THERE goes another one …

Chelsea’s imminent $72m sale of Diego Costa to Atletico Madrid is the latest top class star that has gone through the cut throat revolving door at Stamford Bridge.

There’s particular attention paid to Chelsea’s exit list, given so many have subsequently gone to become genuine first XI players at clubs.

Indeed, Costa’s departure comes a week after a 0-0 draw where the Spaniard’s physical, win-at-all-costs nature would have been invaluable against Arsenal where Alvaro Morata, a world class goal scorer, wasn’t getting the supply he craves.

But Antonio Conte has rolled the dice. While Costa’s antagonistic nature made him a ticking time bomb for the Blues, the risk was rewarded with guaranteed goals.

Indeed, on Sky Sports overnight, Phil Neville hinted Conte might live to regret his power play.

“I would rather have Costa than Morata in my team at this moment in time, to be honest with you,” the former Manchester United and England defender told The Debate.

“I think he is better suited to the English game - Morata has great potential, but if you were an opposition manager, you would rather be facing Morata than Costa.

“He is a fantastic player, he scored goals and is someone you would think, ‘I’d love him in my team.’

A hypothetical Chelsea XI from players sold under Mourinho and Conte. Source: FOX SPORTS

“Morata is different, he thrives off crosses. Costa you can stick him up there on his own, he will take on the whole of the back four, from the left back to the right back to the centre back. He will try and bully them all.

“Whereas Morata is a little bit more cute in his movements, he thrives a little bit more on crosses, he keeps it pretty simple outside the box.

“But the minute he comes into the box, I actually think he is a better finisher than Costa.

“But if you were asking me as a central defender, I would hate to play against Diego Costa, I really would.

“And Morata is someone who is good in the air, but he has not got that nasty character and streak that Costa has got.”

They’ve lost 59 goals from 120 games, but stand to snare a transfer fee of £53m on a player they bought from the same club for £32 million in 2014.

It’s an exceptional piece of business for a player they don’t even want!

15 - Diego Costa's goals were worth 15 points to Chelsea in the 2016-17 @PremierLeague; more than any other player in the competition. Off. pic.twitter.com/zRnJt7ZN8c — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 21, 2017

With Costa joining Nemanja Matic as high profile casualties, is it any wonder the club’s net spend over the past four years has defied Chelsea’s big spending stereotype to stand at £34m compared to both Manchester clubs both being in excess of £400m - a period that has yielded two titles, as well.

Roman Abramovich is presiding over a club which pays as close attention to transfer sales as a source of revenue as it does to the players arriving – and a lot of that has to do with the vast number of young, fringe players bought at a young age, loaned out, and then sold once they’re at a decent enough level, but not good enough for the Chelsea XI.

LOAN NETWORK: The murky side of PL transfer business

Here’s a look at some of the staggering talent off-loaded by the likes of Conte and Jose Mourinho in recent years – and how they’ve helped ensure Abramovich’s ins, have been off-set by the outs column.

Some are good deals, but some sales are bewildering given how those players have kicked on after leaving.

Everton's Wayne Rooney, left, and Manchester United's Nemanja Matic Source: AP

FIRST XI TALENT

2017

Diego Costa - £53m to Atletico Madrid

Costa was a Premier League winning asset. It is yet to be seen if his best days are past him, or if Chelsea end up a few goals short this term.

Nemanja Matic - £40 to Manchester United

Matic’s reunion with Mourinho is one of the more extraordinary deals in recent years. His exit weakened Chelsea while substantially strengthening a direct title rival. He was sold by Chelsa to Benfica in 2011 for £4.50m, bought back for £22.50m and then sold onto United for £40m.

Juan Cuadrado - £17.3m to Juventus, 2017

The Colombian, bought for £27.90m from Fiorentina, just never hit it off at Stamford Bridge but has been a lively presence in Serie A for Juventus.

Juventus' Juan Cuadrado, right. Source: AP

Oscar - £60m to Shanghai SIPG

John Obi Mikel to Tianjin TEDA - £9.3m

From Ramires, to Mikel, to Oscar, Chelsea were genuine winners from China’s epic spending spree, for three players who have not been entirely missed at the Bridge. Oscar’s fee was especially wild.

2016

Mohamed Salah - £14.5m to Roma

The Egyptian was signed for £14.85m from Basel in 2014, never given a proper chance by Mourinho, and after showing his potential in Italy, became a £37.80m player with immense impact at Liverpool.

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool. Source: Getty Images

Ramires - £25m to Jiangsu Suning

2015

Petr Cech - £10m to Arsenal

This was seen as something of a goodwill gesture, with the club legend becoming No.2 to Thibaut Courtois but with plenty of good football ahead of him.

Felipe Luis - £11.1m to Atletico Madrid

Oriol Romeu - £5m to Southampton

Andre Schurrle - £22m to Wolfsburg

If there’s one high profile exit that Mourinho possibly has been proven right on, it is the German, who hasn’t really kicked on back in the Bundesliga. The club still made £10m on him.

Ryan Bertrand - £10m to Southampton

Bertrand is a popular member of the Saints but never got a sniff at Chelsea.

David Luiz - £50m to Paris Saint-Germain

Arguably the best bit of business of the Abramovich era. In for £22.50m in 2011, out for £44.55m in 2014, back in 2016 – in a PL winning deal – for £31.50m.

Chelsea's David Luiz, Arsenal's Granit Xhaka, and Arsenal's Nacho Monreal, from left Source: AP

Demba Ba - £4.7m to Besiktas

Romelu Lukaku - £28m to Everton

If Luiz is the best business, Lukaku is the weirdest. A player who scored prolifically at Everton, but was sent away by Mourinho has gone on to become worth £76.23m to play at another title contender for …. Mourinho.

Matic, Lukaku, Mata in the one Manchester United XI. Source: AFP

2014

Juan Mata - £37.1m to Manchester United

Kevin De Bruyne - £16.5m to Wolfsburg

The exit of these two creative talents still rankle for some Chelsea fans. The former is a key protagonist in Manchester United’s title quest, while if the Belgium is not the Premier League’s best player at the moment, he’s not far off. At the time, Mourinho did not want to know about either of them in his industrious XI. Still, they made £25m on the pair, although De Bruyne was bought by City from Wolfsburg for £66.60m and would be worth much more than that now.

Manchester City's Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne Source: AFP

FRINGE TALENT TO RIVALS

2017

Nathan Ake - £20m to Bournemouth, 2017

Dominic Solanke - £3m to Liverpool, 2017

Christian Atsu - £6.2m to Newcastle

Bertrand Traore - £8.8m to Lyon

Patrick Bamford - £6m to Middlesbrough

2 016

Stipe Perica - £3.4m to Udinese]

2015

Thorgan Hazard - £5.85m to Borussia Moenchengladbach

Gael Kakuta - £2.5m to Sevilla

Josh McEachran - £750,000 to Brentford

SURPLUS TO REQUIREMENTS

2017

Asmir Begovic - £10m to Bournemouth

2016

Papy Djilododji - £8m to Sunderland

Marko Marin - £3m to Olympiakos

2015

Patrick van Aanholt - £1.5m to Sunderland