Axel Witsel

[Fernando 6,376]

According to transfermarket his contract expires next summer, 30.06.2017. 

What you guys think? Can get him this January for cheap or wait till his free agent next summer and have to pay higher wages....

[DYC. 7,542]

3 minutes ago, Fernando said:

According to transfermarket his contract expires next summer, 30.06.2017. 

What you guys think? Can get him this January for cheap or try to battle it out next summer for free and have to pay higher wages....

He'd be a good buy as a holding midfielder in a three man midfield but too slow and passive for this system.

He's looked unmotivated for years but there's a good player in him. You'd think Utd, Liverpool and Spurs would be all over him. He did want to join Juve though.

[Fernando 6,376]

14 minutes ago, DYC. said:

He'd be a good buy as a holding midfielder in a three man midfield but too slow and passive for this system.

He's looked unmotivated for years but there's a good player in him. You'd think Utd, Liverpool and Spurs would be all over him. He did want to join Juve though.

Well you look at the price and risk. 

Risk is high because he may not be good any more. But price will definitely be low giving that his contract expire next summer. 

If we want to avoid all the free transfer battle with many clubs we can just pay a small fee this January and get him. 

Give him half a season to get back into the game in the PL. 

I mean look at what Conte has done to Moses? A cast out! 

What's not to say he can have the same impact on Witsel? And that at a good price! 

 

[Sideshow Luiz 2,310]

8 minutes ago, Fernando said:

Well you look at the price and risk. 

Risk is high because he may not be good any more. But price will definitely be low giving that his contract expire next summer. 

If we want to avoid all the free transfer battle with many clubs we can just pay a small fee this January and get him. 

Give him half a season to get back into the game in the PL. 

I mean look at what Conte has done to Moses? A cast out! 

What's not to say he can have the same impact on Witsel? And that at a good price! 

 

I agree with the risk-reward outlook.  I was actually in favour of the Pato loan move last Jan.  It didn't work out, but I also didn't know he was nowhere near match fit when we got him.  I didn't think he was THAT bad when he did eventually play.  I actually think he would still be good cover for Hazard in our current front 3.

Getting players who are in favourable contract situations is a good way of building the squad depth, IMO.  If a player has 4 years remaining on their contract, you're going to have to pay a lot.

[DYC. 7,542]

27 minutes ago, Fernando said:

Well you look at the price and risk. 

Risk is high because he may not be good any more. But price will definitely be low giving that his contract expire next summer. 

If we want to avoid all the free transfer battle with many clubs we can just pay a small fee this January and get him. 

Give him half a season to get back into the game in the PL. 

I mean look at what Conte has done to Moses? A cast out! 

What's not to say he can have the same impact on Witsel? And that at a good price! 

 

It shouldn't be a case of taking on projects when it's not necessary though. Especially because it won't always work. There are midfielders out there who actually fit the required profile. No need to then go for a (slightly) fancy name who isn't ideal.

Witsel plays at a slow pace. Fabregas-ish or Mikel-ish, take your pick. Players can't fly past you with ease in this system, which explains the exhile of Fabregas and Mikel. Of course, if you can get a player like Witsel as a squad player, fine.

But I'd rather see Chelsea aim for a squad with (practically all) players competing for a starting XI spot. No back-ups. No one should be comfortable as a starter.

[positivefootball 195]

No thanks.

[Fernando 6,376]

11 minutes ago, DYC. said:

It shouldn't be a case of taking on projects when it's not necessary though. Especially because it won't always work. There are midfielders out there who actually fit the required profile. No need to then go for a (slightly) fancy name who isn't ideal.

Witsel plays at a slow pace. Fabregas-ish or Mikel-ish, take your pick. Players can't fly past you with ease in this system, which explains the exhile of Fabregas and Mikel. Of course, if you can get a player like Witsel as a squad player, fine.

But I'd rather see Chelsea aim for a squad with (practically all) players competing for a starting XI spot. No back-ups. No one should be comfortable as a starter.

True but we did sold Ramires, and going to get rid of Mikel. We can't have all world class players, but need some depth.  And your not going to get world class in January transfer window. 

As someone said in the  General Transfer talk is best to spend big on younger players with world class status or potential like  griezzmann , and  Dybala.

But I feel that first these type of players won't come in a January transfer window and will be much harder to get because of the current status of their team. They are winning things, have a good manager hence comfortable. 

The players that I feel might be much easier to get even though expensive as well are from PSG. Was reading that Verrati is not liking it anymore, and this is the sense I'm getting in general for Ligue 1. The top players at PSG are just getting tired of that project, and when you are in such situation is much easier to target a player. Like with David Luiz, he wanted to leave and because of that it was easier for us to get him. 

Now can we get griezzmann and Dybala? Of course anything is possible, as long as you give enough money and the player wants to come. 

[DYC. 7,542]

2 hours ago, Fernando said:

True but we did sold Ramires, and going to get rid of Mikel. We can't have all world class players, but need some depth.  And your not going to get world class in January transfer window. 

As someone said in the  General Transfer talk is best to spend big on younger players with world class status or potential like  griezzmann , and  Dybala.

But I feel that first these type of players won't come in a January transfer window and will be much harder to get because of the current status of their team. They are winning things, have a good manager hence comfortable. 

The players that I feel might be much easier to get even though expensive as well are from PSG. Was reading that Verrati is not liking it anymore, and this is the sense I'm getting in general for Ligue 1. The top players at PSG are just getting tired of that project, and when you are in such situation is much easier to target a player. Like with David Luiz, he wanted to leave and because of that it was easier for us to get him. 

Now can we get griezzmann and Dybala? Of course anything is possible, as long as you give enough money and the player wants to come. 

No, not world-class players but a squad consisting of very good players. Chelsea won't be able to buy alternatives of the same class as Costa, Hazard, Kante, Azpilicueta and Courtois but you should be able to find upgrades and players who can compete with the rest.

The age of this squad is very good. Add some highly talented young players to the mix and Chelsea should have an impressive team in a few years.

[the wes 7,212]

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/talksport.com/football/axel-witsel-becomes-latest-player-move-china-after-rejecting-juventus-170102222172%3Famp?client=ms-android-sonymobile

Sound like witsel for China after rejecting a move to Juventus 

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

Can't stop laughing when I saw Zenith fans accusing Hulk and Witsel that they are going for the money and they sold themselves. LMAO. They went to East for money and now further East for further money. Soon they'll end up in Australia

[the wes 7,212]

3 minutes ago, Blue Colored Sky said:

Can't stop laughing when I saw Zenith fans accusing Hulk and Witsel that they are going for the money and they sold themselves. LMAO. They went to East for money and now further East for further money. Soon they'll end up in Australia

What a waste of a football career playing in Russia now China 

[LegenTerry 263]

This  China madness relly starts pissing me off,hope they all end up like Anzhi etc.

[OhForAGreavsie 5,776]

1 hour ago, the wes said:

What a waste of a football career playing in Russia now China 

On the contrary they've done very well for themselves. Like Oscar, they are not good enough to play for top-level clubs and so they choose to cash in. Fair enough, I for one do not blame them.

Agents will tell all kinds of lies and gleeful media will publish almost anything, but the truth remains the truth. Witsel turned down Juventus? Laughable. If the Old Lady really made him a serious offer, he'd have taken it. 

[Styles 9,790]

Have to admit, I never really got the hype with this guy.

[LAM09 6,551]

Have to admit, I never really got the hype with this guy.

He was part of the Belgian wonder years that created hype. Him and Defour stood out in their homeland, but one moved for financial reasons and the other failed to deliver.

Any chance of making a name for himself went down the drain when he went to Russia.