OneMoSalah

Iniesta can still play in that team for a few more years yet though. I don't think hes past it and hes starting to play a bit more like Xavi, doesn't make as many dribbles as he once did and touches the ball a lot more. If Pogba goes there he might replace Rakitic more than anybody but his defensive side would need to improve so much because you see what Rakitic has given Barca this year in terms of tackles and interceptions as well as interchanging with Busquets, holding his position at times as he used to also play as a 6 at Basel and in Germany. Still think the only team where he should go is probably PSG or here if we do go to a 3 man midfield but I don't think going to Real, Barca, City or United makes any sense now.

Sure Iniesta was terrible last season... maybe it was old age or Enriques tactics (doubt it his tactics won the treble)... Iniesta was not terrible last season, he plays a bit deeper and hes still able to go forward, hes still world class, Barca's best MF player and easily better than Pogba.

Iniesta is still one of the best midfield players in the world, behave would you? Dropping Iniesta for Pogba is like getting rid of a Ferrari for a Fiat. Pogba is a good player but the difference between him and Iniesta is night and day. Dropping Rakitic for Pogba too would be insane considering how adept Rakitic is defensively as well as offensively, he gives that team so much balance.

It does in the PL but nobody in the Championship would get a game here is what I am trying to say....

Well if he goes to Barca we should try and buy Rakitic, simple as that. Just a pointless buy from Barca really. Rakitic-Busquets-Iniesta is a world class midfield and has the right balance more than anything.

Would be a good rotation player. Jose managed to get 15-20 goals out of him as a squad player at Real so who knows. Should get Pedro though for sure and then see what happens with Cuadrado and Moses...

Championship player, championship player o the year... doesn't make a difference its a totally different level. Morgan Schneiderlin played for Southampton and went up the levels with them, so what? Not everyone is Morgan Schneiderlin or Harry Kane (who if he hadn't had that season last year nobody would be too bothered about Bamford not being in the squad).

Best CB in England? He can't even get a game for England at CB what a fucking idiot Kenwright is and what idiots we are trying to buy someone who can't even get in ahead of Jagielka, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling for 34 fucking million. Sure he has potential but so did Jones and Smalling... not liking the sound of this British record bid for a defender... I thought 20M was too much, but I'd be happy if we got him for that now because if we agree a fee... its going to be ridiculous.

Yes I did but I'm just trying to come across and say ANYONE who is realistically expecting us to use Championship players in a squad where we are trying to win the CL, the league and domestic cups is having a laugh. Theres no point giving him a chance because if he was good enough he'd of spent a season already in the PL on loan. There is a decent progression in his development hes gone from League 1 to the Championship and now hes going to hopefully be a regular in the PL in a team that will be comfortable in terms of safety. No point saying our system is bogus because guys are coming through that are at a high standard now after a few loans as well so we are definitely making profit/having ready made players if we keep them. Thats why I don't see why its so bogus because if we can get someone for 6M and develop him and sell him for 19M as hes not regularly playing here/not impressed the coach or whatever then why not? 13M profit straight up...

Who realistically thinks Chelsea are going to use a player who was loaned out to Crystal Palace next season though honestly? Anyone who thinks that is a bit deluded. Why would we weaken our squad, not signing Falcao to use a Championship player? Because hes English and came through our academy (or was bought and put into our academy)??? Bullshit. People are always complaining about our loan system but without it and the funds we make through selling players from it would we have been able to have signed all of these guys we've brought in in recent times like Matic, Costa, Fabregas and the rest, without having to face any sanctions? Probably not. I think even if we don't promote many youth players or guys we buy at 17 or 18 from other clubs, we are making A LOT of money for them and that is in my eyes if you look at it, is just as good for Chelsea as it is bringing players through business wise, as we can still invest a lot and not have to worry about fines or reduced 25 man squads in Europe etc etc linked with FFP. Football is a sport but it also a business and always has been. Also since Roman has been here how many players have we sold that have gone on to have proved us wrong for selling them as well as being successful with their next club? Robben is the only one I can think of who was genuinely worth keeping and Ballack although he was released not sold. Sturridge and De Bruyne weren't worth keeping here and although they've done well in other teams how many titles have they won? Lukaku the same? How much money did we get for them? Maybe 65M or close enough combined...

Wait are people still complaining about Lukaku? I thought we were over this....

Is he really better than either Kurzawa or Coentrao? Two guys I believe we should probably be looking at ahead of him...

I'm still under the impression hes not good enough to play here, because if he was, he wouldn't be going on loan to Palace and he would be playing here. He still has never played in the premier league, which is what he needs to do before he even gets a chance here. Going to a team stacked with forwards, is a shit loan move in my eyes, not his fault obviously but like at Newcastle Pardew will use guys like Murray and Chamakh in games they have to sit and soak up pressure and play direct mainly because they have a presence. Smaller teams maybe they will use guys like Gayle, Campbell and Bamford but it still baffles me as to why he went there and maybe not Norwich or somewhere else.

Big disappointment seeing him go to be honest. Think he was an outstanding left back for a few seasons before especially the year when Atletico won the league and he was also good here in spells as well just not a regular starter. Hopefully he goes on to have a successful career again with Atletico but a bit gutted it didn't work as hes a top player.

Yes I know teams normally look to replace certain players before they get rid of them similarly like when Ramires was bought to (or so I thought) replace an aging and declining Michael Essien. I felt that Zouma was bought to be Terry's long term replacement in all honestly but even then if hes not then I don't think Stones is the right guy or going to ever be nearly good enough to replace Terry. If we are going to sign a central defender for 34 million, surely it has to be Raphael Varane... only guy worth buying for that money at that age... definitely going to be world class. Its pretty much guaranteed he will be a top notch player. He'd be the ideal replacement for Terry. Or even buying Sergio Ramos from Real Madrid. Older obviously but still a world class player. I mean the last time somebody English was linked here, named to be somebodies long term replacement for vast sums of money, 1) we didn't get them and then 2) they really struggled at the club they went to. I just don't think John Stones or thought at the time Luke Shaw is/was good enough to be John Terry and Ashley Coles long term replacements. Especially for the stupid fees attached to them.

How can a 29 year old CB be on his last legs? Also Terry will keep probably playing for at least another 2-3 seasons I think as well, replacing him is going to be like our own little Paul Scholes conundrum that Sir Alex had at United when he retired. Cahill will probably be able to play on here every week at such a level until hes 32 or 33 at least as well before a noticeable decline in performances. We don't necessarily need Stones as of yet or even next season unless Terry declines so badly its unimaginable and even then I don't see why we would sign him when we have Zouma who is younger and better and only arrived at the start of last season (despite signing in January) and Ivanovic who will probably move into that position if it ever gets that bad. Stones seems to me like the least thing we could do with right now, not to mention the fact we still look a different team without one of either Matic or Fabregas. We need to find a solution to that problem more than anything.

Never mind how his name is pronounced (although I'd assume its just Witsel), if we sign him to stop confusion we will just call him Reginald. Azpilicueta is Dave. Witsel will be Reginald. Simple.

He is decent but Ivanovic and Azpilicueta are better. I think in a team who sometimes sit off the opposition and play with a low block he wouldn't be much use as he isn't that good a defender in comparison to those two.

Palace have got a couple of forwards to be fair, don't know if he will be as regular as some think unless they offload one or two. He might not even play upfront, he played on the right flank for Boro at times too didn't he, so maybe he will also fill in there.

He likely will. I don't think we aren't interested in Pedro... it would be stupid to pass up a chance to sign him to give Traore a chance I think. Still needs a bit of developing, he had a good year last season but still obviously another loan would be better.

Ffs £34M what a load of shite. The only player at Everton who is worth buying is James McCarthy.

No clue why we are offering 20m or more to get this guy. Sure for a CB he has good composure on the ball but his defending isn't all that great, his first season under Martinez, everything went right with Everton and sure you could tell he was a talented player but also last season that Everton defense was a mess at times and he like the rest of the backline was at fault for it. Even more baffled considering we bought Zouma, who I am sure is younger, a better CB at present, a better prospect and has more experience despite his age. Sure JT won't go on forever but Stones? I don't feel hes the right buy, I'd be pretty disappointed if we signed him for anything over 20 million and that was our work done in the transfer window. If it was 10-14m okay but anything more than that would be a bad deal to be honest. I get we want English players but no point overpaying for such guys. I've read we would be paying more than the money Manchester United bought Rio Ferdinand for....

I think its the Bayern board that are pushing for Vidal's transfer more than Guardiola, they tried to get him before he went to Juventus. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is a known admirer and apparently they tried to get him to move in 2011 but Leverkusen wouldn't sell to Bayern. Vidal also talked a lot about wanting to move there in that summer.

For a guy who has scored a goal every two games in PL for a low level team I'd agree and say it is a fair price. Hes better than Lukaku for sure. I don't think I've seen a 6 ft plus, very big built striker hold the ball up as bad as Lukaku or play as bad as he does with his back to goal.

Play regularly and maybe even prove a point in the PL for starters? Otherwise we might as well sign someone like Adel Taraabt because he was good in the Championship one year.... Harry Kane is a one off scenario honestly.