Willian is sad to see Diego Costa go (Picture: AMA/Getty)
Willian is sad to see Diego Costa go (Picture: AMA/Getty)

Willian insists Diego Costa will be missed but that Chelsea will move on from him after the striker agreed a deal to join Atletico Madrid.

The Spanish striker was embroiled in a lengthy summer transfer saga after being told he was surplus to requirements by Blues boss Antonio Conte.

Costa failed to secure a switch before the transfer window closed but he will link-up with his new team-mates in January following the completion of the deal.

Fellow Chelsea title winners Nemanja Matic and John Terry also departed the club and Willian admitted it’s tough to see such big personalities leave Stamford Bridge.

Matic joined Manchester United (Picture: AMA/Getty)

However, the 29-year-old Brazilian is convinced Chelsea will move on without them and that the squad is just as strong after the additions of Alvaro Morata, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Antonio Rudiger, Davide Zappacosta and Danny Drinkwater.

‘These players are great players, we miss these players, but Chelsea always try to bring players with quality,’ Willian told Sky Sports.

‘I think the players that arrive have the quality to play here and the squad and the team are still strong. And we have to push till the end of the season.

Costa has left the club (Picture: Getty)
Costa has left the club (Picture: Getty)

‘It is difficult to talk about that because of course when you lose players like that, it is bad. But we have great players here and we have to be happy if you are here, or in Manchester or Madrid.

‘You have to try and always play the best football on the pitch.

‘It is the same, nothing changes. Of course the players change, but the way we play, nothing changes, we always train in the same way, we always have a plan to come to the game, nothing changes.

‘We have to look forward. There are more games coming and we have to be ready.’

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