OhForAGreavsie

Comes down to judgement in the end; to how Antonio, and the club, want to back his. I fear however that our club has its heart set on Rom, and that Everton have their heart set on Chelsea's money. The runes are in place, the surreptitious smile is on Romelu's face, and there is an air of inevitability about it all. Belotti would be great for us but so too would he be for Arsenal, United or Liverpool. Let's hope that doesn't happen.

I don't understand what you mean by "finally listening".

I don't know if Dembele belongs on that list but I 100% agree about Belotti.

This is a media story. The club have not announced anything. The Nike situation is a factor but I don't think we'd be announcing before 1st July in any case. Ever since the embarrassing Robinho mistake, which I know wasn't CFC's fault, we have adopted a mega conservative approach. The deal wouldn't be made public until everything is fully signed off, and that can't happen until July at the earliest.

It was there to be seen that Baba was not the answer. Players get hyped and people get swept along. Sanches at the Euros last summer for example. Our squad builders should have the judgement to see past the hype so I'm afraid they do deserve criticism for this one. It wasn't difficult. Those of us who were against the Baba deal presumably watched much less of him than they did. If we saw it, they should have done. On a more positive note, we are being linked with a much higher calibre of player these days. I made this point last summer, and the same is true this time around. In transfer windows of the recent past, there were many poor players targeted. This time, the only convincingly rumoured target I am disappointed with is Lukaku. Even there, it is not as it was with Torres, who sent me into a depression as soon as he was linked. Rom is more effective than Nando and will do more for us if he rejoins. I just feel we can, and should, do better. I accept that just being linked does not add up to anything but I'd rather miss out on signing a good player, than succeed in signing a bad one. At least we are throwing our hat into the ring for better footballers these days, and that's a start.

Duplicate - deleted.

So did @The Skipper to be fair. Many months ago if memory serves me right. I agree with you Both about Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Despite everything pointing in Lukaku's direction, I'm still hoping Everton will dig their heals in over the fee and that we'll refuse to meet their demand. I'd rather pay £80m for Belotti, than £60m for Lukaku.

The £10m we've asked the tribunal to assess as the compensation for Dom is just an opening gambit. Doubt they will set the fee that high. Liverpool will certainly be arguing that it should be lower and the tribunal will probably settle on an amount somewhere in between.

Let's not forget there'd be an assumed transfer profit in that calculation, because I couldn't see this being done to use the lad as a backup. I've just noticed however that the story was in Marca so the list of suspects is growing.

Unless she's just making a point to Thibaut's agent. Maybe she's become irritated with his dropping of the Madrid rumours and she's just sort of saying, "Look, let's stop being silly shall we?" Maybe not.

😊 I hope not though. It would be so unsubtle, and antagonistic.

Player in contact dispute with club, que rumours of interest from major teams around the world. Club in contract dispute with player, que rumours of transfer interest in a highly desirable alternative. This rumour game is fun. It would get us nicely through the summer if only the blood pressure brigade would pick up some Mogadon and relax.

When the situation demands/permits both Gaz and Azpi play really high. Say within 10 metres of the opposition area. For me this has been one of, if not the most, impressive features of Antonio's system. Dave in particular has come up with some really threatening deliveries from that area. A left footed CB, or at least one comfortable with his left peg, would multiply the threat we pose in those situations.

Half? You are a generous man.

It's been happening for a long time. The reason is simple; bottom club Sunderland earned roughly double from TV last season (including parachute payments) what Real earned for winning the CL. In fact it was probably more like two-and-a-half times. Our top clubs seldom attract the elite talent so mid-ranking, or lower, Premier League clubs know they have no chance. For them it's not the glamour of Barca & Bayern, it's the hard cold world of midwinter Monday matches, That's where their bread is buttered. It's simply more important for our clubs to out compete Bournemouth and Brighton than to dream of 102,000 at the Camp Nou. They pay elite fees and wages for sub-elite players so they can keep their place around Richard Scudamore's feeding bowl.

The thing is, I know you know most of these stories are put out there by agents acting for player or selling club, yet you let yourself react to them. Hold it together man, we've got to get you through the summer in one piece. Somehow.

It's a brand new relationship so it would be natural for both parties to do everything they can to get it off to a good start. A new signing or two can only help to boost shirt sales figures. Perhaps Chelsea even have hopes of cracking the numbers required to trigger bonus payments from Nike, while they know there is no possibility of a bonus from Adidas at this late stage. If so, makes sense to delay the 'advert' of the new signings, until the new product is actually available.

Hello BCS, What a great word. Did you coin it, or have you heard in use before? I want to read this word in the press, I want to hear it on Match of the day, I want it to enter the football language reference book just like parking the bus has. I want this word to make you famous.

Roman is not Stan Kroenke. The thrill of the game, the glory of the victorious campaigns; that's what he's in it for. Kroenke can only drag himself to The FA Cup Final because it happens to coincide with a board meeting*; our owner gets himself down to Cobham at the crack of dawn on winter mornings to watch our youth team train. Not even play mind you, train. I repeat, if the club is restricting spending then they are doing it for a good reason. Or at least one which seems good to them. *Well maybe he set the board meeting deliberately to coincide with the final, I don't know, but you take my point.

Of course. It's Nemanja's inability to deliver that which makes upgrading in the position he plays priority number one in this window. The difference made by a player who is effective in these aspects of the game is beyond huge.

Lost ambition, I don't believe for one moment. If, I say if, the club is intentionally restricting its transfer spend, it will be for reasons other than lack of ambition.

The difference between Antonio and you in this regard is that he knows what is happening so he is spared the temptation to imagine the worst. What's more he knows why things are progressing as they are. Again, no need for guesswork. People with information don't get frustrated as quickly as those without it.

Fantasy. A nice one, but a fantasy all the same. We always missed out on plenty of players.

And also why he's been linked no doubt. The agent who 'leaked' the story may very well be working for Porto.