Conte addresses Chelsea transfer latest regarding Dzeko, Palmieri, Giroud, Llorente, Batshuayi and David Luiz

Antonio Conte has reiterated the he will be "happy" regardless of whether Chelsea make any signings before the end of the transfer window with the Italian boss remaining coy over the Blues' ongoing pursuit of a new striker and AS Roma full-back Emerson Palmieri.

Earlier this month the Premier League champions bolstered Conte's midfield with the addition of Ross Barkley from Everton but he still wants a new number nine and a left-back to provide competition for Alvaro Morata and Marcos Alonso ahead of the second half of the season.

The Chelsea boss is still confident of bringing in new players but he insisted that he won't have any problem working with his current squad if no new faces arrive before Wednesday's [31 January] deadline.

"I can hope for everything. But the most important thing is reality. Now the reality is this. I have to prepare the game in the right way with these players, and I'm very happy to do this," the Chelsea boss said as quoted by Football.London ahead of the Premier League clash with Bournemouth on Wednesday 31 January

"As you know very well, I always say that I would be happy in both cases: if the club decides to add players. Otherwise I'm very happy to work with these players because they show me every day great behaviour and great commitment. My only hope is this transfer window finishes very soon, especially because that means you can change this line of questioning for me."

Reports in Italy last week suggested that Chelsea were in advanced negotiations with AS Roma to sign both former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko and Brazil full-back Palmieri.

On Monday [29 January], Sky Italy reported that the Blues remain on course to sign Palmieri in a deal worth £17.6m plus £7m in add-ons.

However, Dzeko's arrival has fallen through with the former City forward demanding a three-and-half-year deal worth around £120,000 per week to make a return to the Premier League.

Conte appeared to confirm those reports after claiming that he thinks that the Bosnia international will remain at the Serie A side.

"I don't like speaking about players from other teams, but I think he's Roma's player. I think he will continue to be Roma's player," the Chelsea boss when asked about Dzeko.

Quizzed about the expected arrival of Palmieri, he added: "If you remember, I said that, in case the club decides to send on loan Kenedy [to Newcastle], we have two options: to buy another player, or to work with a young player like [Dujon] Sterling, who is a young player and a very good prospect for Chelsea. If there is news, the club will inform you about Palmieri."

"I don't remember Palmieri because he only came to Italy last season, when he had an important season for Rome. Then he had a bad injury. He broke his ligaments. Now he's recovering. I don't know if he's ready to play. I know that he played only one game in the Italian club against Torino. But we are talking about a player of another team in this moment."

On Monday night, it emerged that Chelsea have identified Arsenal's Olivier Giroud and Tottenham Hotspur's Fernando Llorente as two alternatives to Dzeko.

Reports in recent hours have claimed that Chelsea have already agreed personal terms with Giroud but negotiations with Arsenal are still ongoing as the Gunners do not want to let him go on the cheap to a direct rival.

Pressed about the pursuit of the Arsenal striker, Conte said: "As I said before, I gave my opinion to my club. Then the club is trying to do the best in the transfer market. I can speak about specific characteristics of the players, or the role that we can improve. But we are talking about the players of another team. I think it's right to continue to have respect for other players."

Llorente remains as the back-up to Giroud with Conte having already tried to sign the current Tottenham star from Swansea both in January last year and in the summer.

"In the summer, it was the summer," stated Conte on the failed approach six months ago. "Now it is January and it is winter. It's a different situation. I repeat, we are talking about players of other teams."

Meanwhile, Michy Batshuayi's future at Chelsea also remains under question with the striker expected to leave Stamford Bridge if the English champions sign a new striker before the transfer window closes.

The Belgium international has been tipped to join Borussia Dortmund on loan to replace Arsenal-bound Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

However, Conte said that he still belongs to Chelsea and is in contention to face Bournemouth on Wednesday night.

Batshuayi scored two goals during Chelsea's 3-0 victory over Newcastle on Sunday [28 January] to help the Blues book a place in the FA Cup fifth round and Conte may be forced to use him again for the visit of Bournemouth as Alvaro Morata and Willian remain on the sidelines.

"Yes, he's in contention for tomorrow's game. I don't know [about his potential move to Dortmund]. But now he's a Chelsea player. For this reason, he's in contention for tomorrow's game. Also because I have Morata injured and I don't have other options. Especially as Willian is also injured. Hazard can play number nine, so I'd need to find another number 10," Conte stated.

David Luiz has been linked with a move away from Chelsea since Conte left him out of the squad for the 1-0 victory over Manchester United on 5 November.

The Brazilian has since missed a number of games due to ill-time injuries and will remain unavailable when Bournemouth visit Stamford Bridge on deadline day,

"He's injured," responded the ex-Juventus boss when asked if Luiz could make a late move away from west London. "He was injured two days before the game against Newcastle. An injury in his ankle. He's trying to recover and needs a bit of time to recover."