Antonio Conte sends warning to any Chelsea players eyeing a summer transfer
Blues boss wants every member of his squad committed to the cause next season.
Antonio Conte has warned he will not stand in the way of any players who want to leave Chelsea this summer, insisting every member of his squad must feel love for the club.
Chelsea already have the 2016-17 Premier League title in the bag and will make it a league and FA Cup double in Conte's first season in English football if they see off Arsenal on 27 May at Wembley.
Despite the club's extraordinary turnaround under the Italian, having finished the 2015-16 season in tenth place, high-profile members of the first-team continue to be linked with moves away.
Diego Costa was connected with a move to the Chinese Super League at the start of the year, with Cadena Ser reporting last month the 28-year-old striker has already reached a pre-agreement with Tianjin Quanjian to complete a move to the Far East in the summer.
Cesc Fabregas has also been linked with a move away to Stamford Bridge, with one report suggesting Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is keen on the Spain international. Brazil's Willian, meanwhile, has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United throughout the season, having already been the subject of an offer from his former manager Jose Mourinho during last summer's transfer window.
While there is a party atmosphere around Stamford Bridge heading into the final game of the campaign against Sunderland, Conte is already looking towards next season. Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Friday, the former Juventus and Italy gaffer had a warning for any players who might be in two minds about their commitment to the club.
"First of all the player must have pleasure to stay in Chelsea, this is very important," Conte told reporters. "Every single player must have the pleasure to stay."
Conte's own future at the club has come under scrutiny amid reports suggesting Inter Milan are keen to bring him back to Serie A. The 47-year-old, however, has already committed his future to the Blues, vowing to make the team even stronger next season.
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