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Chelsea news: Antonio Conte made one decision that could cost him his job - Deco
CHELSEA boss Antonio Conte should never have sold Diego Costa, claims former Blues midfielder Deco.
Antonio Conte: This will be my last match... of the season
Chelsea's disastrous defence of the Premier League title has left Antonio Conte fearing for his job with widespread reports suggesting the Italian will leave this summer.
The Blues will be without Champions League football next year following their fifth-placed finish - a staggering 30 points behind champions Manchester City.
Chelsea struggled for goals as Alvaro Morata failed to fill Costa's boots following is departure from the club last summer.
Despite firing the Blues to the Premier League title in 2017, the Spaniard was ostracised by Conte following several bust-ups.
Chelsea they won last season and for me they lost one important player like Diego Coata, that's my opinion.
But Deco feels Chelsea utiimately suffered as a consequence of Conte's failure to solve the issue that resulted in Costa leaving for Atletico Madrid.
"The Premier League over the last few years has become more competitive. There is a lot of big teams, a lot of replacements," Betfair ambassador Deco told Express Sport.
"I think we will see changing winners in the next years. Manchester City, they did something not normal in the Premier League.
"But Chelsea they won last season and for me they lost one important player like Diego Coata, that's my opinion.
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"The way they play, Diego was very important for them. It was difficult to find a substitution. Morata is not the same, even Giroud is not the same. Diego was for me the perfect player for the way Conte played.
"I think they lost [Nemanja] Matic too, they had good midfielders but I think for me it was Diego Costa [leaving]."
Chelsea are yet to make any confirmation on Conte's future but are understood to have held talks with Maurizio Sarri and Laurent Blanc over an appointment this summer.