Chelsea Transfers

[Vesper 28,427]

The £613million reason Brighton are surprising Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and more

Roberto De Zerbi's Brighton sit sixth in the Premier League table, ahead of the likes of big-spenders such as Chelsea and Liverpool, and they do it on a fraction of the budget

https://www.sussexlive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/brighton-Chelsea-liverpool-manchester-united-8130666

Brighton are continuing to punch above their weight this season, despite spending a fraction of some of their Premier League rivals.

The Albion sit sixth in the table, opening daylight between them and big-spenders Chelsea and Liverpool, who are ninth and 10th respectively. Now new figures have shown how the Seagulls are doing more with less.

The CIES Football Observatory has broken down the net spending (including add-ons) for transfers over the past five seasons and while it makes for fairly positive reading for the Sussex side, the same cannot be said for the Blues, Manchester United, Arsenal, and more.

READ MORE: Alexis Mac Allister issues clue on his Brighton future amid Chelsea and Arsenal transfer links

The figures state that Chelsea has the most negative balance since the 2018/19 season with a deficit of €749million (£663million), the Red Devils are second at -€670million (£593million), and the Gunners are third at -€544million (£481million).

Jurgen Klopp's team, who lost twice to Roberto De Zerbi's men in January are are five points behind them in the table, have a net spend of -€313million (-£277million).

For Brighton, their net spend is at -€56million (£50million) - that's a whopping £613.5million less than the Stamford Bridge side. Incidentally, in 2022/23 the Seagulls have a positive net spend of €104million (£92million), which is the best in the Premier League.

Contrast that with Chelsea, who have a very negative balance with a deficit of €620million (£549million) this season, and United (-€240million or -£212million), newly-promoted Nottingham Forest (-€229million or -£203million), and West Ham (-€207million or -£183million) have been the most lavish in this regard.

In recent seasons, the Albion have signed Kaoru Mitoma, Alexis Mac Allister, Tariq Lamptey, and Moises Caicedo for under £15million and they have sold Marc Cucurella, Yves Bissouma, Dan Burn, Neal Maupay, and Ben White for more than £150million. This makes the club's success all the more remarkable.

The top 20 spending clubs via net spend since 2018/19, according to CIES:

1. Chelsea -€749m
2. Manchester United -€670m
3. Arsenal -€544m
4. Tottenham Hotspur -€477m
5. West Ham United -€435m
6. Newcastle United -€422m
7. Aston Villa -€370m
8. Wolverhampton Wanderers -€355m
9. Juventus -€337m
10. Liverpool -€313m
11. Fulham -€271m
12. Barcelona -€257m
13. Nottingham Forest -€246m
14. Leeds United -€242m
15. Southampton -€237m
16. AC Milan -€227m
17. Everton -€219m
18. Paris Saint-Germain -€202m
19. Olympique Marseille -€192m
20. Bayern Munich -€170m

 

Edited February 9, 2023 by Vesper

[Vesper 28,427]

IF we are not going to buy a TRULY world class LB (the only 2 remotely available, and they are not really available, lol, are Alphonso Davies and Nuno Mendes)

then we should just give shots to the 3 we have atm first

Ian Maatsen

Zak Sturge (1.88m 18yo, 19yo in June)

Lewis Hall

 

Edited February 9, 2023 by Vesper

[guddy69 174]

3 hours ago, MoroccanBlue said:

There's reports he's unsettled in London and may force a move similar to Werner in accepting lower wages elsewhere. 

any links to the reports please..I can't find 1

[ZAPHOD2319 4,419]

 

[Mário César 970]

lets hope Inter needs a center back and try to buy koulibaly 

he is a nice lad but clearly not good enough 

[Hashishi 148]

34 minutes ago, Mário César said:

lets hope Inter needs a center back and try to buy koulibaly 

he is a nice lad but clearly not good enough 

We could use him to get Barella, although he is a pipedream. Imagine an Enzo Barella pivot.

[Vegetable 830]

1 hour ago, Mário César said:

lets hope Inter needs a center back and try to buy koulibaly 

he is a nice lad but clearly not good enough 

KK could be nice leverage of many deals, but I doubt he has easy way back to Italy - he was Napoli leader and fan, yet oftentimes he was met with hostility and racism from their own fans. He wouldn't have it easy if he'd now go to other club I guess. Anyway, it's hard for me to believe he is "not good enough". There is clearly something very wrong going on with him. Maybe he doesn't like the team, the manager or England or can't deal with the tempo, but he is rather closer to top of the best defenders list, not bottom, even though he is having a shocking stint here.

[Vesper 28,427]

6 minutes ago, Vegetable said:

KK could be nice leverage of many deals, but I doubt he has easy way back to Italy - he was Napoli leader and fan, yet oftentimes he was met with hostility and racism from their own fans. He wouldn't have it easy if he'd now go to other club I guess. Anyway, it's hard for me to believe he is "not good enough". There is clearly something very wrong going on with him. Maybe he doesn't like the team, the manager or England or can't deal with the tempo, but he is rather closer to top of the best defenders list, not bottom, even though he is having a shocking stint here.

it is crazy puzzling , that is for sure

last season he was still a super classy CB

now he has just poofed in form (hell, the BASICS of CB play) with no injury(s) to blame

I do not buy for a moment it is 'the pace of the EPL'

look how many older (as in over 30, 31yo) CBs (who were never world beaters like KK) stick around and play and start for EPL sides

Fabian Schär, who is is only 6 months (exactly, to the day) younger than KK, is having a world class season (not joking, he and Sven Botman have been a superb pairing)

our Thiago, so much older, as well

plus 2 more oldsters having massive seasons

Tim Ream 35yo (and a yank) and Ben Mee  33yo
 

[Vesper 28,427]

On 10/01/2023 at 07:25, DDA said:

Must be a secret agreement for Lukaku to go Atletico Madrid in exchange for Felix at the end of the season if all goes well.

saw this whilst looking at older posts

I SO SO hope this is even halfway true

Edited February 9, 2023 by Vesper

[Vesper 28,427]

Rolling tally as of February 10th, 2023

of the 30 best (IMHO) overall under 30yo (Oblak is 30yo) players/targets who are still on the board for this summer (I am leaving Felix off this, as we should get him in the summer) and also not injured seriously or recovering (so no Chiesa, Wirtz, Oyarzabal, etc)

Last criteria is that there is at least one player for every position (obviously IF Alphonso Davies were to become available, it is bye bye Theo as the only LB on this list).

Jude Bellingham  
Josko Gvardiol  
Victor Osimhen
Dušan Vlahović 
Rafael Leão  
Nicolò Barella
Declan Rice  
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Moussa Diaby
Jonathan David
James Maddison
Moisés Caicedo
Jan Oblak 
Randal Kolo Muani
Bernardo Silva 
Sergej Milinković-Savić
Jurrien Timber
Leroy Sané  
Mikel Merino 
Marcos Llorente    
Martín Zubimendi 
Manu Koné
Denzel Dumfries
Alexis Mac Allister
Matheus Nunes
Roméo Lavia
Dominik Szoboszlai
Giorgi Mamardashvili
Dani Olmo
Theo Hernández

 

and, as I always say, we must buy this youth: Arsen Zakharyan

and in two years we must buy Warren Zaïre-Emery

Edited February 9, 2023 by Vesper

[Vesper 28,427]

Analysis: Evan Ndicka agreement – are Barcelona overstocking?

 

(Vesper's answer is hell NO, he will be their main left footed CB)

 

https://www.football-espana.net/2023/02/03/analysis-evan-ndicka-agreement-are-barcelona-overstocking

Barcelona have been very clear that they will pursue free agents under the guidance of Mateu Alemany, as they attempt to manage their salary limit issues over the coming seasons.

Last summer Barcelona brought in Andreas Christensen and Frank Kessie on pre-agreed contracts, which has so far produced varying levels of success.

Kessie has failed to make a major impact on Barcelona this season, but does have his work cut out. Always likely to be a rotational option at any rate, Gavi, Pedri, Frenkie de Jong and Sergio Busquets are clearly ahead in the pecking order this season.

Meanwhile Andreas Christensen has gone from strength to strength. It was presumed by the vast majority that the Danish defender would be a rotational option himself, with Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde occupying the central roles. Yet Christensen has forced his way into the side, forming a solid block alongside the Uruguayan with Kounde on the right.

Barcelona saw Gerard Pique retire in November after the veteran barely saw any game time until an injury crisis required him to step in. Regardless it seems that Pique was forced out in part for financial reasons, with his delayed salary weighing heavy on the club.

It leaves Barcelona with four central defenders currently, counting the three mentioned and Eric Garcia. Given Garcia has struggled for minutes in recent months, only being used to rest the others, it is surprising that Todofichajes have reported that Barcelona have a pre-contract agreement with Evan Ndicka.

The French centre-back, 23, was an option for Paris Saint-Germain in January but after Eintracht Frankfurt rejected their bid, Ndicka has decided to commit to Barcelona ahead of next season.

It would once again leave the Blaugrana with five central defenders. Despite Araujo’s fitness issues, all signs would point to this being one too many for Xavi Hernandez. With Barcelona struggling to register deals currently due to their salary limit, it would be a questionable use of resources, when the squad could likely do with another right-back, midfielder or forward before a central defender. Especially when considering Xavi has shown that he trusts Marcos Alonso as an emergency centre-back.

Perhaps the Ndicka move is instructive though. If Alemany sees it as necessary to bring in another central defender, it might hint at one of two things.

One of them would be that Barcelona are preparing for a summer departure in that area. While various sources claim the Blaugrana will need to make a major sale next summer, it would be strange to see them let Kounde, Christensen or Araujo out the door. It may be that Garcia looks for a new destination where he can play more minutes. The Catalan defender has been good in fits and bursts, but it looks unlikely he will be a key player at Can Barca for some time.

It could also hint at Barcelona giving up on the idea of bringing in a quality right-back in the summer. With Kounde performing well there, the hierarchy may have decided to roll with the Frenchman on the right as a more permanent solution. It would no doubt be to the chagrin of Kounde, but without the resources to bring in a quality right-back, Ndicka could compete with Christensen and Araujo.

Edited February 9, 2023 by Vesper

[TheHulk 1,825]

 

[Vesper 28,427]

2 hours ago, TheHulk said:

 

Victor Osimhen   
Dusan Vlahovic 
Randal Kolo Muani (€100m is crazy though)
Jonathan David 
Ivan Toney   (only if cleared of being banned for betting) 
Marcus Thuram 
Aleksandar Mitrović 
Benjamin Sesko
Momo Cho
Rasmus Højlund   (born 4 February 2003) baby Håland in the making

 

 

 

[chef 38]

 

[OhForAGreavsie 5,881]

12 hours ago, Mário César said:

we have to sell lukaku to make money for our netspend

we can't afford have him loaned to inter or other club

we need to sell him

stop with this non sen loans that help the other teams but not Chelsea

None of us doubt that if we sell Rom it will be at a loss. The club will understand this, and can reconcile itself to it. The problem is FFP. Amortisation of transfer fees allows some wins as we've seen, but it can also turn into a trap.

When a player is sold, all of his remaining amortised value counts against FFP for the season during which he is sold. Rom signed a 5 year deal and, for simplicity sake, let's say he cost €100m, This would make his FFP 'cost' €20m a season so, come summer, we will have accounted for 2 x €20m of that fee. If we sell him in the next window we would need to get at least €60m or else we make an FFP loss on him. I'm sure that this trap is why we have sometimes kept players on the books and sent them out on loan long after it was clear they would never play for CFC again.

Edited February 10, 2023 by OhForAGreavsie

[Vesper 28,427]

39 minutes ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

None of us doubt that if we sell Rom it will be at a loss. The club will understand this, and can reconcile itself to it. The problem is FFP. Amortisation of transfer fees allows some wins as we've seen, but it can also turn into a trap.

When a player is sold, all of his remaining amortised value counts against FFP for the season during which he is sold. Rom signed a 5 year deal and, for simplicity sake, let's say he cost €100m, This would make his FFP 'cost' €20m a season so, come summer, we will have accounted for 2 x €20m of that fee. If we sell him in the next window we would need to get at least €60m or else we make an FFP loss on him. I'm sure that this trap is why we have sometimes kept players on the books and sent them out on loan long after it was clear they would never play for CFC again.

the absolute 'prongers in the batty' buys (not even going to get into shit loans like Saul, Falcao, and that fat fuck slug Higs)

going way back to 2010-11 were

bold were disasterclass

Torres was wayyy back, and then Bats, Donkeybakayoko, and Drunkwater started the HUGE modern era of misery in the market from every angle

bold red (11, 10 modern plus Torres) are just raw fucked, and that could go to 13 if Wes Fofana and Sterling crash out

I am being generous and NOT counting Jorginho as a bad buy, nor Kai (yet, he is moving in that direction quickly) nor putting CuCu in the red (he CAN get there though)

Wesley Fofana    Leicester City    Leicester    €80.40m (potentially either just an overpay OR it can go red disasterclass)
Marc Cucurella    Brighton & Hove Albion    Brighton    €65.30m (we paid double what he was worth, potentially a red)
Raheem Sterling    Manchester City    Man City    €56.20m (potentially either a decent buy or disasterclass)
Kalidou Koulibaly    SSC Napoli    SSC Napoli    €38.00m (his INSANE salary for 4 years makes it SO bad)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang    FC Barcelona    Barcelona    €12.00m
Romelu Lukaku   Inter Milan   Inter   €113.00m
Timo Werner    RB Leipzig    RB Leipzig    €53.00m
Hakim Ziyech    Ajax Amsterdam    Ajax    €40.00m
Kepa Arrizabalaga    Athletic Bilbao    Athletic    €80.00m
Christian Pulisic    Borussia Dortmund    Bor. Dortmund    €64.00m
Álvaro Morata    Real Madrid    Real Madrid    €66.00m (at least we sold him for a decent price so no truly epic red disaster)
Tiemoué Bakayoko    AS Monaco    Monaco    €40.00m
Danny Drinkwater    Leicester City    Leicester    €37.90m
Davide Zappacosta    Torino FC    Torino    €25.00m
Emerson    AS Roma    AS Roma    €20.00m
Ross Barkley    Everton FC    Everton    €16.80m
Michy Batshuayi    Olympique Marseille    Marseille    €39.00m
David Luiz    Paris Saint-Germain    Paris SG    €35.00m
Abdul-Rahman Baba    FC Augsburg    FC Augsburg    €26.00m
Kenedy    Fluminense Football Club    Fluminense    €8.00m
Juan Cuadrado    ACF Fiorentina    Fiorentina    €31.00m
Filipe Luís    Atlético de Madrid    Atlético Madrid    €20.00m
Loïc Rémy    Queens Park Rangers    QPR    €13.20m
André Schürrle    Bayer 04 Leverkusen    B. Leverkusen    €22.00m
Fernando Torres    Liverpool FC    Liverpool    €58.50m
Yossi Benayoun  Liverpool FC  Liverpool  €7.00m

[Vesper 28,427]

neither Osimhen nor Bellingham are worth €150m due to FFP

it's just too much and there ARE other options out there

if no FFP, fine, but them both plus everyone on my dream list, lol

but FFP is here still

Enzo was unique

other than Bruno Guimaraes (and he was a step down IMHO, plus not available) there were no true other options for Enzo

every player except for

Messi for now (Saka will be his heir as the best RWer, along with Foden, then a massive drop off as Salah is ageing out soon, he turns 31 the end of spring this year),

Håland

Mbappe

and

Tchou (no, Rice is nowhere near his level as a trad DMF, nor is Rodri, nor is Casemiro)

has an option

a player who is now no longer at the top of his game, BUT who has no real heir, is Kante (Barella atm is the closest, with Caicedo perhaps 2nd closest, but neither can polish peak Kante's boots)

[Hashishi 148]

@Vesper You said something about signing harwood bellis. I found this on the MCFC daily discussion thread on reddit. 

 

Can't find any credible source of an altercation