LukakutoStamford

To be fair folks I used to be a college basketball journo who dealt with recruiting which is extremely similar to transfer saga with all the mistruths nonenses and people trying to divine clues from the most innocuous actions. It does so happen that there are events that do take place but fail to matriculate for one reason or antoher. I could probably right a book about a 2 dozen different recruitments and the things that happened behind the scenes that changed an athlete's mind or a schools' mind regarding an athlete. It's quite rare that the true story gets out and no one remembers the details of the saga as mucha s the end result. It's certainly possible that MU came in with last gasp bid to try to hijack the deal. Granted I can't speak for the reliailbity of Palmeri or others but often that things that reports get wind of that don't end up happening for reasons that are not publicly divulged. We also had plenty of wanna bes in the college basketball world.

Hehe, gotta love the media antyhing to misquote and/or misrepresent to sell more fish wraps. He's not saying anything that isn't obvious. He wants to focus and the Wc and then see where things are once the dust has settled.

Eh? KDB not being at Chelsea had nothing to do with him being in the PL.

sod off? I'm trying to brush up on my British slang

I hope he doesn't waste his talents. He needs someone who can teach him not only in football but life as well

Just got off the phone with Cesc. He said he's excited for the WC. He said he's relishing the chance to defend the WC title and he and his teammates have been motivated by recent sentiment that Spain has gotten too old and nobody wants to see Spain win again. He said the imminent transfer deal with Chelsea was down to accounting issues and that Barca wanted full freight for the transfer and Chelsea wasn't willing to part with all 36 up front. He said even through he had some run-ins with Chelsea and Jose in the past it was all part of doing his job as he performs best being a pest. I told him what the Arsenal fans were calling him and he laughed saying that they had no right to be upset as Arsenal could have certain gone in for him but choose not to do so. He said Man United was not an option as he wasn't interested in residing in Manchester and he wanted CL football. He intimated to me that he hadn't been used properly over the last few years and that last year there was quite of bit dissection in the locker room because there was a lack of confidence in the schemes being used. He felt that Chelsea was on the cusp of something big and he wanted to return to the PL to feel more like he was a key contribution rather than someone who stood in The shadow of Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta. P.S. He said we should call him Chex because he loves Chex mix. P.P.S this whole post was a joke don't kill me

Bundesliga is pretty ideal baring a loan to mid table relegation side.

The loan for him would be great but Torres should be nowhere near the roster. Ba I could deal with as #3 but only if Lukaku was #2. Loaning him again only makes sense if you have good #2 and #3 options. Enduring another year with Torres and Ba is not acceptable.

So does someone want to explain to this kid how he's holding the knife at the wrong angle o_O?

Give me Rodriguez he doesn't come with the English surcharge and I like him better than Shaw and he's still only 21

Gold, Jerry, I tell ya, gold!

Shaw at 18 will likely go for 30 and Tielemans is a better prospect and a CM to boot. It depends on when he graduates if it is at the end of this upcoming year 2014-2015 then Anderlecht will get what open market dictates if it's two years then they'll get more. If he continues to progress there will be an open bidding war it won't be cheap.

No reason for Anderlecht to sell at 7 now when they may get 40+ in two years.

If Chelsea gets rid Romelu it going to be a serious mistake unless Chelsea can replace him with a young talent. Costa will not be fit for every single game. Costa and Romelu is great for legacy planning at the striker position. Costa and Manduzic is fine for 2-3 years but then what start over looking for a striker while Lukaku is netting 20-25+ goals a year, possibly for another PL team? I felt getting rid of KDB was the wrong move but I could see the detractor's side. With Rom he's a proven to be 15 goal scorer and who knows what kind of numbers he can get.

I dunno I kinda liked him as 17 becuase he does really play a hybrid 10 + 7 role, but hey #10 it is I think he'll move to CAM in a few years anyway

Should be interesting should Cesc end up a Blue. I think there are better options but they may not be realistic due to monetary questions. I've made no secret that a Witsel Matic partnership would be ideal assuming Pogba, Vidal, or Koke aren't available. I just really wonder if Cesc fits in Jose's system

Some of you must be bored because for the life of me I cannot understand why this conversation is still coming up. The joke about his wife wearing the pants was just that, a joke. Secondly beyond his crazy skill set he's one of the most marketable players in the world. If he and Belgium have a big World Cup his star power will explode. As I mentioned why in the world would be go to PSG? La Ligue has nowhere near the market visibility as the PL and Chelsea made the semi-finals of the Champions League without a top notch striker not to mention that the PL was attainable. The only possible move would be Real and I'm not convinced that will happen either. He has a chance to leave an amazing legacy and be looked upon as an all time great at one of the bigges clubs in the world. Of course PSG are going to stir the pot, but like I said earlier it's not even a lateral and that's not a slight to PSG but rather the realities of La Ligue versus the PL.

If we're going 4-3-3 get Witsel and be done with it. He's much better suited for Jose's style of play

It doesn't matter at this point he's gone. His talent is undeniable. The nightmare scenario is that he returns to the PL with someone else and wrecks havoc on the league. As I mentioned he's the type of player that needs to constantly play to stay in rhythm. He got knocked off that rhythm at Chelsea and be was able to get it back at Wolfsburg and for the NT now. I would be surprised to see him at Dortmund or Bayern playing a big role in a year or two as he's a known and prized player in the Bundesliga

Fair enough. I think he plays so many games that he probably tones it down in games that play little significance. At times he deserves to be critiqued but in an international friendly? If this happens in a WC game then it's more than fair to be critical. Not everyone can play like KDB does for the NT. (1 bad game 8-10 games)

Are we really going down this road? The expectations have gotten a bit out of control. Yes, he could be more consistent, but if he was as consistent as everyone wanted him to be he'd be on of the greatest if not the greatest of all time. This isn't FIFA or football manager. He's going to have off games. Fortunately Belgium is good enough not to live or die based on Hazard's performances. He's tended to show up in big matches and I hope he'll set the World Cup ablaze.

It's a done deal.

I'm not sure why people are so upset surely you could see this was coming. He's bring put out to pasture because he's not capable of playing a full 90 in the PL at the level needed. It's not he was in his Prime or as if he was going to Liverpool.

Two goals for Musonda today for Belgium's U19 team in a 4-2 win over Greece in the U19 Euro championships

I am with you as I hate the Flemish separatist nonsense, but English?