Chelsea’s search for a new striker has seen Edin Dzeko and Christian Benteke emerge as their preferred targets.
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Yet after filling in for Morata admirably as Chelsea thrashed Brighton, Conte could well change his plans, and give Belgium worldwide Batshuayi a more prominent role.
Asked if he was confident of adding the players he wanted to his squad, Conte said: “I’m confident?” “We keep the team nice and tight and press high, which I like”.
Chelsea have offered Michy Batshuayi on loan as part of the deal but Roma are exploring other possibilities to replace Dzeko should he leave in this window.
He certainly seems a player that would interest Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, and would slot in easily to a team that plays the kind of high press that the player himself mentions in the quote. Chelsea want them now, not over the course of the summer. It’s not simple but at the same time in my head there is the idea to work with these players and to continue to work with all these players.
Fortunately, the ludicrous set of striking targets with whom we were linked at the start of the winter transfer window are now hopefully off the table, as we draw closer to Roma’s Edin Dzeko signature.
With so many of their best academy prospects gaining experience elsewhere in the Premier League, Chelsea also need to be mindful of homegrown restrictions. Then I don’t know if the player decides to take another solution or if he wants to play with regularity. The Belgian has been good as a substitute having scored against and recently at Watford, he can be a handy striker for Sevilla who are now fighting hard to make it into the top four of the La Liga table.
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No more than 17 names on the 25-man squad list can be players who do not meet the criteria, and Chelsea now have 16.
