Chelsea Transfers

[Vesper 31,113]

7 hours ago, ulvhedin said:

I know Atletico is specific club due to the Simeone tactics, but De Paul is very mediocre there.

I think De Paul would flourish next to Enzo.

Do not get me wrong, De Paul is not a main target of mine.

[Pizy 19,286]

I really do love how we do indeed seem to be prioritizing another midfielder even after spending mega money on Enzo. And I’d be happy with any of the guys we’re being linked with. Rice, Lavia, or Koné would thrive next to Enzo I believe.

Wonder if Mount’s future would affect any pursuit of Rice. Him coming here to play with his best mate would probably override the lack of CL football for a season. But I’m not sure he’d choose us over Arse/Liverpool/United if Mase goes.

Think Lavia might be the shrewdest buy, though. Still a teenager and already looks like a 30 year old grizzled vet in midfield. 

[Vesper 31,113]

Joao Felix: Should Chelsea sign him permanently?

https://theathletic.com/4315824/2023/03/17/joao-felix-Chelsea-atletico-madrid-sign-permanently/

It is just one of a number of tough decisions Chelsea have to make over the next few months: should they sign Joao Felix permanently?

The 23-year-old joined from Atletico Madrid in January on loan for the rest of the season. There was no option or obligation to buy included in the deal so Chelsea will have to negotiate a fee with the La Liga club. He will not come cheap, but few quality international players do.

So what should Chelsea do? The Athletic’s Chelsea correspondents Liam Twomey and Simon Johnson rarely agree on anything. And it will not come as a surprise that the same applies here as they debate whether the club should buy Joao Felix.

---

No, he’s too expensive and other areas are a priority — Liam Twomey

Joao Felix is clearly an elite talent and has done enough in his few appearances for Chelsea to establish himself as the most entertainingly skilful attacker to call Stamford Bridge home since Eden Hazard departed in 2019. That said, the ability of the player is only one factor to consider when weighing up a decision as big as this one.

Make no mistake, buying Joao Felix permanently would be a big — and by big, I mean expensive — decision. That he signed a contract extension with Atletico Madrid before finalising his Chelsea loan move in January flew a little under the radar, but it means he will have four years remaining on his deal this summer.

There is no defined option in the loan agreement that would facilitate Chelsea signing him, nor is there a clear price at which Atletico have indicated they would consider selling. Joao Felix’s buyout clause, a mandatory requirement in every La Liga player’s contract, is reportedly set at €350million (£307.2m; $371.4m) — a deterrent rather than an invitation.

Chelsea clearly would not need to offer anything close to that figure but, given that Atletico paid €126million to acquire him from Benfica in 2019 and retain strong contractual leverage over a player who is still only 23, it is reasonable to assume they would expect to recoup a large chunk of that transfer fee in any sale — particularly in light of the spending that Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital have sanctioned over the past two transfer windows.

Any large transfer fee for Joao Felix (which, it is important to note, UEFA will insist is amortised over no more than five years from this summer) would further complicate Chelsea’s attempts to remain compliant with financial fair play if they fail to secure Champions League qualification this season. Significant sales are required to offset some of the recent spending and it is inevitable that any more marquee deals will increase the sense of urgency.

This is without factoring in Joao Felix’s salary — well in excess of £200,000 a week — which would put him in the upper reaches of a Chelsea wage structure that Boehly and Clearlake are trying to bring down to a more sustainable level. Perhaps he would accept a pay cut to make sure he gets out of Atletico, but that is not the way most top footballers or their agents operate.

Working in Chelsea’s favour is the fact Joao Felix’s relationship with Diego Simeone is widely considered to be at a Thomas Tuchel-Romelu Lukaku level of broken. If the Argentine remains Atletico coach beyond this season, it is difficult to see how reconciliation could be achieved and that internal tension may help to reduce the asking price.

But even if a deal can be done to sign Joao Felix, is he really what Chelsea need most? Boehly and Clearlake plan to scale back their transfer investment in future windows. If resources are now finite, surely other areas of the pitch assume greater priority: a genuine No 9 or a long-term midfield partner for Enzo Fernandez, or a new goalkeeper.

The vast expense likely required to sign Joao Felix permanently may still be dwarfed by the opportunity cost; money spent on him cannot be spent elsewhere.

Finally, is there even a functional, balanced formation that can maximise all of Mykhailo Mudryk, Joao Felix, Christopher Nkunku and Kai Havertz in one team? Or is this array of attackers-who-aren’t-quite-strikers a recipe for a lavishly expensive final third unit which proves less than a coherent sum of its parts?

The risk of the latter scenario is reason enough to be cautious.

Yes, he has provided a spark and has the talent of Zola and Hazard — Simon Johnson

Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here? Yes, I have gone there, starting my counterargument by quoting a line from a movie.

It is a first for me and not something I intend to do regularly. Joao Felix bears little resemblance to Russell Crowe’s character in Gladiator, Maximus Decimus Meridius, but both men have the knack of winning over a demanding crowd and being used as memes on social media.

The 23-year-old arrived at a difficult time for the team and the club. Confidence was at a low ebb and head coach Graham Potter’s position was under threat. Fans were making their feelings known in the stands and via email. It is hard for a flair player to, well, play with any flair in such circumstances, yet Felix has done that. Imagine what he will do in a team full of confidence.

Unlike the vast majority of Chelsea’s new signings, Felix has not needed time to adapt to life at Stamford Bridge and the Premier League. The Portugal international has impressed since his debut despite being sent off at Fulham. The away fans at Craven Cottage that night saw enough to give him the honour of a specific chant.

Chelsea have a rich history of players who can do something special, a trick, a shuffle of the hips to bewitch an opposing defender, an individual who justifies the cost of a ticket. People like Charlie Cooke, Pat Nevin, Gianfranco Zola and Eden Hazard. Joao Felix has a lot to do to be compared with those legends, but the talent is there.

He provided supporters with a reason to keep going to games while their losing habit continued and has been a factor in Chelsea’s three-game winning streak, although he does need to sharpen up when it comes to defending the final third.

His return of one goal and no assists does not do his performances justice. Luck has not been on his side, having hit the woodwork three times as well as having a strike ruled out by VAR for offside.

Most importantly, Joao Felix is building up a promising understanding with like-minded technical players Havertz and Fernandez. Why break up such a trio? With at least two more months of the season to benefit from, things will surely only get better between them and crucially they will be ready to gel from day one of the next campaign. The grass is not always greener and it is quite a risk to think there is someone else better out there.

Joao Felix has made it clear how happy he is at Chelsea and in London, hinting that he wants to turn it into a permanent move. Fernandez significantly recently said: “When you get on with someone, it helps on the field. He’s a great player. Let’s hope Chelsea can do all they can to keep hold of him.”

Yes, it is going to be expensive, although the indications are that Atletico will be prepared to accept a figure in the region of £80million rather than anything close to the ridiculous release clause.

Chelsea have other positions they want to strengthen, too, yet are planning a mass clear-out which should raise a significant amount of revenue and make the dressing room less congested.

The club’s co-owners, who are willing to spend more in the transfer market, always had it in their minds to buy Joao Felix if he impresses and they are exploring the possibility.

Who can blame them? I wouldn’t say no to a sequel.

[Mário César 1,483]

Felix is too expensive and if we fail ucl its complicated to accept his buy 

[Reddish-Blue 2,681]

3 hours ago, Mário César said:

Felix is too expensive and if we fail ucl its complicated to accept his buy 

The other question is, can you play Nkunku and Felix (if we did go ahead with his transfer) in the same starting XI?   Feel like our tactical setup would be too narrow with two players who like playing in that #10 type role. 

[TheHulk 2,647]

Good.

[TheHulk 2,647]

 

[Reddish-Blue 2,681]

37 minutes ago, TheHulk said:

 

This may actually be a good thing.

He'll fit like a glove at Liverpool as Klopp loves his pressing machines. 

[Pizy 19,286]

English journalists and pundits who haven’t watched Mount over the past 12 months will kill us for letting him go and call Boehly an idiot etc not realizing what those of us who watch every minute of every game he has played this season: that he’s been unbelievably shit for a loooong time now.

He is no longer that first on the team sheet guy he was over the past few years. And you don’t pay monster wages for a player who will spend more time on the bench than in the XI. Sucks that a player who has been Chelsea through and through from a small child will leave but this is a ruthless business.

If we buy a shiny new striker and with Nkunku coming in there is simply no place for Mase. Seeing him play for and rediscover his form with a top 4 rival will sting initially but I can’t see him becoming a world class player who haunts us for 5 years like Salah or De Bruyne. 

Anything £50m or more and we’ll have done extremely well with only 1 year left on his contract.
 

 

[DDA 10,244]

Matt Law calling it a 'fucking disaster' for Chelsea if Mount leaves!..

Have you been watching him play Matt??  You mean he has been a fucking disaster on the pitch you clown.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,128]

On 17/03/2023 at 11:27, TheHulk said:

 

My cards have been on the table about Joao from the start but if the club want to buy him anyway, surely they won't pay £80m. I said when the loan was being rumoured that, in my opinion, he had never shown returns to justify the money Atleti paid. Well, I don't think he has justified £80m either. The quality is there, but quality matters only in as much as it helps a player to be effective. In what we've seen across his career so far, Joao has not been effective enough, often enough.

Edited March 18, 2023 by OhForAGreavsie

[Pizy 19,286]

2 hours ago, DDA said:

Matt Law calling it a 'fucking disaster' for Chelsea if Mount leaves!..

Have you been watching him play Matt??  You mean he has been a fucking disaster on the pitch you clown.

Matt Law and several other English journalists still talk about Mount as if he has still been the player from the CL winning season or under Lamps where he was the key to our whole team. He hasn’t been that guy in a long time. 

It might be a PR disaster in the English press but it’s certainly not a disaster on the pitch. Love Mase but he doesn’t have some sort of world class attribute or skill set that is difficult to replace. 

[OhForAGreavsie 6,128]

21 hours ago, LAM09 said:

He's arguably the best CF around. Such a price is to be expected, but I'm sure we could get him for less, whether it involves a player (Kepa, Broja, etc.) or pressure from both parties.

What will be the market for Osihmen?

Can any Italian club fork out that kind of money, and will Osihmen want to continue in Serie A anyway?

Bayern could afford that type of fee, but will they bin their anti-big fee philosophy?

Real have every reason to renew Benzema but, in any case, is Osihmen their man? Will they spend big for him and for Bellingham in 2023?

Can Barca afford an Osihmen sized outlay, even with a return to the Champions League?

City are sorted, and Liverpool are committed to Nunez. Paris could only come to the party if they move Neymar, and who is going to pick up €38m a season for his contract?

Arsenal could be interested but Jesus's returns before his injury might tempt them to stick rather than twist.

Newcastle have the money but do they have the pull yet?

I think Utd will be interested but who else will be, other than us?

Edited March 18, 2023 by OhForAGreavsie

[TheHulk 2,647]

 

[MoroccanBlue 5,401]

Is Oshimhen even tailored for a possession based side?

[LAM09 7,093]

49 minutes ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

What will be the market for Osihmen?

Can any Italian club fork out that kind of money, and will Osihmen want to continue in Serie A anyway?

Bayern could afford that type of fee, but will they bin their anti-big fee philosophy?

Real have every reason to renew Benzema but, in any case, is Osihmen their man? Will they spend big for him and for Bellingham in 2023?

Can Barca afford an Osihmen sized outlay, even with a return to the Champions League?

City are sorted, and Liverpool are committed to Nunez. Paris could only come to the party if they move Neymar, and who is going to pick up €38m a season for his contract?

Arsenal could be interested but Jesus's returns before his injury might tempt them to stick rather than twist.

Newcastle have the money but do they have the pull yet?

I think Utd will be interested but who else will be, other than us?

I'd say Bayern, PSG, United, and us are potential suitors. Barca & RM could be in the mix, but I think they both have their own stumbling blocks (Endrick joining the latter has muted such talk).

Bayern broke their traditional habits by buying de Ligt, & I'm sure they'd see Osimhen in a similar light. Also, they made it known that a CF is high on the agenda, with talk of even Kane circling around.

The key factor that could decide things is Osimhen's vocal admiration/desire to play in the EPL; he's built for it.

[Tomo 21,751]

4 hours ago, Pizy said:

If we buy a shiny new striker and with Nkunku coming in there is simply no place for Mase. Seeing him play for and rediscover his form with a top 4 rival will sting initially but I can’t see him becoming a world class player who haunts us for 5 years like Salah or De Bruyne. 

It really annoys me when any under 25 linked with a departure instantly attracts those comparisons, even fucking Dom Solanke did.

Edited March 18, 2023 by Tomo

[Vesper 31,113]

9 minutes ago, Tomo said:

It really annoys me when any under 25 linked with a departure instantly attracts those comparisons, even fucking Dom Solanke did.

Mount is the only one of late that (if he goes to a powerhouse EPL team and blows up again) has the true potential to do that.

I do NOT think he will ever be as good as Salah or De Bruyne have been, no way, but he could possibly be a true thorn in our side, especially if that team is Pool, or less likely (that he ends up there) Manure or even Citeh, with a wild card of NUFC)

Edited March 18, 2023 by Vesper

[Tomo 21,751]

2 minutes ago, Vesper said:

Mount is the only one of late that (if he goes to a powerhouse EPL team and blows up again) has the true potential to do that.

I do NOT think he will ever be as good as Salah or De Bruyne have been, no way, but he could possibly be a true thorn in our side, especially if that team is Pool, or less likely (that he ends up there) Manure or even Citeh, with a wild card of NUFC)

I could be wrong but i feel he's burnt-out Rooney/Oscar style, no proper break since 2019 seems to have finally got him. Dare i say he seems to be turning into the player some people pretended he was from day one.

Colwill is the one for me (out of who under 25 could potentially leave anytime soon) that will fall into that category in my opinion.

[Pizy 19,286]

Mount isn’t nearly as talented as Salah or De Bruyne. He doesn’t single handedly win you matches like those two do. He’d be a very solid cog in a team just like he has been here. I think we’ve seen what Mase can do at his absolute best. Don’t think there’s some level he will ascend to where we look back and say “man, how the fuck did we let that guy go?”

Also, Mount himself has to be very careful about which team he decides he wants to go to. Liverpool’s midfield is in such dire shape that he’d get plenty of minutes there but if they somehow get Bellingham then what? He wouldn’t immediately walk into the United side either and certainly not City’s.

His best option by far would be Newcastle. He’d be one of their star players and would play every match without question.