Former Chelsea chief confirms Conte’s Lukaku desire

Antonio Conte is “extremely happy” with Alvaro Morata, but Romelu Lukaku was his first-choice signing.

The Blues spent a club-record fee of £57million to sign Morata in the summer, and the Spaniard has scored ten goals in 20 games.

But former Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo has confirmed that Lukaku was Conte’s priority signing, before the Belgian joined Manchester United instead.

“As everybody knows in every walk of life, you develop an idea and you have a policy in mind and you have an intent, and if it doesn’t go the way you want, there is some level of disappointment,” Emenalo, who has since joined Monaco, told talkSPORT.

“But I can tell you today Conte is extremely happy with Alvaro Morata, and I think that is down to Morata and is also down to the fantastic work they do at Cobham.”

Emenalo added, of Conte’s previous disputes with the club over transfers: “There are no ill feelings now, I think he’s moved on from that and he’s just focused on trying to get through what is a tough schedule and try to find some rhythm with the team again.”