Chelsea playmaker Willian has revealed how former club manager Antonio Conte forced forward Diego Costa out of the club last year.
Costa moved to Chelsea from Atletico Madrid in 2014 after the Blues met his £32 million buy-out clause to bring the Spaniard to the Premier League under Jose Mourinho.
He was very much a success whilst plying his trade at the Stamford Bridge club, scoring 58 goals in 120 matches across all competitions, winning two Premier League titles and the English League Cup.
However, the controversial striker was informed by Conte via text message that his services were no longer needed as the club entered the 2017/18 season, leaving the forward with no option but to seek a move elsewhere, eventually back to former club Atletico.
Willian has spoken to reporters about the scenario, stating that he didn’t understand why Conte wouldn’t want a player of Costa’s pedigree in the squad, especially after a title-winning season.
“He also had problems with David Luiz and Costa,” Willian told ESPN.
“With Diego, I remember it was after the season. I was in Australia with Brazil and Diego texted me.
“He said: ‘I’m leaving, Conte said he doesn’t need me anymore’. I said: ‘What do you mean?’ And he said: ‘He texted me saying that he doesn’t need me on the team anymore and I’m not supposed to go back’.
“You don’t lose a player like Diego Costa. It was a difficult situation.”
Chelsea’s first Premier League fixture of the 2018/19 campaign is away to Huddersfield Town this Saturday at 15:00.
The post Willian dishes the dirt on how Antonio Conte forced Diego Costa out of Chelsea appeared first on Squawka News.
From Squawka NewsSquawka News https://ift.tt/2KDFZdO
No comments:
Post a Comment