Antonio Conte has been reassured that Chelsea will sign at least three more new players to add to his squad by the end of the transfer window with the club ready to rival Manchester United for Paris Saint-Germain right-back Serge Aurier and step up their interest in Virgil van Dijk.

Head coach Conte ideally wants two new wing-backs to provide competition and cover for Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso, and has turned to £27m-rated Aurier, who is also wanted by United, after missing out on Danilo.

Van Dijk was identified as Conte’s top central defensive target at the end of last season and Chelsea were confident of landing the Dutchman from Southampton before he looked set to move to Liverpool.

Liverpool were forced to back away from Van Dijk following accusations they spoke to the player without Southampton’s permission, but Chelsea have retained an interest ever since.

Van Dijk’s dramatic transfer request is likely to prompt a firm enquiry from Chelsea, who will hope that the row between Liverpool and Southampton will hand them an advantage – even if the Jurgen Klopp renews his interest.

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Chelsea and United must both wait to find out if Aurier successfully wins his appeal to quash his conviction for assaulting a police officer last year, and is allowed entry to the UK after being forced to miss a Champions League game at Arsenal last October when border control authorities revoked a visa that had been initially granted.

Conte has complained about the size of his squad heading into the new Premier League season, despite sanctioning the departure of a number of players on permanent or loan deals.

Chelsea’s lack of numbers was highlighted in the Community Shield defeat to Arsenal in which Conte cut an annoyed figure.

But Chelsea remain confident that Conte’s squad will be boosted by more new arrivals with midfield an area they also want to strengthen. Danny Drinkwater, Ross Barkley, Antonio Candreva and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are among the club’s targets.

But the Premier League champions could be fighting a losing battle to try to land one of Conte’s main priorities, left-back Alex Sandro, with Juventus adamant they will not sell the Brazilian.

Ross Barkley has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge credit: REUTERS

So far Chelsea have spent £127.7m this summer on four new signings, Alvaro Morata, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Antonio Rudiger and Willy Caballero, but have also seen Nemanja Matic, Nathan Ake, Nathaniel Chalobah, Asmir Begovic and John Terry depart.

Diego Costa’s career at Chelsea is also over with talks ongoing over a return to Atletico Madrid, following Conte’s text message informing the striker he was no longer part of his plans.

With Bakayoko and Eden Hazard already out of Saturday’s Premier League opener against Burnley, and Victor Moses suspended, captain Gary Cahill has admitted Chelsea cannot afford any more injuries.

Referencing the number of players Arsene Wenger had to call on for the Community Shield in comparison to Conte, Cahill said: “The back of the programme was interesting today, but in terms of quality we've certainly got that and you just have to hope we don't have too many injuries.

“Obviously the new players that have just come, they're going to be vitally important for us and the quicker they settle, the better, but there's no doubt we've added quality to the team.”

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Conte is understood to be particularly concerned about his lack of options for the Champions League and Cahill added: “We’re going to be tested 100 per cent and we'll see how that plays out.

“But we just have to keep everybody fit, keep everybody sharp, rest is going to be important because we're going to have a lot of games, and us as players are in control of what we do personally and the way we prepare ourselves for the games. The other stuff outside of that is kind of none of our business.”

Drinkwater is keen on a switch to Chelsea and could ask Leicester to leave if a bid is made.

Former Chelsea and Leicester goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer believes the midfielder could be a success at Stamford Bridge, saying: “He’s not a Matic, he’s more of a creative player.

“At Leicester last season we saw that he struggled without having N’Golo Kante next to him, but Danny is a very talented young man and has done incredibly well at Leicester.

Danny Drinkwater may reunite with N’Golo Kante at Chelsea credit: Getty Images

“I think he’s capable of making that step up. Whether or not he’s someone who will play week-in week-out, whether he’s good enough to make that step up to be a mainstream player in Chelsea’s first XI, we’ll only know once he makes that step if it happens. But he’s definitely got the ability.”

Chelsea were the first casualties of the ‘ABBA’ penalty shoot-out format against Arsenal and Cahill has admitted he is not a fan of the new system that he still seemed confused by after the Community Shield.

“First impression, not a fan,” said Cahill. “We were 3-1 down before... we've only had one penalty, was it 2-1 or 3-1? We were a couple of goals down after one penalty, so mentally that's different than when you've got one, one, one, one. I went and then obviously 2-1 or 3-1 down or whatever, mentally it's different, so not a fan.”