Antonio Conte says Chelsea do not need trophies to be successful and hits out at Manchester clubs' financial muscle

Antonio Conte says it is “already a good season” for Chelsea even if they don’t win any silverware because they are operating at “120%” in a changed market. The Italian argued that Manchester City and United are on a different financial level, illustrated by the wages paid to Alexis Sanchez that his own club were never willing to match.

To bolster his claim, Conte pointed to how Chelsea made an unprecedented “£50m profit” in the transfer market last year – actually £69.2m due to the sale of Oscar – reiterating his belief that the feat was a “little miracle” in the modern game. The only way they can compete is with work, Conte claimed, “not with money”.

Speaking ahead of his side’s EFL Cup semi-final second leg against Arsenal, the manager was asked whether winning that competition would be enough this season, but he went even further.

“For me, this is already a good season. Because we are doing 120%. I’m doing a fantastic job, the same my players. It’s not important if you reach the final or win a trophy or win the league. The most important thing is to see if the coach and players are working very hard and very well. This, for me, is a successful season.

“I think, for sure, in this moment there are two teams in this league who are ‘top’. They stay there. The others have to fight. To fight for a place in the Champions League.”

Asked how this could be true given Chelsea are the defending champions, Conte said: “Last season, I repeat, I think we did a fantastic job and did a little miracle. I repeat, this season is showing this.”

It was put to Conte that such a stance would mark a difference in philosophy for Chelsea, given they have generally been quite ruthless about trophies in the past. He argued that “reality” has changed.

“Yes, but you have to know that the situation changes. Changes. The past can be one way. The present can be in another way. The future can be in another way. The situation changes. What happened three years, 10 years or eight years ago was totally different. Now I think that we have to fight. We have to fight with our work. I think last season we won the league and finished with [£50m] plus [profit in the transfer market]. No one says this.

“We won the league and reached the FA Cup final, and we finished with a profit of £50m in the transfer market. In the past, this had never happened. For this reason, the situation changed. When the situation changes, you have to fight to try to give all of yourself for Chelsea. Now, for sure, United and Manchester City stay there, stay there…

“It’s the same now as [the] Sanchez buy. Now I think Manchester United and Manchester City stay there are and we have to try and build something important to create a basis, and then make success with our work. Not with money. With work.

“I think that, for sure, you can talk about miracles only if you win. If you have a second, third, fourth or fifth... that’s not a miracle, but just a fantastic job. Now it’s not simple to think about doing this [finishing above them] because these big teams continue to improve and invest a lot of money. Then if you continue to have this type of gap... it’s not only here in England.

“These two big clubs can become seriously dangerous for other teams in the world. These two teams are very strong already and want to invest. It’s the same, not for Alexis Sanchez. Only one or two clubs can pay this type of salary. Also, if you want a player, you are faced with this reality. And that is this.”

Conte said Chelsea were “never” in the race for Sanchez due to the salary demands. “We never were in this race. Ever. Especially because, I repeat, one of the reasons was this amount of salary.

“I don’t know [who can pay this], but for sure United. They have paid it. But I don’t know the other teams. But, I repeat, the most important thing is we’re not worried. If you trust in your work and have the patience, and you can understand the right moment, you can improve through work to try and fight these big teams.

“The first thing is I trust in my work. And I think that, if I stay here, for this reason, it’ll be because the club trusts in my work. And not only the money. You can do two types of football: only with money and you pay a lot of money and take the best players; the other way is to try and put a bit of money in and then hard work. We are in the middle. We are working and trying to do our best during the transfer market.

“I think we have to do a big work, and we need to improve with this team. To improve the squad. To create this basis. Don’t forget, in the last couple of years, we lost a lot of old players who wrote the history of this club. There is... I don’t like this word, ‘transition’, but sometimes you have to stop yourself and see the truth.”

Chelsea’s latest financial results showed a £15.3m overall profit for the year, but a profit of player trading of £69.2m.