Chelsea Transfers

[Vesper 28,711]

 

[LAM09 6,735]

1 minute ago, Vesper said:

 

That's good news for us. If we aren't signing a WC CF, give Broja a proper chance.

[Vesper 28,711]

19 minutes ago, Mário César said:

Full article?

https://archive.ph/ade8V

Jules Kounde is set to become Chelsea’s third summer signing, but head coach Thomas Tuchel has warned captain Cesar Azpilicueta that he may not be granted a move to Barcelona.

 

Chelsea look to have beaten off competition from Barca for Kounde. They have agreed to pay Sevilla in the region of £55 million and have offered the defender a five-year contract.

 

Having signed Raheem Sterling in a deal worth £50m and Kalidou Koulibaly for £34m, Chelsea’s new owners have now already committed £139m to new signings since taking over the club with more deals to follow.

 

Barcelona president Joan Laporta appeared to concede defeat in the race to sign Kounde by telling a supporter in Las Vegas that the 23-year-old will move to Chelsea.

 

Speaking at Universal Studios in Orlando on Friday, Tuchel refused to be drawn on Kounde but insisted his arrival would not automatically trigger Azpilicueta’s departure to Barcelona - particularly with the Spaniards unwilling to pay anywhere near what Chelsea spent on Koulibaly.

 

And Tuchel admitted he is not entirely happy with Barcelona’s pursuit of Azpilicueta, who still has 12 months remaining on his contract.

 

“I’m not sure if I want to give Azpi what he wants because at some point it’s also about us,” said Tuchel. “I use the example of Koulibaly who we pushed so hard for. He is a national player, he is a similar age as Azpi, the captain of Napoli. We have a Spanish international player, the captain of Chelsea and I see him maybe on the same level as Koulibaly but Barcelona does not see him on that level, so I’m not so sure I want to give Azpi what he wants because he’s a huge player.”

 

Asked if he has been annoyed by Barcelona’s aggressive pursuit of Azpilicueta, Tuchel replied: “Maybe a little bit.”

 

The anticipated signing of Kounde will bring to an end a year-long pursuit of the player for Chelsea, who almost signed him last summer before Sevilla moved the goalposts on the transfer fee.

 

Kounde had appeared to have slipped down the pecking order of Chelsea targets this year until Matthijs de Ligt preferred a move to Bayern Munich and Nathan Ake decided to stay at Manchester City.

 

The arrival of Kounde will further strengthen the defensive options of Tuchel, who has already signed Koulibaly from Napoli this summer.

 

Koulibaly is in line to make his first Chelsea appearance in the club’s final game of their US tour against Arsenal in Orlando in the early hours of Sunday morning. 

 

Kounde can play on the right of a back three or at right wing-back, which will give Tuchel the option of also swapping Reece James between those two positions.

 

Azpilicueta is keen to leave Chelsea this summer, with Barca willing to give him a two-year contract.

 

Tuchel and Chelsea had told the 32-year-old that he must wait to find out if the club could land their targets before making a firm decision on his future.

 

Azpilicueta did not feature in Chelsea’s last friendly against Charlotte FC, despite making the trip to the US, and has not spoken on his future during the club’s tour.

 

Asked whether or not Azpilicueta’s motivation and performance levels can remain high if he wants to go, Tuchel said: “It’s maybe now a bit tough because the other club is on him, permanently on him and causes distraction. But at the start of September, normally when things calm down and things are clear, I’m very convinced he could play at his highest level.”

[OhForAGreavsie 5,890]

2 hours ago, Alabama said:

Rafael leao or Saint maxinin

Leoa looks bad to me. Don't want him at all.

[Vesper 28,711]

4 minutes ago, LAM09 said:

That's good news for us. If we aren't signing a WC CF, give Broja a proper chance.

agreed

we clearly are not going to drop £85m (or more, it is the poison dwarf after all, and his release clause for £85m does not, I think, kick in until 2023) on Osimhen this summer

perhaps we take a stab at Danjuma (if we dump some wingers and Werner), who is a winger but now plays more at CF 

Lautaro Martínez is never going to happen this summer (he is viable in terms of quality though)

after that, the pickings are so slim this summer (and next summer as well, barring some big breakthrough, see my two picks, Noah Okafor and Evanilson, below for that), for viable CF's.

The board really is picked clean for CF's barring the 3 above, it is just amazing (unless you count Nkunku next season as a CF as well, which I do not)

Gianluca Scamacca is now off the board as well (West Ham)

all the rest are off the board or not viable or just big gambles:

the best 5 of the gambles, but still, absolute dice rolls

Jonathan David    (not sold on him, and he is more of an SS atm anyway)  huge gamble
Amine Gouiri     wild gamble
Patrik Schick   real gamble and very expensive now

 

potentially these next 2 MAY end up being really good CF's, but not at all sure atm

Evanilson    wild gamble
Noah Okafor  wild gamble

finally:
Youssoufa Moukoko wild WILD WILD gamble (bad attitude and his play has regressed) and is too young for the summer window, would have to be in January, after he turns 18 (thanks Brexit)

[Vesper 28,711]

23 minutes ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

Leoa looks bad to me. Don't want him at all.

on edit removed one of the lawsuits, as it was for Inter

and he will be insanely expensive

AC Milan is not going to part with their Scudetto-winning weapon (and the reigning Serie A player of the year by every major vote) for cheap

I still want THEO off that team and into SB, dammit

 

and there is this now too (AC Milan looks a hot mess)

AC Milan’s former owner Yonghong Li has gone to court to try and seize €364m after filing a lawsuit against Elliott Management over the sale of AC Milan, a report claims.

According to what is being reported by Il Sole 24 Ore (via SempreMilan.it), the former Rossoneri president Yonghong Li allegedly requested the seizure of €364m from Elliott in Luxembourg.

Edited July 22, 2022 by Vesper

[Pizy 18,360]

Even though our club have briefed that it’s not happening, in the back of my head I still wouldn’t totally rule out CR7 coming in. The longer he refuses to show up at United preseason the more I think it’s still possible. 

[DDA 9,689]

I hope Broja fulfills the prophecy that you guys believe he is...I really do.

 

[Jype 6,398]

8 minutes ago, Vesper said:

and he will be insanely expensive

AC Milan is not going to part with their Scudetto-winning weapon (and the reigning Serie A player of the year by every major vote) for cheap, although they MAY be forced to sell many players now due their Chinese part-owner losing a 215m quid or so lawsuit

The lawsuit for Steven Zhang in that link is for the Inter Milan owner, not AC Milan. 

Not that it matters, don't think Rafael Leao is going anywhere.

Edited July 22, 2022 by Jype

[Vesper 28,711]

10 minutes ago, Pizy said:

Even though our club have briefed that it’s not happening, in the back of my head I still wouldn’t totally rule out CR7 coming in. The longer he refuses to show up at United preseason the more I think it’s still possible. 

the trend is that now he MAY go back to Real

[Vesper 28,711]

2 minutes ago, Jype said:

The lawsuit for Steven Zhang in that link is for the Inter Milan owner, not AC Milan. 

Not that it matters, don't think Rafael Leao is going anywhere.

true, sorry, the 2nd lawsuit is deffo AC Milan though

[Jype 6,398]

 

[Vesper 28,711]

4 minutes ago, Jype said:

The lawsuit for Steven Zhang in that link is for the Inter Milan owner, not AC Milan. 

Not that it matters, don't think Rafael Leao is going anywhere.

fixed

and yes, they will demand an insane price, so I think Leao stays for now

[Superblue 6,370]

35 minutes ago, Vesper said:

agreed

we clearly are not going to drop £85m (or more, it is the poison dwarf after all, and his release clause for £85m does not, I think, kick in until 2023) on Osimhen this summer

perhaps we take a stab at Danjuma (if we dump some wingers and Werner), who is a winger but now plays more at CF 

Lautaro Martínez is never going to happen this summer (he is viable in terms of quality though)

after that, the pickings are so slim this summer (and next summer as well, barring some big breakthrough, see my two picks, Noah Okafor and Evanilson, below for that), for viable CF's.

The board really is picked clean for CF's barring the 3 above, it is just amazing (unless you count Nkunku next season as a CF as well, which I do not)

Gianluca Scamacca is now off the board as well (West Ham)

all the rest are off the board or not viable or just big gambles:

the best 5 of the gambles, but still, absolute dice rolls

Jonathan David    (not sold on him, and he is more of an SS atm anyway)  huge gamble
Amine Gouiri     wild gamble
Patrik Schick   real gamble and very expensive now

 

potentially these next 2 MAY end up being really good CF's, but not at all sure atm

Evanilson    wild gamble
Noah Okafor  wild gamble

finally:
Youssoufa Moukoko wild WILD WILD gamble (bad attitude and his play has regressed) and is too young for the summer window, would have to be in January, after he turns 18 (thanks Brexit)

If this is what is available, it screams just to take a similar risk on Broja but as a free risk instead.

[Jype 6,398]

Some Spanish media reporting Barca could be making a last ditch effort to hijack Kounde. The saga that never ends. 😂

[ZAPHOD2319 4,466]

 

[Pizy 18,360]

27 minutes ago, Vesper said:

the trend is that now he MAY go back to Real

Sure Benz would be thrilled to have the limelight taken back from him after finally getting respect and becoming the main man after living in CR7’s shadow for years. 😂

[Duppy Conqueror 1,494]

2 hours ago, Kong said:

Havertz bit that worrys me

I think he’s fine as a false 9 link up and decent enough finisher. Tuchel overplayed him because of the lack of alternatives,Broja offers him a good alternative and someone to put up a better fight,give Kai enough a rest when needed etc.much more fluid front 3 with Havertz and Broja. I’m not looking at the CF has to be the main scorer,just a centerpoint to score and just as importantly bring others into play.