Maurizio Sarri on Friday refused to be drawn on the prospect of Gonzalo Higuain joining Chelsea, with the Blues head coach insisting he is not spending his energy on transfers.
Higuain, who is on loan at AC Milan from Juventus, has been linked with a reunion with Sarri, who was his boss at Napoli.
Asked how close Higuain was to signing, Sarri said: “I don’t know. I want to be clear, because I cannot help you.”
Sarri is leaving Chelsea’s transfer activity to director Marina Granovskaia.
“I spoke with Marina two weeks ago, so Marina knows very well my opinion how to improve the team,” added the 60-year-old Italian, who was speaking ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash at Arsenal.
“Then I decide to be focused on the pitch, on matches, on training.
“I don’t call her every evening, otherwise I spend all my mental energy on the market and I think it’s better if I spend all my mental energies on the pitch, so I am not able to help you.”
Cesc Fabregas left Chelsea a week ago for Monaco and the Blues are yet to recruit a replacement, with Zenit St Petersburg’s Leandro Paredes linked.
Asked about the delay in a replacement arriving, Sarri said: “I am not frustrated at the moment.”
Alvaro Morata, who joined from Real Madrid for £60million in July 2017, has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge.
Sarri says the Spain striker, who has been linked with Atletico Madrid in recent days, is available to face Arsenal and that the rumours are part of the transfer window.
“For him I think it’s a very difficult moment, but it’s normal for a player in January to be in the market,” added Sarri, who omitted Morata from his squad for last week’s win over Newcastle.
“And so I think he’s available (to play). And then like in the last match I can choose something different.”