Weneed towin–not behappy
ANTONIO CONTE is more focused on winning the title and FA Cup than keeping his Chelsea players happy.
Cesc Fabregas has become a target for a number of clubs – well aware he could be frozen out by the league leaders’ transfer business this summer.
The former Arsenal midfielder – who turned 30 this week – is still admired by Jose Mourinho at Manchester United.
Brazilian winger Willian has also been targeted by clubs in Europe and the Far East after finding himself a squad player this season.
But Conte, whose title bid is on hold until Monday when the Blues host Middlesbrough, has called on Fabregas to focus instead on Chelsea’s double hunt with the club in the FA Cup Final against Arsenal at the end of the month.
The Blues boss said: “I’d like to underline that I mustn’t keep the players happy. We must win.
“If you are unhappy in this season, when you are fighting for the title or to win the FA Cup, I don’t like to listen to this type of question. You speak about ‘happy’. I speak about ‘to win’ and to work hard.
“I know to work very hard is not simple. Players are not always happy to work very hard.
“But my target is to put in the mind of my players a winning mentality and a winning mentality doesn’t have to keep the players happy.
“It’s difficult to keep 20 players happy – above all because I don’t want to.
“I want players ready to fight and to try to put themselves in the team, to try to win together. If you are happy or unhappy I don’t care.”
Conte also refused to give any assurances striker Diego Costa will be at Chelsea next season with Chinese side Tianjin Quanjian confident of signing him in a £75million deal.
That would make Costa the most expensive player in the Chinese Super League ahead of £71m Shanghai Shenhua striker Carlos Tevez.
Asked if Costa had set up an agreement in principle, Conte said: “I don’t know about this.
“Now it’s important for every single player and person who works for Chelsea to be focused on the present.”