Who’s the man to replace Costa?

We look at the options open to Conte

We’re now well into the summer, and Diego Costa remains a Chelsea player – but it shouldn’t be for much longer, with relations between player and manager Antonio Conte said to be at an all-time low.

Costa spoke to the press recently about his treatment at the hands of the club, telling fans he remains a Chelsea player, but the Londoners do not want him, and he was informed by text that his time at the bridge was over. Confirming what fans had feared all along, the 28-year-old says his relationship with the boss has been bad all season.

We’re sure there’s right and wrong on both sides, and Costa’s not the victim he’d have you believe. So, with The Blues now in need of a proven goal scorer to defend their title next season, and see them challenge in the Champions League, we look at some of the names in the frame.

Lukaku would return a better player

Romelu Lukaku is believed to be on his way back to Chelsea, and although he’s not the big-name fans would’ve been hoping for, the Belgian can be trusted to get them goals in the Premier League and domestic cups, at least. 24-year-old Lukaku was a sensation at Everton last season, but sees his future away from Goodison Park, believing he has fired himself to bigger and better things. The striker is a former Chelsea employee, of course, and it’ll stick in the throat of some fans that they will have to spend big to get him back, but they’ll be getting a better player than the one flogged to The Toffees in 2014. Lukaku came agonisingly close to finishing last season as the league’s top scorer.