Antonio Conte: Juan Cuadrado to return to Chelsea after Juventus loan

The Colombian, who joined Juve from the Premier League side in August, scored four goals in 28 league matches last season to help the club to a Serie A and Coppa Italia double.

The 28-year-old had made little impact in 15 Chelsea appearances since moving to Stamford Bridge from Fiorentina for an estimated £23 million.

"Juan Cuadrado is a Chelsea player. He will come back very soon. He's in our squad, I'm very happy to have him and train him," Conte, who coached Juve to three successive Serie A titles from 2012 to 2014, told the club's website.

"I wanted him when I was a coach at Juventus and he will come back very soon and train and play with us.

"Now, he's a Chelsea player and he'll stay with us. If something changes you'll know."

Cuadrado made six appearances for Colombia at the Centenary Copa America last month in the United States to lead his country to a third-place finish.

Antonio Conte pursued then-Fiorentina player Cuadrado while boss of Juventus back in summer 2014. The failure of the Bianconeri to follow his prompts in that direction, along with the loss of fellow key target Alexis Sanchez to Arsenal, are understood to have been key in his sudden resignation from the top job in Italian club football.

Conte didn't resign, as such, over Cuadrado, though he did resign over the lack of investment in a squad upon whose performance he would ultimately be judged – and the Cuadrado situation was a key part of that.

That, in itself, should send a signal to Roman Abramovich when it comes to Conte's own plans for Chelsea this summer and beyond.

The ease with which Chelsea were able to buy the player in the following window perhaps backed up Conte's reservations about Juve's transfer market muscle – though questions remain about the price paid, an Andre-Schurrle-shaped £23-26m. What followed, of course, shamed all parties.

Cuadrado started just four Premier League matches, ending none of them, and looked as far off being a top-flight player as anyone has seen in a Chelsea shirt for some time.

Cuadrado impressed having finally made it (on-loan) to Juventus, and Conte appears confident in turning him into a Chelsea player yet. If he can do that, it will be like a new signing for zero outlay.