Conte: I am here to work on the pitch with the players the club give me.

Antonio Conte has confirmed the situation with club policy on transfers and it makes for frustrating reading. 

Ever since Roman Abramovich took over at Stamford Bridge the general consensus has been that he and the Chelsea board have total control over club transfers in and out. During his press conference yesterday, Antonio Conte has confirmed this is the case. He said:

“In my opinion, I think it’s right to have this type of conversation with the club in the right moment, to give my opinion and my idea. 

The only thing I can tell you is that I’m very happy to work with these players. I’m very happy with the mentality we created in these 18 months. I’m very happy with the commitment and behaviour of my players. This is great for me. I’m proud to have this type of player, with this commitment. 

Then, I repeat, the club is right then to take the best decision if they see that we can improve with some [new] players. But I’m the coach. I am here to work on the pitch with the players the club give me.” - Source: The Independent.

I believe that in the past the policy has worked and our success proves as much. The same can be said of the managerial changes that have been made in the past. Of both points, you cannot argue just by looking at how far the club has come in terms of stature within Europe and our trophy cabinet.

However, now with Antonio Conte at the helm who has worked wonders with a squad of players that were not his own signings to win the title last season, he should be given much more of a say in who the club look to bring into the squad rather than settle for having to work with the players the club present to him at the training ground.

The argument here would be that he proved that he could do the job under the same policy last season to make a rod for his own back as it were but I still believe that shouldn't be the case. In my view he has earned the right to have a bigger input into our transfer policy because it's clear that with two players in particular at the moment, he does not seem to fancy them - Michy Batshuayi and Danny Drinkwater.

You have to wonder if Pep Guardiola has the same issues up in Manchester? Do you think he has signed the players he wanted? It's clear that he has and just look at what has happened this season. Shouldn't Antonio Conte have the same freedom to build a team he wants in his style?

If Chelsea are to really challenge under Antonio Conte moving forward domestically and in Europe it's about time they give him freedom to sign/sell who he wants.