Vesper

we cannot sell or even loan him until 2023/2024 fucking Barca played him 8 minutes in a game

you are being far too harsh on NUFC they are better than us at multiple positions: GK, one of the CB slots (for now, let's see what Badiashile does), RB when we have no Reece (Trippier is a better fullback than Azpi is now), DMF, AMF/RWer (depending on the formastion), and CF (they have two who are better than anything we have atm) (we do blow them away in depth though) their best starting players Nick Pope Sven Botman Dan Burn Matt Targett Kieran Trippier Bruno Guimarães (world class) Joelinton (reborn as a MFer) Miguel Almirón (on fire, tracking to 20 or so league goals) Allan Saint-Maximin Alexander Isak Callum Wilson

absolute, unmitigated bollocks Enzo is a rare transformative type of player who can systematically impact the entire warp and weft of a side he is easily worth £75 to £85m (few but the most dull of knives in the drawer would be up in arms at that price range) so NOW you are going to label the act of dropping £20 to £30m over that range in order to beat other massive clubs to him as insanity? We overspent £30m or so ON JUST CUCURELLA ffs We just shit away £95m on KK (salary + fee) just in transfer fees since 2015, we have shit away around £750m, and that could rise to 1 BILLION QUID if the Boehly buys who still can go either way go into the bin/bust category: yet you are going bonkers over 20 or 30 million pounds extra spend (if it even is, but I am being generous) in regards to Enzo??? (who also would have been paid a wage FAR below what Bellingham or Rice will command, btw) this TC board just kills me sometimes LOLOLOL

Kova did have a buy option (despite what the Sun and Marca falsely claimed a year before we bought him). It is how we were able to perma buy Kova despite the transfer ban. Chelsea have agreed to buy midfielder Mateo Kovacic from Real Madrid for £40.3million. https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/Chelsea-agree-to-buy-mateo-kovacic-for-ps40-3m-from-real-madrid-a4177091.html The Blues are able to make the transfer despite being banned from signing players by Fifa for two windows due to breaching rules over the acquisition of foreign minors. Kovacic spent last season on loan at Stamford Bridge so as long as the switch is finalised by June 30, the Croatia international won’t count as a new player because he is already registered as a member of Chelsea’s squad. As Standard Sport reported last summer when they first acquired the 25-year-old, there was an option in place to negotiate a permanent switch. Chelsea were having second thoughts about doing so with Kovacic struggling to make much of an impression last term, creating just two assists and failing to find the net. How did Chelsea sign Kovacic when they have a transfer ban? https://www.goal.com/en/news/how-did-Chelsea-sign-kovacic-when-they-have-a-transfer-ban/1rg32e770efg31mbkg9yc6aw15 How did Chelsea sign Kovacic? Despite being banned by FIFA from signing players for the next 12 months until the 2020 summer window, Chelsea managed to acquire Kovacic permanently because of a loophole in their transfer suspension. The Croatian joined the club on loan for the duration of last season and the agreement between Chelsea and Real Madrid stipulated the Blues had the option to purchase Kovacic for €45m (£40m/$51m) before June 30, 2019. Because Kovacic's loan deal between the two clubs was signed off on before Chelsea's transfer ban was implemented in February, they can sign the player permanently without flouting the rules. Last season at the club under Sarri, Kovacic made 51 appearances in all competitions as he helped the club to the Europa League title and a Premier League top-four finish. Kovacic was technically purchased by Chelsea while they are without a manager, with club legend Frank Lampard set to be appointed in the role imminently.

Inter Milan President Steven Zhang Wanted To Sign Paulo Dybala But Simone Inzaghi Asked For Romelu Lukaku https://sempreinter.com/2023/01/11/inter-milan-president-steven-zhang-wanted-to-sign-paulo-dybala-but-simone-inzaghi-asked-for-romelu-lukaku-italian-media-claim/ Inter President Steven Zhang had wanted to sign Paulo Dybala on a free transfer this summer, but coach Simone Inzaghi asked the club to sign Romelu Lukaku instead. This according to Italian news outlet Calciomercato.com, who claim that it had been the coach’s insistence that Lukaku’s characteristics were the better fit for the team than Dybala’s which led the Nerazzurri to prioritize bringing the Belgian back on loan from Chelsea. Inter were involved in prominent transfer sagas with both Lukaku and Dybala during the summer, but only the former ended up signing. It had been reported that once Lukaku was signed to reinforce the attack, the Nerazzurri’s interest in signing Dybala cooled significantly, as there were by that point already four senior forwards in the squad. According to Calciomercato, Dybala had been the dream target for Zhang, once the Argentine became available on a free transfer from Serie A rivals Juventus. However, the report claims, Nerazzurri coach Inzaghi felt that as far as the attacking style of play that he wanted to institute in the team, Lukaku would be the better fit. In the end, the coach got what he wanted, as Lukaku made a high-profile return to Inter just one season after making a massive money move to Chelsea. According to Calciomercato, however, the club’s President Zhang had always seen Dybala as the preferable target of the two.

We only have ONE healthy decent (potentially) CF atm DDF (who could be a Jonathan David clone, but 2 inches taller) Auba can go sod off Kai is not a CF, he is an hybrid AMF/winger and a false 9 Nkunku is a straight up SS and also plays AMF Felix is a SS who plays wider at times, or even at No 10 at times Moukoko IS a CF, who also can play on either wing if needed now IF we did buy Thuram, then yes, you have a valid point so let's just grab Moukoko and forget Thuram

Which is why we should be all over Moukoko to move here NOW and not fuck about with Thuram

Nottingham Forest are in talks to sign Palmeiras 21-year old holding midfielder Danilo for a fee of £18m plus add-ons having failed to sign the Brazilian in the summer (Daily Mail)

Tottenham have submitted a verbal offer for Brighton forward Leandro Trossard but the Seagulls have knocked back the offer and have no intention of letting the 28-year-old go this month (Football Insider)

'Moved on': Paul Merson is convinced Chelsea will sell £160k-a-week player after what he's just seen https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/pundit-view/moved-on-paul-merson-is-convinced-Chelsea-will-sell-160k-a-week-player-after-what-hes-just-seen/ Paul Merson thinks Chelsea will sell Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the near future. Aubameyang, 33, moved to Stamford Bridge back in the summer transfer window from Barcelona, with the Blues prepared to give him one more crack in the Premier League. However, the £160,000-a-week attacker has had a tough opening half of the season in west London. The striker has three goals in 15 Chelsea appearances across all competitions, losing his spot in the starting position recently. It’s quite alarming that the centre-forward can’t get into Graham Potter’s best line-up right now at a time when he’s got Armando Broja unavailable due to injury. Merson thinks Chelsea will sell Aubameyang Sky Sports pundit Merson is convinced that Chelsea will get rid of their experienced attacker. He claims the incident involving him in last week’s Premier League defeat to Manchester City was the final nail in the coffin. Aubameyang was taken off the pitch midway through the second-half by Potter despite only entering the game as a first-half substitute. “Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was taken off after coming on as a substitute in the first game against Man City and I think he will now be moved on. I think they will cut their ties with him,” Merson told Sky Sports. “As soon as you are sub-subbing a 30-something player, I think that is probably the end. “Maybe you can get away with it with a younger player, but in football it’s one of those unwritten rules. It’s a don’t-do. “But Potter did it with him at 33 and, for me, I think he’s done.” Journalist Simon Phillips has reported this week that Aubameyang could actually depart Chelsea before the January transfer window shuts. In our view, the Blues should snap the hands off any potential buyers this month. There’s no doubt Potter’s squad looks very thin at top when it comes to goals, but Aubameyang doesn’t look like the solution to Chelsea’s problems.

I think they got suckered in by Auba's big numbers at pinball league Barca

Chelsea striker on Atletico Madrid’s agenda as they seek attacking reinforcements Chelsea striker on Atletico Madrid's agenda as they seek attacking reinforcements - Madrid Universal

getting this when I try and go into Transfers forum and others

If it was a £75m-£85m perm buy, and not a loan, it would be a WILD gamble. I just cannot grasp the vision of what we are trying to do. IF I had my way, my vision is 4 3 1 2 GK Oblak or Meslier CB Gvardiol (backup is Badiashile) CB Skriniar back ups are Fofana and Trevoh (Thiago has retired by the time this entire lineup is gelled) LB Chilwell (would love to pinch Nuno Mendes from PSG, but that is a pipe dream likely, maybe Zak Sturge blows up) RB Reece DMF/Deep Lying PLaymaker Enzo OR, if we fail on Enzo, Bruno Guimarães CMF/DMF Hybrid Caicedo CMF Box to Box Manu Kone or Carney AMF No 10 role Arsen rotating with Omari, right behind the front 2 CF/SS Nkunku CF Osimhen IF we go 3 across the front and drop the box to box MF, then Osimhen CF and Nkunku and Moukoko behind and wide, plus Diaby in the mix

total cost, with his wages included will be around £15-16m which is a shedload for 4 and a half months of play

Inter to Receive Final Answer on Milan Skriniar Extension This Week https://cultofcalcio.com/inter-to-receive-final-answer-on-milan-skriniar-extenison-this-week/ With the Nerazzurri quickly running out of time to renew the Slovakian international, Inter will not have to wait much longer on Milan Skriniar’s final decision. As it stands, Inter have offered a 6.5m euros per-season plus add-ons for the extension of Skriniar, with the Beneamata showing no intention of raising their offer despite many European giants monitoring the situation. According to reports from FcInterNews, Skriniar’s agent has confirmed that final response to the offer that has been on the table prior to the holidays will be adressed no later than the end of this current week. So far this season, Skriniar has played a tremendous role for Inzaghi’s side, accumulating 23 appearances across all competitions for the Biscione thus far. With Milan Skriniar’s contract set to expire in the upcoming summer, Inter could be forced to lose the 27 year-old on a free transfer ahead of next season as they show no intention of offloading the star stopper in January regardless of his decision.

Injury News: Chelsea’s crisis deepens as 24-year-old sidelined for ‘weeks’ https://astamfordbridgetoofar.com/2023/01/Chelsea-injury-crisis-deepens-with-christian-pulisic-being-ruled-out-for-a-few-weeks-latest-news/

we need to pull the trigger NOW on a bloody RB plenty out there to choose from Denzil Dumfries (main issues: price, plus he might have 'no CL' issues, plus will want to be the starter, and that is not happening once Reece is healthy) Pedro Porro (assist machine, tracking to 20+, £39.7m release clause) Malo Gusto (19yo with huge potential, and si already a starter all the time) Matty Cash (EPL proven, great athlete, can run for days, I am fine with thsi, I did not think Villa would even think about selling) Jeremie Frimpong (can play winger) Joakim Mæhle (can play either side) Juan Foyth Iván Fresneda Nahuel Molina Vanderson

Rolling tally of the 30 best (IMHO) overall under 30yo (Oblak is 30yo) players/targets who are still on the board (now or in this coming summer) and also not injured seriously or recovering (so no Chiesa, Wirtz, Oyarzabal, etc) Last criteria is that there is at least one player for every position. And yes, I put Rice and Felix on there as they are in this group. Dembele, de Jong and others like Bastoni and Simakan (renewed) came off as they are simply not available, not moving this summer, and some may soon come off too, for various reasons. Jude Bellingham Josko Gvardiol Enzo Fernández Victor Osimhen Dušan Vlahović Rafael Leão Declan Rice Khvicha Kvaratskhelia Moussa Diaby Moisés Caicedo Jan Oblak Nicolò Barella Milan Skriniar Mykhaylo Mudryk João Félix Bernardo Silva Sergej Milinković-Savić Bruno Guimarães Leroy Sané Theo Hernández Mikel Merino Marcos Llorente Martín Zubimendi Manu Koné Denzel Dumfries Alexis Mac Allister Youssoufa Moukoko Matheus Nunes Roméo Lavia Illan Meslier (Giorgi Mamardashvili now has a €100m release clause, ffs, so after Oblak, Meslier is my 2nd pic)

so name the names of these players we need to go after

Aston Villa player a ‘serious target’ for Chelsea as pressure grows on Graham Potter Chelsea are reportedly considering a move for an Aston Villa player as Graham Potter looks to bolster his squad in the January transfer window. https://www.birminghamworld.uk/sport/football/aston-villa/aston-villa-player-a-serious-target-for-Chelsea-as-pressure-grows-on-graham-potter-3979636 Aston Villa defender Matty Cash has reportedly attracted interest from Chelsea, as Blues head coach Graham Potter is hoping to boost his options at right-back. The Polish international, who played every minute for his national team at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, has just begun accumulating consistent game time under Unai Emery. Cash was substituted in Villa’s shock FA Cup Third Round defeat to Stevenage after picking up what looked to be a hamstring strain. Emery was unable to offer any update on the defender’s condition immediately after the match as he admitted he did not have an answer for reporters, but this does not seem to have phased Chelsea. According to Simon Phillips, “it looks likely now that the club are going to try and bring a right back this month if they find the right opportunity.” The journalist points out Cash as the freshest option being considered by the recruitment team at Stamford Bridge. The 25-year-old has become a key player for Villa since signing from Nottingham Forest, making 85 appearances, scoring four goals and contributing six assists. His record at the Forest Ground was even better, as Cash scored 13 and set up a further 15. His current market value is around £20 million, as per Transfermarkt. Potter has already been put under a lot of pressure at Chelsea despite only joining the club from Brighton in early September. Currently down in 10th place in the Premier League standings, the Blues have won just seven of their opening 17 fixtures. Signing another player at right-back could be key for Potter as star man Reece James, who predominantly plays in that position, has suffered plenty of injury problems this campaign. No offer has been made to Villa as it stands, but it appears Cash is considered a possibility.

Chelsea hold key advantage in Youssoufa Moukoko transfer battle amid 'good chance' of deal Chelsea transfer news: Borussia Dortmund Youssoufa Moukoko continues to be linked with a move away from Germany after he entered the final six months of his current deal this month 8 JAN 2023 https://www.football.london/Chelsea-fc/transfer-news/Chelsea-youssoufa-moukoko-transfer-battle-25922290