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There is just no chance we can sell João Pedro this summer. Of all our “big” players he is the least easily replaceable. We FINALLY found ourselves a striker who has the potential to be a consistent 20 goal per season scorer and then sell him after 1 year? Surely no shot. You can find other high quality #10’s to replace Palmer or #8’s to replace Enzo if we ever decide to sell them. But reliable goal scorers are extremely rare these days and theres a reason there was a mad scramble for a bunch of them last summer. Unless we ourselves go and get Julian Alvarez then theres just no way we could get someone better than JP.

He does some serious promotions, if growing your brand in the US is the goal, it is a good move.

What?

unbelievable player, so glad he gave us his best years. Really miss him♥️💙

not surprised if he leaves, much more stability in Barcelona than here. Hopefully he can stay, but either way let's milk Barça if they want João Pedro.

💣🔵Barcelona are planning to begin negotiations soon to sign Joao Pedro. Even though the talks are still in the early stages, it is speculated that the deal is likely to be worth around £86 million, including a fixed amount and bonuses. (@cahemota) 🗯🔵Barcelona intensifies contact for João Pedro. [@Globo]

It will take a lot more signings and a lot of adapting from the players at the club to shift to Iraola's style of play (turning over the ball high up in the pitch, quick transitions) than it will be to adapt to Xabi Alonso's style.

Yeah, I think theres a reason that pretty much nobody holds his Real Madrid spell against him. Everyone agrees that the locker room was running the show there and it has since proven to be the case even more recently. That’s why they’re breaking the emergency glass and bringing back Mourinho. They need a authority figure who takes no shit.

Alonso had over 70% win rate at Real. Not his fault the locker room is filled with petulant children who thought they were above pressing and tactics.

Then the same questions will be asked of Fabregas, Marco Silva (fulham to Chelsea is a step-up), Glasner (CP to Chelsea). Even Alonso did well at Leverkusen but then couldn't handle Real Madrid's egos. We are a project club now and that's the reality. Will be interesting to see who is in the final shortlist for the manager position.

Anyone involved with Chelsea right now who may want to know what the biggest problems are at our…View the full article

This kinds of things are always said about any manager who excels at a smaller club. But playing this kind of football with Bournemouth(or Glasner playing the way he does with CP) doesn't necesseraly mean they would do the same at a club where they have better oppurtunities. Maybe it just means they are adapting to their current squad and trying to get the best out of it.

🗯🔵David Ornstein has raised fresh concerns about Andoni Iraola’s suitability for a “big club” job like Chelsea. Speaking on The Athletic FC Podcast, Ornstein explained that while Iraola is highly rated and admired for his work at Bournemouth, stepping up to an elite club like Chelsea comes with a very different level of pressure and expectation. He pointed out that Iraola’s aggressive, counter-attacking style can be highly effective at a club like Bournemouth — but at a top-six side, the margins are much smaller. According to Ornstein, the main concern isn’t Iraola’s ability, but the environment he would enter at Chelsea: • More scrutiny from media and fans • Less patience for slow starts or losing runs • Higher consequences for tactical risks (like being exposed on the counter-attack) He also referenced past interest from Tottenham, where similar questions were reportedly considered during their managerial search. Ornstein stressed that Iraola could absolutely implement his philosophy at a bigger club — but the key question is how quickly results would arrive, and whether Chelsea’s structure would give him the required time and stability. Alongside Xabi Alonso, Iraola remains firmly in Chelsea’s thinking, but concerns about “big club transition pressure” are clearly part of internal discussions.

You are way better than spell checking people, way better.

Attracting Players: The crucial reason Chelsea need Xabi Alonso Honing in on The Guardian's report https://siphillipstalkschelsea.substack.com/p/attracting-players-the-crucial-reason Yes, I’m aware that many of you dislike Jacob Steinburg and do not rate him as a source. I get it. However, a lot of the info he gets is similar to what we get and even though sometimes he will put out club PR, most of his stuff is sourced from other places like ours is. This is why I will not just dismiss what he puts out, and I will see substance in some of it, if not all of it. I wanted to hone in on it anyway, for a few reasons. The first is around the reasons Chelsea are looking at Alonso. There is a feeling inside Chelsea that Alonso’s style of play would make him suited to their young squad. The former Spain midfielder’s standing within the game would help him control the dressing room and could also help with attracting players to the club. This is spot on, and that last bit is CRUCIAL. You would have read my recent gloomy reports around players not being interested in coming to Chelsea this summer and the thought we might have to turn to B and C lists for our player targets this summer. IF Alonso comes in, I have no doubt that this would change. I have no doubt that he would be able to attract our main targets even without European football. I think his name stands in that much of a high regard that it will make all the difference. And for the same reason, we won’t see any Liam Rosenior problems with players not respecting the head coach. They will fully respect him, and maybe it might even change some of the minds of the players wanting out. Am I being too naïve there? Maybe. But I genuinely think he could make the difference with those two important points. Although Steinburg is being very positive on Alonso to Chelsea, in the same breathe, he’s mentioning the talks with Andoni Iraola and why the club like him. One thing people seem to be forgetting is that they have the same agent, so of course they will speak about both managers when there is a vacant position for head coach at Chelsea - it would be daft not to. But make no mistake, Alonso is the guy they want as PRIORITY, and he is the one they are absolutely throwing everything at right now to get him in. But they do have contingency plans just in case because after all, we will need a new manager regardless! Chelsea have held encouraging discussions over a move for Xabi Alonso but are keeping their options open and are closely monitoring Andoni Iraola’s situation. The Stamford Bridge hierarchy is confident of attracting their favoured candidate and there is optimism over how early talks with Alonso’s camp have gone. The unknown is whether Alonso decides to move to England now or opts to take a break. But suggestions that he is waiting to see if the Liverpool role becomes open soon have been exaggerated. The current sense is that the Merseysiders will stick with Arne Slot this summer, although that is yet to be confirmed. Something that has been acknowledged by the recruitment department is the need for the team to become more physical. That heightens the appeal of Iraola, whose Bournemouth side are one of the most intense in the Premier League. Chelsea have met Iraola to talk to him about the role. There is respect for the Spaniard’s work with Bournemouth and a sense that he is more than capable of taking on a big job. Iraola has responded to Bournemouth losing a number of key players in defence and attack during the past year by putting them in contention for Champions League qualification. Edging on the side of caution is the takeaway from this article, as all of us should be too right now. Full article here if you want to read it all and haven’t see it yet.

Said El Mala would be the most likely buy on the list of 5 Köln reportedly now want want 50m euros, ie £43m, we will supposedly offer 45m euros, ie £39m

💥📋I think we will see some rumours of Julian Nagelsmann, Liverpool are interested in him as a potential future head coach. (@WilsonCox)

Doesn’t Michael Edwards only have a year left at Liverpool?

Please do not tell me what to do. I broke no TOS on here.

I would be genuinely shocked if we spend more than £50m on any one player any time soon. Once you start targeting players above that price range they’ll also be commanding wages far beyond our structure. The days of us going and spending £100m on Enzo or Moi are probably done. our max will probably be the João Pedro/Gittens/Garnacho range of between £40-50m. Plenty of really good gems you can get for that but we simply cannot compete at the very top of the market currently with the financial situation we’re in with the stadium, not being in the UCL, and the UEFA sanction.

All would command huge fees, I cannot see us paying anymore big money. I think we have to settle for more of the Garnacho prices along with Strasbourg kids and hope some we have here now kick on

Best available LWers for us, IMHO Kenan Yıldız Yan Diomande Bradley Barcola (not sure if PSG sell him, I would not if I were them, unless they buy one of the first 2 listed) Morgan Rogers (AMF as well, if not primarily) Said El Mala

It's a common thing now, hate it