Chelsea Transfers

[TheHulk 2,482]

Hope Garnacho alternative and not Simons.

[Vesper 30,226]

1 hour ago, Mário César said:

link?

I posted a detailed story about it long before the post you replied to did

[Vesper 30,226]

Here comes Sergi Altimira

Remember back in 2023 when Ramón Planes signed Sergi Altimira for Getafe, left that position to take up the same one with Real Betis, and then signed Altimira again for his new club in the same summer? Maybe not, but you’ll understand the takeaway.

Ramón Planes was a big fan of the then 21-year-old midfielder.

The ex-Barcelona Sporting Director didn’t stay long at Betis either, but he did leave a handful of interesting recruits before moving again. One of those — Johnny Cardoso — has already been spun for a roughly 20 million euro profit, and in his place it’ll now be over to Altimira to help pick up some of that midfield slack.

The good part about that is that Altimira can already do much of what Cardoso did. Maybe not to the level of the American, but not a long way behind either.

Like Cardoso, the 23-year-old is an excellent recuperador. Reading the development of play to be able to intercept, being rangey enough to cover ground and pick up loose balls, and with an improving physicality at the top level, Altimira looks primed to become one of the better midfielders in LaLiga on that front.

He’s already good — and already grown a lot. Playing at a high rhythm and going box-to-box for 90 minutes is coming easier to him too.

In the opening weeks, we’ve seen the importance of that on the defensive side, but also in how he can weaponise it for Betis in an attacking sense. Against Alavés, Altimira’s interventions to cut attacks short were frequently followed up by smart passes to tee up transitions going the other way. There was a maturity to his defensive contribution, followed up by intelligent decisions, that wasn’t quite there 12 months ago.

And in a team with searing speed and ball carriers in Rodrigo Riquelme, Ez Abde, Aitor Ruibal, and potentially Antony — as well as mobile no. 9s — that’s a big thing.

Betis don’t need him to become a midfield general who runs the game in possession. Johnny Cardoso never was and look where he ended up. But if Altimira can sustain this level of performance as a midfield anchor, capable of providing balance and sprinkling enough smart use of the ball, that fee Ramón Planes paid for him back in 2023 will start to look very modest.

[YorkshireBlue 3,279]

3 minutes ago, Vesper said:

I posted a detailed story about it long before the post you replied to did

Tell me he doesn’t read your articles without telling me 😂

[Vesper 30,226]

Chelsea evaluating move for Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6533184/2025/08/26/Chelsea-transfer-news-fermin-lopez-barcelona/

By David Ornstein
Aug. 26, 2025

Chelsea are evaluating the possibility of a move for Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez, but there is not currently club-to-club contact.

The Premier League side are in touch with the player’s camp as they explore attacking options in case of exits, given Barca’s depth in the position.

Fermin’s Barcelona contract runs through to 2029 after the midfielder signed a new deal in October 2024, which extended his existing terms by a further two years.

The 22-year-old was sidelined for over a month at the start of the 2024-25 season with a thigh injury, but went on to make 46 appearances through the campaign, the majority of which coming as a substitute and recorded eight goals and 10 assists.

Fermin scored in three of Barcelona’s final five matches of the season as Hansi Flick’s side lifted the Spanish title.

The midfielder joined Barcelona from Real Betis aged 12, and came through the Catalan club’s La Masia academy. After a loan spell with third-tier club Linares in the 2022-23 season, Fermin broke into Barcelona’s first team, scoring 11 goals in 43 appearances under Xavi.

Chelsea have added six players to Enzo Maresca’s first-team squad this season with Dario Essugo, from Sporting CP, the only midfield arrival with midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Carney Chukwuemeka and Lesley Ugochukwu among those to have left Stamford Bridge on permanent deals.

Fermin made his senior Spain debut in June 2024 and has since made one further appearance for the European champions.

Flick’s side are well stocked in central midfield, with Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Dani Olmo, Marc Casado and Gavi among the options. Marc Bernal, 18, missed the majority of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury but will also soon be available.

[Vesper 30,226]

5 minutes ago, YorkshireBlue said:

Tell me he doesn’t read your articles without telling me 😂

I post them, people can either read them or ignore them

but they should at least do a simple site search before doing the 'I want a link' replies

[TheHulk 2,482]

Romano putting his reputation on the line.

[DDA 9,941]

3 minutes ago, TheHulk said:

Romano putting his reputation on the line.

Not hard when agents are paying for your kids to go to private school in Madrid.

Edited 3 hours ago by DDA

[Pizy 18,952]

Does kinda look funny how Fabrizio hasn't heard anything about us and Fermin whilst Ornstein has whilst Ornstein has never said anything about Xavi when Fabrizio talks about him constantly. 

[NikkiCFC 8,337]

1 hour ago, YorkshireBlue said:

We need to stay clear of bungesliga players, havertz pulisic Werner, nkunku, haven’t exactly being what we hoped for 

Sesko, Wirtz early days don't look promising either. 

[YorkshireBlue 3,279]

36 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

Sesko, Wirtz early days don't look promising either. 

I didn’t wanna say that in case my head was bitten clean of my neck

Edited 2 hours ago by YorkshireBlue

[TheHulk 2,482]

Satpaev just qualified in the CL with Kairat, amazing experience for the kid.

[Vesper 30,226]

15 minutes ago, TheHulk said:

Satpaev just qualified in the CL with Kairat, amazing experience for the kid.

and double bonus, as Celtic got knocked out

[TheHulk 2,482]

 

We want the same with Garnacho!

Edited 1 hour ago by TheHulk

[TheHulk 2,482]

 

[TheHulk 2,482]

 

[YorkshireBlue 3,279]

3 minutes ago, TheHulk said:

 

I always thought fab was abit of a fraud, but this transfer window he has gone above and beyond all expectations, he recycles more than our lass, and that takes some fucking doing 

Edited 43 minutes ago by YorkshireBlue

[Vesper 30,226]

35 minutes ago, TheHulk said:

 

We want the same with Garnacho!

[TheHulk 2,482]

3 minutes ago, YorkshireBlue said:

I always thought fab was abit of a fraud, but this transfer window he has gone above and beyond all expectations, he recycles more than our lass, and that takes some fucking doing 

He is probably on Clearlake payroll this summer, no other explication.

[YorkshireBlue 3,279]

1 minute ago, TheHulk said:

He is probably on Clearlake payroll this summer, no other explication.

That and and let’s be honest Chelsea transfers is easy clicks these past few years