Vesper

we still need to appoint a Sporting Director Christopher Vivell, his role at Chelsea and what his appointment means for their sporting director search https://theathletic.com/3671543/2022/10/11/christopher-vivell-Chelsea-sporting-director-search/ It’s been almost five years, but Chelsea have finally found their successor to former technical director Michael Emenalo in Christopher Vivell. Well, that’s one way of looking at it. Vivell will be the first person to be employed in the role of technical director since Emenalo’s shock resignation in November 2017; Petr Cech’s rather woolier job title of ‘technical and performance advisor’ always suggested he had less influence, and in the messy final months of the Roman Abramovich era it appeared the only significant duty the club’s long-time goalkeeper had directly inherited from Emenalo was fielding the awkward media questions that those above him in the hierarchy would rather avoid. Vivell, a 35-year-old who had been technical director at German Bundesliga club RB Leipzig for the past two years, will be working in a very different context to Emenalo and Cech, having been hired by new owners with very different ideas of best-practice in terms of running an elite football club. It has been suggested he will lead Chelsea’s data and scouting operations, effectively making him something more akin to a replacement for departed head of international scouting Scott McLachlan — but, in truth, his role is not yet 100 per cent defined. That is primarily because Chelsea’s new co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital are not done hiring. They still plan to appoint a sporting director, ideally before the January transfer window opens, and have not been deterred by both former Liverpool recruitment chief Michael Edwards and Red Bull Salzburg sporting director Christophe Freund turning the job down. There could even be room for a new sporting-minded chief executive or general manager to sit above this new football structure, acting as a bridge to ownership. It’s easy to see why clarity over the division of responsibilities between the people in these various new positions could take time, particularly since some of them are yet to be filled. Boehly and Clearlake co-founder Behdad Eghbali are adamant that Chelsea need a world-class executive team to bolster their expensive array of talent on the pitch, and believe that building one will enable them to avoid a repeat of this year’s chaotic, makeshift first summer of their ownership. snip

no to Weston McKennie not good enough

hell no to Alexis Vega he is utter dregs averages 5 goals per season in totally shit Liga MX

That Musiala number is cray, as it is only 3 games and for a much weaker side than France or Argentina

Time will tell but atm I remain unconvinced. I think it has a substantial chance to go down as a truly shit buy. I truly hope not. I have a solid track record here predicting systemic risk, both short term and on longer range event horizons on a multivariate number of stress points, both player-related and also bigger picture, whole club structures. I warned back during the Skripal poisoning affair that it was time for Roman to sell the club, as he was likely to be banned by the Home Office from obtaining a visa renewal (and that would cock up the new stadium) and was at true risk, down the road, of having the club seized, due to his close ties to Putin. I was laughed at then by some. We all know how that ended. 😒

hell no! £70m for a 31yo (in two months) DMF? PASS

before his injury here, but post bad Leicester injury, he clearly had lost a step before we bought him he fell far off my lists due to that bad injury before the Leicester injury he was very high on my lists, but I want to see two years post bad injury before I recco someone again

there are hardly any 'superstar' CBs out there, certainly not ones who are available, other than MAYBE Skriniar, who I did list, if he doesn't renew, and of course Gvardiol as for Gvardiol this past summer, we offred €90m and RB said no the Fofana STUPID buy was in addition to that deal, not because we failed (Fofana is a right footer) Koulibaly panic buy is a better comparison and btw, those 4 I listed are all between 20 and 23 years old, so lots of upside look at the top 25 CBs (in terms of valuation) on T-Markt who am I missing? I have discussed them all in depth since I joined the board almost 5 years ago Kimpembe maybe (as he is a left footer too), BUT we would only get 2 sub 30yo seasons out of him if he buy him in 2023, and he doesn't want to leave PSG (would you atm, unless it was for Real?) as they only need a couple WC or near WC midfielders and another CF to have a MONSTER club for the next season or 2, and they are also the leaders for Skriniar IF he doesn't renew Pau Torres? (another left footer) I don't rate him that much, he lacks pace, and makes errors too often in terms of positioning, plus he doesn't like overly physically play (hello EPL), and in that he is typical La Liga CB

Report: Chelsea Favourites To Sign Brazilian Midfielder Andrey Santos Chelsea are reportedly the favourites to sign Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos. https://www.si.com/soccer/Chelsea/transfer-news/report-Chelsea-favourites-to-sign-brazilian-midfielder-andrey-santos After missing out on Endrick to Real Madrid, Chelsea are keen not to let the same thing happen again when it comes to the pursuit of Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos. Chelsea have interest in Santos and are reportedly pulling ahead of the pack in the race for the player. A deal could be agreed as early as January if Chelsea are to push for it. The Vasco Da Gama midfielder has a market value of €5million at the minute. According to Matt Lawton of the Times, Chelsea are emerging as the favourites in the race for Vasco Da Gama midfielder Andrey Santos. Chelsea's interest has been evident for a number of weeks now, and they could make a move for the midfielder in January. The new recruitment plan at Chelsea is to identify and sign young players that can strengthen the squad, and Andrey Santos has been identified as one of those players that could boost the team. Chelsea are not alone in their interest, with Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle United all sharing the same interest in the midfielder. The Blue's will be hoping to land this one after missing out on Endrick, with the Brazilian citing hesitation on the financial side of things as the reason he did not want to join Chelsea in the end. Andrey Santos' signature will require Chelsea to be a bit more trigger happy with their funds.

Kouadio (goes by Manu now) Kone

So, Fofana is injured AGAIN (and looking like a bust as time rolls by, although it is not yet etched in stone) AND Gvardiol will likely not be leaving Leipzig until summer 2024 AND we have no clue as to what is going on with Thiago AND Colwill certainly is not stepping up so................................ we need to buy 2 CBs ASAP choose a left-footer Evan Ndicka Piero Hincapié Gonçalo Inácio and (unless we can somehow pull Skriniar) also a right footer who can play RB as well Mohamed Simakan (now that Gvardiol likely stays he will be an easier pull)

Gvardiol future takes decisive twist https://www.teamtalk.com/Chelsea/huge-Chelsea-bid-doomed-man-utd-liverpool-target-future-takes-third-decisive-twist Indeed, many within the media – such as the Telegraph’s Matt Law – reported Gvardiol’s new deal in Leipzig still contained the original and modest £44m release clause. Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg was later adamant any such clause had been removed when Gvardiol extended his stay in September. However, Plettenberg has returned with another update that has clarified the situation once and for all. He tweeted Gvardiol’s current contract does contain a release clause, and it’s a big one. The Croatian can reportedly be signed for €110m (approx. £96m) beginning in the summer of 2024. As such, Leipzig are under no pressure to sell this coming January and any Chelsea bid is doomed to fail. Indeed, Plettenberg added the chances are ‘good’ for Leipzig to not only retain Gvardiol through January, but also beyond next summer too. If the centre-back is going to leave Leipzig, it’ll most likely come in 2024 when his clause becomes active. The current world record transfer fee for a defender stands at the £80m Man Utd paid Leicester to sign Harry Maguire. Gvardiol will be 22 when his clause can be triggered, meaning any side willing to set a new world record will still be getting the best part of a decade of Gvardiol’s prime years. Given how highly he’s already rated at age 20, it stands to reason someone will take the punt in 2024.

Journalist Simon Phillips has told GiveMeSport that AC Milan winger Rafael Leao has ‘had his head moved’ by Chelsea’s interest in him. https://football-talk.co.uk/176888/Chelsea-recieve-boost-in-pursuit-of-rafael-leao/ The Portugal international has been the subject of transfer speculation with his current deal at the San Siro set to expire in the summer of 2024. Chelsea are among the clubs reportedly keeping a close watch on Leao and his current situation. Milan have been in negotiations with Leao over a new long-term contract but the reigning Serie A champions have not been able to make any significant in-roads. Leao has been on Chelsea’s radar since the summer and as per Phillips, the West London club will try to sign him this winter. Italian outlet Calciomercato has revealed that Leao could be available for as low as £69 million, in comparison to the massive £131 million that was being demanded by the Rossoneri last summer. Phillips has revealed that Leao has ‘had his head turned’ by Chelsea’s interest but insisted that Graham Potter’s side are not the only ones interested in the winger.

not durable at all

I warned everyone ☹️

Tiémoué Bakayoko to try leaving AC Milan again in January — report Like someone from a half remembered dream, when we were young men together https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/Chelsea-fc-transfer-rumours-news/2022/11/14/23458469/tiemoue-bakayoko-to-try-leaving-ac-milan-again-in-january-report Just like they warned in Inception, Tiémoué Bakayoko has been stuck in (career) limbo and try as he might, he seems unable to get back to the real football world. The 28-year-old midfielder has played a grand total of zero minutes this season at AC Milan, and has just ten (10) minutes of football and one (1) substitute appearance to his name since mid-January. Now technically in the second season of his two-year loan from Chelsea to AC Milan, Bakayoko hasn’t completely disappeared — he has been training with the team and has been on the bench for all but one of their Serie A matches — but it doesn’t look like he’s ever going to actually play again. (Surely there’s more to that than just sporting considerations, such as some sort of conditional financial clause or whatever; though that’s just speculation on my part.) Unsurprisingly, he’s reportedly “searching for a solution” and has “instructed his entourage to find him a new club”. Of course, that’s easier said than done, especially with Bakayoko still under contract at Chelsea as well, and through 2024, even. The report does expect that we would be open to a “low-cost deal” though at this point, it wouldn’t be shocking if we simply agreed to release him like we did with Ross Barkley over the summer. (Barkley’s a rotation player at OGC Nice these days, and surely Bakayoko could be similarly useful somewhere else.) Good luck, Timmy!

the pope shits in the woods too

I do not put much stock in that rumour

Legia Warsaw fans in 2017 https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2105520/uefa-hits-polish-club-disciplinary-charge-over-banner-honouring-nazi

everyone of the following players have question marks (some massive) looming over their heads almost the entire squad we are terribly unsettled Edouard Mendy Kepa Arrizabalaga Marcus Bettinelli Wesley Fofana Kalidou Koulibaly Thiago Silva (how much longer will he stay?) Marc Cucurella Ben Chilwell (only listed due to injuries) César Azpilicueta Jorginho N'Golo Kanté Denis Zakaria (play him more) Ruben Loftus-Cheek Mason Mount (mainly his contract situ) Kai Havertz Hakim Ziyech Raheem Sterling Christian Pulisic Armando Broja Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang plus (sell them all except Colwill and maybe CHO) Ethan Ampadu Abdul-Rahman Baba Romelu Lukaku Malang Sarr Callum Hudson-Odoi Levi Colwill Ian Maatsen Dujon Sterling Tino Anjorin Tiémoué Bakayoko

I would prefer Bellingham yes, Jude will be £120-130m or so, but Enzo will be over £100m too, £104.5m ie €120m, the pound is sliding big versus the Euro atm) I have seen zero other confirmation of that Marca last week claim Enzo release clause is only £77m, I think that was rubbish

only ready-to-go left footed CBs of Chels quality Josko Gvardiol of course is by far the best, but if we miss out, then: Alessandro Bastoni (zero chance he leaves if Skriniar does, and he will be insanely hard a pull no matter what) Pau Torres not sold on him Benoît Badiashile not sold on him, he is a giant (1.95m) Presnel Kimpembe (last summer I can recco him, due to age, if we buy him this coming summer, we get 2 full sub 30yo seasons, he turns 30 in summer 2025, WC 2026 will be his last, but he also likely doesn't want to leave PSG, I would not, as long as Mbappe is there and Real is not calling for Kimpembe, which they never will I feel pretty sure of, plus he is a native Parisian) Aymeric Laporte (turns 30 at the end of next season) then the 3 I would seriously look at if no Gvardiol: Evan Ndicka (this is who I would go for, 1.92m, pacey, 23yo, proven in Europe (won the Europa League and has played well in the CL, clean sheeted Spuds, bossed Son, Kane, Richarlison) Gonçalo Inácio 21yo with Sporting Piero Hincapié (lots of rumours link him with us) he turns 21yo in 3 weeks, not the tallest CB (1.83 or 1.84m depending on where you look) but great on the ball

I want to see pics of what they are planning on doing. This one at a time, stand-by-stand approach will take forever and it also may end up looking like shit if not done the right way.