Chelsea: Antonio Conte latest comments hint at transfer activity
Antonio Conte is willing to let unhappy players leave, but he states Chelsea cannot sell anyone with signing a replacement.
With the January transfer window underway, Chelsea fans are waiting for any signs of intent from their club. Given their small squad, many are expecting the Blues to make a few moves this month to set them up for an intense second-half of the season. Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s game against Arsenal, Antonio Conte seemed to suggest that they will be active.
Regarding outgoing players, Conte stated that he would rather allow unhappy players to leave.
"I prefer to have players very happy to stay here than to have players that are unhappy because when you are unhappy you transfer this to the other players, to me, to my staff and I don’t like this. If we can avoid this, I’d like to avoid this situation. – via The Telegraph"
However, the boss also said that the Blues cannot afford to let someone go unless they bring a replacement in.
"Our squad is not big and for this reason I think it’s impossible to send on loan one player or to sell one player if we don’t take another player. – via The Telegraph"
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David Luiz and Michy Batshuayi are two of the players who may be looking for the exit. The Brazilian has not started since a row with Conte in October, while Batshuayi has failed to win the manager’s trust.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are reportedly on the lookout for a wingback and striker anyway. If the club are prepared to let Luiz and Batshuayi go, it will only force their hand.
The issue for the Blues is that the January transfer window is a poor environment to do business. Any player of any quality is more expensive as clubs attach a premium to compensate for losing a star talent mid-season. Luiz and Batshuayi are out of the reckoning at Stamford Bridge and thus are not as valuable as they could be.
Having said that, Chelsea need some more players if they are to win any silverware this season. The FA Cup is yet to start for the big clubs, while the Champions League is an endurance test against the finest teams in the football.
Given that the Premier League top four race is poised to be as tight as ever, the Blues need the squad depth. Keeping players fresh and successfully managing an inevitable injury crisis is key.
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What do you think of Conte’s comments? Are you expecting the Blues to be active this month? Let us know in the comments below!