TomCFC

"Ribery to Chelsea" is trending on Twitter.

Kalou.

The Luiz saga was building for a while and grew hugely the week or so before. Admittedly, it looked like we were going to miss out on him (like with Torres), but we haven't heard a single Neymar rumour for months, have we?

Are the rumours true that Kalou is putting pen to paper in a new 15-year deal worth £200k a week?

This.

Stoke have failed in an attempt to sign new Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku on loan, Press Association Sport understands. The move fell foul of Premier League rules, which forbids a player being lent to another top-flight side during the same transfer window that he joined his parent club.

Hope that it can't happen, although his physicality would be a coup for Stoke. The BBC have added this: "BBC sports news correspondent Dan Roan confirms that Stoke have approached Chelsea with a view to signing Romelu Lukaku on loan. He also says: "Stoke are also on the verge of signing Wilson Palacios from Tottenham with the midfielder set to have a medical, but the Potters are losing hope of signing Peter Crouch.""

Unsurprisingly, BBC say £8m + Yossi bid is rejected.

BBC: "Sky Sports News are reporting that Stoke are in talks with Chelsea about a potential loan move for their newly-signed Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku." Thoughts?

I know it's an obvious and tired comparison, but his interview on MOTD was very Jose-esque. Great digs at Lambert!

The first Chelsea player to score on his league debut as a sub since George Weah in January 2000. His tweet: "Dream debut!First game,victory and first goal! I can't ask for more.Very happy and enjoying the moment and thinking about the N. Team now!"

Not a bad start.

Ruddy brilliant as always!

Highlights and interviews - http://www.footytube.com/video/chelsea-v-norwich-city-88667?ref=search

Not great but an average PL side who our youngsters can beat. Danny, Lukaku, Josh etc. Ties played week commencing 19 September.

I admire your optimism.

Not necessarily. There's no reason why he can't be sold.

Emile Heskey.

Bolton reject a bid from Arsenal - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14676338.stm Let's hope they don't get him.

Nice one Yossi. Wonder what TX thinks...

So many returns - Ballack, De Bruyne (maybe), Mata... We could have even had Courtois if he wasn't loaned out, and Lukaku will play in Belgium again.

Had to be Genk, didn't it?! Should be pretty easy though.

So comfortable for United and Porto.

AVB's bid confirmed by BBC - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14666949.stm

Juan Mata is an experienced head on young shoulders. Such is the poise of Chelsea's latest signing, it's hard to believe he's only 23. Looking back at photographs of him signing for Valencia in July 2007, shaking the hand of a smiling Juan Soler - the president who brought the club to near-financial ruin - it is a reminder of just how much Mata has experienced in a mere four years in eastern Spain, and how his maturity has shone throughout. Mata's emergence was pretty much the only bright spot of Ronald Koeman's disastrous spell in charge at the Mestalla. Having arrived from Castilla (Real Madrid's B team), Mata has spoken of the initial "loneliness" of joining a Valencia side beset by egos amidst general institutional chaos. Yet after being given his debut by Koeman's predecessor Quique Sanchez Flores, Mata became a regular under the much-criticised Dutchman and has never looked back. During his time in the capital Mata had already had his first taste of international success, as part of the Spain side which won the European Under-19 Championship in Poland in 2006. In a squad that also included Barcelona's Gerard Pique and current Sporting Lisbon duo Diego Capel and Jeffren, he won the player of the tournament trophy. A year after being part of the Spain squad that won the World Cup in South Africa, he spent this June as an over-age player captaining the Under-21s to victory at the European Championship in Denmark.That said, there is no swagger or star attitude about Mata. In a recent interview with Esquire, Mata described his relationship with the national team at all levels as "a love affair", and that rather than be insulted by the request to drop down to the Under-21s, he was proud to be involved. As a real team man, it is easy to see why Valencia coach Unai Emery built his side around Mata after the departures of David Villa and David Silva. Mata's goal record in his professional career is just short of one in every three games, so Villas-Boas is getting the sort of forward that he has been looking for - a player with excellent close control and acceleration who can stretch the game, but who can equally drop inside to score a goal.Mata has predominantly featured on the left for Valencia so theoretically could provide competition for Florent Malouda. But he is versatile enough to play in a variety of roles - he is strong with both feet and is happy to cut in from the right, and can even do a job in the hole behind a lone striker. This recipe served the coach well at Porto last season, where he had Radamel Falcao in the centre with Hulk and Silvestre Varela on the flanks. While their detractors have lampooned the players attracted by Abramovich-era Chelsea as mere mercenaries, Stamford Bridge sides of recent times have always shown a desire and mental strength that contradicts that caricature. Mata promises to be a formidable addition to that tradition - while adding a much-needed touch of flair. http://news.bbc.co.u...ll/14618068.stm The captions: - Spain winger Mata has represented his country at every level from under-16 - One of Mata's outstanding qualities is that he enjoys being part of a team - Mata scored 46 goals for Valencia and made 52 assists in his 174 appearances