Spain boss warns Diego Costa to sort out Chelsea future or World Cup dreams will be over
DIEGO COSTA has been told he can forget any hopes of playing in the World Cup unless he sorts out his future.
Costa is an outcast at Chelsea after falling out with boss Antonio Conte and is refusing to even report back to the club for training.
But Spain boss Julen Lopetegui was warned the controversial striker he will not be picked for his country until he is back playing regular first team football.
Costa was overlooked by Spain for their recent World Cup qualifiers against Italy and Leichtenstein because he was out in the cold at Stamford Bridge.
And Lopetegui says the 28-year-old can forget any hopes of playing at Russia 2018 until he resolves his dispute and starts starring again at club level.
Lopetegui said: "Costa’s summer has been unusual, strange, complicated – not just for him but for his club.
"He is still a Chelsea player. It’s a complicated issue.
"Our hope is that he will resolve his situation as soon as possible and that he can compete, train and play, which is what he likes doing the most and what interests the national team.
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"It’s rather complicated that a guy who doesn’t train and doesn’t play can be with us, but that’s all it is.
"He wasn’t ready to play with us against Italy and Liechtenstein, that was the reality and what we had to deal with. That is the reason why he wasn’t with us.
"He needs to train and play in order to be considered."
The current impasse between Costa and Chelsea means the striker is unlikely to ever feature for the club again.
But with the transfer window now shut it also means the Brazilian-born forward is also facing up to not playing any games until January.
Costa is trying to force through a move back to former side Atletico Madrid, but the Spanish side are unable to sign any new players until the winter window because of transfer embargo.
And that leaves him facing s four month race against time to build his fitness, re-discover his form and force his way back into the Spanish squad in time for the World Cup.
Costa has already moved his family out to Madrid, and last week stepped up his moving out process by putting his fleet of British cars up for sale.
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