Chelsea need to prove they are not dependent on Costa

Ross Gibson

He had unarguably carried the club with his goals in the last three seasons and was their talisman but he has been told to look for another club as he no longer has a future with them.

Without any doubt, Diego Costa contributed immensely to Chelsea winning the Premier League titles twice in the last three seasons.

He was their top scorer in each of his three seasons at the club and the Blues faithful are not happy to see their top scorer leave, but Conte has decided and there seems to be no going back.

Costa joined Chelsea from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2014 on a five-year deal, believed to be worth £32million.

He took the Premier League by storm as he netted nine goals in his first seven league matches, and by the end of the 2014/2015 season he was his side’s top scorer with 20 league goals, as Chelsea won the league.

The following season was no different, though Chelsea couldn’t retain their league title as they finished in tenth place. Costa remained their leading goal scorer with 16 goals, and helped them again to another
league triumph under new manager Antonio Conte last season, with 20 league goals and 22 across all competitions.

Costa had wanted to rejoin Atletico Madrid last summer but was prevailed upon by Conte – upon his arrival at the club – to remain at the Stamford Bridge. However, the relationship between the pair turned
sour following a training ground bust-up, and Costa’s attempt to force a big money move to the Chinese Super League in January, which was blocked by the club.

Costa is an all-round striker and there is no way his absence will not be felt at Chelsea. He is not just a striker but a thorn in defenders’ flesh and difficult for any defender to handle. He used his physicality to his advantage and cannot be easily dispossessed, though he has problems confronting opponents.

However, here comes a season without Costa in the Blues line-up with the departure or imminent departure of the prolific striker from the club.

But it is time for the champions of England to show that they are not dependent on the Spanish striker to score goals.

Conte will be hoping any failure to retain the league title will not be linked with his decision to axe Costa from the club.

He has signed his former player Alvaro Morata in a club-record deal worth around £68 million as his replacement, and expectedly comparisons will be made if the former Real Madrid and Juventus forward will be able to have the same immediate impact like his fellow countryman.

It remains to be seen if Morata can fill the void created by the former Atletico Madrid man.