Chelsea coach Antonio Conte has been pretty vocal about his disappointment at the transfer business conducted by the club, but it looks like things might be taking a better turn for the Italian manager. According to The Telegraph (via ESPN), the Blues are poised to announce 3 blockbuster signings before the transfer window ends.
Conte’s defence is set to be bolstered by Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk (who handed in a transfer request) and PSG’s Serge Aurier while either one of Danny Drinkwater, Ross Barkley or Antonio Candreva could join to provide an extra midfield option. The Blues will have to fend off competition from Liverpool and Manchester United for the signings of Van Dijk and Aurier respectively.
Chelsea have missed out on a number of high profile signings like Romelu Lukaku and Alex Sandro and having lost out on Matic to Manchester United, the Blues’ squad looks slightly jaded and lacking in depth for the coming season.
Conte has time and again spoken about adding quality players to his side and although he has been frustrated so far by Chelsea’s transfer activity (or the lack of), these three potential arrivals should significantly boost the morale of the Premier League champions and their manager.
The heart of the matter
While the signing of Antonio Rudiger has added some depth and solidity to the Chelsea defence, the addition of Virgil van Dijk will definitely bolster it as the Netherlands international is arguably the best and most complete centre-back in the League at the moment.
Also, Conte has long been on the lookout for an attacking full-back and Serge Aurier fits the bill perfectly. Capable of barnstorming runs and putting in dangerous crosses, the Ivory Coast international could be available for as less as £27 million although the Blues will have to fight off United for his signing.
Coming to the midfield, Danny Drinkwater is the deal which could most likely happen although it is believed that Conte prefers Italian international Antonio Candreva for his versatility. Ross Barkley is another interesting option although Everton’s insistence on getting close to £45 million for the England international could prove to be a stumbling block.
No wonder every top club in England is interested in securing the signature of Van Dijk. What a defensive beast he is!
Author’s take
Chelsea certainly need some new signings to boost their squad and these three potential arrivals could just make the Blues from a very good squad to a great one. The Blues will be determined to beat Premier League rivals Liverpool and United for these signings and build a squad capable of doing well both domestically and in Europe.
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