Antonio Conte’s Chelsea are in the midst of the title race as they are currently 7 points off Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table, after their victory over Leicester City in the last round.
The manager will be happy with the way his team has been doing recently but he will also feel that the squad is a bit weak in a few areas and with the transfer window open, he is also looking at potential additions to the squad this January.
With the wing-back position seemingly one of the weakest, Conte has been searching all over Europe for players who can add quality and depth to the squad for the rest of the season.
But reports suggested that Conte might have found an able option right in his backyard as he was extensively linked with one Michail Antonio recently.
The West Ham United winger has been their best player this season alongside Dimitri Payet and is one of the first names on the team sheet for Slaven Bilic in crunch games.
He is a versatile player who has been used not just as a winger but also as a wing-back and a striker by the manager this season. The ability of the English winger to perform at his best in all three positions makes him one of the most exciting players in the Premier League and it does not come as a surprise that the Blues are scouting for him this January.
The 26-year old has been integral to the plans at the Olympic stadium scoring 8 goals in the league already and though Antonio Conte was ready to provide him with an attractive opportunity, Antonio may have already played his hand.
According to the Guardian, Antonio has agreed a five-and-a-half year contract worth £70,000 per week which is an improvement on his previous contract, as West Ham try to keep him at the club for the long term.
The Hammers are set to lose Dimitri Payet, who has decided not to play for the club anymore and this contract extension will come as a boost for the struggling side half-way through the season.
However, this deal will leave Chelsea with little options in the January transfer window to give them the opportunity to strengthen the squad.
The Blues are not expected to stop their pursuit of a full-back and will look at other alternatives for the rest of the transfer window.