Chelsea fans may not look kindly at Antonio Conte’s second season in charge at Stamford Bridge but they still fondly remember his emotional sidelines presence. Conte won the Premier League in his first season and, even when he was departing on a sour note, gave the Blues faithful the FA Cup to cheer about.
Conte’s trophy hail pales in comparison to what he achieved in Turin. Three Serie A titles and two Supercoppa Italiana were claimed during his three-year reign. He was still finding his groove at Bari but did get Serie B honors with them.
Wherever he went, trophies followed him. Inter could have been Scudetto winners this season as only a point separated them from Juventus at the final roll call. The Europa League was lost on an own goal. The margins between triumph and heartbreak have surely decreased. But one thing that has remained the same is Conte’s passion for winning.
The Lecce native and Juventus legend has winning ingrained in his DNA. There are few managers who can boast his same pedigree. That is why Inter did all they could to snatch him from Roma’s jaws and enticed him with their project.
Conte bought into the idea of Inter’s project and got busy plotting to put an end to the same Juventus dynasty he had laid the foundations of. He would shape the squad into his preferred formation, the 3-5-2, and get rid of the trouble makers, as well as of those who would not add value to his system.
Mauro Icardi was the first one to be sent packing. The hard-hitting manager would never bear the Argentine attacker’s antics and was told to train with the reserves. Icardi could not find any suitors and only a deadline day lifeline by PSG got him away from Milano.
Radja Nainggolan was also told to pack his bags. Although was not in a similar conundrum, the Belgian did not fit Conte’s mold and would have been wasted in his ranks. A yearlong loan to Cagliari was arranged while Nicolò Barella moved to the San Siro. A good deal for Inter, as the young midfielder can command the game from the center, maintaining possession, and helping in building from the back.
For the offensive reinforcements, Conte took some bold decisions. Ivan Perisic was allowed to leave for Bayern Munich. The Croatian would have been a competent wing-back for him but did not make the cut.
When it came to the missing pieces, he mostly looked at the Premier League.
Conte’s English top-flight addiction was not evident at first but started to show its true form by January. Manchester United were raided for Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku. Sanchez was marred by injuries but Lukaku came through in flying colors. His 36 goals in all competitions was a record long held by Ronaldo Nazario during his injury-prone stint with the Nerazzurri.
The Manchester United duo were soon joined by other Premier League stars. Ashley Young was signed to fill the left-back role. On the other flank, Victor Moses arrived on a six-month loan deal. The Nigerian cut short his Fenerbahce loan to link up with his former manager at Chelsea.
But, the creme de la creme of the Premier League lure from Conte was signing Christian Eriksen from Tottenham. The Dane was going to be a free agent at the end of the 2019-20 season but became desperate to join Inter earlier as the chance of winning the Serie A presented itself. Given Eriksen’s pedigree, his €27 million capture is a bargain.
Those five Premier League additions were regular first-team members in the Nerazzurri’s season run-in. They were also ever-present in their Europa League run. They could all be called Conte’s men as they truly fulfill his vision on the pitch. But they are not the only ones. Marcelo Brazovic and Diego Godin are also integral to the system, and so is the gem of the all – Lautaro Martinez.
Martinez may not be with Inter for long but he encapsulates Conte’s vision. He is talented, confident, and industrious. There were no double about Lukaku’s talent either, but the Belgian seemed to lack confidence and was far from industrious. Eriksen is going through the paces right now and will soon look like a reformed man. The dogged coach will make him bend to his will. This is why he sought him in the first place.
It is in this backdrop, the statement that Conte is raiding the Premier League for players holds no ground. It is a slander that does not take into account the pedigree of players that have arrived in Milan. With the exception of Eriksen, all fit the same mold, hardworking industrious players.
More importantly, they were all on their way out of their respective clubs. Sanchez and Lukaku were stuck at Old Trafford. Young was barely featured for United when he left six months later. Moses was already on loan in Turkey, while Eriksen was waiting to put out of his misery. With the exception of Lukaku, they all arrived cheaply. United even subsidized Sanchez’s salary to get him off their payroll.
It was all smart business. Even their current linkage with N’golo Kanté proves this. The French midfield destroyer has ties with Conte, it was the Italian who brought him to the Stamford Bridge.
Kanté performed admirably but his performances are on the way down. Sarri’s tinkering with his position has had a negative impact on his perceived value at the club. Moreover, Kanté does not fit in new coach Frank Lampard’s overloading offensive system and is a player who will add value to the San Siro. A good deal can be made with Chelsea as they have to generate cash for Declan Rice’s addition.
There are more arguments that could be made but, in essence, they ring the same tune. Conte has added some Premier League players to his ranks that he believes will fit his system and, moreover, will not force him to compromise his ideals – which is something that he surely does not like to do.
