not wanting to comment further, neither is the club. Our position is clear.

“It’s not something we will get into it publicly. He (Costa) should return to Chelsea, that’s where we should leave it.”

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