Cesc Fabregas linked with Manchester United - If he is deemed surplus to requirements at Chelsea.

According to various reports that have surfaced today in the media, Jose Mourinho is eyeing a swoop for Cesc Fabregas and I wonder if this could be a sign of change at Chelsea under Antonio Conte?

It's being reported that Mourinho is monitoring the situation at Chelsea and wants to see if Fabregas becomes surplus to requirements this season under the new manager. With the signing of N'Golo Kante expected within days, I just wonder if Conte favours hard workers, grafters without the ball in that area and with additional reports suggesting that he will play with two strikers and two wingers, there will be no place for Fabregas anymore?

Of course it's all hearsay and I appreciate that, but you have to wonder. Anyone who watched Chelsea for the majority of last season will tell you that we were lacking in midfield and that became a massive problem. Coupled with the problems we had a full back, Chelsea are in need of strengthening. Kante's arrival would be excellent as posted up here this morning, and would sure up our midfield positions in front of the back four.

As I have said numerous on here, it's only in the next couple of days when Antonio Conte works with his players and has an idea of the style of play and most importantly, who fits into that system, will we know exactly where players such as Cesc Fabregas stand.

I had posted the other week that reports stated Conte had decided upon this 4-2-4 formation that most people are now reporting and it will be interesting to see if that has any real substance. Your initial reactions, knowing Premier League football and just how competitive it has become, will have alarm bells ringing based on the fact that you need to be solid just how Leicester proved to be.

At the end of the day, it's a simple equation here, playing with two Strikers means you lose one of the players from midfield. The deeper two and attacking three that had formed the foundation of our shape for the last two or three years looks to have been thrown out the window - thank god!

Does that mean there is space for Cesc Fabregas to operate or even Oscar for example? If we decide to adopt the three centre back approach with wing backs, then Fabregas will have a chance to play in the Andrea Pirlo role, just to be there to pick the ball up and play his passes.

For the next few weeks, players futures at this club will be decided by the Manager one way or the other. No matter what he decides to do, everyone simply has to buy into what he wants and back him 100%. If that decision is to sell Cesc Fabregas, then so be it.

However, surely there has to be somewhere for him to play under Conte right?