Chelsea are in China as their preseason preparations begin in earnest, but Antonio Conte knows there are many key issues still to resolve on and off the pitch in the coming weeks if the Blues are to make a convincing start to their Premier League title defence at home to Burnley on Aug. 12.

Concerns over Conte's immediate future at Stamford Bridge have been addressed by the Italian signing new two-year contract. The depleted squad that he has led to the Far East, however, underlines how much work lies ahead of Chelsea in what is proving a very difficult transfer market.

Here are the five crucial questions that Chelsea and Conte will be desperately looking to answer before they return to England next month.

Who replaces Diego Costa?

Manchester United's success in convincing Romelu Lukaku to choose Old Trafford over a return to Stamford Bridge for £75 million has severely disrupted Chelsea's best-laid summer plans. Valuable time and effort was spent working on a deal for the Belgian, and now the Premier League champions are scrambling.

Diego Costa's relationship with Conte has looked damaged beyond repair for some time, and any hope of reconciliation was made more fanciful by images of the 28-year-old wearing an Atletico Madrid shirt as he partied in his home town of Lagarto earlier this week.

Everyone knows Chelsea need to sell Costa, including the clubs who own his likeliest replacements. Real Madrid are playing hard ball over Alvaro Morata; Borussia Dortmund have seemingly closed the door on selling Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang; Torino are demanding too much money for Andrea Belotti.

Chelsea have plenty of cash but no leverage and, as the days pass without a solution, their desperation will only grow.

Who should be the new captain?

Conte spoke towards the end of last season about the importance of Chelsea finding new leaders to fill the void left by departed veterans Branislav Ivanovic, John Obi Mikel and club legend John Terry.

Fortunately the squad has no shortage of credible candidates. Gary Cahill, the captain on the pitch for much of last season, distinguished himself with consistent performances and key goals; David Luiz has matured under Conte and has the personality to hold a dressing room together; Cesar Azpilicueta is the ultimate leader by example; Eden Hazard, who captained Belgium at Euro 2016, is an inspirational talent.

There is no bad choice among those, but the captain Conte chooses will be a good indicator of his long-term vision for this team.

Can wing-back cover be found?

Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses were two of the Premier League's most surprising success stories of last season, and both were vital in providing the width and balance that made Conte's 3-4-3 system so effective.

Both were also impressively durable, making a combined 75 appearances in all competitions. But the return of Champions League football will stretch Conte's thin squad further than before, and neither Alonso nor Moses can be replaced easily by his current personnel.

Chelsea have not given up on a move for Juventus' Alex Sandro, while Danilo is also reportedly a target. The outcome of those pursuits could determine how viable Conte's 3-4-3 proves across four competitions next season.

What is Chelsea's Plan B?

Chelsea's record-equalling 13-match win streak in the Premier League from October to January last season was the stretch in which the title was won.

A key factor was opposing teams' inability to counteract Conte's 3-4-3 system. Chelsea enjoyed the element of surprise and exploited it brilliantly to become champions again, but they will enjoy no such luxury this time around.

Arsenal beat the Blues in the FA Cup final with their own 3-4-3, while United have been experimenting with a three-man defence in the United States this summer. Innovation leads to imitation and, as other smart coaches and talented teams begin to follow Chelsea's lead, Conte must find a new way to give his players an edge.

Can the club match Conte's ambition?

The one blemish on Conte's stellar managerial record is his lack of impact on the Champions League. His campaigns with Juventus were relatively disappointing and he is desperate to fare better with Chelsea.

To do it, he needs the resources. Chelsea are set to lose a world-class striker in Costa and have also sold some of their more promising bench depth in Nathan Ake (Bournemouth) and Nathaniel Chalobah (Watford). The pool of players Conte trusts, already small last season, has shrunk considerably since May.

Given this context, it is telling that Conte's new contract represents a pay rise rather than an extension. By declining to commit to Chelsea beyond 2019, the Italian is well positioned to continue to put pressure on Roman Abramovich and the board to meet his requirements.

A marquee replacement for Costa is a must, but Chelsea need quantity as well as quality if they want to return to the Champions League as genuine contenders. The clock is ticking.

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by LIAM TWOMEY, CHELSEA CORRESPONDENT

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