Fernando

Benfica angry with ‘disrespectful’ Chelsea over Enzo Fernández pursuit Chelsea have been accused by Benfica’s manager, Roger Schmidt, of “disrespectful” behaviour in their pursuit of Enzo Fernández. Schmidt said the Premier League club had unsettled the Argentina midfielder and changed the basis of discussions. Chelsea, who on Thursday confirmed the signing of the defender Benoît Badiashile from Monaco for €38m (£33.6m), have made Fernández a priority target. There have been days of talks and Fernández has told Benfica he does not want to play for them again but Schmidt insisted a deal was possible only if Chelsea paid the World Cup winner’s release clause, understood to be €120m. “There’s a club who want our player,” Schmidt said. “They know we don’t want to sell the player. They try to get the player on their side and they know that they only can get this player when they pay the clause. So it’s a very clear situation. What the club is doing who want to buy Enzo is disrespectful against all of us – against Benfica – and I cannot accept what they are doing. “So to make the player crazy and then to pretend they can pay the clause and later they want to negotiate, I think it’s not what I understand about a good relationship between clubs who maybe want to discuss about the player.” Fernández has angered Benfica by returning to Argentina without their permission as he pushes for the move. Benfica would like to keep the 21-year-old until the summer and Chelsea maintain they do not want to overpay and will walk away if a deal cannot be agreed. Lavish spending under the co-owner Todd Boehly continued with Badiashile signing on a seven-and-a-half-year deal. He is the third centre-half bought since the end of last season, after Kalidou Koulibaly and the injured Wesley Fofana. Badiashile is Chelsea’s second January acquisition, after the striker David Datro Fofana. The club are also interested in the Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhailo Mudryk but the Ukrainian’s preference is to join Arsenal. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jan/05/benfica-Chelsea-disrespectful-enzo-fernandez-benoit-badiashile

Looking forward to see him play. Welcome and hope by next season we see some great progress and say to ourselves that the money we spent was a steal.

Well that's what it is, because no matter what Potter does he will continue to be here. Well bar being in relegation fight, that might do it. But I think ever if we finish 10th he will be still be here next season, hence free pass. Todd no way will he kick Potter out, he will keep at all cost.

Where's the thread for him?

I'm happy with the approach of getting these younger guys. It reminds me of 2012 when we had a lot of younger players, but we screwed up by getting Mourinho. The real work of Potter is to blend those younger guys in. I remember reading how he did that at Brighton. That's why this season is a free pass, he needs to get rid of a lot of deadwood and older guys that don't fit with what we are aiming for.

I don't expect anything positive from this game and neither the whole world. When that happens is when Chelsea tend to surprise us. Let's see if that happens here.

Think Colwill if progress, because we have Gallagher that did good in loan and so far with us not much, then we shall see if he's worth it.

I think this is more the case. Let's see what happens, because 85 million upfront and the other in parts was a good as it gets.

I still rather pay that amout for Enzo over those two. I think if we get Caicedo we should be good for the midfield.

I'm fine with him getting a free pass. I remember arsenal with arteta was very bad. But the club back him and now doing well. I'm sure the owners are aware of this and because of that they will give this season a pass and next season about the same.

I thought the same but we are still many games to play. Don't be surprised if the screw it up ala Newcastle.

I remember reading that wars would stop to watch Pele play. It's hard to say who was the best as many people say different ages, style of game and such. To me, the best futbol I have ever seen was Ronaldinho. I don't consider Ronaldinho in the same bracket as Maradona, Messi, Pele, BUT I have never seen a player play the way Ronaldinho did in that short time span, he was just too good. That was the best futbol I ever seen from a player, ever.

Something has to be done about this. Are the club managing bad the players coming back from injuries? Just like they fired other people because of doing bad work, they need to look into this carefully and put the right people of making the best medical decisions for these player.

I remember mentioning that same set up. I wanted Judge but I realize might be harder. But we can Caicedo and someone like Enzo we would be good in the mid.

Are we still going to get Livramento? He's been injured but I think in the summer we have a buy back or something?

I guess because the thinking was, look we got Thiago Silva old and he has been good. Maybe the same with KK. No reason to fault those that thought because Silva has defied the odds. But as you at it, those are the exceptions then the norm.

We shall see. I see no reason why he can't do it. The summer transfer window that passed was so bad, because the owner bought players with having input from Tuchel which later got sacked. So that was one of the dumbest transfer window. Hopefully going forward with new team we can do that. And Todd does seems to stick with the men he puts in charge, as he has done the same with the Dodgers. While Potter wouldn't have been my first choice (I was happy with Tuchel), but I see what Todd wants and the work that Potter and team did at Brighton was impressive. I believe he can do that similar type of work here. Especially if you have an owner that will back you. I mean heck giving Potter a free pass this season is a big proof for me. That would have never happened before. Like you I want to get rid of a lot of dead wood and get our team more younger. I believe we will see a nice change this time next year.

Another player from Brighton in Mac Allister wanted by Arsenal and Spurs. Say what you want about Potter, but this looks amazing what Potter and team did at Brighton. You can say one player you get lucky, but there's been too many where people want players at Brighton. Todd saw this and the work they done hence why he is willing to discard this season. I'm definitely impress at the work Potter and team did at Brighton.

Yeah France without kante is not going to win. Just like us. This sport sucks without kante.

Yup I mentioned that if any hype for a WC player would be him if you can get him for cheap. Generally WC stars are a hit and miss. But for his age and if you can get for a good price then worth a shot.

Any player from world cup to buy it would be Azzedine Ounahi

I think we should improve after everyone is back and rested. I did thought we would go down in performance pre world cup. Now to see improvement and as well get rid of more deadwood if possible in January and continue to get younger players. We need DM, Jude will be hard to get so try other people like Caicedo and I guess we will go for Rice. Judge will be the best buy but we don't have a chance in that so let's go for what we can get.

No thank you!

You know what I think a WC at Australia would be good. Australia would a better host then Qatar.

So how is the new Board shaping out? What we have and what we are still waiting for?