Chelsea complete deadline day deals for Zappacosta and Drinkwater

Chelsea left it late on deadline day to complete the signings of full-back Davide Zappacosta and midfielder Danny Drinkwater. Both deals were concluded in the final hours of the transfer window, strengthening a Chelsea squad that had looked thin early on this season.

Zappacosta signed hours before the window closed from Serie A side Torino for around £23m and will bring much needed depth to the wingback position. Drinkwater departs from Leicester City for a reported fee of £35m, joining up with former teammate N'Golo Kante in Chelsea's midfield.

Italian Connection

The Italian connection is clear in the Zappacosta deal as it was Antonio Conte who gave the full-back his debut for Italy in 2016. While the deal was late, it was clear that the signing was a choice of Conte's and Chelsea get a natural right-sided defender that can contribute going forward.

The 25-year old made 29 appearances for Torino in Serie A last season, recording five assists and scoring once. The defender signed a four-year deal with the Premier League champions, keeping him with the club until 2021.

Drinkwater's Reunion

Danny Drinkwater and N'Golo Kante's midfield partnership was crucial in Leicester City's title triumph in 2016. After Kante's move to Chelsea last season, where he won PFA Player of the Year, Drinkwater has followed his former teammate's footsteps.

The England international signed a five-year deal with Chelsea and adds experience to a thin midfield after multiple departures this summer. The 27-year old was a stalwart in Leicester's midfield over the past two seasons, proving reliable in a title-winning campaign and bringing a sense of calmness during last season's step backwards.

Six Summer Signings

Drinkwater becomes Chelsea's sixth first team signing this summer, joining Alvaro Morata, Antonio Rüdiger, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Willy Caballero and Davide Zappacosta.

Both new signings will be in line for their Blues debuts following the international break and should be feature plenty with Chelsea's fixture list piling up toward the end of September.