Chelsea: Stay or Go? Antonio Conte Reveals All on Future of Diego Costa

By Tom Roddy On 8/3/16 at 7:18 AM EDT

Antonio Conte and Diego Costa — Antonio Conte, left, and Diego Costa at the UCLA Campus, Westwood, California, July 26. Conte has said Costa will remain as a Chelsea player this season. MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty

Sports Antonio Conte Diego Costa Sport Alvaro Morata

Diego Costa's future at Chelsea was surrounded by uncertainty this summer with Atletico Madrid lurking, but now the Spaniard appears set to remain at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea had threatened to report Atletico, Costa's former club, to UEFA after the La Liga club's public pursuit of the 27-year-old striker.

But Antonio Conte's desire to sign either Alvaro Morata or Romelu Lukaku, despite having already brought Michy Batshuayi to Chelsea, seemed to put Costa's future in doubt.

"Diego Costa is Chelsea's player and for me this is the most important thing in this moment," Conte said, adding that Costa was "very happy to stay with us."

"He had recovered. Now he is available for tomorrow's game [against AC Milan]. I am very happy I can count on him."

New signing N'Golo Kante is also expected to feature in the International Champions Cup game on Wednesday at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota.

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