Jase

Is he even back for pre-season? If he just came back, then I doubt he will feature this Sunday.

Aston Villa are really going for that striker...

Still doesn't come from Tuchel directly, does it? The media have been loosely using Tuchel/the club whenever they report about our striker chase. There's more than one way to skin a cat, if we can't get the wanted ST.

I'd imagine we would sign someone else if we don't sign Haaland.

Were the reports concrete though? I think everyone expected him to go to Liverpool and hence why when news broke out that we got him, everyone was caught by surprise.

Do you have inside info that says Tuchel wants a ST more than anything? Am sure the club have tried or are trying to sign a big-name ST but at this point, it's hard to tell what exactly are they doing. I mean, if we could afford the deal now, one would imagine we would have put in some sort of bid by now. The club could obviously be negotiating quietly and all that but based on recent reports, there doesn't seem to be any inkling that that's happening. If we're relying on selling players to raise funds, then we certainly haven't raised enough and it doesn't look like we'll have enough time to raise funds to throw in a bid before the "deadline". For all we know, the club might have moved on and quietly trying to sign someone else while the media, who don't know have a clue, are just recycling old stories to get clicks, a bit like how the Kounde deal has come out of nowhere. As for what City and United are doing, like the others have mentioned, don't think getting Grealish improves City a great deal. He's just similar to/like every other attacker they already have in their team. United may have signed Varane and Sancho but if our last season is anything to go by, then people should know that it doesn't mean that will translate to immediate improvement, especially when the manager is not at the highest level.

Obviously anything can still happen but it's kinda amusing that Fjortoft chose to focus on the words of an external adviser as opposed to the words from the club's CEO, sporting director or soon-to-be sporting director. Yes, the club people will always say their star player is not for sale bla bla bla but on the flip side, would an external adviser know everything that's going on within the club's board?

Joins Coventry on a season-long loan deal.

On the contrary, both are back (assuming I did not misrecognize Christensen in the background).

Is it any guarantee that Villa will go after Abraham if/when they sell Grealish? They haven't really been linked with Abraham all summer and haven't looked like they're targeting another ST either. It looks as though Dean Smith wants to add attacking players to play behind the ST if the pursuit for Emile Smith Rowe and now Leon Bailey is anything to go by. They have of course also signed the likes of Emiliano Buendia and Ashley Young.

West Ham close to signing Martin Braithwaite from Barcelona apparently.

If you're referring to the stories that came out yesterday, then they're probably BS or didn't go anywhere because the Italian media started and killed the rumors at the same time...

https://theathletic.com/2739045/2021/07/30/Chelsea-are-determined-to-sign-kounde-and-have-been-tracking-him-for-two-years/ According to The Athletic on Kounde: - Club are prepared to do whatever it takes to sign the CB - An agreement is thought to be some way off - Club trying to offer player plus cash to lower the fee. The player offered has moved from Emerson to Zouma but the situation is a bit tricky because the latter is settled in London and there's interest from West Ham - Kounde has been wanted by the club for the past two years - He is keen on a move to SB and sees it as a good step to make at this stage of his career - Several names were under consideration along with Kounde after Tuchel took over - Sule, Konate and Gimenez - Club planning for the future with Kounde and the fact that some of the defenders' contract is running down - Club have looked at the possibility of offering £30 million + Zouma for Kounde but it will take more cash for Sevilla to accept, something more in the region of £40 million + Zouma - Sevilla are admirers of Christensen but the club want to keep him and have opened talks with him - Rudiger wants to be made one of the club's highest-paid players (but no mention of whether contract talks have started)

I mentioned £40 million because that's the amount that's being thrown around and based on the clubs that Abraham has been linked with, there seems to be only two interested parties - West Ham and Arsenal. Arsenal want Abraham but only on loan while we want to sell. Maybe they would be able to afford Abraham if they sell Lacazette but there doesn't seem to be any takes for the latter, especially with him reportedly on £200k wages p/w. West Ham also want Abraham but they don't have money, although I could see him being used in a deal for Rice. Brighton is a good shout but Nikki mentioned above that they're going after the Celtic ST for less money and I have my doubts whether they'll bomb all their earnings from the White sale on one player. Newcastle is also another fair shout but not sure if they have the finances now and even you said previously that you mentioned Newcastle because of the potential takeover but that hasn't happened. Palace could probably do with a new ST too but they seem to be rebuilding their defence and midfield - e.g. they just spent close to £40 million on Guehi and Andersen alone. So, not sure how much exactly they have left and they may just persist with the likes of Benteke, Ayew, Mateta and Zaha for the time being.

Villa is a decent call but last we heard that is they aren't willing to smash their transfer record for another ST for the third consecutive year.

🤔

Who do you think who will shell out £40 million to buy Abraham? Be realistic.

So much for his value going up. 🤪

If we aren't including Zouma into a deal, then selling him shouldn't be a problem, I think. He's on low wages and isn't too expensive. But with the other two... Abraham's wages isn't high but is valued at £40 million while am not sure about Barkley's current value (maybe £20m-£30m?) but he's earning close to £100k wages p/w. We're gonna need some parties to bite the bullet here if we want to attract buyers for the both of them.

Would Grealish really improve City?