COMMENT: Whatever his real thoughts on Chelsea's top brass, Antonio Conte can be sure of one thing - they won't be sitting on their hands this week.
This is where Chelsea's directors come into their own. From Fernando Torres and David Luiz. To Michael Hector and Papy Djilobodji. The final days of a transfer window - whether it's good or bad - are always dominated by Chelsea headlines.
On Chelsea time, they've started early. A fee has been struck with Arsenal for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. And it appears the same happened late on Monday with Leicester City regarding Danny Drinkwater. Not exactly the exotic, foreign names to get the pulse racing. But two England internationals. And two players both the manager and the owner are in agreement over.
For anyone doubting which way Chelsea would go this week, Conte was clear after victory over Everton: "To have a core of English players, is important.
"But above all, to have a core of 'good' English players. Is it something I value? Yes, I do."
That may sound strange, coming from an Italian manager. But Conte was echoing the thoughts of Roman Abramovich, the Blues owner, who has long retained a desire to see a strong local presence in Chelsea's squad.
Chelsea's domination of the FA Youth Cup with an overwhelmingly locally-raised team is no coincidence. The direction has come from the top. Millions has been poured into the club's academy system, but where rivals have raided Europe to boost their youth teams, Chelsea have focused on recruiting locally.
Even this month, AC Milan pair Riccardo Tonin and Patrick Cutrone were offered by intermediaries to Chelsea. But the response wasn't exactly enthusiastic. Both are on Chelsea's radar, indeed Paolo Vanoli, Conte's new No2, has been happy to fill any gaps in their scouting reports after working with Cutrone as Italy U19 coach. But the message from above is clear, at every turn, give the local the first opportunity.
Which is why it is perhaps a surprise to see Conte persist in attempts to prise Fernando Llorente from Swansea City.
We say perhaps, because there's no need for second guessing why Llorente is on the manager's shopping list. Llorente, himself, confirmed an approach from Chelsea in January. Paul Clement, Swansea's manager, has admitted there remains a possibility of losing the Spaniard to the champions. And for Conte, well he knows all about Llorente from their time together at Juventus. And he clearly sees the Spaniard as an experienced alternative to Alvaro Morata and Michy Batshuayi.
But should he?
In January, it made sense. Diego Costa was playing up. There was the threat of losing him the following month to China. And Conte had little confidence in a very raw Batshuayi. Llorente offered something steady. Reliable. The complete opposite to what the manager was experiencing in Cobham at the time.
But today?
Morata is through the door. Scoring goals and breaking records. Batshuayi, after an impressive preseason, has no interest in walking away. A third centre-forward of similar qualities just seems like overkill. He has his pinch hitter in Batshuayi. Would Llorente really offer anything more?
There has been mention this past week of enquiries after Jamie Vardy. During negotiations over Drinkwater, Chelsea's chief dealmaker, Marina Granovskaia, has also asked Leicester about a price for their No9.
More than Llorente, a move from Conte for Vardy does add up. After near 18 months in the job, the Italian still hasn't found his new Tevez. Regular readers of this column will be aware of the anecdote of Carlos Tevez, buzzing around the streets of Buenos Aires and taking a call from Conte just days after he'd agreed terms with Abramovich. Conte wanted his old Juve striker to join him in London and play alongside Costa. But the Argentine had already settled on world record terms with Shanghai Shenhua and was forced to decline.
That need for a busy, bustling - indeed spiky - attacker, capable of working around a centre-forward, still remains. Vardy certainly fits the mould and would offer Conte much more variety in his selection than Llorente.
A fee of £40m has been raised and there's a belief Leicester won't stand in his way should Vardy ask to be sold. After last summer's dramatic rejection of Arsenal, it's unlikely Leicester will repay such a show of loyalty by blocking Vardy from moving south.
Conte wants a striker. Llorente remains the favourite. But we also know Chelsea are buying English this week. And the communication lines with Leicester are wide open.
They do like the drama at Chelsea. Vardy on deadline day? Could you really put it past them?
