Antonio Conte wants to make at least three more signings (Picture: Getty)

Antonio Conte has sent a clear message to the Chelsea board and urged them to get busy in the final week of the transfer window, claiming he cannot defend the Premier League title with just 11 players.

The Italian masterminded Chelsea’s success last season but benefited from a lack of European football, extracting the absolute maximum out of one of the smallest squads in the English top flight.

Conte has added Alvaro Morata, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Antonio Rudiger to his ranks but the departures of Nemanja Matic, Nathan Ake and John Terry, as well as a host of youngsters, means he is still short of numbers.

Conte said: ‘I hope after the international break to have the whole team.

Chelsea are set to battle it out with Liverpool for Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Picture: Getty)

CHELSEA TRANSFERS IN

Willy Caballero (free, from Manchester City), Antonio Rudiger (£34m, from Roma), Tiemoue Bakayoko (£40m, from Monaco), Alvaro Morata (£60m, from Real Madrid)


CHELSEA TRANSFERS OUT

Juan Cuadrado (£17m, to Juventus), Christian Atsu (£6.2m, to Newcastle), Dominic Solanke (Compensation, to Liverpool), Asmir Begovic (£10m, to Bournemouth), Alex Kiwomya (free, to Doncaster), Bertrand Traore (£8.8m, to Lyon), Nathan Ake (£20m, to Bournemouth), John Terry (free, to Aston Villa), Tammy Abraham (loan, to Swansea), Alex Davey (released), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (loan, to Crystal Palace), Izzy Brown (loan, to Brighton), Marco van Ginkel (loan, to PSV), Nathaniel Chalobah (£5m, to Watford) Nemanja Matic (£40m, to Man Utd)

‘We play seven games in a month, and I need to rotate players. If someone is thinking that I can use only 11 players or 13 players, it’s impossible. Impossible.

‘I have to rotate. We must be ready to face this situation.

‘We are trying to strengthen our squad and, if we are in the transfer market, that means we need to improve the squad.’

Chelsea are currently rivaling Liverpool for the services of Arsenal contract rebel Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and are attempting to agree a fee with Leicester City for Danny Drinkwater.

Conte his hoping to complete a hat-trick of English signings with the addition of Ross Barkley who has been told he is surplus to Everton manager Ronald Koeman’s requirements.

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