With his future up in the air, striker Diego Costa is finally back with Chelsea after a week away from the first team. Here's everything to know.
What did he do?
Costa reportedly had a heated argument with a fitness coach at the club a week ago over an injury and then there was buzz about him possibly going to China to play with the transfer window open. Those two combined seemed to ruffle the feathers of manager Antonio Conte, who decided to punish him for the argument and drop him from selection for the match against Leicester City last weekend.
Conte: 'Diego is a good player and a good person and now he is only focused on Chelsea and playing for us.' #CFC
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 20, 2017
Was he really ever going to leave?
You can never really count out Chelsea dealing with China. We've see Oscar, John Obi Mikel and Ramires head to Asia to play from the Blues. It never felt like he would leave, but any high offer from China has to be considered. It felt all along that this was a punishment and that he would return, which is exactly what happened.
What does this mean for Chelsea?
It means the team gets back its top striker and the joint-top scorer of the Premier League. Costa has 14 goals, just as many as Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal. There is no doubt the Blues are better when Costa plays, though it was tough to tell after that impressive 3-0 win at Leicester City,
What does it mean for the Premier League?
Chelsea without Costa, even if they would have brought in another forward, probably doesn't win the league. With Costa and his impressive goal-scoring record, the Blues remain the strong favorite to finish the season as Premier League champions. He's one of the best strikers in Europe and fits in so well with guys like Eden Hazard and Willian. Arguably the team's most important player, Chelsea goes as Costa goes. And with him, that could mean to the top.
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