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Chelsea Transfer News: Danny Drinkwater would just be a squad signing - Phil Neville
DANNY DRINKWATER would purely be a ‘squad signing’ if he signed for Chelsea.
Antonio Conte: Chelsea need more signings to be competitive
Those are the thoughts of former Manchester United and Everton star Phil Neville.
Antonio Conte is desperate to make a late splurge in the transfer window and has identified beefing up his midfield as a priority.
Express Sport understands Chelsea are close to securing a double deal for Drinkwater and Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for £75million.
A deal for Leicester star Drinkwater were it to go through, could be worth £40m.
Conte has been unhappy so far with the Blues’ transfer activity despite signing four players - Alvaro Morata, Antonio Rudiger, Willy Caballero and Tiemoue Bakayoko.
Danny Drinkwater could join Chelsea before the transfer window closes
Drinkwater is just a squad signing for me
And while accepting Chelsea need a greater core of English players, Neville is sceptical about a move for Drinkwater.
“He’s someone who will improve the squad but I’m not sure he will go straight into the team,” Neville told Sky Sports.
“I think they do need a little bit of a spine of English players.
“They lost Loftus-Cheek, Chalobah has left, John Terry has left so the nucleus of the squad is foreign players.
Phil Neville thinks Danny Drinkwater will only be a 'squad signing'
“Barkley, once fit, can make an impact at that football club.
“Oxlade-Chamberlain, if he stays fit and gets his head right, can as well because I think Cesc Fabregas in certain games will struggle to play.
“But Drinkwater is just a squad signing for me.”
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