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Chelsea: Diego Costa dropped amid rumors of big money move to China

By Craig Pearson

Aug 20, 2016; Commerce City, CO, USA; General view of the match adidas soccer ball before the start of the game between the Orlando City FC against the Colorado Rapids at Dicks Sporting Goods Park. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 20, 2016; Commerce City, CO, USA; General view of the match adidas soccer ball before the start of the game between the Orlando City FC against the Colorado Rapids at Dicks Sporting Goods Park. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
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Diego Costa has been dropped by Chelsea for the Blues’ Premier League game against Leicester City on Saturday. Reports suggest a potential move to China has unsettled the Brazilian.

Diego Costa plays for the current leaders of the Premier League, Chelsea. The striker is also the league’s leading goalscorer after re-finding his best form this season, with the arrival of new boss Antonio Conte in the summer.

Things just couldn’t get much better for the Brazilian at this time, right? Well, apparently they could because reports are suggesting the striker is unsettled after Chelsea rejected a bid from a Chinese Super League club for his services.

Costa has also now been dropped for Chelsea’s game against Leicester City on Saturday. The news suggests that Costa may actually have some interest in following his fellow Brazilian Oscar by making the move to China.

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Chelsea had no issue in selling Oscar with the playmaker not prominently featuring in Conte’s starting XI. But this is a different story. Costa is integral to the Blues’ title hopes with the club having nobody in their squad that can replace the hitman. January is a difficult time to sign players, too, so replacing Costa would be a stretch.

But why would Diego Costa want to leave anyway? Given the way things are right now, the fact Chelsea are now title favorites, and the fact Costa in such fine form, why would anybody want to rock that particular boat? If absolutely necessary, why not just wait until the summer?

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Money and greed is taking over the game even more than usual at present. The finances on offer from China in particular are even trumping the money that is on offer from the Premier League. No league in Europe can compete with the Premier League and what they can pay players.

That goes for the top clubs, all the way down to the lesser clubs. And now it seems that even the Premier League is starting to struggle to compete with China. However, ultimately, it does come down to the player when the club has no intentions to sell, as is the case with Chelsea

Does Costa not want to finish this season off with a potential league title? With, potentially, one of his best seasons individually? It’s not like the striker is poorly paid at Chelsea either. Diego Costa, you would think, has all he could want.

Also, after defeat to Tottenham last time out, this news comes at the worst time for Conte’s team. After such an amazing run of form, any extended blip of form is only going to invite headlines of the wheels falling off….etc. It’s just the way it works.

Next up a few points are dropped, the pressure then builds on everybody, and suddenly the picture looks a whole lot different. It’s the snowball effect. Any blip would only give hope to the chasing pack, too.

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So just why would anybody want to encourage those things at such a crucial time in the season? What would be the rush to leave with Chelsea in such a strong position right now? And how much money do you need before winning actually becomes the priority?

It seems, if reports are to be believed, these are all questions for Diego Costa.

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