Chelsea hopes fade over Renato Sanches deal as Antonio Conte turns to other targets

Reluctant: Sanches wants a first-team role if he seals a loan move
Bongarts/Getty Images
Simon Johnson1 August 2017

Chelsea are struggling to convince Bayern Munich midfielder Renato Sanches to join them on loan and are continuing to look at other targets.

Coach Antonio Conte asked Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti about the possibility of taking the 19-year-old on loan last week, following Chelsea's 3-2 defeat to the Bundesliga club in Singapore.

Sanches made only six starts for Ancelotti's side in the league last term following a £31.3m switch from Benfica.

But Sanches is concerned over the amount of playing time he will get at Stamford Bridge given that N'Golo Kante and new £40m signing Tiemoue Bakayoko will be first choice to play in front of the back four.

Bayern also appear to have had second thoughts about letting the Portugal international, who is wanted by AC Milan too, go.

Sanches has impressed in pre-season and Ancelotti said: "On Renato there is no news.

"He’s started the season with us and he’ll stay with us until the end of the transfer window, on August 31."

Chelsea are in desperate need of more midfielders after selling Nemanja Matic for an initial £40m to Manchester United on Monday.

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They have brought in Bakayoko from Monaco this summer, but he won't be fit for the start of the campaign.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel Chalobah has joined Watford for £5.5m and Ruben Loftus-Cheek has agreed a loan deal to Crystal Palace.

It means that Conte currently has just Kante, Cesc Fabregas and 22-year-old Lewis Baker as options to play in central midfield for the first League game of the season against Burnley on August 12.

It has been reported that the Blues have added Leicester midfielder Danny Drinkwater to their wish-list.

But the 27-year-old still has four years left on his contract at the King Power Stadium and Leicester don't want to sell him.

Chelsea are keen on buying more English talent to the club in order to help with the home grown quota.

They are considering making a bid for Everton star Ross Barkley, who has refused to sign a new contract at Goodison Park and has told coach Ronald Koeman that he wants to leave for a fresh challenge.

The Blues are also monitoring Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's situation at Arsenal, where like Barkley, he has one-year left to run on his current deal.

Oxlade-Chamberlain can play as a right wing back, right winger and also in midfield, so the 23-year-old's versatility is appealing to Chelsea.

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