Chelsea have been central to the transfer rumour mills over the last few weeks and we wonder whether Antonio Conte gets any sleep at all.
So committed to the cause he looks that sleep must be viewed as a mere irritation as he has masterminded any unlikely charge to the summit of the Premier League at the midway point of the season.
Asked in his press conference about potential January signings he was quite guarded but reminded us all that Chelsea have great youth players too.
British media outlet, Sky Sports, passes on these quotes:
“It is important also to work with this type of player and to try to find the right solution at home,” said Conte.
“Then, if it is not possible, it is important to look around and to find a new solution.
“For sure, we sold Oscar and we have money to spend, but it is important to spend money in the right way.
“I prefer to buy a player who can adapt to our system.”
Chelsea look so well equipped to go on and win the title at this stage of the season.
It’s always difficult to predict how inevitable injuries will affect the squad at the business end of the season but Chelsea do seem to have a wonderful ‘back up spine’ with the likes of Terry, Willian and Batshuayi desperate for minutes when fit.
But Conte is of course a meticulous man and he will surely want to bolster in keys areas before February to minimise the risk of holes appearing in the team.
The latest players to have been linked to the club include the young Monaco duo Tiemoué Bakayoko and Djibril Sidibé as well as Antonio Rüdiger and Radja Nainggolan of Roma, who have reportedly been heavily scouted by Chelsea.
And reports also emerged this week about the Blues making a 25m Euro bid for the powerful young midfielder Franck Kessie, who currently plies his trade at Atalanta in Italy.
Although initial reports state that the bid was turned down, TFF expects Chelsea to go back in for the 21-year-old again in January.
Chelsea fans: is he the man for now and the future of the engine room? The perfect partner for Kante?