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Thomas Tuchel accepts Chelsea could be left empty-handed in a late bid to bolster their squad before the transfer window closes.
The Blues are thought to be still targeting moves for Leicester City defender Wesley Fofana and Everton forward Anthony Gordon, as new owner Todd Boehly chases reinforcements.
A host of other players have been linked with Chelsea and ultimately not arrived during recent months, and head coach Tuchel is taking nothing as read.
Asked how many players Chelsea might hope to bring in before the window shuts on September 1, Tuchel said: “We have some ideas, but maybe nobody comes in.
“It’s not a long window anymore, so it closes soon and the focus is on the things we can influence.
“No matter what we want, there are always several parties involved who have to agree.”
Signing both Fofana and Gordon would be expected to cost Chelsea considerably more than £100million.
Fofana will not be involved on Saturday when Leicester visit Chelsea in the Premier League, with the Foxes leaving him out of their plans while uncertainty lingers about the Frenchman’s future.
Tuchel is also unlikely to be particularly visible on matchday, as he is poised to serve a touchline ban. Barring a late reprieve, Tuchel will watch from the stands after being hit with a one-match ban for his spat with Tottenham’s Antonio Conte following the recent 2-2 draw in the London derby.
The Chelsea boss remains aggrieved that Conte was not hit with the same punishment, despite a Football Association explanation of the punishments casting Tuchel as the instigator.
Both men were sent off after a set-to at the final whistle, and a still-smarting Tuchel said on Friday: “I can understand that I get a ban and I get a fine, but what I don’t understand is the other coach does not get the same punishment.”
Tuchel was presented with a list of issues on his plate, including having to pick Chelsea back up after last week’s 3-0 defeat at Leeds United.
He suggested his job “sounds horrible” at the moment but said it with a smile and is optimistic Chelsea will soon be showing their best form.
All the same, he observed that his team are “in transition” and “need to improve”.
It amounts to something close to a personality crisis at the moment, with Tuchel saying: “I’m not 100 per cent sure where we are, how we are, who we are.”
He added: “It’s not only about shouting for players. The squad was strong enough to win a match at Leeds, and by far too strong to lose 3-0.”
The insipid performance has been reviewed, and Tuchel said: “We absolutely dislike to lose and as painful as it is to analyse these things and look at it again, it’s necessary and we always get a response.
“These things, we don’t like them, but they’re maybe sometimes, in a process like this, necessary to sharpen your vision and have a clear view on things.”
