Chelsea complete deadline day moves for Davide Zappacosta and Danny Drinkwater

They may have missed out on signing Everton playmaker Ross Barkley, but it’s not all deadline day disappointment for Chelsea. They’ve completed two late signings, bringing in wing-back Davide Zappacosta from Torino, and central midfielder Danny Drinkwater from Leicester City. They may not have been the eye-catching arrivals that the Stamford Bridge faithful had hoped for, but they add much-needed depth to Antonio Conte’s squad.

The 25-year-old Zappacosta has made four appearances for the Italian national team since being handed his first cap last year, and offers experience playing as a wing-back that should enable him to slot straight into Conte’s preferred formation. Though he won’t be expecting to waltz into the first team, he’s doubtless a useful addition to a rather short-staffed side. He’s believed to be setting the club back something in the region of £25 million.

Drinkwater, meanwhile, arrives to bolster the Blues’ central midfield options. The 27-year-old three-time England international was instrumental as Leicester City made their stunning run to the Premier League title a couple of seasons ago, though has struggled to hit those same heights since. Nevertheless, he’s a more than serviceable defensive midfielder, and offers plenty of Premier League experience. Leicester have reportedly held out for a fee in the region of £30 million, and are moving to replace Drinkwater with Sporting Lisbon central midfielder Adrien Silva.