Antonio Conte Talks Chelsea's Transfer Policy After Defeat to Arsenal

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has said he is not responsible for recruitment decisions at Stamford Bridge, following the team's 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg on Wednesday.

The Italian has vented his frustrations over transfers at the club since the summer, and he made his position clear after the loss at the Emirates Stadium.

According to Matt Law of the Telegraph, he said: "I think the club decide our transfer market. As I said before, my task is to try to improve the team. About the transfer market, from the summer, the club decides every single player."

Per Sky Sports (h/t ESPN FC's Liam Twomey), Conte was unhappy with the options available to him on the bench:

Willian went off after half an hour and was replaced by Ross Barkley, the Blues' only January signing thus far. The match was his Chelsea debut and first appearance this season, having suffered a hamstring injury in the summer.

The Chelsea bench was otherwise comprised of Danny Drinkwater, Davide Zappacosta, Michy Batshuayi, Gary Cahill and David Luiz in terms of outfield players.

Conte was also asked if the Carabao Cup exit and Willian's injury might encourage the club to make further signings in January. Per Law, he replied:

"There is a programme. There is a plan. It's wrong to take decision on only one game. The situation is always the same from this summer. I continue to work with my players. This situation continues from this summer, not now. And my task continues to be to give everything for this club. The club is to take the best decision for the team.

"I think there are different situations. Sometimes I can have an impact on the transfer market, sometimes I don't have an impact on this. My first task is to do my job, and be a coach, and to try to improve my players. For sure, I don't have a big impact on the transfer market."

Law is sceptical of his comments, but he also believes the club have not supported the head coach as they should:

Though the Blues have hardly given Conte nothing to work with in the transfer market—they spent around £300 million on players during his tenure prior to Barkley's capture—they have appeared reluctant in recent seasons to match their rivals' expenditure.

Goal's Nizaar Kinsella believes Chelsea should give the former Juventus boss more backing:

Conte is a superb coach who can make a team greater than the sum of its parts, and there are relatively few managers out there who could replace the 48-year-old and be considered an upgrade.

However, to realistically beat their rivals to the Premier League title, investment is also required.

The league looks to be beyond them this season whatever happens in January, but if Chelsea want to keep Conte happy, they need to give him the tools he needs to do what is expected of him.