Chelsea: Why I don't use Young Players - Conte Reveals

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Chelsea manager, Antonio Conte, has sought to justify the club’s policy of loaning out a squad of players, while he pushes for more senior signings.

Conte claims the Blues’ youngsters are not ready for first-team football.

Kenneth Omeruo became the 27th Chelsea player to leave on loan on Friday, when he joined Kasimpasa in Turkey for the season. More exits are expected to be sanctioned in the final week of the transfer window.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Tammy Abraham, Izzy Brown and Kurt Zouma have already been loaned to Premier League clubs for the season, while Nathaniel Chalobah and Nathan Aké, who had progressed through the academy, departed on permanent deals.

“If there are young players who deserve to play regularly and give me a good feeling, then why not [pick them]?” Conte said. “I put (Paul) Pogba, at 18, into the team, and for [Claudio] Marchisio. Not a ‘simple’ player. But you must have this type of possibility, [that these] players are ready to play with Chelsea, a great team, otherwise it’s very difficult to make this decision.

“You must decide if you want to fight for the title or develop your young players. Two different ways. Show me young players who deserve to play regularly for Chelsea, and I’m ready to pick them. Don’t forget my first game in Serie A, I was only 16.

“I’m the first person open to do this because another coach did this with me. But you must have the possibilities to do this. Not to invent [them].”