Chelsea Transfers

[Pizy 19,249]

13 minutes ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

 

Man, I wanted us to sign him badly last summer. And wasn’t there talk of it taking £50m or more? I know his contract has run down since then but it seems like no top team is interested in him at all.

I didn’t hear anything about him last season so I’m guessing he didn’t do much? I remember a lot of posters here were skeptical of him and didn’t want us to buy him and it appears they’ve been proven correct.

[OneMoSalah 9,089]

9 minutes ago, Pizy said:

Man, I wanted us to sign him badly last summer. And wasn’t there talk of it taking £50m or more? I know his contract has run down since then but it seems like no top team is interested in him at all.

I didn’t hear anything about him last season so I’m guessing he didn’t do much? I remember a lot of posters here were skeptical of him and didn’t want us to buy him and it appears they’ve been proven correct.

Would of rather took a €20m gamble on him than Felix for £46m.

Although both are literally the same type of player, all style, no substance, no consistency. But at least for €20m not that big a hit when we would go to sell him next year.

[whats happening 1,660]

20 minutes ago, Stats said:

He has divided opinion ever since he has joined here, however the way he has been treated and discarded is awful. I support the team on pitch no matter what, but the owners are ruining the image of the club. I get it, his performance has not reflected his salary, but it is more to do with the fact the owners need to reduce the way fill rather than Maresca 'preferring other wingers'. I know we have never been liked by opposing fans, however even as a massive Chelsea fan, I feel embarrassed with what is going on at the club. The way we just buy players then get rid of them just doesn't sit right with me. Then next season, it will be one of the new signings being pushed out for another 'flavour of the month'. Just don't know whether there is an actual football strategy.

i hope youre not talking about sterling

[Costa19 858]

35 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

Recognise their error? Should’ve known from the start. Clearly - and this has been for a long time now - there is no actual plan in place for on the pitch and it’s more of a business model…

Whats been constant/consistent in our transfer business? Young players, lower incentive based wages, long term deals. Selling academy players for PSR. Selling players on higher wages (some that were only signed 12/24 months ago). 

I mean otherwise, can you tell me how it is anything else, when managers like Tuchel, Poch, Potter & Maresca all have literally next to nothing in common in terms of playing styles? And you don’t build a playing squad without tailoring it to the manager and his philosophy in all honesty. You can put blocks in place but ultimately, can’t do it all.

Young players = You can buy more with potential than finished product
Lower incentive based wages = Easier to send away flops and, with a bit of luck, profit from players with no future aswell. 
Long term deals = "We decide when you deserve a new contract"
Selling academy players for PSR = A golden goose 
Selling players on higher wages = Making room for more "young players"
Tuchel, Poch, Potter & Maresca all have literally next to nothing in common = Yeah this is really weird.

It's frustrating, I agree.
But I want to see what the outcome of the investigation against the club will be and depending on the punishment, I think we maybe can find the answer there as to why the club is working the way it is working right now.
At the beginning of the new ownership, we bought both young players and "finished" players with high salaries.
But somewhere around the same time it started to be reported that the club had reported wrongdoing under Roman, we started bulking up "young players" with low base salaries.
It might not even be related but it's something I thought about.

Also, I think, even though the opponents' supporters like to laugh about it, signing long contracts with low base salaries and with good bonuses is very smart.
Of course, We can and probably will end up in a mess with a player or two who is not wanted and who does not want to move, but I am fully convinced that the majority of future cases where a player is unwanted and is moved away from the team and the training ground will have an easier time finding a new club if the base salary is "low". 

The advantage might be that it will be easier and less risky to take a chance on young players with potential.
I'm no mathematician but somewhere in there there should be a calculation that the club has done and concluded that larger quantity with the potential to become quality will be cheaper than paying for "proven" quality.

Aaaaaaaah fecking hell .. I don't know.... I'm just trying to find some logic and optimism in it all.. 

Edited August 21, 2024 by Costa19

[ZAPHOD2319 4,942]

25 minutes ago, Pizy said:

Man, I wanted us to sign him badly last summer. And wasn’t there talk of it taking £50m or more? I know his contract has run down since then but it seems like no top team is interested in him at all.

I didn’t hear anything about him last season so I’m guessing he didn’t do much? I remember a lot of posters here were skeptical of him and didn’t want us to buy him and it appears they’ve been proven correct.

The biggest problem I have read about his season was not good in the final third and he does not buy in to pressing and defense. He knew teams were evaluating him and he couldn’t be bothered to try.

[ZAPHOD2319 4,942]

If anyone is wondering why Mudryk is not being given the cold shoulder yet? It is because he is a future Ballon d’Or winner!!! Facts!! 🤣

 

[ZAPHOD2319 4,942]

 

[Superblue 6,372]

59 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

Recognise their error? Should’ve known from the start. Clearly - and this has been for a long time now - there is no actual plan in place for on the pitch and it’s more of a business model…

Whats been constant/consistent in our transfer business? Young players, lower incentive based wages, long term deals. Selling academy players for PSR. Selling players on higher wages (some that were only signed 12/24 months ago). 

I mean otherwise, can you tell me how it is anything else, when managers like Tuchel, Poch, Potter & Maresca all have literally next to nothing in common in terms of playing styles? And you don’t build a playing squad without tailoring it to the manager and his philosophy in all honesty. You can put blocks in place but ultimately, can’t do it all.

What concerns me most at present is the managerial turnover. 

They should have been more honest with fans, that a restructure would be needed at the club. It was pretty obvious - we've operated at a loss for years, being propped up by Roman. That was never going to be sustainable under new ownership. I can see what they are trying to do, in completely rebuilding the squad under a new wage structure that moving forward should help the club to become sustainable, and in all honesty it was never going to be pretty. I don't agree with the way in which they have done it, I think if they had leant more on some of the academy talent here to help fill that squad out, they wouldn't be facing the same scrutiny they are now. 

But the whole club is now crying out for some time. They can't change the entire makeup of the squad, buy solely young talent and expect to be competing as a top 4 team. They got rid of that team. That isn't to say this current squad can't make top 4 this season or in the near future, but they do need to be given the platform to grow and develop together and that goes for the manager too. We no longer have the core of players in the dressing room that can lead amongst chaos and absorb managerial changes.

This ownership have put their own stamp on the football club. It's time for them to now leave it untouched and see how things develop.

[Pizy 19,249]

48 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

Would of rather took a €20m gamble on him than Felix for £46m.

Although both are literally the same type of player, all style, no substance, no consistency. But at least for €20m not that big a hit when we would go to sell him next year.

Disagree. True that Felix isn’t going to be consistently excellent over the course of a 50+ game season or whatever we’ll play but I still think capable of being a match winning quality player much more often than Cherki would be. 

Tbh, I really don’t know why I see quite a few of our fans complaining about the fee we’ve paid for Felix. If we had spent completely obscene money like £65m or more then yes, that would be insane. But £44m for someone who’s just 24 and has world class talent (not saying he’s a world class player because he hasn’t been consistent enough) is great business in my eyes. 

You can’t even get slightly above average English attackers from PL clubs for that amount these days. Spuds paid nearly £50m for Brennan Johnson for instance and Felix is 5x the player he is.

[Vesper 31,037]

8 hours ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Why play him in preseason then?

window display to sell him

[Vesper 31,037]

8 hours ago, Special Juan said:

Neto is twice the player Sterling is, we have bought a top player in him. 

IF he stays healthy

and that is a massive IF

[Vegetable 830]

It's still 44 million for a player unwanted at every club he has been to in his senior career, including Chelsea, perhaps not without a reason, occupying position we are absolutely packed at, who had great talent when he was considered wonderkid but since he made tragic decision for his development this is a distant memory now. Also, his skillset isn't best suited for PL and he has to broaden it significantly to be of any use + his lack of product and consistency fits what is bane of Chelsea squad since ages. He is a luxury player, perhaps capable of making the difference few (count on fingers) times per season. If we couldn't afford this earlier but we can afford this now - fine. If we consider having enough groundwork done for making a difference to make a difference - also fine. 

I'd really like to see some educated opinion if he had actually improved in any aspect since leaving Chelsea the last time.

[robsblubot 3,595]

2 minutes ago, Vesper said:

IF he stays healthy

and that is a massive IF

true

on the other hand, compared to Nkunku, Fofana, Lavia, and James, he played plenty in the 23/24 season.

Heh, could also add Chilwell to the list... hardly ever fit enough to help out.

Edited August 21, 2024 by robsblubot

[Pizy 19,249]

5 minutes ago, Vegetable said:

It's still 44 million for a player unwanted at every club he has been to in his senior career, including Chelsea, perhaps not without a reason, occupying position we are absolutely packed at, who had great talent when he was considered wonderkid but since he made tragic decision for his development this is a distant memory now. Also, his skillset isn't best suited for PL and he has to broaden it significantly to be of any use + his lack of product and consistency fits what is bane of Chelsea squad since ages. He is a luxury player, perhaps capable of making the difference few (count on fingers) times per season. If we couldn't afford this earlier but we can afford this now - fine. If we consider having enough groundwork done for making a difference to make a difference - also fine. 

I'd really like to see some educated opinion if he had actually improved in any aspect since leaving Chelsea the last time.

Barca would have ideally liked to keep him from what I’ve seen. But they’re broke as a joke and can only afford like 1 transfer per window these days. They just had to give Gündogan up for free back to City just to be able to register Olmo, ffs.

Almost ALL of the Barca fans I see in comments sections across social media really wanted him to come back there.

[Vegetable 830]

12 minutes ago, Pizy said:

But they’re broke as a joke and can only afford like 1 transfer per window these days.

So they chose to bring Olmo in instead of keeping Felix it seems, despite the latter being less expensive, at least for us. Perhaps they could make it work if they really wanted.

Remember the general opinion about his loan here was very similar - he was quite well regarded and liked, actually one of most impressive players from those who failed to impress here, but nothing to make a fuss about in the end.

Not going to argue as no crystal ball here and no strong opinion really, I'm just seeing a lot of red(ish) flags, remember his previous stint and also baseless enthusiasm towards Enzo being the superstar savior player, so I keep my optimism at bay. 

Personally I feel he fits Barca better (where players have it easier after all) but maybe he is too limited again. I don't mind having him around, unless it means this 44 million contributes towards overcrowding story once again, no CB, no GK and no ST this season, then it's not good.

[NikkiCFC 8,516]

30 minutes ago, Vegetable said:

I'd really like to see some educated opinion if he had actually improved in any aspect since leaving Chelsea the last time.

He didn't have to. He was good enough. Poch didn't want him.

[Pizy 19,249]

4 minutes ago, Vegetable said:

So they chose to bring Olmo in instead of keeping Felix it seems, despite the latter being less expensive, at least for us. Perhaps they could make it work if they really wanted.

Remember the general opinion about his loan here was very similar - he was quite well regarded and liked, actually one of most impressive players from those who failed to impress here, but nothing to make a fuss about in the end.

Not going to argue as no crystal ball here and no strong opinion really, I'm just seeing a lot of red(ish) flags, remember his previous stint and also baseless enthusiasm towards Enzo being the superstar savior player, so I keep my optimism at bay. 

Personally I feel he fits Barca better (where players have it easier after all) but maybe he is too limited again. I don't mind having him around, unless it means this 44 million contributes towards overcrowding story once again, no CB, no GK and no ST this season, then it's not good.

Barca are always after the flavor of the month kind of player. They needed a new, flashy toy to give their fans and just bringing Felix back was never going to be enough. Remember they badly wanted Nico Williams, failed, and “settled” for Olmo since they knew their fans would be happy with him after that fantastic tournament he had.

They needed someone new to please their fans and show that they want to compete with Real Madrid.

[Vesper 31,037]

Raheem Sterling keen to leave Chelsea in permanent transfer

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5712124/2024/08/21/raheem-sterling-Chelsea-transfer-permanent/

Raheem Sterling has expressed a preference to leave Chelsea on a permanent basis after it became clear that at present he is not part of the club’s plans going forward.

The 29-year-old trained away from the club on Tuesday and Wednesday after being given a few days off while both parties consider options for a departure from Stamford Bridge.

Talks are planned in the coming days, with Chelsea working with the winger to find a full-time solution, which he would currently prefer to a loan switch.

Sterling was unhappy at being left out of Enzo Maresca’s matchday squad for Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Manchester City.

A statement on behalf of the former City and Liverpool attacker released before kick-off at Stamford Bridge said he was seeking “clarity” over his future at the club.

Sterling made 43 appearances in all competitions last term under former head coach Mauricio Pochettino before Maresca bolstered his attacking options with the signings of Joao Felix, Pedro Neto, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Marc Guiu this summer.

“I am not saying Raheem is not a good player, but I prefer different kinds of wingers,” Maresca said on Wednesday.

“They are training apart,” he added of Sterling and Ben Chilwell, who is also part of the group working away from the first-team squad.

“The situation with both of them is quite clear. We have a big squad and it’s impossible to give all of them minutes. If they are looking for minutes it’s better for them to leave. I try to be honest.”

Sterling left City for Chelsea in 2022 for a fee in the region of £47.5 million. He has three years remaining on his current deal having signed a five-year contract.

He won four Premier League titles and one FA Cup at the Etihad having joined the club from Liverpool in 2015.

GO DEEPER

Raheem Sterling... fight or flight?

[Pizy 19,249]

I wonder if Newcastle or Villa will decide they want another “big name” and take a punt on Sterling. They’ve both already got good wide players but he’d still be considered a big signing for either and someone who could really help their depth.

Those are really the only 2 PL clubs who I think could both afford to pay him high wages and also that he’d agree to move to. He’d never drop down to the level of like an Everton or something. 

[Vesper 31,037]

8 hours ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Sterling was gone as soon as he released that 'poor me' statement. 

Can I get paid £85m for 5 years and keep crying 'poor me'????

I think not.