Roman Abramovich set to back Chelsea boss Antonio Conte in January transfer window after training ground meeting

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is ready to back Antonio Conte after telling the Italian he will be allowed to make several signings in the January transfer window.

A meeting took place at their Cobham training ground this week in which Conte reiterated his requirements to Chelsea’s hierarchy, stressing that he should be given license to spend.

Insiders say Chelsea’s new boss feels he has inherited an outdated squad – one that won the Premier League two years ago but is incapable of reproducing that title-winning form.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has vowed to splash the cash again in January

Manager Antonio Conte has been left frustrated with performances and wants new faces in

Conte wants to rebuild and it is understood Abramovich’s right-hand woman, Marina Granovskaia, is being tasked with sounding out several of his targets.

This season has seen Abramovich frequently visit Cobham, often overseeing training sessions from a distance. He tends not to interact with the players but this week met Conte for lunch.

It came after Chelsea suffered successive losses to Arsenal and Liverpool to leave them in eighth position in the Premier League.

Only £32million midfielder N'Golo Kante was one of Conte's main targets during the summer

The old guard, such as Branislav Ivanovic (right), still remain and Chelsea want to rebuild

N'Golo Kante came in for criticism following their Emirates Stadium defeat but was the only Chelsea signing in the summer who was on Conte's original list of targets.

David Luiz and Marcos Alonso - two other additions - were late buys, while Chelsea sporting director Michael Emenalo was believed to be behind the move for Michy Batshuayi.

David Luiz was recently re-signed for big money, yet Chelsea's defence has gone downhill

Middlesbrough's Ben Gibson is one of the names who have been linked with the Blues

Chelsea won the title in 2014-15 and some of the stars of that season are still at Stamford Bridge, including 32-year-old Branislav Ivanovic and Gary Cahill, 30.

They are among those who are unlikely to ever reproduce the form that saw Chelsea crowned champions, and Conte wants his weak links replacing sooner rather than later.

With Abramovich’s approval, that is set to start in January.