Antonio Conte wants quick push for six new signings after agreeing new £9.5m-a-year Chelsea deal

Antonio Conte is expected to push the need for quick signings when he meets Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich later this week.

Conte held talks with Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia on Sunday about signing a new deal.
As Standard  Sport revealed last week, the club always had plans to give him a new contract despite claims that their relationship had become strained.

Conte will become the seventh highest paid coach in the world on £9.5 million a year when he signs the extension, which will see him stay at Stamford Bridge until 2021. The 47-year-old is currently on holiday in Italy.

He and Abramovich have had a good bond since the Russian interviewed Conte for the job last year. The owner made a point of backing Conte with visits to the training ground following consecutive defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal in September.

The duo were noticeably on good terms when they sat next to each other to watch Chelsea’s FA Youth Cup win at Stamford Bridge two months ago.

Conte’s only source of unease has been the lack of signings by Chelsea so far. He is not looking for greater control over recruitment as he is content with the set-up involving Granovskaia and technical director Michael Emenalo.

But the Italian wants to avoid a repeat of last year when two of his acquisitions, David Luiz and Marcus Alonso, were completed on the final day of the transfer window.

Their late arrival meant he couldn’t work with them during pre-season and the switch to a 3-4-3 formation was delayed until October. Conte won’t have the benefit of several free weeks to develop tactics and systems in practice sessions next season because the club are back in the Champions League. Chelsea return to pre-season training on July 7 and leave for their pre-season tour of the Far East 12 days later.

Those players involved in internationals will have an extended break, but Conte is looking for his squad to be completed as much as possible so they can play in the three friendly games arranged, as well as the Community Shield against Arsenal on August 6.

While terms have been agreed with former Manchester City keeper Willy Caballero to become back-up to Thibaut Courtois, no other signings have been made. Conte wants at least five more, including a centre-half, wing-back, central midfielder, attacking midfielder and a striker.

Chelsea have had a £52m bid for Juventus left-back Alex Sandro rejected and are still negotiating with Monaco over midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko.
Striker Romelu Lukaku is committed to returning to west London, three years after leaving to join Everton for £28m. But Chelsea are determined not to pay Everton’s £100m asking price.

They are also prepared to listen to Conte’s thoughts on whether he wants a replacement for assistant Steve Holland, who has joined the England set-up on a full-time basis.