Ancelotti warns Antonio Conte
LONDON. — Carlo Ancelotti has warned Antonio Conte he still faces a big rebuilding job to turn his English Premier League soccer kings into Champions League contenders. Chelsea finally kicked off their summer spending on Sunday with the £35 million capture of defender Antonio Rudiger from Roma. The Germany international has signed a five-year deal. Monaco midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko is expected to follow for a similar fee.
LONDON. — Carlo Ancelotti has warned Antonio Conte he still faces a big rebuilding job to turn his English Premier League soccer kings into Champions League contenders.
Chelsea finally kicked off their summer spending on Sunday with the £35 million capture of defender Antonio Rudiger from Roma.
The Germany international has signed a five-year deal.
Monaco midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko is expected to follow for a similar fee but the title holders are still smarting from being beaten to Romelu Lukaku by Manchester United.
With Diego Costa set to follow John Terry, Nathan Ake and several other fringe players out of the Stamford Bridge exit door, Ancelotti fears the club he led to the Double seven years ago lack the strength in depth to live with Europe’s big guns.
The Bayern Munich boss said: “Conte will be forced to change something, as he won the Premier League using practically the same players all the time.
“In the Champions League, he’ll need to buy a lot and buy well.”
Conte’s squad returned to pre-season training yesterday with both Manchester clubs seen as stronger candidates to lift next season’s title than Chelsea.
Chelsea forward Costa has been excused from the start of pre-season training by the club.
Costa’s absence has been mutually agreed and he did not join the squad as they returned to work yesterday.
The 28-year-old revealed in June that Conte had told him that he did not
feature in his plans for the forthcoming campaign, despite netting 20 goals last season as Chelsea won the Premier League.
Costa is yet to secure a move away from Stamford Bridge and was set to return to their Cobham training base yesterday even with the uncertainty surrounding his future.
Sky Sports News understands Atletico Madrid are interested in re-signing Costa and are expected to make an offer for him.
Atletico are currently under a transfer embargo and would be unable to register Costa as their player until January.
New signing Rudiger is also not part of the squad having been afforded additional
holiday after competing for Germany at the Confederations Cup.
The defender joined Chelsea from Roma on a five-year deal on Sunday, in a deal which could rise to £34m.
Chelsea have also made a move to sign Alvaro Morata from Real Madrid, according to Sky in Italy.
The Blues are set to miss out on the signing of Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United and have now turned their attentions to securing a deal for the Spain international.
Sky Sports News understands Morata is keen on a switch to the English Premier League having previously attracted interest from United.
Real value Morata at close to £70m,
although manager Zinedine Zidane wants the former Juventus forward to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Morata’s agent, Juanma Lopez, and his father, Alfonso Morata, met with Real officials last Monday to discuss the future of the 24-year-old.
An inquest has already been held into the loss of Lukaku while the club are already hunting alternatives with Torino’s Andrea Belotti and Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang high on the short-list.
A week of frenzied activity is expected in west London as Conte wants his men in ahead of next week’s pre-season trip to the Far East.
But Chelsea are no closer to landing Juventus left-back Alex Sandro with the Italians now demanding around £70m for the Brazilian.
Talks will be stepped up for Porto right-back Danilo while the Blues are also seeking more creativity in central midfield.
Greater clarity is expected on Conte’s proposed new four-year deal — as well as new contracts for his staff — while talks continue over new deals for keeper Thibaut Courtois and star winger Eden Hazard.
Meanwhile, Rudiger has spoken of his delight at finally sealing his move.
The centre-back said: “It’s a great feeling because not every player has the opportunity to join a huge club like this.
“I am looking forward to meeting up with my new team-mates and I’m very proud to officially become a Chelsea player.”
Chelsea Technical Director Michael Emenalo added: “Antonio is still young but is experienced at club and international level and possesses all the requisite attributes to thrive in the Premier League. He is a player of proven quality.”
He made his Bundesliga debut in January 2012 and played 66 times in Germany’s top flight before switching to Roma in 2015.
Rudiger made 30 Serie A appearances in 2015-16 to help Roma into third.
He also played six Champions League games in 2015-16 as Roma reached the last 16.
The following season he played 26 times to help Roma finish second in Serie A behind Juventus. — Mirror Sport.