Vesper

https://www.vipleague.pm/fa-cup/brighton-hove-albion-vs-Chelsea-1-live-streaming https://www.vipleague.pm/fa-cup/brighton-hove-albion-vs-Chelsea-2-live-streaming https://www.vipleague.pm/fa-cup/brighton-hove-albion-vs-Chelsea-3-live-streaming https://redditsoccerstreams.org/event/brighton-hove-albion-Chelsea/1504614 https://favs.soccerstreams100.io/event/eng-fa/Chelsea-vs-brighton-live-soccer-stats/730046 Brighton – Chelsea England. FA Cup / 8 February at 21:00

1 2 NUFC

1 nil Birmingham

https://www.vipleague.pm/fa-cup/birmingham-city-vs-newcastle-united-1-live-streaming https://www.vipleague.pm/fa-cup/birmingham-city-vs-newcastle-united-2-live-streaming https://redditsoccerstreams.org/event/birmingham-city-newcastle-united/1504604 https://favs.soccerstreams100.io/event/eng-fa/newcastle-vs-birmingham-live-soccer-stats/730048

IF this is true I am going to lose my fucking mind “Pure profit player” – Chelsea star not in the club’s long-term plans https://www.caughtoffside.com/2025/02/07/andrey-santos-transfer-latest/ Chelsea reportedly view Andrey Santos as a pure profit player rather than someone who’s part of their long-term first-team plans. The talented Brazilian youngster has long looked like a big prospect for the future, but he’s yet to establish himself in the Chelsea first-team since joining. Santos is currently on loan at Strasbourg and has caught the eye with his performances in Ligue 1, but it seems that won’t be enough to change his situation at Stamford Bridge. According to TEAMtalk, Santos is viewed as a “pure profit player”, so Chelsea only plan to use his growing reputation to earn a significant profit from selling him. This could be a smart strategy from the Blues, who will need to be able to balance the books in this age of strict Financial Fair Play regulations. However, some Chelsea fans will undoubtedly also be concerned about losing a talent like Santos without giving him more of a chance. Chelsea could be taking a big risk with Andrey Santos transfer stance Chelsea know all too well that sometimes letting young players go too soon can come back to haunt you. Who can forget that the west London giants had both Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne on their books as youngsters, but allowed both to leave after hardly using them? You know the rest – Salah remains in the form of his life for Liverpool and is sure to go down as an all-time Premier League great, while De Bruyne has also been world class and picked up a whole load of major trophies at Manchester City down the years. Santos might well end up being someone in that category, even if it’s too early to know that at the moment, but that’s why you don’t rush into cashing in on these players. CFC have brought in a number of the world’s best young talents, but many of them have been underwhelming, so surely Santos is worth keeping around while others are offloaded?

Spring Summer 2025 https://www.patta.nl/collections/patta-spring-summer-2025-drop-1

Brain Dead Resurrect the adidas Forest Hills with a Hairy Twist https://www.sneakerfreaker.com/releases/brain-dead-adidas-forest-hills-price-buy-release-date/ Brain Dead and adidas are digging deep into the archives once again, this time resurrecting adi’s classic Forest Hills tennis sneaker. Originally introduced in 1976 and named after the Queens neighbourhood that hosted the US Open, the Forest Hills silhouette is known for its clean lines and lightweight build. For this latest collaboration, the proudly psychedelic Brain Dead collective injects their signature aesthetic into the silhouette, swapping out traditional leather for shaggy suede in four distinct colourways. The ‘Branch’ combo arrives in monstrous green hairy suede with maroon leather accents that comes paired with white stripes featuring contrast stitching. The ‘Core Black’ version mixes brown and cream-coloured leather overlays atop a black suede base, offering a rich, textural contrast. For sneakerheads who appreciate the OG Forest Hills model, the ‘Crew White’ colourway takes cues from the classic ‘Metallic Gold’ edition, layering blue, green, and yellow stripes over a white foundation. Finally, the ‘Shadow Brown’ pair makes a bold statement with red details and blue zig-zag stitching around the heel. The most notable design aspect, however, is the removal of the traditional rubber toe cap, which is replaced by the same hairy suede utilised across the upper. The Brain Dead x adidas Forest Hill collection is expected to launch sometime in April via adidas and select retailers. Pricing is yet to be confirmed, but expect more details as the release date approaches.

slabhead waddling about

nil 1 lol

1893-94 131 years ago was the last time Manure was this bad at home

https://www.vipleague.pm/fa-cup/manchester-united-vs-leicester-city-1-live-streaming https://www.vipleague.pm/fa-cup/manchester-united-vs-leicester-city-2-live-streaming https://redditsoccerstreams.org/event/manchester-united-leicester-city/1504613 https://favs.soccerstreams100.io/event/eng-fa/leicester-vs-man-united-live-soccer-stats/730040

Chelsea’s transfer window reviewed: Squad players leave but judgement will have to wait https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6112492/2025/02/06/Chelsea-transfer-window-review/ Barely a day went by during the transfer window without Chelsea’s name being mentioned. The Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium took a contrasting approach to their first two mid-season markets. There was the lavish spend of January 2023, which saw six players recruited — including the high-profile acquisitions of Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Murdyk for more than £170million ($213m at current rates) — but last year, the chequebook remained closed, with only Cesare Casadei’s premature return from a loan at Leicester City adding to the senior squad. So, what would Chelsea would do this time? Ultimately, it was more like the second winter window than the first. This is The Athletic’s take on the deals that did happen — and the ones that didn’t… Was this window a success or a failure? Only time will tell — the decisions made since the turn of the year will be judged at the end of the season. By concentrating more on shipping out players than bringing them in, Chelsea have exposed themselves to injuries slightly — but the squad was bloated and keeping unsettled personnel can hurt morale in the camp. It is always a difficult balance to strike. Chelsea’s messaging has remained consistent. They wanted a winger and a striker but were not going to break the bank to do it, especially with few teams wanting to sell their best assets. Enquiries were made for Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho but nothing went further than that. If the right deal for the right price could be done, Chelsea would act. If not, it was all about making some headway for summer moves and the club believe they have done this. Chelsea were interested in Garnacho (Carl Recine/Getty Images) Recalling Trevoh Chalobah from his loan at Crystal Palace following hamstring injuries to Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile provides good cover — he will need no time to settle in. Mamadou Sarr and Mathis Amougou are two talented 19-year-olds signed with the future in mind. The same could be said for Aaron Anselmino — another 19-year-old, he was signed from Boca Juniors last summer but only got added to the setup last month, having been initially loaned back. Apart from Casadei, Chelsea failed to agree any permanent departures. Five first-team players left on loan but the club still see it positively. Renato Veiga, Carney Chukwuemeka, Axel Disasi and Joao Felix have joined clubs playing in the Champions League, with Ben Chilwell leaving for Palace. The hope is they either return to Chelsea’s squad as improved players or secure a permanent transfer elsewhere, providing income to be reinvested into other targets. Chelsea have been through so much change over the last three years that a more subdued window may not be such a bad thing. How much did they spend and how much did they bring in? Chelsea came out in the black. They earned more from Casadei’s sale to Torino (€15million; £12.5m; $15.6m) than they paid sister club Strasbourg for Sarr (€14m). The club have earned around £15m in loan fees, which comfortably meets the cost of Amougou’s purchase for £12.5m. The wage bill has been reduced and more revenue will be generated when lucrative sell-on clauses are triggered. Was there a standout signing? In terms of making a massive difference now, no — but having Chalobah back in central defence is a step up from Disasi, who had struggled since moving to Stamford Bridge in 2023. Did they lose anyone they would have wanted to keep? Head coach Maresca did not want Casadei or Veiga to leave but they made it clear to him that they wanted more regular first-team football. Veiga was a useful squad player given he can play at centre-back, left-back and midfield. He could be missed when the Conference League resumes in March and the schedule becomes more intense. Are there any obvious gaps in the team? Chelsea’s continued pursuit of a winger and striker speaks volumes. Nicolas Jackson is on his longest scoring drought at the club (eight games) and Mudryk’s suspension for failing a doping test means inexperienced 19-year-old Tyrique George is being asked to step up. There are other reasons to be concerned. Romeo Lavia’s fitness issues have left them light in midfield and they are reliant on Moises Caicedo staying injury-free. Goalkeepers Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen have yet to win over the crowd but it is worth bearing in mind Chelsea have already got a very talented youngster, 19-year-old Mike Penders, coming from Genk in the summer. Penders is joining in the summer (Johan Eyckens/Belga/AFP via Getty Images) Are they strong enough to achieve their goals for the season? Chelsea’s squad has lost some of its depth, so you could argue they are a bit weaker. On the other hand, Maresca does not have to manage as many fragile egos, so his job might have become a bit easier. A lot is resting on Cole Palmer’s shoulders but he has coped with that pretty well over the past 18 months. As long as he keeps producing the goods in attack, Chelsea should remain optimistic about finishing in the Champions League qualification places and winning the FA Cup or Conference League. Will they have money to spend in the summer? Yes. Qualifying for the Champions League will help give them more but Chelsea’s business model has used sales to generate a huge amount of funds in the past and the next close season will be no different. What is their priority for the summer? A winger and a striker. What is their strongest XI? (4-2-3-1) — Filip Jorgensen; Reece James, Tosin Adarabioyo, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella; Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo; Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Jadon Sancho; Nicolas Jackson. The full list of ins and outs In Mamadou Sarr (€14million from Strasbourg, to join in the summer) Mathis Amougou (£12.5m from Saint-Etienne) Aaron Anselmino (recalled from loan at Boca Juniors) Trevoh Chalobah (recalled from loan at Crystal Palace) Out Cesare Casadei (€15m to Torino) Ben Chilwell (loan to Crystal Palace) Renato Veiga (loan to Juventus) Carney Chukwuemeka (loan to Borussia Dortmund) Joao Felix (loan to Milan) Axel Disasi (loan to Aston Villa)

The criticisms aren't blind rage, they're supported by facts, and winning won't change them! Fans aren't stupid, and we see the evidence right in front of us https://siphillipstalkschelsea.substack.com/p/the-criticisms-arent-blind-rage-theyre January 2025 was a hell of a month for Chelsea fans. Inconsistent results, and increasing frustration at an ownership and sporting directors who appeared on the surface to be completely unaware of these needs or at least unwilling to do anything to solve them. We also saw two players we signed in the summer, Joao Felix and Renato Veiga, leave on loan, probably to be sold off in the summer. I certainly grew increasingly frustrated and angry as the month went on, as did a lot of the fanbase. I’ve never seen a fanbase more collectively united as they were this month, against Behdad Eghbali, Clearlake and the Sporting Directors, and with complete justification. Now the window is over and it calmed down a bit, and we won against WHU, it allowed space to calm down and reflect. I’m not and will never be a cynic. Assuming the worst of everyone or putting a negative spin on everything isn’t healthy and is rarely accurate. Most of the time there’s nuances and different perspectives on things. I’ll give credit to the sporting directors and owners when it's deserved, happily, but if they mess up I’m not gonna hesitate to call them out on it, and I think I have this last month. Just clinically, coldly examining the evidence in front of us, there’s several serious and legitimate criticisms. These are overly emotional rants or meltdowns, simply facts we can all see, which are of concern. To begin with, we have two signings worth a combined £59m leave on loan six months after joining the club, with Felix apparently wanting to leave, is staggeringly poor performance. The club also wanted to move on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall after only 6 months. This is breathtakingly incompetent and awful squad building. There IS a plan, but I’m certain Felix and Dewsbury-Hall weren’t part of it, they were signing to sort out our PSR position. Let's be clear, other clubs had PSR issues, none of them bought players they didn’t need to satisfy those issues. This was not necessary and we wasted £85m on two players which could have got us a top striker, allowing Jackson to be rested and likely meaning we’d be higher in the table. I don’t say any of the above sitting here in a pit of rage, it's simply a matter of fact. Just from a purely objective view, we’ve allocated funds badly, made some bad decisions, and we’ve signed players who’ve been available after just 6 months at the club, demanding ridiculous fees (£60m for Joao Felix) to sell them. Felix stated in the summer he wanted us to be his permanent home, but according to Fabrizio, feels so let down and left out, he wanted to leave after 6 months. But some comments from Cesare Casadei this week, after we sold him to Torino for £12.5m, should give us all some cause for concern: "I needed to be at a club where I feel important and where they make me feel important. I couldn’t wait. I had been trying (to return to Italy) for a couple of seasons but, for one reason or another, I was hindered.” - Cesare Casadei What this is basically saying is, he didn’t feel important at Chelsea, he wasn’t made to feel important, and Chelsea (the sporting directors, I presume) hindered him from moving back to Italy for about 18 months. In isolation this could be dismissed, but when you look at how we’ve treated Trevoh Chalobah, stripping him of his shirt number, making him train with kids, trying to force him out, then recalling him shamelessly, and how they forced Conor out, it really is a compelling case. Players are human beings, not commodities. They deserve to be treated with respect and decency. Cobham players who’ve been at the club since they were kids and been loyal to the club, should be celebrated and respected, not forced out of the club against their will. And just because a player isn’t a regular starter, or doesn’t have a long term future at the club, doesn’t mean they should be treated any differently. There’s a base level of class, decency and respect which any person deserves. Players are not simply commodities or cash cows to be traded without sentiment, emotion or humanity. And the impression being given to fans and likely others outside Chelsea is that we don’t treat players well - and we’ve even seen some young talents reject us in January (one for Spurs), something which wasn’t happening much two years ago. In the same way, I won’t dehumanise Behdad Eghbali or the Sporting Directors. They’re human beings with families and I wish no harm on them personally, in fact the opposite, I wish them nothing but good things. None of my criticism is personal and the personal attacks on them and their families on social media are a disgrace. No, my criticism is of their job performance in a job where they have a big responsibility and likely get paid a lot of money. They work for Chelsea Football Club, a club that demands not just to compete, but to win. As such, they should be held to the highest standards, and they simply aren’t performing to those standards. They look out of their depth. Unlike Todd Boehly, who seems to be a good listener, willing to acknowledge he’s not an expert, and listen to fans and experts, Behdad seems to think he’s a genius at football and found a new way to build a winning team, and gets heavily involved. The next thing is treating fans like we’re stupid. Quite frankly, I’ve had enough of being treated like a mug who’ll swallow anything the media feeds me, with no intelligence or critical thinking skills. I don't work in professional football, so I’m not qualified, but that doesn’t make me stupid or gullible. I’m far from the only fan who thinks this too. Patronising fans and insulting our intelligence tells us a lot about how Behdad and the sporting directors see the world and treat people, and even further justified these arguments about how they handle players. This is not how a good owner and a well run club talks to its fans. By the way, unlike others, I don’t doubt Clearlake want to win. I’ll say this till I’m blue in the face, it’s a matter of fact, which they will know, that success on the pitch and playing CL football every year, makes the club and owners hundreds of millions more per year than selling footballers or finishing 6th. “Like anything you've got to put a good product on the field. You've got to win. Your content, your asset is that play and I think the opportunity to make it a platform is there.” Behdad Eghbali, Nov 2022 Revenue can increase significantly with regular CL football if you do it right, maybe even more. Arsenal have reportedly got £80m from just reaching the knockouts in the new format this season, so chances are you can likely get nearly £100m a season now for CL participation if you get to the quarters/semis, without even winning it. If you win it, you can now make up to £120m, which is what Real Madrid made last year as winners. The prize money is going up and will keep on doing so, so to make big revenues and profits, you have to be playing in the Champions League. Plus of course, there’s all the commercial deals which come with it - bigger shirt sponsorship (£60m a year at least), a potential partnership with Jordan brand we’ve been linked with, dependent on CL football, (at least £50m a year if not more) and other big partnerships we could get, which in total could be worth at last say £250m a year cash. I don’t need to tell you that is is way more than you can ever make in player trading and does more to satisfy PSR than player sales ever will. Combine that with a bigger stadium, and based on recent revenues, we’d be potentially getting up to £800m a year in revenue, if not more, which you’ll never make just with player trading. Jose Feliciano from Clearlake outlined their financial goals for Chelsea in 2022: “We think we have an incredible opportunity to double revenue. We think we have one of the best media properties and sport properties in the world where we can get to a £1 billion of revenue.” Jose Feliciano, Bloomberg 2022 If you think you can get to £1 billion in revenue just by selling players every year, or flipping young players, without regular CL football, big commercial deals and prize money, you’re living in a fantasy world. The biggest single year revenue in club football, over $1 billion, in 2024 came from Real Madrid, who won La Liga and the Champions League last year. The richest clubs in the world and the biggest revenues come from teams who win regularly and play CL football and reach to the final stages regularly, that’s a cold hard fact. That’s just data. So it's very clear, if they want profit, which they do, they want to win. Clearlake is just naive enough to believes winning comes by signing 25 kids and having them all mature together with no established players. Now it might do that, eventually, but that doesn’t make it a good plan, because there is SO much risk involved with this strategy, and its unnecessary risk. If it works, it will take time and they’ll look very shrewd and smart, but there’s no guarantee of it. But being Private Equity investors, they’re risk takers, so they’ll likely stick with this even if it doesn’t work initially. Again, really frustrating for fans. The annoying thing is, you can basically still do this plan, but if you add just 3-4 elite proven players, winners, leaders, you’ll get more success (and bigger revenues) now and still have all the same young talent we already have, in order to maintain success long term. It's SO obvious this is the solution, but Behdad thinks he knows better, which is very frustrating. But the merits of the plan are almost a side issue. My criticism is less of the plan, but of the way this plan is being enacted. The way the squad is being built, players are being managed by the Sporting Directors, fans are being treated, successive managers not being backed, and transfers in general are being conducted is shambolic, and not how a big club operates. The plan is not being executed well at all, that’s just fact, and it’s definitely not being executed by best in class people, which almost every fan can see now. Chelsea may get Champions League football this year. We have a good first team and the Sporting Directors deserve credit for that. But that won’t invalidate the criticisms - in fact it will make them stronger, because it will show that if not for wasteful, poor spending and poor treatment of players we should have kept, and if we’d backed our manager properly, we could actually have done even better. Losing players after 6 months, signing players we don’t need, gaining a reputation for treating players badly, not backing a manager properly in January in successive seasons, and patronising fans in briefings is poor performance and incompetence, and there’s no other word for it. Normally, in a well run organisation, there would be some accountability for this, including from Clearlake. Admit they don’t know it all and have made some big mistakes, learn the lessons and do better. Or better yet, sell to a proven winner who cares about the club, who wanted the club long before Clearlake, Todd Boehly. There won’t be accountability of course, and that itself is another huge red flag. This brings me neatly back to where I began. I’m not here venting or sitting in deep rage, just ranting without forethought or with pure emotion, in pure rage. All the criticisms above have cold hard, evidence to support them. Not to mention, many many smart, rational, fans can now see this happening right in front of us. And despite what Clearlake and the Sporting Directors think, we’re not stupid or gullible. The owners should have no doubt, these criticisms will remain true and relevant, and we’ll keep making them, no matter what we achieve on the pitch this season. Winning isn’t going to cover up the cracks, no matter how much they’ll try. The Score

like Reece did?

Jonathan Pie - The Corporate Con

Buy us! the Kuwaiti royal family probably worth between 400 and 500 billion by now (second only to the Saudis) 🙏🏽

Populous unveils Wrexham AFC stand that will "emerge organically from the ground" https://www.dezeen.com/2025/02/04/wrexham-afc-populous-kop-stand-ryan-reynolds-rob-mcelhenney/ The planned stand's facade will be formed of red brick, arranged in a perforated lattice to allow inward and outward views, and "dissolve the boundary between the stand and the public". According to Populous, the use of brick is a nod to traditional Ruabon red brick used throughout the area, which has led the city to be nicknamed Terracottapolis. "The physical design of the facade at the back of the stand takes inspiration from the local brickwork and the city's 'Terracottapolis' nickname, to link it to the generations of fans that have visited the ground in the past," said Populous global director Declan Sharkey. "The angled planes and carved form of the brick facade echo the strata of coal and slate seams that represent the industrial heritage of the local area, with the feeling that they have emerged organically from the ground they stand." Once complete, the Kop Stand will incorporate a mix of hospitality and accessible seating areas. Its structure will be adaptable to ensure future expansion if required. Its brick facade will be laid with the same flemish bond that is often used around Wrexham, "creating a signature brickwork pattern for the club that is rooted in the area", Populous said. Adorning one corner of the brickwork will be two dragon motifs, referencing the club's crest. Inside, the Kop Stand's seating is being designed to amplify sound from fans towards the pitch and "reinforce the atmosphere within the STōK Cae Ras". It will also incorporate a player tunnel, allowing spectators to welcome the team as they enter the pitch. "We have designed the new Kop Stand to be both authentic and unique in its approach to hosting Wrexham's passionate fans," said Sharkey. "To do that we involved our team of audio consultants to maximise atmosphere." Completing the project will be a public plaza, positioned by the rear brick facade, designed to be enjoyed by fans as well as the wider public outside of match days. According to Populous, it will feature a memorial to the Gresford Disaster – a mining accident in 1934 in which an explosion and underground fire killed 261 workers. "The distinctive design of the new Kop Stand embodies the history and heritage of Wrexham – rooted in the local community creating a timeless, authentic piece of civic architecture that complements other landmarks," said Wrexham AFC CEO Michael Williamson. "It will provide an iconic landmark standing at the gateway to the city giving it a true sense of place." Populous is currently working on stadiums around the world, including one for Italian football club AS Roma that is "inspired by classical Roman architecture". Several are being designed to host games during the 2034 FIFA World Cup, an event that has recently come under fire for human rights violations. The designs include a 92,000-seat stadium in Riyadh and a 47,000-seat stadium in Al Khobar. The visuals are courtesy of Populous.

Rob Pratley does not hold back reviewing the January transfer window 2025 The good, the bad and the downright stupid... https://siphillipstalkschelsea.substack.com/p/rob-pratley-does-not-hold-back-reviewing Throughout the January transfer window, I’ve retained a measured perspective because transfers are not simple things. It takes a lot of time to do a deal - despite what people think - and they can collapse over the smallest of things. Resultantly, I’ve been waiting for the end of the window to accurately assess the activity in and out of the club. Let’s start with the good. Firstly, I’m pleased we finally saw some sense and recalled Trevoh Chalobah. Secondly, I’m glad we didn’t buy Alejandro Garnacho. Thirdly, I’m pleased we saw sense and accepted Axel Disasi doesn’t fit in Enzo Maresca’s plans. Fourthly… actually no, we’ve exhausted the good points. I’m not going back into the Trevoh Chalobah situation. My view on it is pretty stark. He was treated appallingly and forced out the club and it is embarrassing we’ve had to recall him. I’m of the view that heads should roll for the way we’ve treated him and it’s no surprise that since he has returned, he has proved he is ample good enough to be a squad option. I’m not sure what sort of ridiculous politics came into play to loan him out in the first place, but quite frankly it can get in the bin. Onto the Alejandro Garnacho point. I actually do think Garnacho has a lot of talent and ability, which if harnessed correctly will lead to a positive career. The issue is he is stuck in a basket-case environment on a long contract with a manager who frankly would jettison him at a moment’s notice and is perpetually now being viewed as a walking pound note because of the ridiculous nature of PSR regulations, coupled with the dreadful way Manchester United are run. When you also factor in his brother - who seems to have elected himself as some quasi-spokesperson for Garnacho and is rapidly damaging the Argentine’s career by regularly espousing on social media (and to the press, if reports are to be believed - it’s the exact sort of baggage Chelsea do not need. The final positive point. I have nothing against Axel Disasi, he seems a good character and as a box defender, he has certain qualities. However, he has shown zero ability to play consistently in a high line. He panics and makes silly mistakes, lacking the athleticism and agility to compensate for these lapses and is prone to being caught out of position. I have no doubt he could be a very good player in the right system for the right manager, right team and right league. I have absolute confidence that isn’t in the Premier League for any team that has ambitions of playing a higher line. One thing I will give him credit for - he - like many people - view Tottenham Hotspur as tinpot and irrelevant. Onto the bad. Oh boy, where do you start. It was pretty clear at the beginning of the month there would be 3 big subplots underpinning the window for Chelsea. Firstly, Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku wanting more gametime. Secondly, the acquisition of a new central defender to provide cover - which we’ve already discussed above. Thirdly, signing priority players in the two positions that Chelsea lacked in; a proper box striker, or old school ‘No. 9’ and another midfield option to cover for Romeo Lavia. Starting with Joao Felix. I was on record in the summer saying this was an utterly bizarre move and some ridiculous PSR shenanigans. Felix didn’t pull up trees during his first spell at the club - despite what various compilation makers might have you think - and consistently he’s looked lightweight in the Premier League. It should have rung alarm bells last year when FC Barcelona passed up the option to sign him permanently. I’ve had conversations with another journalist - hello if you do read this - and I know he has an equally dim view on Felix. I always describe Felix as the perfect ‘ideas footballer’. On paper he has loads of qualities - vision, passing, agility, dribbling, can shoot, can take set-pieces - in reality, these qualities are greatly exaggerated. Instead, Chelsea decided to bite the proverbial bullet and bring Felix ‘home’. In many ways, I suppose he has been treated like an academy graduate - shunted out on loan and clearly marked as not in the plans, despite having a long contract. I don’t exactly have sympathy for Felix as I don’t think he was ever the solution, but I do have sympathy towards his family who once again are being uprooted due to complete utter mismanagement. I suppose Chelsea’s real hope is if he goes away to AC Milan and does well, they can recoup a chunk of the fee and minimise the PSR damage (hey, who would have thought these swaps were a bad decision!). I already dread to imagine what AC Milan player Chelsea are eyeing up for the summer in part of more convoluted swap-shop nonsense because I’m confident it won’t be someone we really require. Again, it’s a black mark against the directors because it was clear from very early on that Enzo Maresca did not rate Joao Felix and this is reflected in the fact his only Premier League start of recent note was in the loss to Ipswich - where his only contribution was timing a run poorly and being caught offside as he found the net. If you’re going to back a manager for the long term, you need to sign players that he wants, and Felix most clearly does not fit that bill. I hope on a personal level Felix does manage to find happiness again in his play - he has struggled on every level since Atletico first paid that eye-watering price-tag to sign him from Benfica and feels like another player suffocated by that expectation. On Christopher Nkunku, I am slightly more sympathetic because this just feels like one of those deals that made sense, but other activities have kiboshed it. The knee injury last year and the rise of Cole Palmer has meant the 10 spot is permanently occupied. That said, I’d personally like to see more of Nkunku playing off the left, where he looked particularly good in pre-season last year and also showed a really good understanding with Nicolas Jackson. At the moment, none of the left-wing options have made themselves undroppable and as a result, I think this would add another dimension. Although Nkunku did do some frustrating things on Monday, a lot of his work was positive and aimed to try and create and score, something which we’ve lacked recently. That said, I think it would also help him settle if we weren’t constantly touting his availability in the newspapers via briefs and inviting bidders for a transfer fee that simply isn’t going to happen based on recent injury record and form. I do ultimately think Christopher Nkunku might be sold in the summer, but until then, Chelsea need to use him properly and get the most out of him. At time of writing, Chelsea are in two cup competitions and battling for a Champions League spot, Nkunku certainly has qualities to contribute to that, but not as a sole striker. We’ve already done central defenders to death - admittedly seeing us bid for Marc Guehi again was ironic, after many people - myself included - predicted this sort of eventual outcome when he first left. Also equally ironic for two reasons is hearing about the huge bid for Murillo which was swatted away by Nottingham Forest. Firstly, Murillo’s a really good player, but Forest play a system that highlights his strengths and alleviates his weaknesses. I have zero faith that we’d adjust our entire style of play to achieve this. Secondly, Chelsea were linked quite heavily with Murillo before he joined Forest and at the time he was derided as not being good enough for what Chelsea needed. On the topic of defenders and one last point: Renato Veiga’s loan situation could be an article alone, it was one of the most ridiculous, stupid scenarios I’ve seen in some time and the story changed more times than a re-write of a soap opera. Again, I hope Veiga does okay on his loan because that means Chelsea can then move him on for a decent fee; this episode if nothing else has proved that some players might believe in what they are told at first, but this view rapidly diminishes. Just play Ishe Samuels-Smith instead who actually understands how to invert. Let’s move onto the elephant in the room. Signing priority players for key positions. At the start of the window, Chelsea FC Women identified they needed a quality central defender, and a top No. 6. They also ended up needing a goalkeeper due to joyous news of Zećira Mušović’s pregnancy - congratulations again to the Swedish keeper. They ended the window with a quality central defender, a top No. 6 and top goalkeeping prospect. In contrast, Chelsea FC started the window needing a central defender, midfield cover and a penalty box nine. They signed… 1.5 of these? Recalling Chalobah from loan is hardly some masterstroke, nor is briefing he is still for sale in the summer before he even kicks a ball. After all, how embarrassing would it be if he then got Player of the Match in his first game back? Mathis Amougou might turn out to be an absolute steal and we might talk about his signing in a couple of years time as being pivotal to future success. On the other hand, he might just fall into the Cesare Casadei bracket of promising young player who does okay but ultimately gets jettisoned several years later for a small profit or break-even whilst other prospects go elsewhere, or miss out on opportunities. Seeing it briefed that he isn’t really expected to be a part of the plans before the end of the season begs the question of why sign him now? Why not let Strasbourg sign him? Or alternatively - if you have to sign him, why not send him to Strasbourg and recall Andrey Santos? The Brazil midfielder is absolutely dominating in Ligue 1 and is a shoo-in to be Strasbourg’s Player of the Year and will likely make the Ligue 1 Team Of The Season. It’s no surprise to hear the likes of PSG and FC Bayern are already circling around him for the summer and Chelsea NEED to show a clear pathway. If he is returning in time for the Club World Cup, I would have him straight into the action. Whilst I can maybe understand why you’d want to keep Andrey out on loan - Strasbourg themselves are having a decent season and he has been pivotal to it- equally I see zero reason to sign Amougou who is only slightly younger, in the same position and not on the same level. If you aren’t recalling Andrey, that’s fine. You have Lesley Ugochukwu to recall too. You know, the player who was in the exact same position as Amougou two seasons ago, playing well for Stade Rennes and also gaining valuable Premier League experience battling against relegation at Southampton. I do think that Chelsea would have recalled Ugochukwu if Ivan Juric hadn’t become Southampton manager. Even then, I still think they should have done so. People say Ugochukwu isn’t really a sitting midfielder, but I don’t really think we have a proper ‘sitting midfielder’ in the system, at least not at the moment. Ultimately I can appreciate you wanting him out on loan to get experience and play regularly, but does feel like Ugochukwu is gaining experience to be sold to the highest bidder this summer. I’ve got no doubt that Chelsea can make profit on Lesley Ugochukwu. I do also have zero doubt other players will see how he’s been treated and this will impact their view on it. Onto the final point. Long time readers will know I am a huge proponent of the proper ‘No. 9’. From Peter Osgood, to Mark Hughes, Didier Drogba & Diego Costa to Olivier Giroud, Chelsea has been a fruitful and happy hunting ground for the more traditional centre-forward. I do think Nicolas Jackson is improving and has been dealt a difficult hand, especially this season with no other senior support. That said, I do also think he’s looked tired at times and also has been in poor form recently. Another senior no. 9 would take some of this burden off of him. People will say there was no clear option on the market. But I’m pretty confident you could have made one happen. A decent bid for Liam Delap would have made Ipswich think twice and also possibly turned the player’s head. Jorgen Strand Larsen would have welcomed being rescued from his Wolves relegation battle and no doubt Celta Vigo would have happily accepted a big fee in exchange for cancelling the convoluted loan deal. Jean-Phillipe Mateta spent a large chunk of the first half of the season looking for a way out of Crystal Palace, I’m sure Chelsea could have got Steve Parrish to listen, especially as again I think his head would have turned. These are just a few potential names and no doubt there were countless others. It remains a huge issue for Chelsea that they will have games where teams will sit in, be compact and challenge them to break them down. Having a physical presence that can meet these battles head on and relish them is a huge boost - look at the effect Marc Guiu’s strength and running had on the West Ham defence. His occupying of the two central defenders against West Ham gave Marc Cucurella room to bring down Neto’s cross in the run-up to the first goal. Are any of the above long term solutions for the nine role? I’d wager not - besides maybe Delap if he develops further - but in a situation like this season, goalscorers are critical and in tight games, a proven centre-forward can be the difference between 3 points, 1 point or 0 points. It’s not as if you also couldn’t move one of them on in a year or two if they end up 3rd choice. Overall, this window is one that whilst lacking in unnecessary signings for the whole, was instead punctuated by ridiculous briefs that changed with the wind. Initially a quiet month was then set to be a busy one, then an exciting one, then a busy final week, then waiting for the summer having done groundwork. Fans are not stupid and rapidly the Sporting Directors are losing any credibility. From the summer signings, two have already been jettisoned on loan and one has barely featured. The other should feature more, but has been caught up in positional politics - another blight of this club - and the final two have done okay but need to show much more in the form of end product. If you’re going on about having a four window plan - this time period is already over and the clock is ticking. Players know they need to start performing, the senior management and board need to perform too. At the moment, you’re not far off direct dissent and unrest at matchdays against the Sporting Directors. And to be honest, I can’t say that - unlike in other cases - I think this would be harsh. If you are going to treat fans like fools and laud over-the-top praise over the smallest successes and tiniest bits of progress - it’s only ever going to end up one way. Rob Pratley

https://football-observatory.com/WeeklyPost490 In the last two transfer windows, only one team has had a negative net spending* of more than €250 million: Brighton & Hove. Now firmly established in the Premier League, the English club recorded a deficit of €197 million during last summer and €56 million this winter. Premier League newly-promoted Ipswich Town and Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr round out the podium of the teams with the worst balance sheets. In the other European big-5 leagues, the biggest deficits were recorded by Atlético Madrid (-€116m) in Spain, AS Roma (-€111m) in Italy and Bayern Munich (-€63m) in Germany. Manchester City totalled the biggest win last summer (+€157m) and the greatest loss in the transfer window that has just ended (-€226m). In terms of spending, Brighton & Hove (€317m) are ahead of Chelsea (€310m) and Manchester City (€278m). An English club tops the list also in terms of the most positive results: Leeds United (+€132m). Another team relegated from the Premier League with a squad featuring many young players highly rated on the transfer market ranks in the top three: Burnley FC (+€101m). RC Lens is second (+€106m), while Benfica (+€92m) and Porto (+€82m) are just off the podium. * All figures include any add-ons regardless of their effective payment or receipt, as well as fees earned from sell-ons. Loans with a non-conditional obligation to buy have also been considered. Net transfer spending per club, season 2024/25 For the 100 most active clubs on the transfer market until 04/02/2025

off the board (Real Madrid must be fuming, unless they have decided to go for Nuno Mendes) Bayern Munich https://thedailybriefing.io/i/156439860/bayern-munich Official, confirmed. Alphonso Davies signs a new deal at Bayern until June 2030. “I'm very happy that I've extended my contract with this great club. I came to FC Bayern when I was 18 and now there’s much more to achieve together.”

I have seen no confirmation from the club

2 fullbacks we are looking at Jefte Denner