Costa officially agrees terms for Atletico move

He was informed by Blues manager Antonio Conte via text that he no longer figured in his plans after he helped fire Chelsea to the Premier League title last season.

Antonio Conte has reassured Chelsea fans over the fitness of Thibaut Courtois ahead of Wednesday night’s Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid.

He shone: nine Champions League goals, with two of them against his parent club in a shock quarter-final victory. We were in control of the game.

“It was a good day, a good result for us”.

“So far I’ve given him three [assists] and he hasn’t scored them!”

“Morata is a very important player”, Simeone told reporters at his pre-match press conference.

Atletico and Chelsea announced an agreement had been reached last Thursday and it has now been completed on the eve of the teams’ Champions League Group C contest at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano.

Fabregas believes that Chelsea is losing one of European football’s best strikers.

“He is getting the reward he wants”.

Alvaro Morata has been handed the task of filling Diego Costa’s boots at Chelsea this season following his summer arrival from Real Madrid.

Atletico have struck an agreement to sign Costa in January and Azpilicueta admits he is relieved not to be facing his Spain teammate.

“Diego was an attacker undervalued here in England, “he said”. “We have to deal without him”. Frequently isolated as a lone striker, he nonetheless dominated the opposing defence and it was telling that all 25 of his passes went backwards to find supporting players, allowing him to bomb forward.

But new striker Romelu Lukaku gives them greater cutting edge and his 20th-minute goal settled the game, the Belgium striker finishing at the second attempt after Saints goalkeeper Fraser Forster parried his header.

“He was an underrated player”.

“He’s a great guy, I spoke to him on Saturday when he was watching (Atletico’s) game – we enjoyed a spectacular connection both on and off the pitch”.

“He’s now chose to change, so best of luck to him”.

As for Chelsea, Conte confirmed that Marcos Alonso is fine and that withdrawal at the weekend was a tactical one.