Antonio Conte has claimed Chelsea’s young players are not ready to help the club fight for the Premier League title, and admitted he would like to add more Englishmen to his squad.

Conte is attempting to sign three new English players, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Danny Drinkwater and Ross Barkley, before the transfer window shuts, rather than promote Chelsea’s home-grown youngsters.

Conte has allowed Tammy Abraham, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Kurt Zouma and Ola Aina to leave on loan, while Nathaniel Chalobah, who has been included in the latest England squad, and Holland international Nathan Ake have joined Watford and Bournemouth permanently.

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Allowing so many youngsters to go while trying to sign English players has raised question marks over Conte’s commitment to youth. Sunday’s opponents, Everton, started with eight English players, five of whom were aged 24 or under, in their last Premier League outing against Manchester City. Chelsea did not field a single English player in the victory over Tottenham Hotspur and are unlikely to do so against Everton, with captain Gary Cahill still suspended.

“To have a core of English players is important,” said Conte. “It’s something I value but, above all, to have a core of good English players. Not only English players.”

Chelsea have not had a home-grown player become a regular fixture in the side since John Terry, who left Chelsea this summer to join Aston Villa. Conte defended his record of giving opportunities to young players by adding: “Last season, Chalobah played some games, Loftus-Cheek played some games, Ake played the semi-final of the FA Cup, Aina in the League Cup and Kenedy, too. The question is this: Manchester City and other clubs, are their players from the academy playing regularly? I don’t know. But if there are young players who deserve to play regularly and give me a good feeling, then why not?

Nathaniel Chalobah was sold to Watford credit: ACTION IMAGES

“I put Paul Pogba at 18 into the Juventus team, for Claudio Marchisio. But you must have players who are ready to play regularly with Chelsea, a great team. Otherwise, it’s very difficult to make this decision. You must decide if you want to fight for the title or develop your young players. Two different ways.

“Show me young players who deserve to play regularly for Chelsea and I’m ready to pick them. Don’t forget my first game in Serie A, I was only 16. I’m the first person open to do this because another coach did this with me. But, I repeat, you must have the possibilities to do this. Not to invent them.”

Wayne Rooney will be looking for his third successive Premier League goal since rejoining Everton. Conte insists a teenage Rooney would have been given a chance under him, but does not see many English youngsters who are ready to play for Chelsea.

“Rooney showed his potential when he was 17 and not only did he keep his level, but he improved it,” said Conte. “We’re talking about an icon of football in general. But it’s not easy to have many Rooneys. It’s rare.

Chelsea are keen to sign Everton's Ross Barkley credit: GETTY IMAGES

“It’s very difficult to find. Now, Marcus Rashford. That’s one player who has shown he is strong physically, fast technically, and a really good player. But it’s not easy. Now Andreas Christensen after two seasons on loan to develop himself in Germany stays with us. But he has to fight with David Luiz, Gary Cahill, [Cesar] Azpilicueta, Antonio Rudiger to play.

“If there is the possibility to play, I’ll put him in. But it’s very important the young players are ready to play. Otherwise, you provoke damage to the players. Also to the club and the team.”

Chelsea have won the FA Youth Cup for four successive years and beat Manchester City 6-2 on aggregate in last season’s final, but Conte has suggested the club will continue to send their best youngsters out on loan.

“Young players must be ready, must be good to play with a great team, to play regularly,” said Conte. “Usually in this type of football, there is a path for the young players. It’s very difficult to see players when they are 16, 17, 18 years old playing regularly. And they have to develop and then come back to play regularly with a great team. This is the right way.

“I repeat, I like to work with young players. Last season, if you saw our squad, we had eight players from the academy and we won the League with eight players from the academy, and 14 or 15 senior players.”