Diego
Costa will be waving goodbye to his career if he leaves Chelsea for the
Chinese Super League, according to Ray Wilkins.
The Premier League's top scorer is due to meet with Antonio Conte on Tuesday
after missing the leaders' 3-0 win at Leicester on Saturday.
A back injury was the official reason for Costa's absence, but Sky sources
understand a training-ground row with Conte happened against the backdrop of
a £30m-a-year offer from Chinese club Tianjin Quanjian.
Wilkins told
Premier League Daily the striker should choose his
career over cash and resist the temptation to follow former team-mates
Ramires and Oscar to the Far East.
"If it’s financial, and he wants to move to China, then I don’t quite
understand it to be perfectly honest," said Wilkins, who captained Chelsea
early in his career and was assistant manager under Carlo Ancelotti.
"I think as a footballer if you’re going to go to China, now at 28 years of
age, you’re basically saying, like Oscar, your career is finished.
"You’re going there for the finance. Aren’t these young men earning enough
in this country to enjoy playing their football?
"I would imagine Costa is well recompensed for what he does at Chelsea, and
I would imagine there is a new deal for him there if he wishes to take it."
While Chelsea won at the King Power Stadium without Costa, Wilkins believes
any long-term absence could harm his former club's chances of reclaiming the
title they last won under Jose Mourinho in 2015.
"Obviously a couple of players have come out, like Thibaut Courtois, saying
'of course we can win without Diego.' But if they are going to win the
Premier League they are going to need this guy," Wilkins added.
"He has been in fantastic form. Last year the guy was almost a disgrace,
this year he has just been superb. He causes havoc for everyone.
"This guy is scoring every type of goal this year, and if you ask any
defender, they would say he is probably the toughest guy to play against."
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