Antonio Conte admits Chelsea can no longer compete for transfers with Manchester United and City

ANTONIO CONTE claims Chelsea can no longer compete in the transfer market with the two big Manchester clubs.

And the Blues boss fears United and City’s financial power makes them “dangerous” to world football.

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Conte admits his club lost out to United in the race to sign Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez because of the player’s huge wages.

He said:  “Only one or two clubs can pay this type of salary.

"If you want  a player, you are faced with this reality.  We never were in this race, ever.

"Especially because, I repeat, one of the reasons was this amount of salary.”

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United eventually beat rivals City to the superstar striker’s signature in a 4½-year deal worth £505,000 a week.

Conte added: “If you continue to have this type of gap — it’s not only  in England ­— these two big clubs can become seriously dangerous for other teams in the world. They are  strong already and want to invest.”

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The Italian manager also  lost out to United in the battle to sign £75million striker Romelu Lukaku last summer.

Conte said: “It depends upon the players you want.

"If you have money, you can have the best. Otherwise you find other ways to stand up and fight.”

Chelsea hope to clinch a  deal of around £30m for former  City striker Edin Dzeko, whose agent was in London last night.

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