Roberto Di Matteo on the touchline. Picture: Anthony Devlin

Roberto Di Matteo will have a mixture of youth and experience

Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has insisted that his experienced spine of the team will be vital in the integration of his new signings.

The Blues have already signed Marko Marin and Eden Hazard and have been linked with a host of players this summer.

“The fact that we’re going to have some hungry, new young players will help,” Di Matteo told The Sun.

“We are bringing in younger, established players like Eden Hazard and Marko Marin to become the foundation of the club over the years.

“But the spine of this team remains absolutely crucial. Petr Cech, John Terry, David Luiz, Gary Cahill, Branislav Ivanovic, Frank Lampard — they will be vital in the integration of the new players coming in.

“It’s all about getting the right balance between being physically strong and technically able.”