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Harry Redknapp: This is what the Chelsea dressing room really think about Diego Costa
HARRY REDKNAPP believes Diego Costa's team-mates won't get the hump with him over the striker’s situation at Chelsea.
John Salako weighs in on Diego Costa's China controversy
Chelsea received a £30million-a-year offer from Chinese side Tianjin Quanjian for the striker last week that caused tension between him and manager Antonio Conte.
Costa then missed the 3-0 win at Leicester, but the Spaniard has since returned to Chelsea first-team training.
And Redknapp insists Costa’s team-mates won’t have any problems with the striker returning to the fold.
Harry Redknapp believes Diego Costa's team-mates won't be affected by his Chelsea situation
It won’t affect team morale one iota
“Chelsea won’t have a difficult time bringing Diego Costa back into the first team because the other players will be laughing about what’s happened,” Redknapp told the London Evening Standard.
“His team-mates won’t get the hump with him after this supposed row involving a big-money move to China. It doesn’t work that way in football.
“They won’t be looking at him thinking, ‘what a dirty swine’. More like, ‘I wish someone would offer me £30million a year!’
Chelsea star Diego Costa has returned to first-team training
“So what if he had a bust-up with some of the backroom staff? He’s got much more power than the fitness coaches.
“Antonio Conte could go and get a new fitness coach tomorrow but it would be a lot harder to go out and sign a centre-forward of Costa’s quality.
“It won’t affect team morale one iota. There will be a few jokes going around in the dressing room and if he comes back against Hull, they will be happy because he can help them win the league. If not, they’ll just get on with it as at Leicester last weekend.”
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