Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that Chelsea are hoping to sign at least two more players before the summer transfer window closes after suffering "bad luck" within the Chelsea squad due to injury.
Chelsea have already spent more than £320 million ($404 million) on new signings this summer, but Pochettino is now looking to further increase his squad as Chelsea's injury roster continues to grow and nine players need to be ruled out of Friday's Premier League game at home to Luton Town on Friday night.
Mykhailo Mudryk became the latest player to miss a game after a minor injury issue in training this week, while Carney Chukwuemeka, who is expected to recuperate from the injury for about six weeks after undergoing knee surgery on Monday.
New signing Romeo Lavia is not injured but will not make his debut "in a few weeks" as he looks to get back into game form, while Chelsea's current overall situation has prompted Pochettino to be keen to strengthen the squad again before 1 September.
One of Chelsea's newest goalkeepers is former New England Revolution goalkeeper Giorge Petrovich, who is expected to undergo a medical examination immediately before moving for £14m, while Chelsea are also considering bringing in Nottingham Forest's Brennan Johnson and Arsenal's US international Fullarin Ballogon.
Pochettino said in his pre-match press conference on Thursday that "we need at least one goalkeeper". "We have very talented young goalkeepers, but they need time. We need more and then we're talking about an attacking player, a suitable player". "If we can add the right players, yes, but not bring in players, then we can add another one. We don't want to stop the development of some young people, like Brodja, Nkunku. Work hard, but not make decisions because we need people, we may need some players for both positions". "We are trying to find the right players. The most important thing is that we need new forces of players to the team so that there are no problems after that, they can be compatible. That's why it's not easy, but we're trying to do something."
Pochettino believes there is no big reason why Chelsea suffer so many fitness problems. 'It's open, the transfer window, Chelsea Football Club is working, yes, some players and clubs have rumours, maybe it's true, maybe it's not true, we'll let you know when something happens.
Wesley Fofana, Christopher Nkunku and Armando Broja all suffered serious knee injuries, the latter being signed in December before Pochettino's arrival.
Benoit Badiashile and Marcus Bettinelli were also injured last season and have yet to return, Trevoh Chalobah was injured in pre-season warm-up and Reece James suffered a hamstring injury in training.
Pochettino continued: "Many of them are unlucky, Nkunku, Carni or Fofana. How can you control it? It has nothing to do with training or training effort or method, which sometimes happens". "In some other cases, many factors have an impact. It is difficult to talk about it in general terms because the situation is different. And the past. There are many factors. We need to talk about Carney, we need to talk about Broja, Mudric, and explain why, but it's hard to explain why. In general, you can talk about bad luck or bad training, many factors will influence. Of course, Carney, Broja, Fofana, Nkunku had bad luck".
Pochettino also insisted he was "relaxed" by the uncertainty about Romelu Lukaku's future, although he has not spoken to the Belgian striker since taking over as head coach on July 1.
Chelsea would have wanted to sell Romelu Lukaku but have yet to receive a satisfactory offer from Juventus – considered the Belgian striker's preferred destination, who has also turned down interest from a Saudi Pro League side.
Pochettino also said: "If the players and the club want to find a solution, it's not me, it's them". "In this case, players and clubs meet to inform me that the situation has changed. I won't say no until Chelsea FC or the players want to talk to me. I am here, and I accept the circumstances in which I came." "I saw Klapp say I'm not going to be in this business when we should pay £100m and then they bid £100m and he said 'Oh, I made a mistake.' The same is true. In football, the dynamics are fast, change a lot and we need to keep going". "Today, nothing has changed. If anything changes, we will adapt to the new situation."
