🇧🇪 Eden Hazard

[Special Juan 28,141]

Even if the transfer ban is lifted I don't trust the board to spend this money in the right way.

[Atomiswave 6,117]

4 minutes ago, Special Juan said:

Even if the transfer ban is lifted I don't trust the board to spend this money in the right way.

Like fuck we will....at most we will get someone of quality and 4 average ones to fill the squad.....a sure way of fucking the quality. The team is screaming for quality more than ever, not quantity.

[Superblue 6,372]

34 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

Unrealistic or realisitic it means nothing. What if their related to Reals CL and La Liga standings and they have a stinker this next season? Should have got paid the full amount upfront, they really wanted him, he wanted to go cant see the logic in taking add ons when Zidane is desperate to get Eden as opposed to the full fee upfront, if anything weve done them a favour. Thank fuck Moratas add on clauses probably never happened. 

I'm all for screwing as much out of them as possible but we all have to be realistic just how weak a position we're in. He wants to leave, only wants to move to one particular club and has one year on his contract. He's 29 during next season too so this isn't a long term investment signing for them either like say Ronaldo or Bale were.

And for us it's simply not feasible to keep him when we're talking these sorts of figures, and see him leave next summer for nothing. Also what would we get out of an unhappy player next season, very unlikely their 100%.

Add to this we still need to potentially deal with Madrid to buy Kovacic. He may not be everyone's cup of tea but realistically he's the only option we have to prevent us going into next season with only 3 fit senior midfielders. Unless we're going to be giving Drinkwater or Bakayoko more chances?!

The club may have been able to milk a few more million out and push the initial fee up towards £100m but if reports are true those add-ons equate to an extra £42m. That is a significant amount and as I said previously, I would expect the add ons to be realistic. Sometimes you have to roll the dice and gamble a little bit.

We can't even use this money for the next 12 months. This time next season the total fee with add ons could be up past £100m by then before we can reinvest in our squad and it'll be looking like a bloody good deal.

 

[Muzchap 8,966]

Just now, Superblue_1986 said:

I'm all for screwing as much out of them as possible but we all have to be realistic just how weak a position we're in. He wants to leave, only wants to move to one particular club and has one year on his contract. He's 29 during next season too so this isn't a long term investment signing for them either like say Ronaldo or Bale were.

And for us it's simply not feasible to keep him when we're talking these sorts of figures, and see him leave next summer for nothing. Also what would we get out of an unhappy player next season, very unlikely their 100%.

Add to this we still need to potentially deal with Madrid to buy Kovacic. He may not be everyone's cup of tea but realistically he's the only option we have to prevent us going into next season with only 3 fit senior midfielders. Unless we're going to be giving Drinkwater or Bakayoko more chances?!

The club may have been able to milk a few more million out and push the initial fee up towards £100m but if reports are true those add-ons equate to an extra £42m. That is a significant amount and as I said previously, I would expect the add ons to be realistic. Sometimes you have to roll the dice and gamble a little bit.

We can't even use this money for the next 12 months. This time next season the total fee with add ons could be up past £100m by then before we can reinvest in our squad and it'll be looking like a bloody good deal.

 

Wise words 👍

It all hinges on our ability to identify and pay sensible money for decent players 👍

Hope with Cech in the fold - this works out better from now on.

Finally we are starting to appreciate serial winners. 

I believe Cech when he said he only went to Arsenal as London based and he didn't want to disrupt his family 👍

[Superblue 6,372]

2 minutes ago, Atomiswave said:

Like fuck we will....at most we will get someone of quality and 4 average ones to fill the squad.....a sure way of fucking the quality. The team is screaming for quality more than ever, not quantity.

This, for me, is why the transfer ban can work in our favour. 

I'm not expecting the club to blood masses of youth players and they all become world class. If we get any more players at a similar level to RLC and CHO (i.e. first choice quality) then that will be phenomenal.

But just as importantly we need some of these youth players to become good, solid squad options. I think back to United in the Fergie era and they always had young players coming through who never really materialised into first choice but were trusted by the manager and team to be solid squad players - Brown, O'Shea, Evans, Welbeck, etc. 

If this transfer ban allows us to find some players in a similar bracket it will allow us to focus next summer on 2 or 3 players of the highest quality to improve our first XI rather than trying to make our budget spread across 5, 6, 7 players because we need squad options too. We should never be paying the money we did for the likes of Zappacosta and Drinkwater to be backups. 

Once started it should become much easier for more to follow, and I hope with the emergence of Christensen in the last 2 seasons and RLC and CHO this season, it's the start of reaping the rewards of our academy.

[MoroccanBlue 5,382]

Those players you mentioned turned into solid squad players because United had stability in Fergie. There was a solid understanding and vision of the game built into the club. We don't have that nor will we ever. 

[Superblue 6,372]

Just now, MoroccanBlue said:

Those players you mentioned turned into solid squad players because United had stability in Fergie. There was a solid understanding and vision of the game built into the club. We don't have that nor will we ever. 

The structure has to be right in order to promote this (and that doesn't necessarily mean having a manager for a significant long term), but that's not to say we won't ever. 

The club will have seen the benefit to RLC and CHO breaking through this season because we have now two multi million pound first team players in the squad that we've paid nothing for. I'm firmly of the belief that the first one or two to break through was vital for the rest. 

Recent reports regarding a new contract and possibly the 10 shirt for CHO suggest we're looking at him to replace Hazard in that left wing position so that is a start. 

And regardless of this, whether such a structure is present or not we could be forced into this approach this coming season. If we don't buy Kovacic we have Barkley, Kante and Jorginho in midfield so we're going to have to take a punt on someone like Mount or Ampadu. Similarly up front, if Bats isn't brought back then it will have to be Tammy to be understudy to Giroud. If some of these players perform and make the step up, why would Chelsea need to replace them within the squad. It fills homegrown criteria, promotes our academy and saves us millions. 

[Superblue 6,372]

According to someone on Sky Sports, Madrid plan on playing Hazard on the right wing next season if they play 4-3-3 or as a second striker if they play 4-4-2. 

[MoroccanBlue 5,382]

I'd imagine Kovacic is part of the deal?

[LAM09 7,054]

Add to this we still need to potentially deal with Madrid to buy Kovacic. He may not be everyone's cup of tea but realistically he's the only option we have to prevent us going into next season with only 3 fit senior midfielders. Unless we're going to be giving Drinkwater or Bakayoko more chances?!

We have a better Croatian on our books.

[MoroccanBlue 5,382]

9 minutes ago, Mana said:

Oh good God.

Make of it what you will. He's a good squad player to have if used right. 

[Ledg 643]

32 minutes ago, Superblue_1986 said:

According to someone on Sky Sports, Madrid plan on playing Hazard on the right wing next season if they play 4-3-3 or as a second striker if they play 4-4-2. 

Lol if true.

They are unsettling him, before he even arrives.  

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

Lol, nothing is official until it is REALLY official. That fucking journo for a likebait.

[Superblue 6,372]

46 minutes ago, LAM09 said:

 

 

We have a better Croatian on our books.

 

But Atalanta have an option on him. Also I'm not sure if there's been work permit issues with him in the past?!

I'd have no issues with bringing him back next season because he seems to have performed very well this season but it may be out of our hands.

[LAM09 7,054]

16 minutes ago, Superblue_1986 said:

But Atalanta have an option on him. Also I'm not sure if there's been work permit issues with him in the past?! I'd have no issues with bringing him back next season because he seems to have performed very well this season but it may be out of our hands.

 

I'm sure if guarantees were made, he would be back in the squad. 

I'm not sure myself, but I doubt there would be any issues now having played in multiple countries around Europe & a few caps for Croatia.

[Superblue 6,372]

1 minute ago, LAM09 said:

I'm sure if guarantees were made, he would be back in the squad.

 

I'm not sure myself, but I doubt there would be any issues now having played in multiple countries around Europe & a few caps for Croatia.

 

Possibly, but would he be good enough to be first choice immediately? If the answer is no, then for him it makes sense to stay at a club where he already is first choice and has just qualified to play in the Champions League anyway.

The thing is even if we brought Kovacic, we realistically need two midfielders back from loans or the academy to compete next season as we'll still only be left with 4 (we have to be realistic that RLC will not likely be back until after Xmas and quite possibly not reach full fitness and form until the following season) and I just don't see the club going back to Drinkwater and Bakayoko. Pasalic and Mount could realistically fill those spots if they're prepared to take on those roles in the squad.

[DDA 9,938]

No words.

 

😦😧😩😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[LAM09 7,054]

3 minutes ago, Superblue_1986 said:

Possibly, but would he be good enough to be first choice immediately? If the answer is no, then for him it makes sense to stay at a club where he already is first choice and has just qualified to play in the Champions League anyway.

The thing is even if we brought Kovacic, we realistically need two midfielders back from loans or the academy to compete next season as we'll still only be left with 4 (we have to be realistic that RLC will not likely be back until after Xmas and quite possibly not reach full fitness and form until the following season) and I just don't see the club going back to Drinkwater and Bakayoko. Pasalic and Mount could realistically fill those spots if they're prepared to take on those roles in the squad.

As of now, yes. 

A lot depends on we have as manager and how they want to play. I suspect Baka will at least have preseason with us, so we wouldn't be short in numbers even with a 3 man midfield (Jorginho, Kante, Baka, Pasalic, Mount, Barkley and RLC next year).

[MoroccanBlue 5,382]

RLC, Barkley, Mount

Kante, Kovaic, Jorginho

6 players for 3 spots. More than enough. 

[Superblue 6,372]

3 minutes ago, LAM09 said:

As of now, yes. 

A lot depends on we have as manager and how they want to play. I suspect Baka will at least have preseason with us, so we wouldn't be short in numbers even with a 3 man midfield (Jorginho, Kante, Baka, Pasalic, Mount, Barkley and RLC next year).

Of course it's hypothetical at present but if there is interest in Baka and we can sell him for around similar money to what we can buy Kovacic for then I would do that deal.

Even though he has had a decent season at Milan, I just do not rate Bakayoko and cannot see him making the grade here.