Costa’s lawyer threatens Chelsea with legal action

The striker is believed to have been infuriated by Conte informing him by text that his Chelsea career was over but even more so by the fact that the club has since rejected every offer that has come in for his services, leaving him very mch between a rock and a hard place.

Costa’s lawyer Ricardo Cardoso feels that Conte has been ‘unfair’ in his treatment of the player and has accused the Italian of a lack of respect.

Cardoso told ‘EFE’: ‘We are going to use all possible legal mechanisms to hold Chelse responsible for their behaviour, making possible the departure of Diego Costa.

‘He will formally request the transfer. When he was with the Spanish national team in June, he was dismissed from Chelsea by Antonio Conte through an SMS message…

‘The way in which it was carried out and the fact that it came out in public shows unfair behaviour and a lack of respect for the player and it is inadmissible and inexcusable on Antonio Conte’s part.

‘Not only have Chelsea not intervened or denied it either in public or in private, but they have renewed Conte’s contract, demonstrating they agree with the dismissal of Diego Costa and the way in which it was processed.

‘This discriminatory behaviour makes it impossible for Diego Costa to return to Chelsea while Antonio Conte is the coach, there is no condition for him to continue playing at Chelsea, which has already been passed on to those responsible several times.

‘At the moment moment, he does not want to play for a club other than Atletico Madrid.’

Will this help Costa get his move? Or is it just likely to encourage Chelsea to dig their heels in more?