Chelsea

Diego Costa misses start of pre-season training

By Barney Corkhill, EditorPublished: 11 July 2017 12:14 PM

Chelsea striker Diego Costa misses the start of pre-season training after being given extra time off by the club amid speculation that he is on the verge of leaving.

Chelsea striker Diego Costa has missed the start of pre-season training after being given extra time off by the club.

The Premier League champions returned from their summer break on Monday, but Costa was not amongst the rest of the squad having mutually agreed that he would miss the start of pre-season.

Costa has been told that he has no future at the club by manager Antonio Conte, despite Chelsea missing out on the signing of Romelu Lukaku from Everton.

It is unclear when Costa will return to training, although his place on the club's pre-season tour of China and Singapore - which begins next week - is in doubt.

"Another absentee was Diego Costa, after it was agreed with the club that he should have an extra few days off," read a statement on the club's official website.

Costa scored 20 goals to help fire Chelsea to the Premier League title last season and has 59 goals in 120 appearances across all competitions since joining the club.