Antonio Conte’s attitude frustrating Chelsea

Chelsea are becoming increasingly frustrated with Antonio Conte appearing to criticise their transfer strategy in public, Sky Sports News understands.

Despite Conte continuing to give the impression he has little to do with the club’s transfer dealings, Chelsea are understood to be working hard to sign the players the Italian wants.

Speaking after Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday, Conte had suggested he had little impact on the club’s transfer decisions.

“About the transfer market, from the summer, the club decides every single player that comes here,” Conte said.

“My first task is to do my job, to be a coach and to try to improve my players.

“For sure, I don’t have a big impact on the transfer market.”

Despite Conte stating otherwise, Sky Sports News understands the Chelsea boss has given the club a list of targets, and the club is doing what it can to get the players he has identified.

Last summer Chelsea spent £202m on five big-money signings – Antonio Rudiger (£34m), Tiemoue Bakayoko (£40m), Alvaro Morata (£70m), David Zappacosta (£23m) and Danny Drinkwater (£35m).

The club have already completed a £15m deal to sign Ross Barkley from Everton this month and are in talks to sign Edin Dzeko and Emerson Palmieri from Roma.

But Conte appears to remain unhappy and failed to take an opportunity to pledge himself to Chelsea when questioned about his future earlier this month.

“I have another year of (my) contract with this club,” Conte said. “But as you know very well everything is possible. In one moment you stay here, in another moment another person replaces you in your job.”

Sources have revealed in Italy that Paris Saint-Germain have made contact with Conte’s representatives with a view to having him potentially succeed Unai Emery at the Parc des Princes, but the 48-year-old is thought to favour a return to his native Italy when he eventually leaves Chelsea.

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