Full-Back Rather Than Centre-Back Is the Area Antonio Conte Needs to Strengthen

Chelsea's transfer dealings—or lack thereof—were the main topic of conversation at Antonio Conte's press conference ahead of the Blues' meeting with Burnley this weekend.

With the transfer deadline looming, Conte is still to add any defensive reinforcements to his team. Papy Djilibodji and Baba Rahman have left the club since the new manager arrived—permanently and on loan, respectively—so Chelsea have started the season with just four recognised first-team defenders.

Michael Hector has also joined Eintracht Frankfurt for the season, while Matt Miazga has yet to make a matchday squad.

That has left Conte with the same back line—Branislav Ivanovic, Gary Cahill, John Terry and Cesar Azpilicueta—that conceded 55 goals in the Premier League last season. That was Chelsea's worst defensive record in 20 years.

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The Blues may have won their opening three games of 2016/17, but they've conceded four goals in the process. With a leaking defence and player shortages, it's clear Conte has some work to do, but with time running out, the question is whether he can get the players he needs.

"I must be honest, I think we’ll have a problem to reach our targets," the Blues manager explained to journalists. "I still hope with this transfer market to improve the squad and the team with some new players, but we understand our targets are very difficult to reach.

"But we have a game against Burnley for now, which is more important than the transfer market. Then, after that, I hope [we can sign] some more players before the deadline."

Gossip columns tell us it's Kalidou Koulibaly (per the Evening Standard's Pietro Lazzerini) and Alessio Romagnoli (per BBC Sport) that Conte is chasing. Both are centre-backs and would bolster Chelsea's options at the heart of defence. With Kurt Zouma edging closer to full fitness, either one would give the manager four defenders to choose from.

Conte has made no secret of his frustration with the inflated prices the club are being quoted. For Koulibaly, it could be anything as high as £60 million to prise him from Napoli; meanwhile bids of around £35 million for the 21-year-old Romagnoli have been rebuffed by AC Milan.

Those prices aside, is Conte even looking in the right area? Defenders are needed, but if there is to be just one signing Chelsea can push over the line between now and when the transfer window closes, it should be a left-back.

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Forgetting marquee names for a moment, it's numbers that are the biggest problem for Chelsea right now. With just Ola Aina in support for those four first-team defenders, Conte has little room to manoeuvre.

Add a talented left-back to his squad and that changes; suddenly, there's flexibility.

An extra player on the left means Azpilicueta can operate in his natural position at right-back, meaning Ivanovic becomes the fourth defender in central areas. That gives the manager Terry, Cahill, Zouma and Ivanovic as options.

It's not the perfect scenario, but it hints at Chelsea at least being competitive until the January window opens, when they can target another defender. Remember, without European football of any sort this season, Chelsea's winter window won't be dictated by chasing players who can perform in the Champions League or Europa League. They can make transfers with a longer strategy in mind, so cup-tied or not, they have the potential to spread their net far and wide.

Indeed, we saw in midweek how a new left-back can shape Conte's plans between now and January. When Chelsea faced Bristol Rovers in the EFL Cup, Terry was rested for the game. He only entered the fray late on for the injured Aina, who had made his debut on the left.

Aina's presence had meant a switch for Azpilicueta, with Ivanovic partnering Cahill. Consider a fit Zouma in all of this, and Chelsea have options to rotate when the time calls.

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The desire to add another centre-back doesn't allow for those options. With just Ivanovic and Azpilicueta as the experienced full-backs, Conte's squad is looking desperately short. What the manager needs is solutions, which a new centre-back isn't going to offer right now.

With his ageing legs, Ivanovic demonstrated last term that his future at Chelsea will be in reverting to type in the middle. When Terry was injured in February and March, Ivanovic enjoyed his best form of the season in his absence. Playing centrally meant he wasn't as exposed as he was on the wings, and we saw him become an influential figure once more.

Starting on the right, he hasn't suffered yet. But without facing wingers willing to attack him, Ivanovic hasn't been tested enough. It's when Chelsea face Swansea City in early September that we'll get a better idea of where Ivanovic is with his form and condition.

That game is followed by contests with Liverpool and Arsenal before those with Leicester City and Manchester United in October. If we're judging Ivanovic on how he coped against the same opponents last term, Conte needs to be thinking ahead to combat a major weakness.

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There are going to be many more challenges besides, especially when we consider potential injuries and suspensions. Aina's knock on Tuesday night was a big blow to Chelsea, and it was only his debut. If the club are feeling the impact of a youth-team player picking up an injury, it speaks volumes for how Conte would react if it were one of his regulars.

The only way to combat the problems Chelsea face in the short term is to have more flexibility. Another full-back offers that, whereas strengthening in central areas means Chelsea's numbers may appear better, but the reality is that the options remain all but the same.

It's the weakness on the flanks that is most pressing for Chelsea right now.

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes taken first hand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes