🇸🇳 Demba Ba

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Only our "old" stars are above 100k (Cech, Terry, Cole, Lampard and Malouda), Hazard (120k), Luiz (but he was on about 80k before the new contract) and Torres. Cahill is on 80k (but that is why it dragged so long), Mata is probably on less than 100k, Oscar is on 50k, etc.

Considering we are making everything possible to get rid of Cole, Lampard and Malouda, I find it very hard for us to agree with Ba's 80-100k/week asking price.

Our first offer of 60k/week + 20k fitness bonus is very fair.

100/week would be too much, for sure, but this is where we've shot ourselves in the foot as we have in the transfer market. We've been giving massive wages to players for years so if you're someone like Ba and you come along and you've scored 26 goals in 63 games in the Premier League and Chelsea aren't willing to pay you what they pay Gary Cahill? Half of what they pay Hazard? (He gets 170K week-http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/9295242/Chelseas-rebuilding-grows-with-78m-Eden-Hazard-signing.html). There are legitimate reasons for this to fall through. If his agent is demanding big fees, or if he is demanding 100K a week or something, but 80K a week is completely reasonable.

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

We all know the club has been acting tough on wages. Ba's a good player but he ain't a marquee signing which means he has to fit into the wage structure like Mata and Cahill did. Ultimately, we're offering him double what he's earning and the chance to compete at the top of the table and maybe the Champions League.

If he wants to ply his trade at PSG then he probably won't earn as much because of the new tax laws in place. Realistically I can't see anyone offering him £100K so this just sounds like his agents playing hardball.

But if QPR do offer him £20K more and he's seriously entertaining it, you have to question his mindset. The best offer might actually come from Newcastle who just re-up him on a higher wage because it would probably cost them more to replace him unless Alan Carr's old man can work his magic again.

Being honest, does anyone actually see him as a long-term option?

7 million, 80k p/w and at least 15-20 goals a season is a steal. Rather than 50 million, 175k p/w and 2 goals per season.

Ba since being in the PL has scored the third most goals since February 2011. If we are going to let this guy go to PSG/Arsenal/Liverpool when hes been banging them in for fun since 2011 because of 10k p/w or whatever then we are fucking idiots. Absolutely fucking crazy, give him the 80k p/w and give Newcastle the 7 million (which 2-2.5 million goes to him and his agents) means they get 4.5 - 5 million pounds for their best player. We pay Malouda about 100 odd K and hes training with the fucking kids but won't give Ba 80k p/w, absolutely fucking crazy.

[Leif 6,006]

Tell me one club after him that would pay him 80k+...

PSG, QPR, Anzhi, Milan, Arsenal at a stretch, Juventus (assuming they don't get Drogba/Llorente/Suarez who they're also chasing) etc. and I'm sure there's interest from a host of Bundesliga clubs (where I expect him to end up if he doesn't actually stay at Newcastle.)

[SinineUltra 1,170]

Exactly. If he wants 80k p/w lets give it to him. He has 13 PL goals so far, imagine if he'd scored 13 PL goals for us we'd maybe still be sitting top of the pile. Really gotta push if we want this guy, can't let him go to Arsenal or PSG. Rate him highly, would score goals for fun in our team. A big improvement on Torres, big big big improvement.

Also he'd be stupid to decline us just to provoke other clubs to try and sign him... I mean come on for fuck sake, why would he just negotiate with us and reject it to get other clubs wanting him? Chelsea is a bigger club than Arsenal, Liverpool and PSG...

And his knee injury hasn't fucked up yet at Newcastle/West Ham, hes played 2-2 and a half seasons of football and scored like nearly 40 goals...

a ) One thing is what the papers are reporting and the other thing is reality. We don't know if we are having any serious negotiations in the first place and if we are - why are they stalling?

b ) If we accept his demands right away and pay him and his agents more than his market value, it will set a tone for next transfers and we will be milked over and over again.. time to reform our image from a club that gives out 150k weekly wages to a club that handles business with more care than in the past.. no player is bigger than the club.

[Slam Dunk 1,442]

Can I just ask what on earth warrants such an extortionate agent fee? I have seen 2-5 million fucking pounds reported. For WHAT? These lot are taking the piss. If this is true and his agent genuinely asked for that much I hope negotiations broke down because the board went into a coma having pissed themselves laughing.

It probably works much in the same way as when a player moves on a bosman. The player often asks for a higher wage because the buying club doesn't have to spend on a transfer fee. Ba is obviously worth much more than his buy-out clause, maybe they think because the club is getting a player of his calibre for a low fee, they can take the piss with their 'negotiation' fees and make it out like they're doing us a favour.

Maybe that's just me being cynical.

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

a) One thing is what the papers are reporting and the other thing is reality. We don't know if we are having any serious negotiations in the first place and if we are - why are they stalling?

If we accept his demands right away and pay him and his agents more than his market value, it will set a tone for next transfers and we will be milked over and over again.. time to reform our image from a club that gives out 150k weekly wages to a club that handles business with more care than in the past.. no player is bigger than the club.

Thats true but if you want quality, you have to pay that little bit extra. 80k p/w is not that bad supposing he makes at least 50k p/w at Newcaslte.

It probably works much in the same way as when a player moves on a bosman. The player often asks for a higher wage because the buying club doesn't have to spend on a transfer fee. Ba is obviously worth much more than his buy-out clause, maybe they think because the club is getting a player of his calibre for a low fee, they can take the piss with their 'negotiation' fees and make it out like they're doing us a favour.

Maybe that's just me being cynical.

Ba gets 2 million out of the transfer fee I think and he splits it with his agents and advisers. I read we are also going to give an extra 2 mil for some reason.

[The only place to be 11,313]

7 million, 80k p/w and at least 20 goals a season is a steal. Rather than 50 million, 175k p/w and 2 goals per season.

Ba since being in the PL has scored the third most goals since February 2011. If we are going to let this guy go to PSG when hes been banging them in for fun since 2011 because of 10k p/w or whatever then we are fucking idiots.

Yeah, but we're not talking about getting rid of Torres at the same time are we? They have different contracts because they're different types of signings who have different associated commercial benefits. Even if he could sell a ton of shirts, we make a third less on the printing don't we?

The club has to take a stand on wages so that we can continue to comply with FFP - we've known that for a long time and there's no point in making these rules if you just keep breaking them.

If he's really going to down down a very good wage with us to go and play in France, then do we really want that type of guy in our squad? This is completely ignoring the fact that he's got a knee so bad that Stoke backed away from a deal. This transfer has more hurdles in it than the Olympics.

[Slam Dunk 1,442]

Ba gets 2 million out of the transfer fee I think and he splits it with his agents and advisers. I read we are also going to give an extra 2 mil for some reason.

If that is the case, that would mean Newcastle would only receive £5/£5.5M from the transfer which seems odd, maybe that's what the extra £2M is for, to make up the numbers. Who knows.

If the only thing standing in the way of this transfer is £1/2M, then I can't see that being too much of a problem for us.

[Rmpr 8,977]

100/week would be too much, for sure, but this is where we've shot ourselves in the foot as we have in the transfer market. We've been giving massive wages to players for years so if you're someone like Ba and you come along and you've scored 26 goals in 63 games in the Premier League and Chelsea aren't willing to pay you what they pay Gary Cahill? Half of what they pay Hazard? (He gets 170K week-http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/9295242/Chelseas-rebuilding-grows-with-78m-Eden-Hazard-signing.html). There are legitimate reasons for this to fall through. If his agent is demanding big fees, or if he is demanding 100K a week or something, but 80K a week is completely reasonable.

I agree and we will end up paying what he wants (or not), but I don't think it is as easy to be resolved as many think. I also honestly believe we arent doing so many crazy deals anymore.

P.S: If you dig Hazard thread you will find our Belgian members explaining Hazard's wages and telling English media got it really wrong and it is around 120k.

[Rmpr 8,977]

PSG, QPR, Anzhi, Milan, Arsenal at a stretch, Juventus (assuming they don't get Drogba/Llorente/Suarez who they're also chasing) etc. and I'm sure there's interest from a host of Bundesliga clubs (where I expect him to end up if he doesn't actually stay at Newcastle.)

PSG, Anzhi and Bundesliga are not after him. Milan and Arsenal won't pay 80k+ and Juventus will try everyone else before aproaching Ba.

QPR are our only real competition (atm), so we are by far the best option...

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

Yeah, but we're not talking about getting rid of Torres at the same time are we? They have different contracts because they're different types of signings who have different associated commercial benefits. Even if he could sell a ton of shirts, we make a third less on the printing don't we?

The club has to take a stand on wages so that we can continue to comply with FFP - we've known that for a long time and there's no point in making these rules if you just keep breaking them.

If he's really going to down down a very good wage with us to go and play in France, then do we really want that type of guy in our squad? This is completely ignoring the fact that he's got a knee so bad that Stoke backed away from a deal. This transfer has more hurdles in it than the Olympics.

He obviously feels at Newcastle he demands more wages after scoring 13 goals this year and how every man last year for them and rightly so. So do you think hes going to just keep his Newcastle wages to move here? Of course he isn't.

Fuck FFP, just fuck it. We signed like 5 deals at the start of the season to increase the amount money we available so why can't we give ONE player 80k p/w. Remember we spent over 100 million in the summer, FFP did fuck all about that.

Also Ba is from Senegal, Chelsea is big in Africa because of players like Moses, Mikel, Drogba, Essien, Desailly etc. It increases our fan base because maybe Senegalese people will see their idol playing in Chelsea blue and think "Oh I want to support this team" or whatever

Yes his knee is a problem but still, 7 million is low risk compared to 48 million for Falcao who also has a troubled past with injuries actually.

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

If that is the case, that would mean Newcastle would only receive £5/£5.5M from the transfer which seems odd, maybe that's what the extra £2M is for, to make up the numbers. Who knows.

If the only thing standing in the way of this transfer is £1/2M, then I can't see that being too much of a problem for us.

I think its a clause he had in his contract. The other 2 million is probably more agent fees haha.

[Jase 43,479]

It's not just Torres. Wages aren't always pubic knowledge, but I think we pay Hazard 170/wk, Luiz 120/wk, Cahill, about 80K/week. Really, 80-85/wk is not some ridiculous fee.

For the record, we are not paying Hazard 170k p/w. It's only about 110k p/w!

EDIT: Just saw your post with the link saying Hazard earns 170k p/w here. While the English media reported that, the French and Belgian media said he's only earning about 110k p/w. Given the English media's agenda against us, I wouldn't believe what they report and better to believe what the French and Belgian said in this case. The English media will try to make it as if Hazard chose us because of the money. Furthermore, we can't be that idiotic to be paying a 21 y/o, however talented Hazard is, 170k p/w. Maybe in the future, but definitely not now!

[bababoom 4,478]

PSG, Anzhi and Bundesliga are not after him. Milan and Arsenal won't pay 80k+ and Juventus will try everyone else before aproaching Ba.

QPR are our only real competition (atm), so we are by far the best option...

And will he really go to QPR.. doubt it.

[Henrique 9,133]

Perhaps Chelsea want t pay the same Sturridge used to get: about 60k a week.

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

Perhaps Chelsea want t pay the same Sturridge used to get: about 60k a week.

Apparently wages are not the issue here, it's about agent fees and bonuses.

Told ya it never gets easy with our club.

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

Perhaps Chelsea want t pay the same Sturridge used to get: about 60k a week.

If Sturridge got 60k a week then all the bullshit about him and City must have been true, that he left to get more money.

Sturridge's situation is based more on finance – he turned down the offer of a new £45,000-a-week deal to open negotiations with Chelsea about joining them as a free agent. He would become the best-paid teenager in English football, with a weekly salary around £75,000.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jun/09/daniel-sturridge-manchester-city-compensation-chelsea

I hope he hasn't been sitting getting 75k p/w since joining us as we are refusing to give someone better than him 80k p/w........

[The only place to be 11,313]

He obviously feels at Newcastle he demands more wages after scoring 13 goals this year and how every man last year for them and rightly so. So do you think hes going to just keep his Newcastle wages to move here? Of course he isn't.

Fuck FFP, just fuck it. We signed like 5 deals at the start of the season to increase the amount money we available so why can't we give ONE player 80k p/w. Remember we spent over 100 million in the summer, FFP did fuck all about that.

Also Ba is from Senegal, Chelsea is big in Africa because of players like Moses, Mikel, Drogba, Essien, Desailly etc. It increases our fan base because maybe Senegalese people will see their idol playing in Chelsea blue and think "Oh I want to support this team" or whatever

Yes his knee is a problem but still, 7 million is low risk compared to 48 million for Falcao who also has a troubled past with injuries actually.

Behave mate. FFP is a reality. One of the people leading the charge for some form of salary cap in this country is Roman. IT'S THE NEW REALITY. It isn't 2004 anymore. We aren't going to simply dole out whatever wages Geremi or Shaun Wright-Philips wants anymore.

He's being offered double his wage, which is in reality four-times his wage because he only makes the other £20K if he plays.

As for him being big in Senegal, who cares? Half of their population is unemployed, half of them live below the poverty line and the rest earn on average $5 a day - if you want to open up a Chelsea megastore in Dakar to capitalise on Ba's popularity you're going to be seriously fucking disappointed.

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

Behave mate. FFP is a reality. One of the people leading the charge for some form of salary cap in this country is Roman. IT'S THE NEW REALITY. It isn't 2004 anymore. We aren't going to simply dole out whatever wages Geremi or Shaun Wright-Philips wants anymore.

He's being offered double his wage, which is in reality four-times his wage because he only makes the other £20K if he plays.

As for him being big in Senegal, who cares? Half of their population is unemployed, half of them live below the poverty line and the rest earn on average $5 a day - if you want to open up a Chelsea megastore in Dakar to capitalise on Ba's popularity you're going to be seriously fucking disappointed.

FFP isn't a reality. FFP is a joke. It is to stop small clubs being taken over and having 400 million pounds spent in 2 transfer windows basically. Its basically so the AC Milans, Barcelonas, Real Madrids, Man Uniteds etc are all going to be the only elite clubs - making as much money as they want - spending it if they want with no consequence. Basically it won't allow teams to grow into top teams in the manner us, City and PSG did.

[The only place to be 11,313]

FFP isn't a reality. FFP is a joke. It is to stop small clubs being taken over and having 400 million pounds spent in 2 transfer windows.

FFP is to stop other clubs competing with big clubs (of which we are one) through means of outside investment. It benefits us long-term, but I agree it's a massive joke.

Either way, it's the new reality and we're making strides to comply with it.