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What do Chelsea need to do before the transfer deadline?

Antonio Conte shouts instructions from his technical area

It's just over a week until the transfer window shuts, so what do Chelsea need to do before the deadline?

What are the areas in need of improvement? Who are the targets? And will Antonio Conte get the reinforcements he wants?

We look at what they've done so far, and what could happen before the 11.30pm deadline on August 31.

Ins

Michy Batshuayi (Marseille, £33m), N'Golo Kante (Leicester, £32m)

Major outs

Stipe Perica (Udinese, £3.2m), Charly Musonda (Real Betis, loan), Nathan (Vitesse Arnhem, loan), Lewis Baker (Vitesse Arnhem, loan), Nathan Ake (Bournemouth, loan), Mohamed Salah (Roma, £12m), Papy Djilobodji (Sunderland, £8m), Baba Rahman (Schalke, loan), Bertrand Traore (Ajax, loan), Michael Hector (E Frankfurt, loan), Izzy Brown (Rotherham, loan).

What do Chelsea need?

Chelsea are dangerously light on numbers in defence, with teenager Ola Aina their only available back-up to first-choice back four Cesar Azpilicueta, John Terry, Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic, with Kurt Zouma out injured.

Michy Batshuayi celebrates with his Chelsea team-mates
Image: Michy Batshuayi celebrates after scoring his first Premier League goal

The Blues have also allowed full-back Baba Rahman to join Schalke on loan, so reinforcements are urgently required if they are to successfully build on their winning start to the Premier League campaign.

The Blues look well-stocked in midfield having added N'Golo Kante to their ranks, but Conte is eager to bolster his striking options despite the £33m signing of Michy Batshuayi from Marseille.

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Who are the targets?

Chelsea could attempt to resurrect a deal for Napoli centre-back Kalidou Kouliably, having had a £38m offer rejected in July, but he is not the only defender on their shortlist. Wolfsburg's Ricardo Rodriguez and Juventus' Giorgio Chiellini are among the names to have been linked, and they have also had a £30m bid for AC Milan's Alessio Romagnoli turned down.

MILAN, ITALY - APRIL 16:  Mauro Icardi (L) of FC Internazionale Milano controls the ball against Kalidou Koulibaly of SSC Napoli during the Serie A match b
Image: Chelsea are interested in signing Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly

Newspaper reports have also linked Chelsea with a £25m swoop for Chiellini's Juventus team-mate Mario Mandzukic having been priced out of a move to bring Everton's Romelu Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge. At the other end of the pitch, they have brought in experienced Portuguese goalkeeper Eduardo to provide provide competition for Thibaut Courtois and Asmir Begovic.

What has Conte said?

"If you look now at our squad, we have only five defenders - four that started today and an academy player Ola Aina. If one defender is injured or banned, then we are in trouble, but the club and me know this and we are talking every day to improve the squad.

I don't want to buy only to buy. I want to buy the right profile for Chelsea, the right investment for the solution and for the future.
Antonio Conte

"We know that this market is very difficult. It's crazy. I don't want to buy only to buy. I want to buy the right profile for Chelsea, the right investment for the solution and for the future."

What's the pundit view?

Matt Le Tissier: "I see they've had another bid turned down for Alessio Romagnoli so Antonio Conte clearly thinks they're light in defence. They don't have much else beyond their first-choice centre-backs. Matt Miazga isn't someone they can probably rely on if Gary Cahill or John Terry get injured, so they look light on experienced options until Kurt Zouma comes back.

Chelsea don't have much else beyond their first-choice centre-backs and look a little short in the full-back positions.
Matt Le Tissier

"They also look a little short in the full-back positions. There are young lads coming through but I'm not sure how comfortable Conte would by throwing them in so they may need two defenders."

What's your view?

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