Antonio Conte is convinced he is entering "the most difficult" season of his entire career after warning Chelsea’s squad is too “small” on the eve of their first match of the campaign.

Conte raised the alarm ahead of Sunday’s Community Shield clash with Arsenal, declaring he is still more than one player short of the squad required for his club’s defence of their Premier League crown and return to the Champions League arena.

The Italian’s frustration at Chelsea’s transfer business has been one of the stories of the summer, with talk he could quit tempered only slightly by him signing an improved - but crucially not extended - contract.

And a declaration he is expecting this season to be his toughest ever will only increase the pressure on the club to enter the market again before the window shuts.