Antonio Conte has looked back on Chelsea’s memorable 2016/17 Premier League title-winning campaign, describing the triumph as an achievement that came with the club entering the season as underdogs.
Conte, who guided Chelsea to the league title in his first season in England, recalled that the squad had not been built around a collection of major-name signings. Instead, Chelsea strengthened with David Luiz, Marcos Alonso and N’Golo Kante.
The Italian manager particularly highlighted Kante, revealing that Chelsea repeatedly questioned whether the French midfielder was the right signing.
Conte admitted that even he initially had some doubts when he first saw Kante, particularly because of his physical appearance, but quickly became convinced that the midfielder possessed exceptional quality.
His confidence proved justified. Kante became a key figure in Chelsea’s title-winning campaign, combining his energy, defensive ability and intelligence with the tactical system Conte introduced.
Conte’s recollection underlines how Chelsea’s success that season was not simply built on superstar recruitment. The right tactical approach, strong team chemistry and the impact of players such as Kante, Alonso and Luiz helped transform the Blues into champions.
For many Chelsea supporters, Kante’s arrival remains one of the defining moments of that era, with the midfielder going on to establish himself as one of the Premier League’s outstanding players.