OhForAGreavsie

I'd lay good money that the starting price for any player we enquire about will be £100m.

Agreed but they are in in a very enviable situation. Firstly, they operate in a one team league where the clubs which are supposedly their competitors, in reality serve as an extended academy for them. Secondly, being the main attraction in the dominant pastime in one of the world's most powerful economies, means they attract staggering amounts of sponsorship income. Thirdly, they operate in a city which affords a fabulous lifestyle. Taken together, these factors make FC Bayern Munchen one of the most desirable destinations for the world's best footballers. When buying our club Todd Boehly spoke of the structural advantages which Chelsea enjoy. Our advantages are almost negligible compared with Bayern's and those advantages allow them to recruit the players to fit their style. Other clubs often have to choose the style to fit the players they can recruit.

He should be thankful for small mercies. At least he won't have to pay to get in. 🙂

A fair point, but the world is real not ideal. Clubs, including ours, have to take opportunities when they arise. It seems pretty clear from the rumour mill that the club has made, and is making, efforts to reinforce the midfield. There is nothing wrong with buying the materials with which you intend eventually to build the roof and putting it in storage, so to speak, until your foundation is laid. As long as you can afford to do both then you must take opportunities when you can. The club's recruiters clearly believe strongly in Mudryk. As long as as this signing does not prevent us also strengthening the midfield then it makes no sense to stand by and watch him go elsewhere.

Mudryk counts as 21 or under. He was born on 05/01/2001. The qualification date for this transfer window is on or after 01/01/2001, so he makes it by 4 days. In any case, both of the players I would now most like to see arrive during this window are under-21.

I don't know what type of legally binding commitment, if any, the player might already have signed. If none, then there is still time for Arsenal fans to be singing a song about who booked his flight by the end of the month. 🙂

How many people, who live outside Piers Morgan's mirror, care what Piers Morgan thinks?

I met a couple of the club's social media lads during an EFL Trophy game at Sutton United. They were about 22. 🙂

Not your first game though I'm guessing. 🙂 Is it Sky saying that? 🙂 🙂 Certainly the biggest of the season so far. Arsenal twitter account reported yesterday that over 45,000 tickets have been sold. Our best sales figure for a women's game at The Bridge is 38,000 plus, but there were a lot of no shows on the day so the actual attendance will have been something like 25,000.

I heard, via a YouTuber, that Todd B, along with associates presumably, is interested in buying the NFL's Washington Commanders. If he succeeds he will have my two favourite sports teams in his hands.

I can't believe that Chelsea fans speak about Chelsea players in the way you have. I don't have the ability, or the right, to control what others do but I wish everyone would choose to exercise some self control. Not being as good a footballer as your club's supporters would like is not a crime. Nor is it a player's fault. He didn't sign himself for the club, nor did he select himself to play. If we have to direct our fire, let's direct it at the right people, and do so in the right way.

Tickets selling fast. Get in while you can. https://www.eticketing.co.uk/arsenal/EDP/Event/Index/3032?position=3

Noli dicere cito.

Hall > Cucurella ✅

Thank you. I wonder when the conversions were done. I'm focusing on the 1968 Anastasi move to Juve. This seems most likely to be the one I recalled. Albeit well over fifty-years ago, I feel pretty certain that the figure I read was £400,000. The disconnect might be explained by the difference between late 1960's exchange rates and those used in compiling the table. Of course it might also be explained by my memory fooling me. Still, I am confident it said £400k.

Double Barrel. Love it! Pie & a pint for a 15 year-old. They'd never get away with that now. 🙂

My first game in The Shed (Whitewall), was a 3rd round FA Cup tie brought forward to new year's day 1974. In those days new years day was not a traditional football day. Very dull game finished 0-0 against Bristol Rovers if I remember right. May have misremembered some of the details but I'm sure it was an FA Cup game. 🙂 Did you go to the Houseman memorial game? Pretty sure I've still got the program. It was a single piece of card printed black and white on both sides. P.S. Heard a chant of "We're the middle, we're the middle, we're the middle of the ..." during the Bournemouth game. Made me feel nicely nostalgic.

Can't remember about the European transfer record for sure but I think it might not have been. I think I remember having a book, probably something like a Score annual, that showed the world record as being £400,000 for Luigi Riva around the time of the '70 World Cup. Might not have been Riva, might not have been 1970 but I'm sure it was £400,00. 🙂 Football finance was totally different in those days. Virtually no TV money and tiny gate receipts thanks to a combination of very low ticket prices and depressed attendances caused by hooliganism and racism. To put the prices in perspective; I bought my first season ticket in 1976. It cost me £22! This meant that there really wasn't a lot of difference between the budgets of the First Divison clubs. I don't remember the specific situation with Stoke, but maybe it was an owner who pumped money in. Whatever the source, it briefly made them one of the best sides in the country. They beat us in the '72 League Cup Final and later, propelled by Hudson's finest ever season, they finished runners up in the league.

Didn't see it but I heard a game wrap up featuring Chris Sutton describing his performance as 'supurb'. Not helpful at all in terms of getting him this window. 🙁

Four. We'd have beaten United in 2009 as well had it not been for Ovrebo.

Hudson moved from Chelsea to Stoke remember. He then later joined Arsenal from them. I was scratching my head trying to remember who from the 1970 Cup Final side was still around in 1974. I came up with Bonetti, Harris, Hinton, Hutchinson, and McCreadie. Marvin only made the bench in '70 but, looking back with modern thinking about football, I reckon he was one of the better Blues' players of that era.

Yes, all makes sense. Including re Tino as I've pointed out previously. Just checked to refresh my memory and City's clause is reported to be £40m. Southampton seem to like that number. 🙂

Nice idea. Has Zakaria done enough to warrant us offering to convert his loan to a permanent deal? That would clear space for a loan. Juve would be tempted I'm sure but could too early to make the call on Zak.

According to Chris Sutton, Lavia was 'supurb' for Southampton tonight. That's doubly bad news for those of us who would like us to sign him. First, it can only make Southampton more determined to hold on to him for their relegation fight. Second, it gave City a first hand encouragement to exercise their buy back option. There is no way we can pay Southampton enough money to compensate them for being relegated, so I think only a cash plus player, or players, deal even has a chance of tempting them. It could take two, or even three, players who they think can help them plus cash. Auba/DDF, Connor, anyone else?

I reckon it's just Barca looking to turn a profit. They are probably wanting him back for free with the intention of selling him again next summer for another few million. Hopefully we will calculate carefully if we can do better by holding on and putting him on the market ourselves in summer.