Mauricio Pochettino says Chelsea are “working hard” to add new signings to the squad after having a bid rejected by Brighton for midfielder Moises Caicedo.
Brighton have knocked back a bid worth £70m for Caicedo, who is keen to join Chelsea this summer.
The Blues are in desperate need to add to the midfield having let Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and N’Golo Kante all leave the club this summer.
And while the new Chelsea boss would not be drawn on specific names, he insists he and the recruitment team at the club are working hard to add new faces to the squad in the near future.
“All of the team are working very hard to get what we want,” he said.
“I don’t want to speak about specific names. Like us, many clubs are working to sign a player to improve their team.
“We are working really hard to finish the squad. I think the players are showing commimtment and working so well.
“We are so happy with the way they are working. We need to work during this pre-season to be a really strong squad and then to evolve in the way we want to play and to apply the concept we expect from them.
“I want the right profiles to come in and improve the squad. As soon as possible is better than later but we need to work really hard for the target we have.
“Arriving today is better than tomorrow but we know it’s difficult.”
Romelu Lukaku, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Hakim Ziyech have all been left out of the Chelsea squad for their pre-season tour of the USA amid uncertainty over their futures.
And Pochettino says it was agreed between the club and the players that it was best for them not to be involved.
“When this type of decision is made, it’s because all agree. The players and the club are working hard to try and find best solution,” he added.
