Antonio Conte isn’t satisfied with Chelsea’s striking options
Chelsea may be in the process of cruising to a Premier League title, but that doesn’t mean Antonio Conte will stand pat this summer. Count on the Italian manager completely overhauling the Blues’ strike force this summer.
It’s quite possible that the club that wins the 2016-17 Premier League title won’t return either of the central strikers that help them win it. Reports from England claim that Conte is already hatching plans to sign Alvaro Morata and Moussa Dembele this summer. It’s safe to say that those two purchases will equal the end of Diego Costa and Michy Batshuayi’s Chelsea careers.
Costa’s departure has been coming for quite some time. He involved himself in a high-profile conflict with his manager just a few weeks ago. That, combined with his advancing age seems to be enough to earn him a ticket out of England. The enigmatic centre forward will be a high-profile target for both Spanish and Chinese clubs this summer.
The fall from grace from Batshuayi is a little more difficult to understand. He arrived at Stamford Bridge with sky-high expectations this summer. Unfortunately, the Belgian hasn’t been able to find his feet in the Premier League. There were even substantial rumours connecting him with a January move away from Conte’s squad.
Even though Batshuayi has largely failed at Chelsea, there will still be a strong market for his services in the summer. Don’t be a bit surprised if the Blues are able to profit from his sale. It’s also very likely that Batshuayi will draw heavy interest from other Premier League clubs. Surely the Blues will prefer to send him elsewhere, but they may accept an English offer if it proves to be the most lucrative bid.
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While the two departures might raise a few eyebrows, the quest to sign both Morata and Dembele shouldn’t catch anyone off guard. In Morata’s case, he will have the opportunity to reunite with his former manager. He and Conte worked well together at Juventus and after a tumultuous time at Real Madrid, the talented striker will be looking for a situation he can trust.
Dembele, on the other hand, has been enjoying a terrific season at Celtic. Brendan Rodgers may not have taken Liverpool to the promised land, but he’s done wonders for his young striker. Bids for Dembele should comfortably eclipse £40 million this summer. News of Chelsea’s involvement could easily spark a bidding war that would greatly benefit Celtic.
Next: Can Morata top Benzema at Real Madrid?
It may seem curious that Chelsea would plan such squad upheaval after likely winning a Premier League title, but it’s in line with Conte’s philosophy. He won’t be satisfied with being the best club in England, he wants to pilot Chelsea to Champions League titles. The former Italy boss clearly doesn’t believe Diego Costa and Michy Batshuayi are enough to help him accomplish that goal.