Chelsea Transfers

[Vesper 30,219]

Chelsea new boy wants to be next Didier Drogba as Graham Potter adds to incredible pool

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1714777/Chelsea-transfer-news-next-Didier-Drogba-Graham-Potter

Chelsea’s new signing David Datro Fofana has already stated his admiration for Blues icon Didier Drogba and could become part of Graham Potter’s youth revolution amid a flurry of young talent recently joining the club. The Ivory Coast striker will move to Chelsea in January from Norwegian side Molde for an £8million fee, following a knee injury that ruled Armando Broja out for the season.

The 20-year-old previously revealed that he idolised Drogba growing up, and will be proud to have the chance to follow in his footsteps. "Chelsea have been my favourite club since I was little,” Fofana told Norwegian outlet TV2. “Drogba played there, so they have always been my club. So it’s my dream.”

The youngster is one of several irons Chelsea have had in the fire since co-owner and acting sporting director Todd Boehly joined the club in terms of the transfer market. Outside of the big-money signings of Raheem Sterling, Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana and Kalidou Koulibaly, a young core may be building and shows a lot of promise for the future.

Fofana joins Broja as the young striker options at the club, even though the Albanian’s ACL injury has ruled him out for the remainder of the season. Potter has already ousted Edouard Mendy in favour of Kepa Arrizabalaga as the Blues’ number one, as the ex-Brighton coach wants his goalkeeper to be more comfortable with the ball at his feet.

Though Potter only joined after the summer transfer window as he replaced the outgoing Thomas Tuchel, he will be impressed with the young core of defensive talent at the club. With Reece James he has a right-back that his side can build around for the next 10 years, and Fofana joined as one of the brightest centre-back talents in Europe.

Trevoh Chalobah started the last seven Premier League games in a row before the World Cup break at just 23, and the club will also have an eye on the progress that starlet Levi Colwill is making on loan at Brighton.

Chelsea moved to secure some of the midfielders within the league that have the most potential, as Carney Chukwuemeka and Omari Hutchinson joined from Aston Villa and Arsenal respectively and Blues fans will not have to wait long to see them regularly involved in the team, as both were on the bench for the 2-0 win over Bournemouth on Tuesday.

They could form an exciting midfield trio with Conor Gallagher in the future, who is fighting for his spot in the team after impressing on loan at Crystal Palace last season.

He earned a call-up to the senior England team under Gareth Southgate as proof that the future at Stamford Bridge could be very bright under Potter, who has a proven track record of developing young talent.

Edited December 29, 2022 by Vesper

[Hashishi 148]

 

How did they get him so cheap?

 

[Vesper 30,219]

5 minutes ago, Hashishi said:

 

How did they get him so cheap?

 

£50m (counting the add-ons) is not really 'cheap' IMHO

it seems a fair price

he is coming from the Dutch farmer league, home of the flops ofttimes

I rate him, but not sky high atm (could change)

he was wasn't really one of my 'must have if possible' wingers

Kylian Mbappé (pipe dream)
Rafael Leão
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Federico Chiesa (if fully recovers)
Ousmane Dembélé 
Moussa Diaby 
Leroy Sané

[Vegetable 830]

37 minutes ago, Hashishi said:

 

How did they get him so cheap?

 

They aren't Chelsea, that's it 😶

[Reddish-Blue 2,510]

2 hours ago, Vesper said:

£50m (counting the add-ons) is not really 'cheap' IMHO

it seems a fair price

he is coming from the Dutch farmer league, home of the flops ofttimes

I rate him, but not sky high atm (could change)

he was wasn't really one of my 'must have if possible' wingers

Kylian Mbappé (pipe dream)
Rafael Leão
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Federico Chiesa (if fully recovers)
Ousmane Dembélé 
Moussa Diaby 
Leroy Sané

Every winger that you listed would cost more than 50 million...

I'll be very surprised if Diaby is still at Leverkusen next season, seems destined to play in the Premier League. 

[milka 3,393]

 

[Pizy 18,946]

It’s really impossible to determine where things actually are regarding Enzo at this point. Some fairly reliable journalists saying we are actively pursuing him and others saying we like him but haven’t moved yet. If we indeed do want him badly enough I would hope we don’t piss around in the wind trying to negotiate a lower and lower fee knowing that Benfica want the release clause or nothing. If he’s our #1 choice then pay the money.

 

[DDA 9,941]

I want Enzo more than anyone... easily my favourite midfielder at the moment but if it does prevent us from investing in other areas of the squad, is this a wise move. I just hope we don't breach FFP rules again too... you know they hold no bars when it comexto Chelsea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tomo 21,751]

3 minutes ago, DDA said:

I want Enzo more than anyone... easily my favourite midfielder at the moment but if it does prevent us from investing in other areas of the squad, is this a wise move. I just hope we don't breach FFP rules again too... you know they hold no bars when it comexto Chelsea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unless we think we have an immediate (next season) chance of winning the title then yes. We delayed fixing the pivot to sign Hazard. 

[Pizy 18,946]

I thought FFP was essentially a joke now? Didn’t the regulations change a couple of years ago? And I also thought there was some exception to spending rules for us after the ownership change?

[NikkiCFC 8,334]

1 hour ago, milka said:

 

Fuck, all good arguments. 

Benfica and money is not a problem. 

I'm only worried about convincing him. 

[NikkiCFC 8,334]

 

[Vesper 30,219]

3 hours ago, Reddish-Blue said:

Every winger that you listed would cost more than 50 million...

I'll be very surprised if Diaby is still at Leverkusen next season, seems destined to play in the Premier League. 

Ousmane Dembélé is out of contract in 2024.

[NikkiCFC 8,334]

It's happening! 

 

[Pizy 18,946]

Benfica seems like one of those clubs that always accepts that bigger, richer clubs will come in for their players. They don’t play games and they don’t stand in the way if clubs pay what they ask for. So if we (or someone else) offer the money and convince the player they’ll sell. They won’t dig their heels in and refuse to let him go.

If we want him this window may be our best and only shot. Much more competition for him in the summer you’d assume and who knows how attractive we’ll be then.

[Vesper 30,219]

1 hour ago, DDA said:

easily my favourite midfielder at the moment

You rate him over Bellingham, if money was no object?

I do not. Just saying.

Best 15 MFers on the planet atm (overall, not just possible buys) 

I refuse to list Foden or Saka as MFers

Kevin De Bruyne   
Jude Bellingham    
Pedri      
Jamal Musiala
Aurélien Tchouameni
Federico Valverde
Joshua Kimmich
Gavi
Enzo Fernández
Bernardo Silva
Rodri  
Florian Wirtz    
Nicolò Barella    
Declan Rice    
Luka Modric

 

[Pizy 18,946]

Btw, I’m shocked we aren’t heavily linked with Enzo’s Argentina teammate and former Potter key player Mac Allister. 

[Vesper 30,219]

1 hour ago, Pizy said:

I thought FFP was essentially a joke now? Didn’t the regulations change a couple of years ago? And I also thought there was some exception to spending rules for us after the ownership change?

UEFA won the big court case, and Covid no longer forces no crowds, so they now enforce a modified new FFP.

Not sure on any exception for us. Very little sympathy out there for Russians atm,  nor for the messes they made/left in their wake.

[Vesper 30,219]

3 minutes ago, Pizy said:

Btw, I’m shocked we aren’t heavily linked with Enzo’s Argentina teammate and former Potter key player Mac Allister. 

We have been a fair bit lately.

[Vesper 30,219]

Just now, Vesper said:

We have been a fair bit lately.

Atletico Madrid want him badly.