Chelsea Transfers

[Pizy 18,317]

Think we can cross Depay off. Currently still training with Barca according to Fab.

[YorkshireBlue 3,118]

Bats to Nottingham forest

[Superblue 6,370]

26 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

I mean you get what you deserve. Midfield was a glaring issue for years and it was made incredibly apparent last season. Completely ignored by Tuchel. 

Strap in lads. Going to be a loooooooooooooooong season, particularly when, not if, when Kovacic and Kante aren't available for the majority of it. 

It is a difficult one because although the centre back position was obviously a need with the players that moved on, we did need to try and improve that spine in the team with a midfielder and a striker. In all honesty though, the market hasn't really been there this season for either position. Maybe Bissouma early in the summer should have been considered but at that point everyone was fit and so far Bissouma can't even force his way into Spurs midfield.

I think in Sterling, KK, Cucu and Fofana we've bought in 4 players who were clearly high up the list of targets in their respective positions. Without knowing for sure, I would assume the likes of Rice and Bellingham are high up our list of midfield targets and they're not available this summer. How many times have we filled a void in the squad regardless of the market's quality and ended up regretting that decision for the next few seasons? I've mentioned before but City wanted Kane last summer. When it didn't happen they waited for Haaland. When Liverpool wanted Van Dijk they waited until the next window to sign him when they were told no. We have to start thinking along the same lines and show some patience in rebuilding the squad as it won't just happen overnight. 

Tuchel probably felt that getting a full pre season into Kova and Kante might just be what they needed. He possibly thought that Gallagher would also be more suited to the pivot than he's shown so far. Maybe he thought Carney was better and more ready than perhaps he feels now. Circumstances change and ultimately whilst it's late in the window, I'm glad at least we're trying to band aid an area on the pitch that needs support but without committing ourselves to something that could impact us looking at a top midfield option next summer. 

5 years ago we bought Drinkwater and Zappacosta on transfer deadline day. £60m just chucked in the bin. Whilst Zakaria, Auba and Depay don't fill me with joy, they're low risk for the club at this moment and at a time when we've done pretty well this summer at moving a number of players on who needed to be moved on. We don't need to add back to that pile with some more panic buys with a longer term impact.

[Jype 6,398]

Feeling pretty indifferent about Zakaria to be honest. Don't think it's a good transfer but not necessarily a bad one either.

The panic button has well and truly been pushed but at least it's another body in midfield to cover in case of injuries. And it's only a loan so it's not a huge disaster if he turns out to be about as shite as we expect. He'd have to exceed all expectations for us to buy him on a permanent deal (option at £30M) which I don't think is going to be very likely.

Zakaria doesn't seem to be on high wages at Juve either with around £65K/wk before taxes being reported in Italian sources (3M€/y net). Add a couple million as a loan fee and we're probably looking at a total cost around £5M for the whole deal including the loan fee and wages. If he can contribute in any way it will have been a decent deal all-round. And by contributing I mean at the very least offering a rotational option to start in the cup games and the occasional PL appearance, so basically like Saul last year. Saul's loan was a lot more expensive so therefore a much worse deal.

Edited September 1, 2022 by Jype

[Superblue 6,370]

Not quite sure how the rules work, but if Barcelona released Depay from his contract then as a free agent does that mean that he could be signed outside of the transfer window? Or because he's already been registered this season with Barca, is there a prevention from something like that happening?

[blahblahblah 73]

10 minutes ago, Strike said:

We forget he was outstanding just a year ago. Was the UEFA player of the season. He was a key part of a Champions League and Euro winning midfield and could handle being pressed by almost any team - City, Liverpool, Real. The worry is the athleticism, which was not really great to begin with, has tailed off now

I felt it at that time and now I am sure of it. Jorgi simply rode kante's coat tails. Kante was the one who was literal super human in those semis and the final. Jorgi was decent like most of the team, but we have made jorgi as one of the players who was pivotal. You could have put any half decent CM next to kante in those games and got the same result.

[bigbluewillie 1,843]

Who's Denis Zakaria

On loan from Juve

Ok don't all rush, found out a bit about him

Edited September 1, 2022 by bigbluewillie

[blahblahblah 73]

8 minutes ago, Kong said:

Bats to Nottingham forest

Permanent or loan?

[Strike 7,183]

1 minute ago, blahblahblah said:

I felt it at that time and now I am sure of it. Jorgi simply rode kante's coat tails. Kante was the one who was literal super human in those semis and the final. Jorgi was decent like most of the team, but we have made jorgi as one of the players who was pivotal. You could have put any half decent CM next to kante in those games and got the same result.

Having a superhuman like Kante helped him but he was having 9/10 midfield performances with Italy too.+ Jorginho-Kovacic played a number of big games together and it was not a big drop off in quality - they were also press-resistant.

 

[Jype 6,398]

7 minutes ago, blahblahblah said:

Permanent or loan?

Looking like it will be a loan.

[nyikolajevics 2,557]

Only thing gives me hope is how Kulusevski and Bentancur sucked at Juve, and how good they are in London.

 

Liverpool signed their other outcast midfielder Artur.. Then rather Zakaria, Brazilian is horrible.

[Magic Lamps 11,622]

Just had to work straight through for a couple of hours and apparently came back to learn we missed out on Alvarez for whatever reasons but signed zakaria and Memphis wtf what a twist lol

zakaria was actually really good before his injury and fell off a cliff afterwards . He was one of the best DM in Bundesliga 2 years ago

[whats happening 1,517]

you guys seem delusional if you think that we would bring in some tier 1/2 player now. 

 

[Jype 6,398]

Just now, nyikolajevics said:

Only thing gives me hope is how Kulusevski and Bentancur sucked at Juve, and how good they are in London.

Liverpool signed their other outcast midfielder Artur.. Then rather Zakaria, Brazilian is horrible.

Apparently Liverpool also made an enquiry about Zakaria before finally deciding to go for Arthur instead.

Both probably just as bad. 😂

[milka 3,334]

Btw  Tielemans  is available for 25millions 

[Jype 6,398]

1 minute ago, milka said:

Btw  Tielemans  is available for 25millions 

He's starting for Leicester tonight, doesn't seem like he's going anywhere.

[blahblahblah 73]

4 minutes ago, milka said:

Btw  Tielemans  is available for 25millions 

Not the type of player we need.

Good player not the one for us at the moment.

I am surprised our panic buy is not Douglas Luiz. Solid pL player. Could have done with him. 

[Strike 7,183]

8 minutes ago, Magic Lamps said:

Just had to work straight through for a couple of hours and apparently came back to learn we missed out on Alvarez for whatever reasons but signed zakaria and Memphis wtf what a twist lol

zakaria was actually really good before his injury and fell off a cliff afterwards . He was one of the best DM in Bundesliga 2 years ago

Memphis still training in Barca. So that one may not be true