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Sarri waiting on second Chelsea signing

Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri is keen to see a midfielder following striker signing Gonzalo Higuain to Stamford Bridge this week.

Published : Jan 29, 2019 19:25 IST

Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri
Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri
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Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri

Maurizio Sarri has repeated his wish for Chelsea to make a second January signing in order to replace Cesc Fabregas.

Two-time Premier League champion Fabregas departed Stamford Bridge for Monaco this month but the only player to arrive at Chelsea in recent weeks has been Gonzalo Higuain, the forward himself replacing Alvaro Morata.

One reported midfield target Leandro Paredes completed a move to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, but links to Barcelona star Ivan Rakitic have also now emerged.

And Sarri retains hope with just two days of the transfer window remaining.

"You know my opinion; I thought it was important to have two players," Sarri told a news conference on Tuesday. "One has arrived. I am waiting for another.

"If he arrived, I will be very happy. But I won't be too worried. I am happy to play with these players."

Discussing his options in midfield if no new signing were to arrive, Sarri turned his attention to teenager Ethan Ampadu and loan star Mateo Kovacic.

"Ampadu didn't play very well in that position [against Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday], but he is very young," the Blues boss said. "It is a new position.

"In the second half, we tried that with Mateo and he can move the ball very fast and clean. We have to see if he can play there in a defensive match, then we can try."

Chelsea was handed a boost in the build-up to Wednesday's away match against Bournemouth as Callum Wilson - a reported Blues target before Higuain joined the club - is a doubt for the Cherries.

"Callum is going to be a doubt for the game," said Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe. "It's a knee problem but we're going to wait and see. We're going to give him all the time he needs to try to get fit for this game."

Howe added that Bournemouth has had no contact from any club regarding former Chelsea defender Nathan Ake, who has also been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.

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