Antonio Conte Needs January Funds To Ensure Chelsea’s Title Push

Jan 9, 2017 at 12:15 AM

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Antonio Conte Needs January Funds To Ensure Chelsea’s Title Push

While one defeat after 13 straight victories clearly doesn’t represent a crisis, it did confirm the suspicion that the squad needs strengthening.

This won’t be news to Conte, and he has been compiling a list of targets for several weeks. However, with another £60million added to the club’s bank balance from the sale of Oscar to Shanghai SIPG, the Italian may now wish to spend more than originally planned.

The one positive from losing to a fierce rival at the start of the window is that it should help him convince the board, if need be, to free up more funds.

As much as Chelsea have impressed during their winning streak, Conte has been over-reliant on a small group of players.

That is borne out by the fact that after 20 League games, a core set of six players have made 18 or more starts in the top flight.

Granted, Conte has leant on other members of the group to come off the bench occasionally, such as veteran Branislav Ivanovic or promising youngster Nathaniel Chalobah. Cesc Fabregas has also begun to make more appearances.

But there are few to challenge the regulars for their spot and not only is a lack of competition unhealthy, there is danger of burn-out.

From the outset, a centre-half and midfielder have been Conte’s priority. Quite right too.

Overall, since switching to 3-4-3, the club’s defensive record has been outstanding, but the last two games have exposed a weakness in the air. With John Terry and Ivanovic fading influences and set to leave in the summer, fresh blood is required. That is why Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk and Roma’s Antonio Rudiger are being pursued.

Kurt Zouma is fit again after sustaining a serious knee injury last February but has not been named in the first XI yet.

The way Chelsea were outmuscled by Mousa Dembele and Victor Wanyama in midfield at White Hart Lane also showed why Conte wants to improve in this area.

Beyond N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic, there are few other traditional ball‑winners at the club, especially with Mikel John Obi about to depart for China.

Emerging stars Franck Kessie of Atalanta and Tiemoue Bakayoko of Monaco top the list of potential recruits.

But it would not be a surprise if the Chelsea boss is craving a full-back and forward as well. He clearly doesn’t trust striker Michy Batshuayi, despite spending £33.1m on him last summer.

Batshuayi has yet to start a League match and Chelsea need a stronger back-up for Diego Costa because an injury to their leading scorer could ruin their hopes altogether.

Victor Moses and Marcus Alonso have overachieved at wing-back and there are few options should either of them suffer injury or a drop-off in performance.

Chelsea are rightly title favourites. But what business they do this month will determine if that remains the case.

 

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