Juan Cuadrado

[Jase 43,479]

Salah and Schurrle out but only Cuadrado in. Concerns me.

If we're talking about squad numbers, then yes. Selling 2 and buying only 1 is concerning. But if it's about utilizing the player, then I'm not sure if it's exactly a concern given Salah has hardly played anyway. After all, we've pretty much been operating with only 3-4 AMs this season. Mourinho could throw Ramires or even Remy out wide if needed.

[WNDS 502]

If 2 players out, 2 players will come in. I'm expecting 1 more signing, I'm not so convinced about 'the other Costa'. Hoping for another winger to be honest.

Personally, I don't see much wrong with 'the other Costa' if he's going to be acting as the 5th AM. He has the technique, passing, speed, and occasional penchant for the spectacular that should enable him to be useful to us in such a squad role. I don't think that we are going to be able to find many other wingers of his quality who are willing (at least initially) to play almost exclusively from the bench.

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

Regardless of the end product part, dribbling wise Hazard + Cuadrado should be comfortably THE best combo in the world. Am I being blue tinted?

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

Personally, I don't see much wrong with 'the other Costa' if he's going to be acting as the 5th AM. He has the technique, passing, speed, and occasional penchant for the spectacular that should enable him to be useful to us in such a squad role. I don't think that we are going to be able to find many other wingers of his quality who are willing (at least initially) to play almost exclusively from the bench.

maybe because I didn't recognize him all this time though. Hope he is good and could fit in well.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Regardless of the end product part, dribbling wise Hazard + Cuadrado should be comfortably THE best combo in the world. Am I being blue tinted?

Neymar and Messi, plus the small matter of Suarez. Robbery isn't too bad also.

[Thendo 1,088]

I think we'll be fine if only Cuadrado comes and both of Salah + Schurrle goes. Our RW options would be fine: Cuadrado, Willian, Remy and Ramires the latter 2 will only play if there's a major injury crisis. If we really need someone to take over Salahs seat behind the dugout we can give it to one of the kids, Izzy Brown/Boga for example.

[Pizy 18,401]

Don't see what the point would be in signing 2 players for the same position even if we get rid of André and Salah. When would Douglas ever play? For the fees quoted we may as well keep Salah as a bench warmer.

It makes much more sense to sign Cuadrado and a utility player like Sissoko who can play in 3 or 4 positions.

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

Neymar and Messi, plus the small matter of Suarez. Robbery isn't too bad also.

Yeh, Messi and Neymar is the only combo I could think of too.

[Jype 6,398]

Personally, I don't see much wrong with 'the other Costa' if he's going to be acting as the 5th AM. He has the technique, passing, speed, and occasional penchant for the spectacular that should enable him to be useful to us in such a squad role. I don't think that we are going to be able to find many other wingers of his quality who are willing (at least initially) to play almost exclusively from the bench.

I see approx. 45 million reasons why we shouldn't go anywhere near Douglas Costa.

Absolutely no point paying silly money for someone who's not even all that good and that's what it would take to prise him away from Shakhtar mid-season. We might as well stick with what we have if the alternative is to pay way over the odds for a lad who would only be 5th choice AM.

If the price was something reasonable like 10-15m, then by all means get him because even if things don't work out we'd easily recoup the money later but anything over 20m and they'd be robbing us blind.

[Jase 43,479]

Regardless of the end product part, dribbling wise Hazard + Cuadrado should be comfortably THE best combo in the world. Am I being blue tinted?

Let's actually see if that will be the case. Too often many here have proclaimed we have the best attacking trio, plenty of pace on the counter and things like that, only to be left furious and cursing six months down the road.

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

Let's actually see if that will be the case. Too often many here have proclaimed we have the best attacking trio, plenty of pace on the counter and things like that, only to be left furious and cursing six months down the road.

Oh yeh, I was just paper talking. Actual performance speaks, always.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Cuadrado could fly to London tonight for a medical, before penning a contract with Chelsea (SportMediaset). #CFC

1 minute ago

REPORT: Juan #Cuadrado could fly to England for a medical and signing his contract with #CFC. Transfer around €30M + bonus. (SportMediaset)

Cuadrado COULD also quit football and take up basket weaving....

[OneMoSalah 8,783]

Nope, what they're reporting is this

http://sport.sky.it/sport/calciomercato/2015/01/29/trattative_di_giornata.html

'Mourinho is pushing a lot on the property'

Got to love the property transfer market, can't wait for deadline day, what a time to be alive.

This is really happening though isn't it? Fuck sake.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

This is really happening though isn't it? Fuck sake.

Sunday night or Monday?

[Special Juan 27,439]

Hope it happens on deadline day so I can get excited about it whilst wanking over Natalie Sawyer's tits in her tight top.

[WNDS 502]

I see approx. 45 million reasons why we shouldn't go anywhere near Douglas Costa.

Absolutely no point paying silly money for someone who's not even all that good and that's what it would take to prise him away from Shakhtar mid-season. We might as well stick with what we have if the alternative is to pay way over the odds for a lad who would only be 5th choice AM.

If the price was something reasonable like 10-15m, then by all means get him because even if things don't work out we'd easily recoup the money later but anything over 20m and they'd be robbing us blind.

There have been no reliable sources stating that we are looking to pay over 20M for Douglas Costa. The impression I've been getting is that we are hoping to get him for around 15-20M. If we move Salah on (now or in the near future) we will be looking to get 7-13M for him; that will cover around half of the Douglas transfer fee.

And I simply don't get this 'not all that good' argument that I see being trotted out again and again. Douglas Costa will likely be 5TH CHOICE. Too many people on here seem to think that we will genuinely be able to have a roster full of world-class/near-world-class AMs, and that two of these players are going to be satisfied with spending most of their time on the bench. This will never happen; even BAYERN and REAL have been unable to make such a situation work.

Ideally, that 5th AM spot could be occupied by one of our youth players, but this seems unlikely to happen at the moment. This is possibly because Mourinho doesn't trust them yet, and/or possibly because Mourinho feels that the lack of meaningful game-time that they will receive as 5th choice will stall their potential development. Either way, we may soon find ourselves one AM short, and we will need to bring in a replacement (for Salah) who is actually trusted enough by Mourinho to fulfil the squad role that they have been brought in to play, and so does not spend all of their time either on the bench or out of the squad completely.

[OneMoSalah 8,783]

Sunday night or Monday?

I think we should go for someone else. Weren't Atletico not interested in Schurrle after the World Cup? Give them Schurrle and £££ for Turan or Griezmann....

[nadavTKL 1,787]

Gazzetta dello Sport reporting Chelsea and Fiorentina have reached an agreement for Cuadrado. Fee is €33.4m plus loan of Salah.