Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has insisted that Nemanja Matic remains a "very important" player for the club.
The 27-year-old has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer, with Italian champions Juventus thought to be interested in the Serbia international.
The arrival of N'Golo Kante from Leicester City has placed further doubt over Matic's role at the club, but Conte is pleased by the midfield depth at his disposal.
"Matic is an important player for me, a very important player. In my idea of football he is an important player and he knows this," Conte told reporters.
"N'Golo, Nemanja, Cesc [Fabregas], Oscar, [Nathaniel] Chalobah and [John Obi] Mikel, who is in the Olympics, it is not easy to choose. I want to have this problem."
Chelsea will take on Premier League rivals Liverpool in a pre-season match at the Rose Bowl in California on Thursday.
Barney Corkhill
