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Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte believes the club have signed a "great
talent" in Michy Batshuayi and has tipped the Belgium striker to make an
impact in the Premier League.
The Blues signed Batshuayi, who was one of the most coveted forwards in
Europe, in a £33m deal from Marseille last month.
Italian Conte was unveiled to the media in his first press conference on
Friday and said he is very happy with the attitude and behaviour he has
found at his new training ground in Cobham.
"Absolutely I think Michy can make an impact because he is a young player
but very strong, with good technique," the 46-year-old said.
"He uses two feet. He is a great talent. I am very happy that Batshuayi is
with us and I know the club bought a great player for the present and the
future.
"I prefer to speak with my club and we will take the decision on players who
adapt to our idea of football - not to take the champions only because they
are the champions, but players who adapt to our philosophy.
"I have found the right behaviours and attitudes in Cobham, and I am very
happy about this. I am a worker and I know only this road to win, and we
have started to work on different aspects.
"I think it's important to work on different aspects - the tactical aspect,
and technique, and the physical aspect, and also on their mentality, to
become strong and to help us overcome difficulty during training or games.
"In these first days, I am very happy because I have players ready to fight
and play good football and transfer our passion and emotion to the fans. If
we can I think it's a great victory for the club."
Conte has become renowned for mastering a system with three central
defenders and wing-backs at both his previous club Juventus and the Italian
national team, with whom he reached the Euro 2016 quarter-finals.
But he suggested he will not necessarily continue with this formation and
will instead look to adapt a system based on the players he has at his
disposal.
"Usually when I arrive in a new team, I search to find the right position
for the players, and when I was in Italy I liked to say that the manager is
like a tailor," he said.
"Three at the back, four at the back - it's not important. You must build
the best dress for the team and you have to respect the characteristics and
talent of the players.
"In the past, I started the season with one idea with my teams, but then I
changed it because I saw that the system for these players wasn't good. The
spirit is important if we want to get back to competing."
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