In case it wasn’t painfully obvious a long time ago, the latest missive from the Telegraph’s Matt Law brings tidings of Diego Costa having started to say his goodbyes to his (soon-to-be former) Chelsea teammates ahead of a move back to Atletico Madrid.
Diego Costa has started saying his goodbyes, but #cfc will be forced to consider their options if Lukaku joins #mufc https://t.co/IGg5HfOBMs
— Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT) July 6, 2017
Hopes of Conte and Costa hugging it out at this point should not be harbored, and they probably should’ve been shelved a long time ago. By hook or by crook Costa was going to leave this summer and it looks like we’re finally close to that actually happening.
The only trouble beyond the cut-rate price that Chelsea will be able to eke out of this transfer is the massive void Costa leaves behind. He and Conte may have had their differences, but for a while there, it looked like a fantastic partnership and blossoming bromance between two fiery, passionate footballers. Alas, it was not meant to be more than a fleeting thing.
Losing Costa would be disappointing sporting wise considering how well he fit into the system. Tickes all the boxes of what good CF do
— Sébastien Chapuis (@SebC__) July 6, 2017
However, with seemingly no one lined up to come in anytime soon, that void could have far-reaching repercussions for the season ahead. Whether it’s Lukaku, Morata, or Belotti, or whoever else (not Llorente or Batshuayi), Chelsea’s level of urgency needs to be turned up to 11 here.