Conte has things figured out at Stamford Bridge already despite spending a relatively short time in the Premier League. The lot is working well, the positions are covered and there is little room for improvement. The Blues have the speed, efficiency, creativity and versatility to handle any opponent. But do they have the physical power to dominate players like Lukaku, Benteke, Aguero or Ibrahimovic? Not quite but they are very close. While they do have a strong defense, the rest of the pitch could use a power-upgrade from time to time. Kante is powerful but he would have trouble getting passed Kompany. Willian is fast and strong but would still need a few extra pounds to push Smalling over. The attack is well covered by Costa so Conte needs to maybe invest a bit in the middle.
According to the Daily Star, the Italian boss might have found two very adequate solutions to have around just in case Chelsea need to overpower their adversaries. First there’s Geoffrey Kondogbia whose appearance alone could have opponents think twice before trying a challenge. The Frenchman is one of the strongest midfielders in modern football and would be of incredible help next to Matic. Aside from his strength, Kondogbia is also incredible at protecting the ball and also at finding open spaces for his colleagues to go through. He can pass, he can run and he is very close to being one of those rare box-to-box midfielders every team so desperately needs.
The second option is not one you would expect but according to Metro, he did make Conte’s wanted transfer list. It’s 20-year-old Adama Traore who since moving to England, has become quite the impressive right-midfielder. While he doesn’t quite have the same efficiency Moses has when it comes to help the attack, he makes up for it through strength and stubbornness. He is excellent in the defense and he would represent a strong defensive alternative for Moses.
Out of the two Kondogbia would probably be the best choice as he is capable of covering a lot of ground, he can pass, he can defend and he could fill in the gap left by Oscar and Mikel’s departures.