With Italy getting knocked out of Euro 2016, Antonio Conte can finally turn his attention to Chelsea and more importantly fixing a ton of issues which have plagued the club for a few seasons. The Blues don’t really have any long term planning and more often than not, their change in management does have a cascading effect on the team.
The Italian will be a no-nonsense manager and has already starting working on the transfers and with the Premier League starting in just over a couple of months, here are the three important issues that Conte has to fix at Chelsea.
Get rid of the deadwood
Chelsea might be bringing in players for next season but they do need to get rid of a number of players from the first team squad. They might have kept John Terry for another reason, probably for his leadership qualities, but a lot of other players need to be sold as soon as possible.
Antonio Conte might use preseason to find out which player fits his system and which ones don’t and the sooner he cans ell a few more players off, the greater the chances he would have of being able to bring in the kind of players he wants in his new generation at Chelsea.
Look into the loan signings
This has to be one of the biggest issues with Chelsea and the Italian manager should look to fix this issue as it could be a major problem in the near future. Chelsea often have more than 20 first team players out on loan to other clubs and most of those players don’t really have a chance of making it to the Chelsea squad once they return from their clubs.
Conte should look to solve this problem and sell a number of players who are away on loan with no real chance of making an impact at the Stamford Bridge club. The former Juventus manager has always been shrewd with his signings in the transfer market but even this issue of too many players out on loan is something he really needs to fix as soon as possible.
Finalise the formation
Conte loves to work with a 3-5-2 formation and made Italy the team that wowed most of us in Euro 2016. With Chelsea often playing with a 4-4-2 or even a 4-2-3-1 last season, the Italian manager has a lot of work to do regarding the formation of the team.
Chelsea do not have the personnel for playing a 3-5-2 at the moment and unless they bring in more quality next season, it does seem that Conte would have to play with a back four and then look into the rest of the squad and how they fit in.
If Conte is to get the best out of the team, he has to decide on the formation first and then fit the players into that system. Anything other than that and it could be a major problem for the club and the manager next season.
Chelsea and Conte have a lot of work to do and the faster he can fix these problems, the better the chances of doing well in the Premier League.
Chelsea
Sonia Bompastor Refuses to Address Sam Kerr Exit Speculation Amid Chelsea Striker’s Uncertain Future
Sonia Bompastor has declined to discuss Sam Kerr’s future at Chelsea amid mounting speculation the Australian superstar will walk away from Stamford Bridge as a free agent this summer. The prolific striker’s contract expires at the end of the current campaign, with numerous reports claiming she has already decided to leave after seven years in English football.
Bompastor shut down questions about Kerr’s situation during her pre match press conference, stating that both the forward and captain Millie Bright, remain under contract for now. The Chelsea boss made clear she will not be drawn into speculation about player futures while matches remain to be played this season.
Sam Kerr Departure Would End Glorious Era
The potential exit of Kerr alongside long time captain Bright would signal the end of Chelsea’s most successful period in their history. The club has already lost Guro Reiten permanently, while Catarina Macario is heading to America on what reports claim will be a record shattering NWSL contract worth millions.
Chelsea appears committed to rebuilding around younger talent rather than extending deals for established stars entering the latter stages of their careers. This strategic shift could see several high profile names depart simultaneously this summer.
American Clubs Preparing Lucrative Offers for Sam Kerr
Multiple NWSL franchises are circling for Kerr’s signature, hoping to lure the Australian back to the United States, where she previously starred before joining Chelsea. The American league has dramatically increased investment in recent years, offering salaries that can now compete with European clubs.
Ian Wright publicly criticized any decision to offer Kerr merely a short extension rather than a substantial long term deal, arguing her legendary status deserves better recognition. However, Chelsea’s transfer strategy appears already set, with youth recruitment taking priority over sentiment towards club icons nearing the end of their peak years.
Chelsea
26-Year-Old Set for $8M Move to San Diego Wave as Chelsea Striker Expected to Leave Stamford Bridge With Transfer Window Nearing Final Days
Catarina Macario is expected to leave Chelsea F.C. Women and complete a move to San Diego Wave FC with the transfer window nearing its final days. Reports suggest the NWSL side is working quickly to finalize the deal, which could be worth roughly $8 million in total contract value.
The proposed transfer fee is believed to be around $300,000, which is frankly a favorable outcome for Chelsea given that Macario’s contract expires this summer. Without a sale now, the American international could have left the club as a free agent at the end of the season, which would have been disastrous business.
San Diego Using High Impact Player Rule
San Diego Wave are planning to sign the forward using the NWSL’s High Impact Player rule, a mechanism that allows clubs to pay certain star players up to $1 million outside the league’s salary cap. To qualify, players must meet specific performance or profile criteria, which Macario certainly does.
The current NWSL salary cap stands at $3.7 million, making the rule an important tool for attracting top international talent. This represents a significant investment from San Diego, who are absolutely serious about building a championship winning squad.
Has Not Featured Regularly for Chelsea
Macario has not featured regularly for Chelsea in recent weeks, partly due to injury concerns and the uncertainty surrounding her future. Despite her absence, Chelsea recently secured their first trophy of the season by defeating Manchester United Women in the Women’s League Cup final.
The London club remain active on multiple fronts, still competing in the UEFA Women’s Champions League and preparing for the quarter final stage of the Women’s FA Cup.
Chelsea Sit Third in WSL
However, Chelsea’s domestic league campaign has been more challenging. For the first time in five seasons, they are no longer clear favorites for the Women’s Super League title under manager Sonia Bompastor.
Chelsea
Joe Montemurro Makes Remarkable Juventus vs Chelsea Comparison After Matildas Gets Past Best Team at Asia Cup
Joe Montemurro showed a flexibility to his approach in the Women’s Asian Cup quarter finals that meant the Matildas prevailed by adapting to the circumstances in front of them, even if it was contradictory to the style that is in his DNA. Australia edged North Korea 2-1 in Perth to make the semi finals in what was a resilient performance against the tournament’s best team.
“Let’s be frank and honest here. Winning football games like that, it usually happens in tournaments,” Montemurro said after the victory. The Italian boss then turned to his captain, Sam Kerr, in the press conference and referenced one of his key wins in European football with Juventus against her Chelsea side.
Had 450 Million Shots and We Had One
“I’ve done it a few times like that in Champions League. I think there was a game against Chelsea, we got a draw. They had 450 million shots, and we had one,” Montemurro said with a smile. This Champions League reference perfectly illustrated the type of performance Australia needed to overcome North Korea.
He added, “We knew that they were a great side. They’re the best team in the tournament. They really are. So we just had to be methodical. Where we won the game were the little bits in between, as we were losing the ball or as we were winning the ball to keep our shape and keep our organisation. We didn’t create much. We had to resist a lot.”
It’s Who I Am But Part of Remit to Win
Montemurro was absolutely honest about abandoning his preferred style for tournament pragmatism. “Do I want to play a possession based game? Do I want to keep the ball? It’s who I am. It’s my DNA, but part of my remit is to win football matches,” he explained.
He continued, “Sometimes you have to have that flexibility. At this level, it’s all about moments. It’s all about taking those moments.”
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