Axel Witsel

[mediator 2,026]

I'm biased about him for sure, i'm one of his biggest fan but he is sooooo fucking classy

[hjperdeath 2,226]

If we are to end up selling Mata, there couldn't be a better investment than Witsel. Absolute beast of a player. Even if Juan doesn't leave, spending 40+ would be reasonable looking at long term benefits.

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

Atm we won't pay that much for a player. He has only played in inferior leagues, so we do not really know how he would fare here, even though one can be quite sure he will succeed. But let's put things into perspective, there are many classy players in his ink out there, maybe few are that good but few cost that much. In 2 years, he will be still young and probably much better and more experienced but will cost less, so why not wait and see. This project, Mou has often said, is made for the long term. Still people are so impatient, they demand new signings all the time and ravage about our actual player's performances. Give it time.

[sutro 1,026]

In my eyes the real star of the belgian nt,most say kdb was our best player in the qualification games,but for me it was witsel and i bet many will agree with me

[BleedsBlue 1,549]

I feel 40m is just too much,I know we are in desperate need for a class pivot player but 40m is just not the price to pay.

[The only place to be 11,313]

I feel 40m is just too much,I know we are in desperate need for a class pivot player but 40m is just not the price to pay.

Tend to agree. Great player but that's a lot of money.

Personally I'd prefer someone like Alonso as a short-term solution who knows the league and Mourinho and can bridge the gap between now and Van Ginkel/Chalobah/Loftus-Cheek.

But if we can get him for a decent price then he's one of the best options around.

[Jype 6,398]

Atm we won't pay that much for a player. He has only played in inferior leagues, so we do not really know how he would fare here, even though one can be quite sure he will succeed. But let's put things into perspective, there are many classy players in his ink out there, maybe few are that good but few cost that much. In 2 years, he will be still young and probably much better and more experienced but will cost less, so why not wait and see. This project, Mou has often said, is made for the long term. Still people are so impatient, they demand new signings all the time and ravage about our actual player's performances. Give it time.

You make it sound like Witsel is somehow unproven but he has excelled in a bunch of good leagues and played regular Champions League football all through his career, not to mention his classy performances for Belgium. He's 24 years old and is only getting better and better as time passes so it's easy to see he's the real deal.

For anyone who watches Chelsea regularly it's clear that the midfield isn't up for it and hasn't been since 2010 when Lampard was four years younger, Ballack was still at the club and Essien's knees weren't as fucked up as they are now. The club need to address this problem as soon as possible and if Witsel became available, why not snap him up? Other alternatives including the likes of Vidal, Pogba, Gündogan etc. will probably not even be on the market, at least not for a reasonable price, so deciding not to get Witsel when we could potentially have a chance would be a huge mistake. Waiting a couple of years to see if his development continues probably won't be an option because surely some other club will get him if we don't and we could end up with fuck all or at best some second rate stopgap signing to get us through another season.

[Sidzeret 2,257]

Tend to agree. Great player but that's a lot of money.

Personally I'd prefer someone like Alonso as a short-term solution who knows the league and Mourinho and can bridge the gap between now and Van Ginkel/Chalobah/Loftus-Cheek.

But if we can get him for a decent price then he's one of the best options around.

I'd like to see someone like Alonso as the short- term solution but we definitely need a world class CM next summer.

Witsel, Gundogan, Pogba fits the bill perfectly.

[Tomo 21,751]

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/9030188/axel-witsel-admits-he-wants-to-move-to-england-but-is-not-in-a-hurry

Seeing some rumors on twitter as well that during belg-colombia jose what chatting with someone well connected to witsel. For me this move should of already happened a year ago. Hope it transpires in january. Expect us to be heavily linked from now on. cup-tied though =/

Fuck cup tied, the league has to be number 1 priority this season, if he is available for that, that's the main thing.

[LeonDavis23 371]

ffs pay the money, we need to think long term and not just cheap short term solutions like we have been recently with strikers

[haranr 485]

We should look for the best CM in the market to partner Ramirez. I am not sure he is our guy.

[The Mak 4,459]

Similar to the Ozil/Arsenal situation, if a player of his quality becomes available you just have to snap him up regardless of price. The difference is that we actually desperately need a player in his position.

Overall, I cannot think of a better DM in the world right now. Even if you think of Alonso, who is old, and Gundogan, who is injury prone.

Also, if you think of the players who will most likely be/should be on their way out next summer: Ba (7-10m), Moses (7-10m), Marin (4-6m) and maybe even KDB (10-15m+) the price doesn't seem too steep.

Buy, buy, buy!

[The only place to be 11,313]

Even if you think of Alonso, who is old,

Alonso is 31 (nearly 32) - that really isn't that old.

What's amazing to me is that we're also looking at Pogba (who was a young lad given a shot by a big team), whilst Southampton are above us having given chances to Ward-Prowse and Shaw. Yet we're afraid to actually give someone like Nat Chalobah a go.

Instead we're looking at spending £40 million on Witsel - a very good player but that is a lot of money to spend.

[Tomo 21,751]

Alonso is 31 (nearly 32) - that really isn't that old.

What's amazing to me is that we're also looking at Pogba (who was a young lad given a shot by a big team), whilst Southampton are above us having given chances to Ward-Prowse and Shaw. Yet we're afraid to actually give someone like Nat Chalobah a go.

Instead we're looking at spending £40 million on Witsel - a very good player but that is a lot of money to spend.

It's easier for Southampton because they have no pressure really for them, if they finish top half that will be a successful season for them, where-as with us there's pressure to win every match. Rightly or wrongly teams at the top just don't promote players without successful loans first, there's a few exception's but even Fergie was cautious in that regard (which resulted in him losing Pogba). Wenger who is widely hailed for his youth development wouldn't risk Wilshere until he proved himself on loan.

Liverpool's a prime example, last season Rodgers was given time so safe in the knowledge of that gave games to Sterling and Wisdom, now there is genuine expectation at Anfield to (at the very, very least) fight for a top 4 place, those two aren't getting a look in.

[The only place to be 11,313]

It's easier for Southampton because they have no pressure really for them, if they finish top half that will be a successful season for them, where-as with us there's pressure to win every match. Rightly or wrongly teams at the top just don't promote players without successful loans first, there's a few exception's but even Fergie was cautious in that regard (which resulted in him losing Pogba). Wenger who is widely hailed for his youth development wouldn't risk Wilshere until he proved himself on loan.

Liverpool's a prime example, last season Rodgers was given time so safe in the knowledge of that gave games to Sterling and Wisdom, now there is genuine expectation at Anfield to (at the very, very least) fight for a top 4 place, those two aren't getting a look in.

Southampton have stated that their aim is Champions League football, so that's a fair amount of pressure. They're also off to a pretty good start despite promoting youth, and it's not really a new thing with them.

Wilsere had one loan spell and was then put into the first team - we gave Nat a loan spell and then fucked him around at the start of this season.

Pogba at United is an example of what happens when you don't give youngsters a shot. Still, for that one example there are countless other examples of young players getting a shot at United (Januzaj being the latest) - I don't think we can say there isn't pressure of expectation at United can we?

Like I said, I like Witsel but £40 million for a guy who has never played in a top quality league is a bit of a risk and I also think it's another step in the wrong direction for what this club should be doing. At some point the academy needs to start contributing to the first-team in a meaningful way. Mourinho right now has more freedom to take risks than any manager has in almost a decade, but instead we're flitting between Lampard and Mikel once again.