Vesper

nailed it, just a year too soon with my call

Arsenal turn down informal proposal from Al Ittihad for Leandro Trossard https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5739299/2024/09/02/leandro-trossard-al-ittihad-arsenal-transfer/ Arsenal have turned down an informal proposal from Al Ittihad to sign forward Leandro Trossard. The Saudi Pro League side made a preliminary offer for a season-long loan, including a fee of €5million (£4.2m; $5.5m), with an obligation to buy next summer for a price between €20-25m. However, Arsenal made clear the 29-year-old Belgium international is not for sale at any price as remains is a key part of Mikel Arteta’s squad. Trossard has a number of years left on his deal at the Emirates Stadium and started the 1-1 draw against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday. Arsenal signed Trossard from Brighton in January 2023 and he has played an important role since, scoring 19 goals and providing 12 assists in 71 appearances for manager Arteta’s men. Towards the end of last season, he replaced Gabriel Martinelli in the starting line-up, with his 17 goals and two assists in 46 games contributing to Arsenal coming within two points of the Premier League title. He came off the bench to score the opening goal inthe 2-0 victory at Aston Villa last month, saying after the victory: “I think everyone wants to start games and play games obviously then it’s up to the player how they respond. “I always want to make an impact if it’s off the bench or as a starter. I think I’ve done my job today to help the team there’s not much more that I can do in that aspect.” GO DEEPER Trossard and a compelling case to take Martinelli's place in Arsenal's team

Gerrard is the draw, plus bigger wages for a few years.

Chelsea agree Harvey Vale deal with Al Ettifaq, decision now up to player https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5726031/2024/08/27/Chelsea-harvey-vale-al-ettifaq-saudi-transfer/ Chelsea have agreed an undisclosed fee with Saudi Pro League club Al Ettifaq for the sale of academy graduate Harvey Vale. As The Athletic reported on Saturday, Chelsea have decided to consider offers for the 20-year-old after loan spells at Hull City and Bristol Rovers respectively in the past two seasons. Sources close to Vale have indicated that Al Ettifaq have offered a bigger salary than the player is on at Stamford Bridge but he is not going to rush his decision. The England Under-20 international, who has just 12 months left of his contract at Chelsea left to run, also has a lot of interest from clubs in England and in Europe. Moving to Al-Ettifaq would provide the opportunity to work with head coach Steven Gerrard but would also mean moving a significant distance away from his family at a young age. Vale was named Chelsea’s academy player of the year in 2022 and was captain when England won the European Under-19 Championship the same year. GO DEEPER Chelsea need to be creative in final week of transfer window - is a fire sale inevitable?

well, that is depressing

VIDEO: The emotional moment Chelsea-bound Palmeiras sensation Estevao Willian discovered he'd been called up to the Brazil squad for the first time Chelsea-bound Estevao Willian and his family got emotional after the player got his maiden Brazil national team call-up. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_BGyEvxdDz/?utm_source=ig_embed

Chelsea signing Estevao Willian could break Ronaldo Nazario record after first Brazil call-up https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/news/Chelsea-signing-estevao-willian-could-break-ronaldo-nazario-record-after-first-brazil-call-up/ Chelsea supporters will be super excited to hear this week that Estevao Willian has received his maiden call-up to Brazil’s senior squad. Brazil announced on Friday that Estevao Willian, who’s aged just 17, will join the senior Brazil group for World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in September. Chelsea confirmed back in June that they’ve agreed to sign Estevao from Palmeiras, with the deal officially going through next summer. In the meantime, the teenage attacker is shining in the Palmeiras first team and enhancing his reputation. Speaking via Rio Ferdinand’s YouTube channel this month, journalist David Ornstein shared that he’s been told by experts that Chelsea have signed a ‘generational talent’ in Estevao. His inclusion in the main Brazil squad at such a young age certainly suggests that could be true. Estevao Willian could break Ronaldo Nazario record The history of Brazilian football is rich and includes so much heritage, with countless world-class players wearing the famous yellow jersey on the international stage. There’s no doubt that Ronaldo Nazario is one of the best to do so. Ronaldo, who’s now 47 and retired, had an extraordinary career at both club and international level. For Brazil, he burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old superstar and ended up with 62 goals in 99 caps for the South American giants. Globo Eesporte has highlighted that Chelsea-bound youngster Estevao now has the opportunity to break a Ronaldo record next month. If Estevao makes his debut in September, he’ll do so at an earlier age than Brazilian icon Ronaldo. Similarly, he’d have the chance to score at a younger age than him. Brazil’s youngest debutants Pelé: 16 years and 257 days (1957) Edu: 16 years and 303 days (1966) Coutinho: 17 years and 28 days (1960) Endrick: 17 years and 118 days (2023) Walter: 17 years and 136 days (1931) Ronaldo: 17 years and 186 days (1994) Estevao will be 17 years and 135 days old in the game against Ecuador, and 17 years and 139 days old in the match against Paraguay. Brazil’s youngest goalscorers Pelé: 16 years and 257 days (1957) Edu: 16 years and 306 days (1966) Ronaldo: 17 years and 228 days (1994) Endrick: 17 years and 246 days (2024) Coutinho: 17 years and 323 days (1961) Excitement building around Estevao Willian There’s no doubt that the excitement within the Chelsea fanbase around Estevao is growing every day. In fact, some may even feel like his £51m signing (The Independent) will eventually turn into a bargain further down the line. For now, the talented right-winger will be best served keeping his head down at Palmeiras and working hard on his development. He’s become a regular starter now for the Brazilian top-flight club. The attacker has played 34 senior matches for them so far, scoring seven goals and making six assists. His recognition by the Brazilian national team is a huge indicator of where his game is currently at, so his arrival at Stamford Bridge in 2025 can’t come soon enough.

what is up with Cesare Casadei?

btw now: 16:30, 30 AUG 2024 Latest reports and our stance Varela has been linked with Liverpool with the Argentina international reportedly having a release clause set at €70million (£59m). However, Argentinian outlet TyC Sports have reported his release clause has risen to €90m (£76m) in the last few days as the Portuguese giants are determined to keep hold of their captain. (€90m is 99.8 million USD atm in FOREX)

IF we were hellbent on an HG MFer, would have much rather went for Adam Wharton or Matt O'Riley non HG: Quinten Timber (Jurriën Timber's twin brother (they turned 23 in mid-June), who is a CMF and who has exploded at Feyenoord

I think they would be mad to sell him now IF they are serious about winning the title and going deep into the CL

Frank Lampard pinpoints one key issue that could hold Chelsea back under Enzo Maresca https://metro.co.uk/2024/09/02/frank-lampard-pinpoints-key-issue-may-hold-Chelsea-back-enzo-maresca-21529986/?ito=newsnow-feed Frank Lampard fears Chelsea’s youthful squad could hold them back under new boss Enzo Maresca after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Crystal Palace on Sunday. The Blues were at their scintillating best in a 6-0 win over Wolves last weekend but were brought back down to earth in midweek after a 2-1 loss to Servette in the Europa Conference League. Another inconsistent display followed at Stamford Bridge on Sunday as Maresca’s side surged ahead through Nicolas Jackson but were pinned back and forced to settle for a point after Eberechi Eze’s second-half strike. With a new manager and plenty of fresh signings still to blood into the team, Lampard urged caution from fans, insisting those factors and the squad’s youthful make-up will lead to inconsistent performances. ‘Inconsistency will be there – young players bring that,’ the former Chelsea midfielder said on Match of the Day 2. ‘If you look at moments in the game where Chelsea are on top, maybe they aren’t clinical enough and then you can always feel the game can swing on them. ‘You do wonder if that bit of experience through the spine of the team isn’t there and you’ll have to wait for that but there’s certainly a lot of talent in there.’ Despite that, however, Lampard remained optimistic in the direction of travel under Maresca and believes the club have turned a corner from the negative atmosphere that was all-encompassing during his ill-fated second stint in the dugout. ‘In terms of where they are at, Maresca mentioned today that they aren’t the same team that won the Champions League and he is right,’ Lampard added. ‘I was there 18 months ago and at that point, it was a really low point from my point of view because it didn’t feel like the club that it had been which was so successful for 20 years. ‘A lot of that was the environment and getting that right. I feel like they are on an upward curve but there will be good days and bad days because of the squad. ‘But there is a lot of talent and if they can keep improving, especially at the top end of the pitch, they can give teams a lot of problems.’ Chelsea will look to get back to winning ways after the international break when they travel down to the south coast to take on Bournemouth. Trending

I know many here will disagree with me (and that is totally ok, as this is a pure judgement call) but I think we should NOT have purchased KDH and just rolled with Carney for the MF role that we deploy KDH in. It would have saved us £30m in transfer fees, and around £31.2m in salary (as KDH signed a 6 year contract at what is likely around £100K PW) that £61.2m or so for KDH in toto is a shedload in cash for a (IMHO) Championship level player, or maybe, at best, a lower half of the EPL table team level player I simply do not see anything major that KDH does that Carney cannot do. PLUS we have Santos next year as well. I hope I have to eat my words, btw, as I have no ill will whatsoever against KDH, he seems a likeable enough bloke.

Saudi clubs can sign players until today, September 2 (10 PM BST) whilst the Turkish Super Lig window is open until September 13.

Neto and Felix are not true LWers, and Carney is an AMF/CMF, never a winger

Reece and Chilly (Kepa is on loan)

he has been one of the few pleasant suprises

starting to think he needs to go he is just not athletic enough and is also lazy bad bad combo

brilliant profit if we get that 20m quid more than we paid for him