Chelsea Transfers

[Vesper 28,674]

Nico Williams: Liverpool rival Arsenal for potential transfer of star with €60million release clause

https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/04/29/williams-arsenal-liverpool-transfer-battle/

Liverpool are reportedly one of the clubs entering the running for the potential transfer of Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams this summer.

The talented young Spaniard has shone in La Liga in recent times, and it makes sense that there now seems to be plenty of interest in him ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.

Our columnist Charles Watts has recently told us about Arsenal’s interest in Williams, while now Liverpool are being linked as one of his main suitors, alongside Paris Saint-Germain, according to Spanish outlet Todo Fichajes.

Williams has the skill, pace, and eye for goal that could make him a major threat up front for most top Premier League clubs, and it’s arguably an area Liverpool have gone a little downhill in in the last couple of years.

Williams transfer ideal to help Liverpool replace Mane and Salah?

Mohamed Salah is in a poor run of form at the moment and age is perhaps catching up with him, while the Reds clearly miss what a prime Sadio Mane brought to Jurgen Klopp’s side.

A talent like Williams could therefore make sense for LFC, but it remains to be seen what new directors like Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes will want to do this summer, while the club’s new manager will also surely be key to any decisions on incomings and outgoings.

Arsenal, meanwhile, might look the more tempting option for Williams, with the Gunners the more stable option at the moment as they really get into their groove under Mikel Arteta, with the feeling surely being that there’s more to come from this side even if they miss out on the title this season.

With Gabriel Martinelli’s form going downhill in recent times, there’s surely room for someone like Williams to come in and perhaps take his place, or at least provide a bit more in the way of competition.

 

[Vesper 28,674]

Joshua Kimmich: No issue for Manchester City to pay €50m required to trigger exciting transfer

https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/04/29/kimmich-transfer-city-eye-bayern-ace/

Manchester City would reportedly have no issue paying the €50million required to sign German midfielder Joshua Kimmich from Bayern Munich this summer.

The 29-year-old is nearing the final year of his contract at the Allianz Arena, and it seems that if he doesn’t agree to renew his deal with the club soon, then he’ll be allowed to leave for the right price.

According to Sport, as cited and translated by Sport Witness, that price would likely be in the region of €50m, and it has Man City and others on alert for his signature this summer.

Kimmich has played under Pep Guardiola before and could be a superb addition to this City side, with midfielders like Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes not really adding much since moving to the Etihad Stadium last summer.

Kimmich transfer: Man City can afford him, but he prefers Barcelona

Even if City are in a good financial position to get a deal done for Kimmich done, the report suggests that the player’s preference would be to join Barcelona.

They add that Barca could also try offering players like Frenkie de Jong and Ronald Araujo as part of the deal to bring Kimmich’s asking price down, though it remains to be seen if Bayern would be ready to accept an offer like that, with swaps like this actually pretty rare in football.

It would be intriguing to see a fine player like Kimmich challenging himself in English football, and he’d surely be tempted by the prospect of playing for Guardiola again, as it’s a move that more or less guarantees major trophies.

Still, Barcelona remain a big name, and if that’s where the player wants to go, then perhaps MCFC won’t push too hard to sign a player who isn’t that interested in joining them anyway, and move on to other targets.

[robsblubot 3,486]

They are reporting in Brazil that Viery Fernandes Santos Lopes (Viery) is a Chelsea target. He's a 19yo CB who hasn't yet played with the senior Gremio team. Never seen play, but people say he's very promising.
Just as curiosities, Gremio left back is Fabio former Man United and the striker is Diego Costa. 🙂 

[nyikolajevics 2,572]

4 hours ago, robsblubot said:

They are reporting in Brazil that Viery Fernandes Santos Lopes (Viery) is a Chelsea target. He's a 19yo CB who hasn't yet played with the senior Gremio team. Never seen play, but people say he's very promising.
Just as curiosities, Gremio left back is Fabio former Man United and the striker is Diego Costa. 🙂 

Haven't had breakthourgh yet but according to many people(agent and family) insanely talented. He is our kind of boy! Washington must be bored on the bench anyway.

Who is his agent? Is Wallace, Natan, Piazon, Kenedy related by any chance? Geez, I feel there

[OhForAGreavsie 5,890]

On 28/04/2024 at 16:20, Vesper said:

ok

I am losing the plot probably

but

Chris Wood (12 league goals in only 1500 minutes on a shit team)

could be a 'poor man's Giroud' signing

he still is only 32yo too, not like some 35, 36 yo last hurrah type

To use an old fashioned phrase he's a bit of a lump though isn't he? No outstanding attributes other than effort. I don't know but I suspect that this is his best PL season ever. If true, it's not much of a recommendation. This would turn out to be either a genius signing, or a frustrating bust.

[robsblubot 3,486]

5 hours ago, nyikolajevics said:

Haven't had breakthourgh yet but according to many people(agent and family) insanely talented. He is our kind of boy! Washington must be bored on the bench anyway.

Who is his agent? Is Wallace, Natan, Piazon, Kenedy related by any chance? Geez, I feel there

all of the above. 😅 

Nathan, yes that one, was also sitting on Gremio's bench--rarely plays because he's pretty bad even for Camp Brasileiro standards.

[Reddish-Blue 2,339]

15 hours ago, robsblubot said:

They are reporting in Brazil that Viery Fernandes Santos Lopes (Viery) is a Chelsea target. He's a 19yo CB who hasn't yet played with the senior Gremio team. Never seen play, but people say he's very promising.
Just as curiosities, Gremio left back is Fabio former Man United and the striker is Diego Costa. 🙂 

Another unknown talent, just what we need at the club. 

He might be super talented but looking at our defense and no Thiago Silva next season, we should go out and sign a first team CB as soon as possible as Disasi/Badiashile isn't the answer. 

[Vesper 28,674]

Well, one of my main LB targets is off the list.

Quilindschy Hartman.

Out with a horrid knee injury until January.

Sigh.

Even my targets are getting massive injuries. 

The curse spreads.

[Mhsc 869]

Haven't even started to think about what we need to do in summer. How to make sense of a squad like ours, where in almost every position we have good options if only they would be fit?

Could make an argument for GK, CB, LB, CM (somewhat amazingly), LW, ST...

[ZAPHOD2319 4,465]

I have no idea who is staying or going? Our squad is really good at getting injured, that's about it.

[JFKvsNixon 35]

On 30/04/2024 at 09:13, Vesper said:

hard pass on going even further to the yank model

what's next, no relegation?

I do NOT want decades of mediocrity

plus the EPL clubs will get crushed by the free-spending giant clubs in Europe

I do not want to become a feader league or a has-been league, or a middling talent league

no no no

If the figures are correct, then if the current plans go through spending will be capped at £0.5 billion a year. This won't stop the Premier League dominating.

[Mário César 971]

1 hour ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

I have no idea who is staying or going? Our squad is really good at getting injured, that's about it.

we need a center forward, a winger, a goalkeeper and at least a new center back defender

[Vesper 28,674]

1 hour ago, Mário César said:

we need a center forward, a winger, a goalkeeper and at least a new center back defender

multible CBs

other than Colwill

and with Thiago leaving

the rest of our CBs are shit

[Vesper 28,674]

Ian Maatsen not returning to Chelsea, plus thoughts on Jack Grealish links

https://thedailybriefing.io/i/144193380/ian-maatsen-not-returning-to-Chelsea-plus-thoughts-on-jack-grealish-links

Ian Maatsen has impressed since leaving Chelsea to join Borussia Dortmund on loan, and some fans have even asked me if this could lead to him returning to be part of the first-team at Stamford Bridge.

My understanding is that Maatsen will leave Chelsea for sure, so no, I don’t see him staying. Borussia Dortmund will try their best to keep Maatsen, they’re very happy with him and he’s also happy in Dortmund.

The budget will be crucial to understand if they can make it happen, but the intention is clear. That’s the latest on the situation, and I don’t know anything yet about other clubs joining the race in case Dortmund can’t afford the deal.

Staying with Chelsea, I’m also aware there have been some slightly surprising links with Jack Grealish. However, I have zero information on this - Manchester City are not discussing Grealish’s future, not even internally at this point of the season. It’s all quiet.

[lucio 5,418]

14 hours ago, Vesper said:

multible CBs

other than Colwill

and with Thiago leaving

the rest of our CBs are shit

Wishful thinking perhaps , but if we get amorim and use a back 3/5, we could have James at rcb assuming he recovers from his hamstring surgery.  

id get Antonio as the middle one and colwill for lcb. I’d keep chalobah as a backup and bin the Monaco duo.

[MoroccanBlue 5,290]

Move Jackson to LW. 

Have Fofana has back up striker. 

Get Gyorkeres. 

[Vesper 28,674]

FUCK

Raheem Sterling not looking to leave Chelsea, but Romelu Lukaku to Saudi could be one to watch

https://thedailybriefing.io/p/excl-what-salah-klopp-row-could-mean#§raheem-sterling-not-looking-to-leave-Chelsea-but-romelu-lukaku-to-saudi-could-be-one-to-watch

Sterling remains committed to Chelsea, and is settled in London. But as a high earner at the club, it’s natural there will be speculation about a summer exit. Unless Sterling has a major U-turn, he’s going to resist an exit and try to prove any critics wrong. It hasn’t been an easy spell for him at Chelsea, but staying fit and having a run in the side could yet change all that.

Links with Saudi, and Al-Hilal specifically, are wide of the mark according to my information. Sterling had a very informal approach from Saudi in summer 2023, but since then there has been no contact.

Chelsea are naturally open to doing more business with Saudi, and away from Sterling, they will gladly sell Romelu Lukaku to a Saudi Pro League club.

Al-Hilal had a €45m offer accepted last summer but Lukaku wanted to stay in Italy. Al-Hilal now have other targets, but keep an eye on both Al-Shabab and soon-to-be promoted Al-Qadsiyah.

[lucio 5,418]

Sterling is garbage and needs binning.