Kalidou Koulibaly

[OhForAGreavsie 6,057]

1 minute ago, Unionjack said:

unlike you I do hope they accept our bid [for Lukaku]

In that case I'm pining my hopes on that Guardian journalist who claims to have been told that Chelsea have not in fact bid for Rom.

[Tomo 21,751]

3 hours ago, Pizy said:

We probably should have made two big CB signings nice and early to have a full preseason and mesh with the team.

Instead, the PL kicks off in two weeks, we've signed no CB's, all links to any CB's have gone completely silent, and if we do eventually sign one they'll have one preseason match at most to get up to speed. Brilliant stuff from whoever is dealing with our transfers.

We better get used to the idea of Cahill and JT being the starting CB pairing for probably the first couple of matches of the new season. Payet should be licking his chops.

I can't believe i have to repeat this from the other day but i can't help myself.

We are in an unbelievably competitive market, this isn't like 2005 when we had first dibs on all the just below first tier talent (ie, not Zidane, Nesta, Ronaldinho etc etc), we have three teams in England alone competing with us tightly, not to mention numerous clubs abroad who can match us financially, we can't just click our fingers and sign players anymore.

Do you not believe the club are not trying? The links to numerous centre half's makes it obvious, but it's not as simple as "get them in for pre season and let them gel with the team", i mean do you think the board are taking days off because well there's still a month/two left of the window, ofcourse their not, they are trying to get a defender in that will suit the needs of the club.

Although we definitely could have got a centre back in before pre season, however that said player will likely be a panic buy who would in the long run probably solve no problems, remember the summer 2013? Every fan screaming for Jose to "sort the pivot out" and "get a world class striker in", he didn't that summer and fans took an envious glance at Tottenham signing Capoue, Paulinho and Soldado and wondering why we didn't/couldn't get them? Well the proof was in the pudding when they were at Spurs, none were actually better than what we already had infact they were worse, so instead he waited and by the same time next year, hey presto, Cesc, Matic and Costa, all three played a major part in firing us to the title.

Do i believe defense is a problem? Yes, Do i want us to spunk ridiculous money on a CB version of 2013 Paulinho just so we don't have to see Cahill in the lineup? Absolutely not, furthermore the massive problem last season was the protection from the midfield and the shit tactics from our managers, both things won't be a problem this season, ofcourse i want us to sign a top CB and because of our current defense id happily see us pay more than usual, but the last thing i want to see is us spunking money on an average CB (like for example current day Subotic), because it would ultimately make things worse.

[Pizy 18,850]

2 hours ago, Tomo said:

I can't believe i have to repeat this from the other day but i can't help myself.

We are in an unbelievably competitive market, this isn't like 2005 when we had first dibs on all the just below first tier talent (ie, not Zidane, Nesta, Ronaldinho etc etc), we have three teams in England alone competing with us tightly, not to mention numerous clubs abroad who can match us financially, we can't just click our fingers and sign players anymore.

Do you not believe the club are not trying? The links to numerous centre half's makes it obvious, but it's not as simple as "get them in for pre season and let them gel with the team", i mean do you think the board are taking days off because well there's still a month/two left of the window, ofcourse their not, they are trying to get a defender in that will suit the needs of the club.

Although we definitely could have got a centre back in before pre season, however that said player will likely be a panic buy who would in the long run probably solve no problems, remember the summer 2013? Every fan screaming for Jose to "sort the pivot out" and "get a world class striker in", he didn't that summer and fans took an envious glance at Tottenham signing Capoue, Paulinho and Soldado and wondering why we didn't/couldn't get them? Well the proof was in the pudding when they were at Spurs, none were actually better than what we already had infact they were worse, so instead he waited and by the same time next year, hey presto, Cesc, Matic and Costa, all three played a major part in firing us to the title.

Do i believe defense is a problem? Yes, Do i want us to spunk ridiculous money on a CB version of 2013 Paulinho just so we don't have to see Cahill in the lineup? Absolutely not, furthermore the massive problem last season was the protection from the midfield and the shit tactics from our managers, both things won't be a problem this season, ofcourse i want us to sign a top CB and because of our current defense id happily see us pay more than usual, but the last thing i want to see is us spunking money on an average CB (like for example current day Subotic), because it would ultimately make things worse.

Mate, we've known for ages that we've needed to completely overhaul the defense. During last season we knew Cahill was shit, JT is over the hill, and Zouma wouldn't be ready for the start of the season. We knew Baba was subpar. 

None of the big clubs are after Koulibaly. Everton are supposedly our only competition. We're prepared to spend £33m on Michy and maybe £60m+ on Lukaku. Strikers were probably 4th on the list of priorities according to most Chelsea fans. At the same time the club apparently scoffs at the asking prices for Stones, Koulibaly, Bonucci, etc. when a top class CB is the biggest must-have for us.

You tell me it's a competitive market and yes, I agree. We can't bully teams any longer and steal everyone's best players, but when we really, really need a specific player we should just pay whatever necessary to land them. Mourhino felt he absolutely needed Pogba- done, £100m, paid whatever it took. City feel they need Stones to play the Guardiola way- they'll pay the £50m.

Chelsea 100% need a world class CB and have known so for months, if not a year. Are our negotiators just that poor? They really going to leave it until the deadline?

[OhForAGreavsie 6,057]

41 minutes ago, Pizy said:

Mate, we've known for ages that we've needed to completely overhaul the defense. During last season we knew Cahill was shit, JT is over the hill, and Zouma wouldn't be ready for the start of the season. We knew Baba was subpar. 

None of the big clubs are after Koulibaly. Everton are supposedly our only competition. We're prepared to spend £33m on Michy and maybe £60m+ on Lukaku. Strikers were probably 4th on the list of priorities according to most Chelsea fans. At the same time the club apparently scoffs at the asking prices for Stones, Koulibaly, Bonucci, etc. when a top class CB is the biggest must-have for us.

You tell me it's a competitive market and yes, I agree. We can't bully teams any longer and steal everyone's best players, but when we really, really need a specific player we should just pay whatever necessary to land them. Mourhino felt he absolutely needed Pogba- done, £100m, paid whatever it took. City feel they need Stones to play the Guardiola way- they'll pay the £50m.

Chelsea 100% need a world class CB and have known so for months, if not a year. Are our negotiators just that poor? They really going to leave it until the deadline?

Hello Pizy,

As at time of writing, I'm not aware that either of the deals you refer to involving the Manchester clubs has been done.

The club will of course have its own assessment of what is required and that assessment will take into account Antonio's input. However many players it has been decided we need they can certainly be pursued simultaneously. If we are only hearing about one chase. foor one player, that's because we are only hearing about one, not because we are lining these up in any order. To suggest that we might target new signings in order of positional need is a bit silly wouldn't you say? We just get stuck into trying to negotiate the deals we want to do and the firs one that gets done, is the first one that gets done. The club is not going to complete a deal for a low priority acquisition at a price which will mean that a higher priority target can no longer be afforded. That is just very basic business sense that you and i can understand. The people doing these deals have a knowledge which goes far beyond basic and far, far beyond yours and mine.

The club must, in my opinion, be prepared to walk away from bad deals. This will not be the last transfer market we take part in, nor the last one in which we have urgent needs. Marina knows the budget she's working with and she knows what Antonio wants to see achieved with it. The deals which have benn done so far are good ones but like you I know we need to do more. Unlike you however, I'm convinced the club is doing its best. If doing better means throwing stupid amounts of money, amounts which are unsustainable, then I say walk away Marina. Walk away.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

45 minutes ago, Pizy said:

Mate, we've known for ages that we've needed to completely overhaul the defense. During last season we knew Cahill was shit, JT is over the hill, and Zouma wouldn't be ready for the start of the season. We knew Baba was subpar. 

None of the big clubs are after Koulibaly. Everton are supposedly our only competition. We're prepared to spend £33m on Michy and maybe £60m+ on Lukaku. Strikers were probably 4th on the list of priorities according to most Chelsea fans. At the same time the club apparently scoffs at the asking prices for Stones, Koulibaly, Bonucci, etc. when a top class CB is the biggest must-have for us.

You tell me it's a competitive market and yes, I agree. We can't bully teams any longer and steal everyone's best players, but when we really, really need a specific player we should just pay whatever necessary to land them. Mourhino felt he absolutely needed Pogba- done, £100m, paid whatever it took. City feel they need Stones to play the Guardiola way- they'll pay the £50m.

Chelsea 100% need a world class CB and have known so for months, if not a year. Are our negotiators just that poor? They really going to leave it until the deadline?

So not true. 

You guys need to exhibit more patience. The centerback market isn't all that deep and if you LISTEN to what Conte is saying we aren't going to just buy for the sake of buying like we did last year. We have identified who we want (Koulibaly) and we will be patient with this decision. The other names being bandied about should tell you how poor the market is. Mustafi? Stones? Maksimovic? Lindelof? If we end up with any of those names are defense will not improve from last year. IF/when Napoli secure a replacement we will have our bid for Koulibaly accepted, that much I believe to be true.

And no you don't pay over the odds for an unproven defender when it comes to the Premier League. What we have offered is more than fair and the reason it hasn't been rejected is because Napoli are looking for a replacement.

Pogba and Stones are about as done as Koulibaly.

[Last Sicarius 610]

5 minutes ago, Chelsea Legend 11 said:

Mustafi? Stones? Maksimovic? Lindelof? If we end up with any of those names are defense will not improve from last year

You must joking with Mustafi  We are doing exactly what we did last year...

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Just now, Last Sicarius said:

You must joking with Mustafi  We are doing exactly what we did last year...

I don't rate him at all in fact I don't rate any defenders that come out of the Spanish league. England is a different animal you need a high level of physicality to play here.

[xPetrCechx 13,570]

 

 

from is gazetta dello sport

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

We'll see but I always knew this was on.

[Special Juan 28,093]

I think we are squeezing the life on this one, I feel we will get him, just a matter of when.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

3 minutes ago, xPetrCechx said:

 

 

from is gazetta dello sport

You should turn off your bluetooth you will conserve more battery power.

[xPetrCechx 13,570]

Just now, Chelsea Legend 11 said:

You should turn off your bluetooth you will conserve more battery power.

Haha It's not mine 

[Artandur 939]

1 hour ago, xPetrCechx said:

 

 

 

from is gazetta dello sport

Anybody got a link to that article ?

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

14 minutes ago, Artandur said:

Anybody got a link to that article ?

http://www.faceoffootball.com/2016/08/02/koulibaly-chelsea/

If you click on Gazzetta dello sports in the article it will take you to a screenshot of a newspaper article in Italian that , according to thefaceoffootball article says we've put in a bid of 45 million euros or £38 million and are confident in getting him.

[Artandur 939]

1 minute ago, Belgiannutt said:

http://www.faceoffootball.com/2016/08/02/koulibaly-chelsea/

If you click on Gazzetta dello sports in the article it will take you to a screenshot of a newspaper article in Italian that , according to thefaceoffootball article says we've put in a bid of 45 million euros or £38 million and are confident in getting him.

Great, thanks