Antonio Conte insists he remains ‘totally committed’ to Chelsea despite continued speculation about his position at the Premier League champions.

Conte agreed a new two-year deal in July after leading Chelsea to the title in his first season in charge, but the Italian is reportedly unhappy with the club’s transfer dealings.

Chelsea signed Alvaro Morata after missing out on Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United, while Jose Mourinho brought Nemanja Matic to Old Trafford, with Tiemoue Bakayoko and Antonio Rudiger the only other major additions to Conte’s squad.

But with the transfer window set to close on Thursday, Conte will focus on working with the players he has if there are no more fresh faces at Stamford Bridge.

‘My message for the fans is always the same: I’m totally committed to the club and to improve my players and team,’ Conte said after Sunday’s 2-0 home win against Everton.

‘I’m a coach not a manager and my best work is on the pitch improving my players and team. Then when you want to strengthen your squad you have to give your opinion, then the club goes in the transfer market to try to solve the situation.

‘Sometimes it is possible, sometimes it is not, but I must be focused on the pitch and to work with my players.

‘Don’t forget when we start, next month, in September we have to play seven games. I need to rotate my players because it’s very difficult to play seven games in a month.

‘The club is working very hard to strengthen the squad. They know very well our situation. But I repeat, I’m ready in every case to continue to work with this group of players, with the players we have.’

Antonio Candreva, Alex Sandro, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Andrea Belotti, Fernando Llorente, Jamie Vardy and Danny Drinkwater are among the many players to have been linked with a late switch to Chelsea.

– This story originally appeared on FourFourTwo.co.za