Antonio Conte on collision course with Chelsea board over transfer policy which has seen him lose targets

ANTONIO CONTE has put himself on a collision course with his Chelsea bosses over their failure to sign top class talent.

Conte is angry at the way the Chelsea board have failed to deliver the players he has asked for since leading the club to the Premier League title last season.

The Italian has been trying to keep a lid on his frustrations throughout the current campaign despite watching his side fall well out of the title race.

But his guard slipped after he watched his side crash out of the Carabao Cup with a 2-1 semi-final defeat to Arsenal.

He made it clear he was not responsible for any of the transfer activity at the club, which has only seen them sign Ross Barkley during the current transfer window.

And it shined a light on the decision-making process at Stamford Bridge, with Roman Abramovich appearing to trust his advisers more than his managers.

Conte 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.

“I think one game, it is not right only one game to take the decision or to understand something.

“There is a programme, there is a plan. It’s wrong to take a decision on only one game. The situation is always the same for this summer.

“I continue to work with my players. This situation continues through this summer, not now.

“My task continues to be to give everything to 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.”

Conte’s frustrations have been exposed while the club continues their pursuit of a striker this month has raised eyebrows with their enquiries for Andy Carroll, Peter Crouch and Ashley Barnes.

They are still hoping to reach an agreement with Roma for former Manchester City star Edin Dzeko before the transfer window closes.

But they are confident of pushing through a deal with the Italian club for left-back Emerson Palmieri by the end of the week.