London: Antonio Conte has been reassured that Chelsea will sign at least three players by the end of the transfer window, with the club ready to rival Manchester United for Paris St-Germain right-back Serge Aurier and step up their interest in Virgil van Dijk.
Head coach Conte wants two new wing-backs to provide competition for Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso, and has turned to 27 million pounds-rated (Dh128.9 million) Aurier after missing out on Danilo, who signed for Manchester City. Van Dijk was identified as Conte’s top central defensive target at the end of last season and the Dutchman’s dramatic transfer request Monday is likely to prompt a firm enquiry to his club, Southampton.
Liverpool were forced to back away from Van Dijk following accusations they spoke to the player without Southampton’s permission and Conte will hope that hands him an advantage. He must wait to find out if Aurier successfully wins his appeal against a conviction for assaulting a police officer last year, and is thus allowed entry to Britain after being forced to miss a Champions League game at Arsenal last October when border control authorities revoked his visa. Chelsea’s lack of numbers was highlighted in the Community Shield defeat by Arsenal, during which Conte cut an annoyed figure. Midfield is also an area they want to strengthen, with Danny Drinkwater, Ross Barkley, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Antonio Candreva targets.
But the champions could be fighting a losing battle to land talented left-back Alex Sandro, with Juventus adamant they will not sell the Brazilian. So far Chelsea have spent pounds 127.7 million this summer on four signings — Alvaro Morata, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Antonio Rudiger and Willy Caballero — wth Morata costing a potential 12 million pounds more in add-ons, but they have also allowed Nemanja Matic, Nathan Ake, Nathaniel Chalobah, Asmir Begovic and John Terry to depart.
Diego Costa’s Chelsea career is also over as he talks to Atletico Madrid over a return, following Conte informing the striker he was no longer part of his plans. With Bakayoko, Eden Hazard and Moses out of Saturday’s league opener against Burnley, captain Gary Cahill has admitted Chelsea cannot afford any more injuries.
Comparing Conte’s squad to Arsene Wenger’s at the Community Shield, Cahill said: “The back of the programme was interesting, but in terms of quality we’ve certainly got that and you just have to hope we don’t have too many injuries. “The new players are going to be vitally important for us and the quicker they settle, the better.”
