Chelsea Transfer News: Antonio Conte Talks Alexis Sanchez, Eden Hazard Rumours

Antonio Conte has heaped praise on reported transfer target Alexis Sanchez but said it would show a lack of respect to discuss the Arsenal forward's future in detail.

Chelsea boss Conte has been heavily linked with making a move for Chile international Sanchez this summer and said 28-year-old Sanchez is a player he admires, per Simon Johnson of the London Evening Standard: "I think it's very disrespectful of players from other teams [to talk about this], but for sure, he's a top player. I can say this."

Conte also indicated how talk of transfers will have to wait until the Blues have secured this season's Premier League title: "For us the most important thing is for us to try and finish this league and try to win. Then, once this season is finished, with the club together we will talk about the right way to try and improve our team and our squad."

Sanchez's name figures to be a big part of any such conversation, at least based on recent reports. The Arsenal talisman has been described as Chelsea's priority target in this summer's transfer window, according to the Guardian's Fabrizio Romano.

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Sanchez even appeared to strengthen the claims when he revealed he would like to stay in London during an interview with reporters in Chile (h/t Jeremy Wilson of the Daily Telegraph): "I am happy in London and hope to finish my contract there. I'd like to stay in the city but with a team that is winning things, that has a winning mentality."

However, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger still believes Sanchez, whose contract expires in the summer of 2018, will ultimately stay with the Gunners. Wenger also made it clear Arsenal won't be pressured into selling their best player over financial considerations, according to Miguel Delaney of The Independent.

Wenger may be publicly optimistic, but Darren Lewis of the Daily Mirror has reported the Gunners would take £50 million for Sanchez rather than risk losing him for free in just over 14 months' time.

There is no doubt Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich could afford the fee. So could domestic rivals Manchester City, who also retain an interest in Sanchez thanks to the connection between the player and Citizens manager Pep Guardiola from their days working together at Barcelona.

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Like Conte, Guardiola has also talked up Sanchez's considerable quality, per James Robson of the Manchester Evening News. A previous report from Robson had revealed City would have no problem meeting the striker's £50 million fee.

Sanchez is worth Chelsea trying to outbid City. The Chilean would be a major asset at Stamford Bridge, as part of a squad already boasting the attacking talent to offer him better support than he receives at Arsenal.

Conte Believes Eden Hazard Will Snub Real Madrid

A key member of any would-be supporting cast for Sanchez would have to be Belgium winger Eden Hazard. Fortunately, Conte believes the mooted Real Madrid target will shun a move to La Liga in favour of staying at Stamford Bridge.

Conte maintained if Hazard is happy in west London, Los Blancos won't be able to turn his head, according to Dominic Fifield of the Guardian: “If the player is happy and the player knows he will stay in a great team with great ambition, I don't see any problem, even if this [other] club calls itself Real Madrid. Eden is a Chelsea player, we are happy with him and he is happy with us. I don't see problems about him."

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Yet, despite Conte's enthusiasm, 11-time European champions Real have maintained a strong interest in Chelsea's creative ace. Former president Ramon Calderon recently told the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show on TalkSport how his old club would have no problem paying as much as £100 million for Hazard.

In fact, Conte hinted he thinks Los Merengues have been trying to unsettle Chelsea's No. 10, per Jack Pitt-Brooke of The Independent: "This is a part of the game. To put these rumours out there, and to put a bit of difficulty in the mind of the players."

However, the Italian may be right to be confident about Hazard still representing the Blues next season. After all, the player himself recently told Chelsea's official website how he and his family are happy in London.

It makes sense for Hazard to be content at the Bridge. He has already won the UEFA Europa League, the League Cup and a league title with the Blues.

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Now Hazard has helped push Conte's squad to the brink of another Premier League crown. Chelsea lead England's top flight by 10 points and will be able to offer Hazard a return to the UEFA Champions League next season.

This Chelsea squad has the talent to win in Europe but would surely need Hazard to do it. Yet there would be few better replacements for Hazard than Sanchez, an attacker who can also play on the left flank or thrive behind a main striker.

By the same token, adding a prolific forward with the pace, perceptive movement and flair of Sanchez alongside Hazard's mercurial artistry would make the Blues a strong bet to dominate both domestically and on the continent next term.