Diego Costa: Chelsea exit transfer speculation leaves Jose Mourinho bemused

The Spaniard has been linked with a transfer away from Stamford Bridge amid a dip in form and that bib throwing incident

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and striker Diego Costa (Getty Images)

Jose Mourinho claims he is bemused that Diego Costa's future has become the subject of speculation amid the striker's recent troubles at Chelsea.

The Spain international sparked intense talk of unrest last weekend when having been dropped to the bench for the game against Tottenham he threw his bib in the direction of Mourinho when it became clear he wouldn't be coming on.

In addition, Costa has looked nothing like the player that helped fire Chelsea to the Premier League title last season, with just three league goals to his name this term.

It's led to rumours that 18 months after joining from Atletico Madrid he could leave Stamford Bridge. Yet when asked about the speculation ahead of Chelsea's game with Bournemouth this weekend, Mourinho was bemused.

"I don't know why. For me no question marks. Always played, was on the bench one match, which I think is more than natural. No problems, no problems at all.

"I think he always tried to give his best, sometimes playing phenomenal, other times not so well. But he is a player that always tried.

"I didn't ask him (his reaction to last Sunday), but he trained very well. That's the only thing that matters to me.

"I cannot say better than ever, because normally he trains very well."

Costa was one of three players, along with Ramires and Kenedy, pictured on a night out in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The trio were out as part of the squad's Christmas party which had the full blessing of Mourinho.

"The paparazzi was not the best," Mourinho said.

"I think the paparazzi had a problem with the memory card. There were 25 players inside and he only got three."

Mourinho hopes the dinner, followed by a trip to a nightclub, has benefits for the dynamic of a squad, boosted by the availability of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois after a three-month absence with a knee injury.

"I think they need that and many times so many circumstances it's not easy to do it," he added.

"They told me the dinner was really good and the after dinner was even better. Everybody was happy."

Asked if the management team would have a night out, Mourinho added: "I'm tired of them."

Like Costa, Mourinho has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge, this time with a switch to Valencia at the end of Gary Neville's short-term deal.

"The (Valencia) owner (Peter Lim) knows me very well," said Mourinho, who wished Neville well in his role.

"He knows I don't want to move and I want to stay at Chelsea. There is no point. I don't speak about Valencia."

Additional reporting by PA