Chelsea news: Blues step up January transfer business after Emenalo departure

CHELSEA are stepping up their efforts to sign Ross Barkley and a back up striker in January despite the departure of Michael Emenalo.

Antonio ConteREUTERS

Antonio Conte is hoping to get some new faces in January

Chelsea were hit by Emenalo’s exit this week as technical director.

But the Telegraph report that the club’s transfer strategy remains the same.

Chelsea are interested in Barkley despite being turned down by the midfielder in the summer.

And Antonio Conte is also desperate for a back up striker to help Alvaro Morata.

Christian Benteke and Richmond Boakye of Red Star Belgrade are targets after Chelsea missed out on Fernando Llorente in the summer.

Marina Granovskaia to take control of transfers

Conte also wants Alex Sandro from Juventus but another bid for the left-back is likely to come in the summer.

The Blues may also be on the lookout for another defender with David Luiz’s situation uncertain.

Club director Marina Granovskaia is to take full control of transfers following Emenalo’s departure and has already begun talking to agents as the window approaches.

Chelsea are down in fourth after 12 games of their title defence and Conte was disappointed with the club’s summer.

Ross BarkleyGETTY

Ross Barkley remains on Chelsea's radar despite turning them down in the summer

The Italian wanted a bigger squad with the addition of Champions League football and did manage to sign Morata, Danny Drinkwater, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Antonio Rudiger, Davide Zappacosta and Willy Caballero.

But he wanted three more and the club’s failure to meet his needs threw his future into doubt.

He did eventually sign a new deal but strangely didn’t extend it.

But the club appear keen to appease him and have begun work on January deals already and have not been stopped by Emenalo’s departure.

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