Chelsea Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Branislav Ivanovic and Gary Cahill

Chelsea defenders Branislav Ivanovic and Gary Cahill are reportedly set to be "phased out" by manager Antonio Conte, with the Italian eager to bring in a new full-back and two centre-backs.

According to Sami Mokbel in the Daily Mail, Ivanovic and Cahill—both below par in Saturday's 3-0 defeat to Arsenal—will be moved to the peripheries of the Blues squad when John Terry and Kurt Zouma return from injury. 

Mokbel added that Conte will also look to bring in new defensive options as soon as possible in order to diminish the continued reliance on 35-year-old Terry having missed out on top targets Leonardo Bonucci of Juventus and Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer. 

In a late move in the recent transfer window, Chelsea were forced to re-sign David Luiz for £34 million from Paris Saint-Germain while also adding left-back Marcos Alonso for a reported £24 million from Fiorentina.

Per Bleacher Report's Dean Jones, Chelsea's defensive recruitment in the summer was not adequate to solve the problems of last season:

The Blues' back line was awful against Arsenal. Ivanovic and Cahill both conspired to allow Alexis Sanchez in for the opening goal, and clearly there is not enough strength in depth in Chelsea's defensive ranks.

Per the Daily Telegraph's Paul Hayward, this is not a new problem for the Blues:

Failure to bring in proper defensive reinforcements over the summer is already hurting Chelsea, and now it is simply a waiting game for Zouma and Terry to return to fitness and for the January transfer window to open.

Cahill and Ivanovic will still be utilised up to the turn of the year, as Conte has few alternative options to field, per Bleacher Report's Garry Hayes:

However, per Mokbel, the pair are not long for the Chelsea first team, and it seems likely they will be moved on if and when Conte can make further additions to the Blues defence.