Conte's Missed Targets: The Key to Chelsea's Decline and Manchester City's Dominance

Antonio Conte, former manager of Chelsea, is convinced that the club could have become the dominant force in English football if they had successfully signed his top two targets in the summer of 2017. In his first season in charge, Conte led Chelsea to win the Premier League, largely due to a 13-game winning streak after implementing his preferred back three formation. However, the following season was less successful, with Chelsea finishing fifth in the league, although they did win the FA Cup. Conte attributes this decline to the club's failure to secure his desired signings of Virgil van Dijk and Romelu Lukaku, who he believed would have significantly strengthened the team. Instead, Chelsea signed Antonio Rudiger and Alvaro Morata, who did not perform at the same level as Conte had hoped. Conte firmly believes that if his preferred targets had been recruited, Chelsea could have achieved the same level of dominance as Manchester City. Despite his success at Chelsea, Conte left the club in the summer of 2018. He later won the Scudetto with Inter Milan, where he successfully signed Lukaku. Conte's departure from Tottenham in 2021 was marked by a controversial rant against his players, and he has since expressed his difficulty in adjusting to the lower expectations at the club. Conte's ambition and desire for success are evident in his approach to management, as he is accustomed to winning and striving for excellence.