Roy Keane labels Diego Costa a ‘balloon’ and says Chelsea are better off without the striker

ROY KEANE has launched a scathing attack on Diego Costa and claimed Chelsea are better off without him.

Costa is an outcast at Stamford Bridge after manager Antonio Conte decided he could no longer be trusted to be part of his first team plans.

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And former Manchester United star Keane is in no doubt Conte and Chelsea are stronger for not having the controversial striker around the club.

Keane hit out at the madcap antics of the 28-year-old, who has not been seen at Stamford Bridge since the end of last season.

Speaking in his role working for ITV, Keane said: "They are better off without him, the guy is obviously big trouble.

"I know he has done well for them, but he looks to me to be a bit of a balloon.

"Get rid of him. Have players at your club that want to be there."

Costa was told at the end of last season he wasn't wanted any more when Italian boss Conte sent him a short text message.

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Since then he has been at loggerheads with the club, and angered his employers by going public to reveal he was no longer wanted.

That weakened Chelsea's hand in the transfer market when they had been hoping to drum up plenty of interest in the striker as they looked to off-load him.

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Since then he has stayed at home in his native Brazil and refused to fly back to London to report for training, as he attempted to engineer a move to Atletico Madrid.

But with his old club unable to sign anyone until January because of a transfer ban, it meant Chelsea were left having to keep paying their disgruntled striker.

Costa received another snub last week when his luxury motor was moved from it's spot in the player's car park at the club's Cobham training ground to a youth team berth.

An exit from Chelsea is almost certain when the transfer window opens at the start of January - but only if Atletico come up with the kind of money the Premier League club want.

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