Antonio Conte says Chelsea must rush Tiemoue Bakayoko after Nemanja Matic sale

Giuseppe Muro9 August 2017

Antonio Conte says Nemanja Matic's move to Manchester United means new Chelsea signing Tiemoue Bakayoko will have to be accelerated into the first-team picture.

Bakayoko is yet to make his Chelsea debut as he continues his rehabilitation from a knee injury sustained at the end of last season with Monaco.

Matic left Stamford Bridge for the second time last week to be reunited with Jose Mourinho, leaving Conte with just 14 fit senior players to call upon for the Premier League season opener.

Conte said: "Bakayoko is a good signing for us. He is very young. My idea was to give Bakayoko the right time to adapt in this league behind Matic. But now after the sale of Matic, we need to try to accelerate this process for Bakayoko after his injury.

"We have Cesc Fabregas and we are trying to find another midfielder. Because now we have only three midfielders and we need another midfielder."

Conte has spent £130m this summer but, three days before Chelsea begin their title defence against Burnley, he is concerned his squad is not strong enough.

The Italian wants four more arrivals, including Leicester midfielder Danny Drinkwater and Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk.

The players on Chelsea’s transfer shortlist

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Conte is looking for at least one wing-back, an attacking midfielder and another forward.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ross Barkley, Renato Sanches, Fernando Llorente and Alex Sandro are all on his wish list.

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