Chelsea will look to bring in new recruits before the transfer window closes on Sept. 1 but will make do with the existing squad if they have to, manager Thomas Tuchel said.
Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Southampton, Tuchel said he was fully focused on their opponents as they look to make it three victories from five games after beating Leicester City 2-1 last time out.
“Right now we could need more players in some positions but it’s close to the end of the transfer window and when Sept. 1 comes I will be a happy coach no matter what happens,” Tuchel told a news conference.
“I will try to find solutions and not think about what could have happened.”
Chelsea have been linked with Leicester defender Wesley Fofana and Barcelona striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
“All that matters is the reality and the moment now and what will matter at Southampton is to find a way to win, step up individually and push the team. This is what we will do whether players come or not,” Tuchel added.
Chelsea cruised to a 6-0 win over Southampton last season, but Tuchel said his team cannot take their 13th-placed opponents lightly at St Mary’s.
“What you can always expect at Southampton is a physical game, a running game and a high-intensity game,” Tuchel said. “So we need to recover well and be well prepared to have a chance to repeat what we did last season.”
Transfer number 18 for Nottingham Forest
Heavy-spending Nottingham Forest still isn’t done in this transfer window.
The promoted club announced the signing of Brazil left back Renan Lodi from Atlético Madrid on a season-long loan on Monday, taking the number of players signed since sealing a return to the Premier League to a staggering 18.
The 24-year-old Lodi has played 15 times for Brazil and is on course to make its squad for the World Cup. He made 118 appearances in three seasons with Atlético.
Forest, back in England’s top division for the first time since 1999, has had to bulk out its squad since earning promotion because it had lots of players on loan last season while many others in the squad were viewed as simply not good enough to play in the Premier League.
Having signed 16 players at a cost of $150 million, putting the team at No. 3 on the list of the heaviest spending clubs in Europe behind Chelsea and Barcelona, Forest has since bought South Korea striker Hwang Ui-jo from French club Bordeaux on Friday — and immediately loaned him to Greek champions Olympiakos — and now Lodi.
Forest has started the Premier League with a win, a draw and two losses from its first four games.
With input from agencies.
