Chelsea

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has spoken of his admiration for Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani amid continued speculation linking the player with a move to Stamford Bridge. 

The veteran forward appears destined to leave the Parc des Princes this month and is reportedly on the agenda of a number of high-profile sides from all over Europe.

Speaking ahead of his team's clash with Arsenal in the Premier League on Tuesday, Lampard was asked about the Uruguay international and didn't rule out a possible move for the striker in January. He said:

"He's a great player. I played against him, and I always loved his mentality and attitude, and obviously his goalscoring record speaks for itself.

"I'm not absolutely aware of what the situation is, so we'll see. He's an experienced player, but so are many other players out there.

"I think we are young, and we know about the transitions. The idea of bringing in experience is something I'm certainly not absolutely looking away from, because sometimes the young players need a little bit of help, and if that's the case then that may help us."

Per Jacob Steinberg of the Guardian, the Chelsea boss declined the chance to end any speculation:

Lampard not exactly shutting down possibility of Chelsea going for Cavani #cfc

— Jacob Steinberg 🎗️ (@JacobSteinberg) January 20, 2020

Lampard added that "nothing is imminent" regarding possible incoming players.

Speculation surrounding Cavani's future is poised to ramp up in the coming days, with PSG sporting director Leonardo confirming the forward has asked to leave in January, per Andrew Steel of Goal.

Per Steel, in addition to Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Manchester United have been strongly linked with a move for the striker. The 32-year-old's contract is set to run out at the end of the season, meaning he is free to hold talks with possible suitors with a view to signing a pre-contract for next season.

Kieran Canning of Agence France-Presse believes the striker would be a sensible acquisition for Manchester United too:

Thought Cavani was the obvious name when Solskjaer was also talking about "short-term" solutions yesterday https://t.co/3HDjaxnp90

— Kieran Canning (@KieranCanning) January 20, 2020

Cavani has only made 14 appearances this season for PSG, having suffered with injury issues and fallen behind Mauro Icardi in the pecking order.

A move would make sense as a result, and for Chelsea he would potentially be a savvy acquisition:

If targets aren't available until the summer, then @ChelseaFC need to at least try for Cavani on a years contract. No brainer for me, lethal, experienced and will eat up those Reece James crosses.

— Simon Phillips (@siphillipssport) January 20, 2020

Under Lampard's guidance, Tammy Abraham has flourished this season. However, when the England international is not able to have an impact, the Blues lack quality options on the bench; neither Olivier Giroud nor Michy Batshuayi appear to have convinced the manager they are a capable back-up.

Cavani would provide competition for Abraham and give Chelsea another serious goal threat. However, if a player of his pedigree is available this month, the Blues are unlikely to be the only club in the market for him.

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has confirmed neither Willian nor Ross Barkley will be leaving the club in January amid recent transfer speculation.

Willian's contract with the Blues is up at the end of the campaign, meaning he can speak to overseas clubs about a summer move. Meanwhile, Barkley has been linked with a loan switch, with West Ham United showing an interest, according to Darren Lewis of the Daily Mirror.

Ahead of Chelsea's trip to Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday, Lampard made it clear that both Barkley and Willian will be staying at Stamford Bridge, per Oliver Harbord and Alan Smith of Football.London:

"There's no talk here of Ross Barkley going anywhere. He is our player, he played the last couple of games and he has done very well and because of certain circumstances, Ross hasn't featured as much here.

"But, I have got a lot of faith in Ross. That was just news I heard like everyone else this week and I have no feeling towards it. I am very happy with him.

"... Willian is not going anywhere. We know his contract is up at the end of the season and he is in conversations with the club which is still ongoing. There's no news on that. He is certainly our player."

According to James Olley of the Evening Standard, Lampard is determined to keep Willian at the club, although Chelsea have yet to offer him the two-year extension he wants. Barcelona, AC Milan, Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur are all said to have shown an interest in the winger.

Per Kaveh Solhekol of Sky Sports News, the Brazilian has made it clear he would like to stay at Chelsea for a long time:

Interviewed Willian today. Says he’d stay at Chelsea until he’s 40 if he could. Loves Chelsea. Wants to stay. Talks with club about new deal ongoing. Rules out leaving in January. Out of contract in the summer.

— Kaveh Solhekol (@SkyKaveh) December 24, 2019

Chelsea writer Mark Worrall said he would like to see Willian stay but thinks Barkley would benefit from a transfer:

https://twitter.com/gate17marco/status/1217723779780091904

When West Ham boss David Moyes was asked about potential signings in January, he said the club is "not close" to any acquisitions.

Lampard also provided an update on the possible departure of striker Olivier Giroud. "The good thing about Oli is that he is so experienced," he said. "I have a good relationship with him as does the club so again, if all circumstances are right it could happen. While it is not, he is our player."

According to football journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Frenchman is close to a move to Inter Milan:

Giroud only wants to join Inter. The agreement between Inter and Chelsea is now ready to be finalized for €5M+add ons. Talks ongoing to complete everything and prepare his medicals in Milano. 🔵 #Chelsea #CFC #Giroud https://t.co/x4CGv5CPsi

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 15, 2020

Chelsea remain in contention for a top-four spot in the Premier League, as well as the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup this season, meaning Lampard will need a big squad to call upon.

Willian has offered quality and experience to a young Blues side, scoring five goals in 27 appearances across all competitions. Barkley will be hoping to get more opportunities to prove he can be a regular, with only 11 Chelsea appearances to his name so far this season.

Gonzalo Higuain has said his form was "not bad" when he spent six months on loan at Chelsea last season but that he "could have done better."

After struggling in the first half of the 2018-19 campaign on loan at AC Milan from Juventus, the Argentinian joined up with former manager Maurizio Sarri at Stamford Bridge in January.

In 14 Premier League appearances, the striker scored five goals, two of them coming in his second Blues game against Huddersfield Town.

Higuain was part of a side that finished third in the Premier League and won the UEFA Europa League, however, and he believes that is a sign of a good spell in west London, per Jason Burt in the Telegraph:

"I could have done better. But I think what I did is not bad, and then we managed to win the Europa League and reached the Champions League, so they were good results. People expected more from me, but I think the goals were fine in that short time.

"If you are a good player then people expect everything from you. But sometimes people don't take into account that you are coming from a different league, from the Italian one that is completely different, to the Premier League. People don't consider the fact that I played there for only a few months."

Higuain is now back at Juve, playing under Sarri at a third different club.

Their first spell together was at Napoli, with whom the former Real Madrid forward netted 36 Serie A goals in the 2015-16 season, an Italian record:

No player in Serie A history has scored more goals in a single season than Gonzalo Higuaín in 2015/16 for Napoli.

🔵 35 games
⚽️ 36 goals

All under Maurizio Sarri. pic.twitter.com/GK9eLPREba

— Squawka (@Squawka) January 17, 2019

It is clear that Higuain enjoys working under the 61-year-old, as he shared, per Burt: "There's no doubt Mr Sarri is the one who gets the best out of me. He never gives up. Sarri is so stubborn and, with me, it helps."

Juve are locked in an intriguing title battle with Antonio Conte's Inter Milan this term. They moved to the top of the table at the weekend after beating Roma because Inter could only draw with Atalanta:

#SerieATIM update after 19 matchdays. 📊⤵️#WeAreCalcio pic.twitter.com/mjxpI9C4uf

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) January 13, 2020

Higuain has some serious competition for a starting spot in the Juve side, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala both in the squad.

He has started 11 out of 19 Serie A games this term and made six appearances from the bench, and he has a respectable return of five goals and four assists.

Higuain was on the scoresheet again on Wednesday when Juve beat Udinese 4-0 in the Coppa Italia. They are back in action at home in Serie A against Parma on Sunday. 

Chelsea have wasted little time ensuring Reece James' future will be at Stamford Bridge, following the 20-year-old's breakout performance during Saturday's 3-0 win over Burnley in the Premier League. 

The raiding right-back put pen to paper on a new contract on Thursday, with the fresh terms set to run for five-and-a-half-years, per the club's official website.

James, who has been a fixture in Frank Lampard's team for the last three matches, called it a "dream to be here at Chelsea and play week in week out and to have a contract for another five-and-a-half years is living the dream again."

Chelsea director Maria Granovskaia hailed the new contract as further proof of the excellence of the club's youth setup:

"The smooth way Reece has fitted into the team so quickly despite missing the start of the season has been clear for everyone to see, and the fact another exciting young player is part of the future of the club is a result of great work by our Academy, our loans department, our new coaching staff and of course the player himself."

More of this man on the way! 🔥 @ReeceJames_24 pic.twitter.com/vwNFXGostK

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 16, 2020

The strength of the Blues' academy has been obvious, with club legend Lampard making young talent the foundation of his team. It's proved a smart ploy given the quality of the academy graduates at his disposal.

Tammy Abraham has made the centre-forward position his own, leading the club with 15 goals in all competitions, despite being just 22. The latest of those goals came via a James assist against the Clarets.

It was part of an outstanding display from the defender who spent last season on loan at Wigan Athletic. James tore through Burnley with pace, strength and timing.

His eye for a quality delivery was proved by numbers matched by two other more former members of the Blues' finishing school:

Most chances created during Chelsea 3-0 Burnley:

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Callum Hudson-Odoi (3)
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Reece James (3)
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Mason Mount (3)

Made in Chelsea. pic.twitter.com/JF7gd9Us04

— Squawka (@Squawka) January 11, 2020

Making a long-term investment in James' continued development is smart business from Chelsea, according to Simon Johnson of the London Evening Standard:

Early days but Chelsea’s right flank could carry a real attacking threat for several years to come with Callum Hudson-Odoi and Reece James working in tandem. Will save them a few bob in the transfer market too.

— Simon Johnson (@SJohnsonSport) January 11, 2020

The promise of more to come is underpinning Chelsea's fresh outlook under Lampard. It's a risk for a club traditionally content to spend big on proven stars since Roman Abramovich assumed ownership in 2003.

However, the decision to quickly tie James to a new deal shows the Chelsea hierarchy is fully behind Lampard's vision for a younger team built to succeed for the long haul.

Christian Pulisic has said he hopes to return from injury in "the next couple weeks" and expects Chelsea to strengthen during the January transfer window.

The United States told ESPN's Jeff Carlisle that he is working hard to recover from an adductor injury picked up in training and does not expect to be sidelined for too long:

"It's been almost a week, and I'm just kind of taking it day by day. I'm just rehabbing every day. I'm doing my best to be back in the next week, the next couple weeks. I don't think it should be too long, so I'm just working every day, doing everything I can to be back on the pitch."

Pulisic's injury is a blow for both player and club after he shrugged off a tough start to life at Stamford Bridge to shine for the Blues.

The summer signing from Borussia Dortmund has played his way into Frank Lampard's starting XI, netting six goals and contributing a healthy five assists in 2019-20.

Three of those goals came against Burnley in October as Pulisic grabbed a memorable perfect hat-trick by scoring goals with his right foot, left foot and head: 

Christian Pulisic's perfect hat-trick 👌pic.twitter.com/hqm76FvY6m

— GOAL (@goal) January 11, 2020

Chelsea are currently in fourth place in the Premier League table but are expected to spend in the January transfer window after having their transfer embargo reduced on appeal by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS):

BREAKING: Chelsea's transfer ban has been halved, meaning they are free to buy players in January 💸 pic.twitter.com/64jnKqKc47

— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 6, 2019

Lampard has £150 million to spend and wants to bring in another attacker and a left-sided defender, according to the Guardian's David Hytner.

Pulisic said he is not afraid of competition for places at Stamford Bridge and expects some transfer activity in west London:

"It's normal. That's what happens in teams. The transfer window, players might leave, players can come in. You just work with the team that you've got, and there's always going to be competition, so you're just ready."

Pulisic has been out of action since Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on New Year's Day and looks set to miss their remaining Premier League fixtures in January against Newcastle United and Arsenal.

Tammy Abraham has said he hopes to take any future England opportunities while Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane is out with a long-term hamstring injury.

The Chelsea forward is experiencing a breakout season for his club as Frank Lampard's first-choice No. 9, and he could earn the Three Lions' striker spot while Kane recovers.

Kane ruptured a tendon on New Year's Day in the 1-0 Premier League defeat against Southampton and has undergone surgery. The Spurs captain is expected to be out until April while England plan for the 2020 UEFA European Football Championship.

Speaking to Chelsea's official website, Abraham expressed his disappointment at Kane's impending absence for his country but said he's willing to compete for the striking role with England's attackers.

"Of course I look up to Harry Kane and I'm gutted he's injured but hopefully he'll be back for the Euros.

"There is an opportunity and that's the world of football but there's a load of competition as well. I look across the board and see Marcus Rashford, Danny Ings, a lot of strikers scoring goals.

"Jamie Vardy is another talented striker, he has an eye for goal and he's one of the players I've grown up loving. I've got to steal his ideas and make them my own but if he comes back [from international retirement], then he comes back. Hopefully I'll still be there either way.

"I'm always ambitious and it's always at the back of my mind. Growing up, I always wanted to play for England and now I have the opportunity so I'll try to grab it with two hands. There's probably more pressure being Chelsea's number nine but I'm enjoying myself and I just have to keep doing that."

The 22-year-old came through Chelsea's youth academy, but extended loan spells at Bristol City, Swansea City and Aston Villa suggested his long-term future might be away from Stamford Bridge.

However, after an outstanding season last term with Villa in helping the team gain promotion from the EFL Championship, Abraham returned to his parent club. Chelsea were under a transfer embargo, allowing the striker a clear path into the starting XI under new manager Lampard.

Abraham has scored an impressive 15 goals and provided four assists in 29 appearances in the Premier League and Europe this term. Chelsea now have the ability to add to their forward line after a reduction in their transfer ban, but Abraham's place in the team should not be under threat.

The player had the opportunity to play for Nigeria two years ago because of his parental lineage; however, he opted to pledge his future to England. That decision could now bear fruit for both player and country. Abraham has one goal in four caps, scoring last November in a Euro qualifier.

Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate has an impressive array of strikers to call upon while Kane recovers.

Vardy is the Premier League's leading scorer with 17 goals, and Ings and Rashford are both in the best form of their careers with 14 league goals apiece. Raheem Sterling also provides Southgate with another forward option. The Manchester City player has netted 11 league goals this season.

Chelsea reportedly could sign Brighton & Hove Albion defender Lewis Dunk for £50 million in the January transfer window.

According to the Times (h/t Amie Wilson of Football.London), Frank Lampard has enquired about the availability of the England international who has impressed in the Premier League for the Seagulls since their 2017 promotion.

The Blues can sign players during January after the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced a transfer ban, allowing Lampard to bring in fresh talent.

Per Wilson, Chelsea reportedly have a £150 million budget for January and might invest a sizeable chunk on a centre-back to improve their inexperienced defence.

David Luiz departed for Arsenal last summer, leaving Lampard with Kurt Zouma, Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger as his most senior central defenders. Fikayo Tomori has surprisingly been given minutes at centre-back after returning from a successful loan spell under Lampard at Derby County last term.

Dunk, 28, has spent his whole career at Brighton and could now be ready to play at a higher level.

The physical defender commands respect at the back and would provide Chelsea with fresh leadership for their young squad.

Dunk's 2018 elevation to the England squad highlighted the quality of his work at the Amex, but the defender has not been tested in the high-pressure environment of the top four.

Rudiger's recent return from injury has been important for Chelsea, providing them an international-class defender for their back line.

The German could form a strong partnership for the present and future with Dunk for Lampard, building the necessary foundations needed at Stamford Bridge.

Dunk has started in all but two of Brighton's league games this season, and the defender also offers a threat at the opposite end of the pitch. The centre-back has scored twice and assisted three times this term.

Chelsea must strengthen at the back if they want to progress in this season's UEFA Champions League and finish in the top four.

The Blues have won three of their last four in all competitions, but five losses over November and December highlighted the issues in their thin squad.

Chelsea are yet to replace the qualities provided by former skipper John Terry, who left in 2017, and Dunk could excel if given the opportunity in west London.

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said Callum Hudson-Odoi can be a "serious player" for the Blues after the 19-year-old scored his first Premier League goal in Saturday's 3-0 win over Burnley.

Lampard told reporters after the match:

"For Callum to score in the six-yard box is far more exciting for me than for him to score from 35 yards, without a doubt. Because it means that he's prepared to run the extra bit to sprint in there.

"And that wasn't the only time he did it today, he did it on one of the early chances we had in the first half. He was doing it, recovering, going higher up the pitch at the right times. And his overall performance was an absolute statement for Callum of what he needs to do. 

"That was the real Callum Hudson-Odoi and what he can be, and there's obviously more to come. But I thought his goal was brilliant for him and if he can carry on doing that, then that’s a serious player we have in Callum."

Lampard handed Hudson-Odoi just his fourth Premier League start of the season against Burnley but was rewarded as the youngster scored Chelsea's third goal:

2002 - At 19y 65d, Callum Hudson-Odoi is the youngest player to score their first Premier League goal for Chelsea since Carlton Cole against Middlesbrough in April 2002 (18y 197d). Teens. #CHEBUR pic.twitter.com/pECPvwVNev

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 11, 2020

The teenager burst onto the scene last season for Chelsea under Maurizio Sarri but saw his campaign end prematurely in April after he underwent surgery on a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Hudson-Odoi had attracted interest from Bayern Munich in the January 2019 transfer window, but Chelsea moved to secure his long-term future by handing him a new five-year deal in September:

The one you've all been waiting for! 😉

📝 @Calteck10 pic.twitter.com/ic87BN33oB

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 19, 2019

The winger netted on his return from injury, scoring in a 7-1 Carabao Cup win over Grimsby in September but had to wait until January's FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest for his next goal.

Hudson-Odoi told Chelsea TV (h/t Goal's James Westwood) he had become "a bit agitated" by his drought and worried that he could suffer a recurrence of his Achilles injury.

The teenager has two goals in his last two appearances for the Blues, but his strike against Burnley is the type that could earn him more playing time, according to Goal's Nizaar Kinsella:

Interesting goal to see Hudson-Odoi score because those off the ball back post movements are what can set him apart in the race for further starts. We all know he can score in a 1-v-1 but can he get on the end of other people's crosses more often? #CFC #CHEBUR

— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) January 11, 2020

Hudson-Odoi is showing signs of getting back to the type of form that prompted such excitement last year and saw him called into the England squad and win his first cap against the Czech Republic.

There is no doubting Hudson-Odoi's talent and tremendous potential, and if the youngster can deliver the goods on a consistent basis, he has the quality to become a regular in Lampard's starting XI.    

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has discussed his decision to hand Tammy Abraham the No. 9 shirt in the summer.

Blues strikers to wear the number have struggled in recent years, which Lampard acknowledged:

🗣️ Lampard on Abraham breaking Chelsea's no.9 curse:

"I am really impressed [by Tammy] because when the No.9 shirt was available quite a few people around here were saying to me: ‘Ooh, be careful, that’s not always had the best feeling in different players here'." pic.twitter.com/nDiPvRJWIR

— GOAL (@goal) January 11, 2020

However, he felt it would do Abraham some good, per Goal's Nizaar Kinsella: "If you're signing a 25-year-old who has scored multiple goals in a different league or in the Premier League, you might see it differently, and it would be a really easy decision, but the question with a young boy is does he need that pressure? My opinion was yes."

Lampard said, "it was my decision to give it to him purely on his personality in pre-season."

"He thought, 'I want to be Chelsea's mainline striker,' and the No. 9 is generally that, so I thought it was an opportunity for him to rise to that hopefully," he added.

The coach is also hoping Abraham can kick on and become an England regular after he was called up by Gareth Southgate for the October and November international breaks:

Lampard on Abraham: "I am delighted with him, I never want to step on Gareth's toes. I am delighted with him he is a player who can play at the highest level. Hopefully the progression can go one way." #CFC

— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) January 10, 2020

Abraham spent last season on loan at Aston Villa in the Championship, where he scored 26 goals in 41 appearances.

He returned to Stamford Bridge in the summer, and Lampard opted to make him his first-choice centre-forward, which came with the No. 9 shirt.

Chelsea players to don that number haven't had much luck of late despite them often being prolific elsewhere.

The Blues spent £50 million on Fernando Torres in 2011. The Spaniard helped the club win the UEFA Champions League the following season, but his record of 45 goals in 172 games was a disappointment given the expenditure on him and the fact he had bagged 81 in 142 at Liverpool.

Radamel Falcao scored just once in 12 appearances for Chelsea during a loan spell in 2015-16.

Alvaro Morata cost Chelsea £60 million in 2017, but he scored 24 times in 72 games before being loaned to Atletico Madrid in January last year.

Gonzalo Higuain replaced him on loan for the remainder of last season, but his record of five goals in 18 games didn't make the grade, either.

Abraham has fared well so far in this campaign with 14 goals and five assists in 28 appearances.

The Athletic's Liam Twomey has seen plenty of improvement from him over the course of the season:

People forget just how unrefined Drogba’s all-round game was when he arrived at Chelsea. It took him years to mould himself into the greatest target man of his generation.

Abraham’s progress on hold/link-up play since the summer has been phenomenal

— Liam Twomey (@liam_twomey) December 30, 2019

It could be a slight concern at Chelsea that he has scored just twice in his last eight Premier League matches, but it's important to remember he only turned 22 in October and this is only his second season as a regular in the top flight.

Abraham will likely have plenty of chances to get on the scoresheet again in Chelsea's upcoming games, though, as they face Burnley and Newcastle United.

Only Aston Villa and Southampton have conceded more than the former's 34 goals this season, while the latter have shipped 33, and both are on a three-match losing streak in the league.  

Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte has said he tried to sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic when he was in charge of Chelsea. 

Ibrahimovic made his return to Italian football this month, as he signed with AC Milan for a second spell following a two-year stint with the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer.

Conte was at the helm of Chelsea between 2016 and 2018, winning the Premier League and the FA Cup. When asked about his Milan rivals' latest acquisition, the 50-year-old revealed that he had previously sought to tempt the striker to Stamford Bridge, per Tommaso Fiore of Sky Sports:

"I welcome back Ibrahimovic, he is a great champion. He knows well there was a moment when I tried to convince him to come to Chelsea, but he was in a recovery phase and eventually he didn't feel like accepting.

"He is a person I have a lot of respect for. I think he can give AC Milan a lot and he can bring personality by making the environment more responsible.

"For a coach, it's important to find players in teams who can convey your word. Players who know what you want, who lead the team. When a coach has those kind of players then things get a lot easier."

Ibrahimovic agreed to join Manchester United in 2016, although he was released by the club come the end of the season, having suffered a serious knee injury. After recovering, he agreed another short-term deal with the Red Devils in 2017 before joining the Galaxy a year later.

Now back in Milan, it will be fascinating to see how the forward fares. Per ESPN FC, he made his second debut for the club as a substitute in the recent 0-0 draw with Sampdoria:

The moment Zlatan made his return to A.C. Milan 🔴⚫️ pic.twitter.com/ThTzzTKokh

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 6, 2020

As Cristian Nyari of DAZN relayed, while he may be in the twilight years of his career, Ibrahimovic still commands a lot of attention:

The Zlatan effect. +500,000 new followers in the last 30 days on AC Milan's social.

(via @KPMG) pic.twitter.com/yeqkGG5rDL

— Cristian Nyari (@Cnyari) January 6, 2020

Milan have struggled for long spells of the season and languish down in 12th place in Serie A. They will be hoping the potency Ibrahimovic had in front of goal in MLS translates to the Italian top flight, while his leadership will also be crucial to the side.

Conte's Inter are currently streaks ahead of their city rivals, as they sit joint-top of the Italian top flight with Juventus.

Getting the San Siro club to the summit of the table is a remarkable achievement by Conte; per Italian Football TV, after Inter's win over Napoli on Monday, he reached a significant landmark:

https://twitter.com/IFTVofficial/status/1214593562706432001

Given they are both huge personalities, it would have been fascinating to see Conte and Ibrahimovic on the same side. 

However, they are now rivals in Milan, albeit will have very different ambitions to achieve between now and the end of the campaign. Fans won't have to wait long for Conte and Ibrahimovic to clash though, with the next Derby della Madonnina on February 2.