Maurizio Sarri admits Chelsea’s transfer ban will make a Premier League title challenge ‘very difficult’.
Chelsea were banned from registering new players for two transfer windows in February, a ban which has been upheld by FIFA on appeal.
The ban relates to the breaking of rules regarding the signing of foreign U18 players, and manager Sarri admits it will be difficult for the club to compete at the top without new additions.
“It would be very difficult to cover the gap [to the top of the table] at the moment,” Sarri told the media in his pre-match briefing before tonights Europa League semi-final with Eintracht Frankfurt.
“We need to work. Probably we’d need something from the market. So it’s not easy because the level of the top two is very, very high.
“I don’t believe in buying 10 players. I think we’d have to buy only one or two players. Otherwise it’s very difficult to improve immediately. I think we are a very good team, and so we need only one or two players.”
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See also: Five players who will benefit from Chelsea’s transfer embargo