Furious Chelsea boss
Conte demands new
strikeforce
but he will not be the only forward joining
Conte – still yet to agree to a contract
extension – is once again at loggerheads
with the club’s hierarchy and has demanded
the club sign five players to placate him.
The Italian boss was left fuming after
Manchester United hijacked a deal for
Romelu Lukaku at the last minute and
is livid with Chelsea’s inability to wrap up the deal.
Chief among them is a striker, with the club
pursuing deals for both Aubameyang and
Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata as they
look to significantly bolster their strike force
in preparation for Diego Costa’s departure.
It is not a case of one or the other, either,
with Conte ready to partner the superstar
duo together next season as he looks to
replace Costa’s 20 Premier League goals
and seven assists.
Aubameyang, who scored 31 goals in the
Bundesliga last season, is available for
around £60m and dropped a hint that he
Morata, meanwhile, has previously spoken
of his desire to work under Conte – who
signed him at Juventus but left to manage Italy
before they could work together –
and will cost £79m.
United had previously baulked at that figure,
prompting them to move for Lukaku, but
Chelsea could be forced to pay up after
Costa’s text message revelation backed
them into a corner.
Morata on working with Conte in
the future
‘Conte is the manager who most bet on me,
without even ever having had me in his team.
I’m very conscious of that: he bet on me for
Juventus but left before I arrived; then he wanted
me at Chelsea come what may. He knows me
better than I could imagine, I’m sure, and that’s
important: it motivates you to work hard, train
well. I feel indebted to him because he’s the coach
that most trusted in me, most wanted me, who
made me feel I could perform at the highest level.
And yet I’ve never had the fortune to actually work
with him. I’m sure sooner or later I will.’
(Speaking to The Guardian in April 2017)
In addition to two strikers, Conte also wants
a pair of full-backs for either flank and a
midfielder, with all targets required to be
of international class.
Tiemoue Bakayoko is set to join from Monaco,
though may not be fit until September due
to injury, while Brazilian defenders Alex Sandro,
of Juventus, and Danilo, of Real, are also
being lined up.
The key now for Chelsea is whether they
can conclude deals for the quintet of players
having only so far signed Willy Caballero on
a free transfer and Antonio Rudiger from Roma.
But even if they fail, Chelsea’s transfer bosses
will not pay the price, with the club’s hierarchy
adamant that their way is best despite Conte’s
protestations.
They have told the Italian that Jose Mourinho,
Carlo Ancelotti, Roberto Di Matteo and
Rafa Benitez have all come and gone
despite winning trophies, and are totally
convinced by their transfer market manoeuvrings.
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