Spain manager Julen Lopetegui has warned Diego Costa he will not be considered for selection until he resolves his club future.
Costa has not played a football match since scoring in Spain’s 2-1 win over Macedonia on May 11 and has not been seen at Chelsea since the end of last season.
The 28-year-old, who was left out of Lopetegui’s Spain squad for World Cup qualifiers against Italy and Liechtenstein earlier this month, has no future at Chelsea and has no intention to return to training with Antonio Conte’s side.
Atletico Madrid are still working on securing Costa’s return in January and Lopetegui says Costa will be part of his plans until he starts playing again.
“Costa’s summer has been unusual, strange, complicated – not just for him but for his club,” Lopetegui told beIN SPORTS. “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.”
“It’s rather complicated that a guy who doesn’t train and doesn’t play can be with us. 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."
Costa has scored six goals in 16 caps for Spain, but five have come in his last five appearances for the national side.
