New Chelsea manager Antonio Conte took part in his team’s first training session yesterday since joining the London club at the beginning of last month, and the club has according to report since been racing to complete signings before the West London club leave for their US pre-season tour.
Daily mirror reckons the Italian was given a boost on the transfer front on his first day in office with Arsenal target Gariel Barbosa who is otherwise known as Gabrigol in Brazil confirming he will like to play for the Blues. The £25million rated Brazilian who has been linked with Arsenal and Real Madrid could be a cheap and eqaually very good alternative to Alvaro Morata.
Conte, who was made Chelsea manager in April, finally worked for the first time with his new players upon arrival at the club’s Cobham HQ training ground in the early hours of Wednesday.
The 46-year-old Italian held discussions with his backroom staff according to mirror, before putting on his Chelsea tracksuit for the first time and went on to the training pitch to work with the Chelsea players who are available, as those who featured at the Euro cup in France remain absent.
Among players available for Conte’s first training session were Captain John Terry, Brazilian Oscar, Nigerian John Obi Mikel and France international Loic Remy.
It is believed that Chelsea executives are keen on getting Conte his main targets, ahead of the club’s USA pre-season tour later in the month. The Blues reportedly made a bid of £51 million for Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata which was rejected by Los Blancos. Morata’s odds of joining Chelsea are actually shorter than many of the horses over at Racing Tipster.
According to the report by Mirror, Chelsea are very hopeful of signing Gabriel Barbosa from Santos amidst interest in the player from Juventus. The Blues have already reportedly tabled a bid of £25m for the Brazilian which has neither been accepted nor rejected by the Brazilian.
