
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 told Sky 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.