The Blues are joint-top of the Premier League and one of only three clubs with maximum points.
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“He has good characteristics to become one of the fantastic defenders in the world”.
“I saw all the players in good fitness – with the players who remained in Cobham we worked very hard”, Conte said.
Chelsea has started the new campaign with three wins out of three under Conte, beating Burnley 3-0 in its last game before the worldwide break.
“I am happy for David Luiz to come to us because I know that he and [Marcos] Alonso can improve this squad a lot”.
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte says David Luiz’s return gives him the option of switching to three at the back in the future.
Luiz made a shock return to Stamford Bridge in the final hours of the transfer window in a deal reportedly worth around £34 million, just two years after Paris Saint-Germain made him the most expensive defender ever when they paid £50m to take him from Stamford Bridge.
However, with John Terry and Gary Cahill entrenched as Chelsea’s centre-backs and the defence functioning well as a unit, Luiz and fellow new recruit Marcos Alonso, a left-back signed from Fiorentina, may have to wait for their first appearances.
But Conte has vowed to work on his weaknesses every single day in training to help transform him into one of the world’s best. “If you think that the players improve only by looking at them, it’s impossible”, he said. “I think that’s the most important thing for me – not only to win, lose or draw”. “He’s an important player for this. This is important. Then, when we start to work, we work”.
I started playing three at the back with Vitoria in Brazil, but it doesn’t matter where, I want to help and when I am in the team I am there to try to help. For this reason, we bought David Luiz. “He can bring good personality”. I know David can improve in defensive situations.
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is not concerned by the fortunes of his side’s title rivals, insisting Leicester City’s triumph last season shows it is too early to identify favourites. He has to work with us as a centre-back. He wanted to play for Chelsea and it’s a great opportunity for him and for us to improve. In different positions I am available.
He said: “It is time to do it!”
“It is time to do it, and I hope it will be this year”.
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“I think you can see that last season we were lacking a bit of resilience. We don’t have the Champions League to fight for so for sure we will try to win the Premier League and both cups”.
