Chelsea manager Antonio Conte says “crazy” transfer market is making it difficult to do business
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte believes Premier League clubs are being over-charged on average players this summer and has expressed his discomfort at some of the fees being paid.
The Blues have spent just over £60m on N'Golo Kante and Michy Batshuayi and while Conte believes his squad could do with further additions before the transfer window closes at the end of the month, he is also insistent he will not pay over the odds.
Read more: Title rivals must be desperate to spend so much, says Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino
In contrast to Chelsea — once the go-to example for Premier League excess in the transfer market — Manchester City and Manchester United have both spent over £100m already this summer while Liverpool have also spent more.
"No, I'm not comfortable, I don't like to pay a lot of money," replied Conte when asked if Chelsea would match their title rivals' spending levels.
"If a player deserves us to pay money, then it's right," the Italian said. "But for a medium player, it's right to pay the right price, not £20m to £30m over.
"That's not right. The money is not mine, but I don't like it the same. I don't find it right. At this moment it's very difficult to buy because if you ask a player of medium level, they [the selling club] might ask for £55m.
"For this reason, it's a crazy market. It's very difficult to enter the market with these prices and in this condition."
Earlier this week Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger also lamented some of the high transfer fees being demanded by European clubs.
The Frenchman said the much publicised huge broadcast income to Premier League clubs this season — guaranteeing them at least £100m — meant teams on the continent were playing hardball.
Conte also conceded that he had seen the problem play out for a number of other Premier League clubs.
"Not only at Chelsea, I have seen this with the other clubs," he said. "It's very difficult to have a 'good market', but now it's a real situation for all of us. We must live with it and find a solution.
"We have two weeks before the end of the transfer market. If we can improve this squad, we want to improve it."