Chelsea Transfers

[OhForAGreavsie 6,092]

8 hours ago, LAM09 said:

Nathan, Kenedy, etc. We don't exactly have a good history with such signings.

It's always going to be a question of judgement. Sign good players and all will be fine. Sign bad players and there will be trouble ahead. After watching a single youtube highlight video I felt, and said, that both Nathan and Kenedy were no hopers. In fact, with Kenedy I remember saying that it's sometimes difficult to judge a young player but that in his case it was easy to see that he lacked the quality required. Those decisions were obviously bad ones but that doesn't mean they all have to be.

A few years ago my older daughter asked me why I watch videos of potential signings. I told her it was because I like to have an opinion. I'm looking forward to watching videos and forming an opinion about Santos.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,092]

I just watched the highlight video below of Andrey Santos. I really like what is shown there. Sometimes you can dismiss a player on his highlight videos alone but that's not the case with this lad. In fact, this video is very encouraging. I'd label it, "Talent Under Regulation". I hate flicks and tricks type players. On the evidence of this video Santos has high level technical ability, uses it when he needs it, then has the football brain to see the next simple but effective option. This video 100% encourages me to move on to phase two of the assessment process, all touches videos.

 

[LAM09 7,069]

7 hours ago, Jype said:

True, but at €15M it's not the worst of gambles either, assuming the club can afford it and it has no effect on the more immediate first team concerns.

With Chukwuemeka, Casadei, Hutchinson, Slonina already in and that Brazilian guy as well as possibly Zakharyan also thrown into the mix we'll have invested quite heavily on teenagers since Boehly-Clearlake took over. Not all of them will make it of course, but these days if even one of them becomes a first team regular and another is maybe good enough for a backup squad role, it will already have been a very decent investment. 

I support this strategy because it has the potential to set us up well for the future if players are given a chance to thrive here, unlike in the past. 

7 hours ago, nyikolajevics said:

So? We shouldn’t sign any young player from one of the biggest football nation because Nathan and Kenedy signing(8-10 years ago) hasn’t worked out? Different player, different person, different story. No point to see patterns behind this. Like, don’t signing Diego Costa because our previous Spanish striker(Torres) didn’t succeed.

We have a bad track record is the point I'm making. The talent in Brazil isn't what it once was and it's much harder to find talent. There's a reason almost every big club is after Endrick.

3 hours ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

It's always going to be a question of judgement. Sign good players and all will be fine. Sign bad players and there will be trouble ahead. After watching a single youtube highlight video I felt, and said, that both Nathan and Kenedy were no hopers. In fact, with Kenedy I remember saying that it's sometimes difficult to judge a young player but that in his case it was easy to see that he lacked the quality required. Those decisions were obviously bad ones but that doesn't mean they all have to be.

A few years ago my older daughter asked me why I watch videos of potential signings. I told her it was because I like to have an opinion. I'm looking forward to watching videos and forming an opinion about Santos.

It's a good way to form an opinion on players who are lesser known, for sure. I'm hoping this new strategy works in the long term.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,092]

52 minutes ago, LAM09 said:

It's a good way to form an opinion on players who are lesser known, for sure. I'm hoping this new strategy works in the long term.

I like the strategy too, so let's hope those making the call get the individual player decisions right.

[ZAPHOD2319 4,823]

Are we trying to sign every kid under 24 years old?

 

[milka 3,398]

Soon our academy will be better that 1st team . 

[Strike 7,533]

 

 

[ZAPHOD2319 4,823]

Fire sale at Juve

 

 

[maxlev 54]

Signing good players under a poor coach won't help this team grow. Even Ziyech and Pulisic are doing excellently well at the world cup but has been reduced to shit under us. How we make all attacking players look inferior in Chelsea fc baffles me. The earlier we have a proper coach the better. Fans keep on calling on the club to sign the best talented players around but call those players mediocre when things don't work to their expectation. 

[Vegetable 830]

1 hour ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

Fire sale at Juve

 

 

You mean, they are not Man City nor PSG, so suddenly a) FFP is a thing b) They may actually be in hot water for this?

Besides, they supposedly overstated player's transfer values… That's relative as hell, for example we should be jailed for pretty much every incoming transfer in recent years then.

[ZAPHOD2319 4,823]

3 minutes ago, Vegetable said:

You mean, they are not Man City nor PSG, so suddenly a) FFP is a thing b) They may actually be in hot water for this?

Besides, they supposedly overstated player's transfer values… That's relative as hell, for example we should be jailed for pretty much every incoming transfer in recent years then.

When the entire board quits on the same day, the writing is on the wall that they did not even try to cover their misgivings. Man City and PSG at least try to have some silly sponsor that does not exist.

[ZAPHOD2319 4,823]

We have heard this before!

 

[ZAPHOD2319 4,823]

When asked about RM

“Real Madrid is the biggest club in the world, so who knows… maybe one day I can play there. I would like to, yes,” admitted Gvardiol when asked about the club’s apparently interested in his services.

https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/player-quotes/biggest-club-77m-world-cup-star-says-he-wants-to-sign-for-real-madrid-after-claims-Chelsea-could-bid/

[OneMoSalah 8,889]

Already talking about playing at us or ‘biggest club in the world’ Real Madrid, christ. 

Just let your football do the talking son - good talent clearly but not interested in all of these ‘oh maybe be nice to play here or play there’ comments. Especially for a young lad. 

Edited December 2, 2022 by OneMoSalah

[Vesper 30,301]

delete

Edited December 2, 2022 by Vesper

[Superblue 6,372]

I thought Zakaria's cameo tonight for Switzerland was very good. Came on when they were truly under pressure and he just managed to relieve a lot of that by acting as a screen in front of the defence and blocking a lot of space and opportunities which had previously been there in the middle of the pitch.

I'm still pretty baffled how he hasn't played more for us when we're currently crying out for a player of his profile in the centre of our midfield. 

We're being linked with someone like Bennacer for £40m and there's talk of Rice for £70m+, but I'd love to really find out just what we have with Zakaria this season first. With Juventus' issues and seemingly desperate to get him off their payroll anyway, I'd be looking at spinning the usual Italian trick back on them (reject the buy clause in the loan contract, and try to negotiate a cheaper deal). I'd be inclined to throw a £10m bid at them "take it or leave it" and see what happens. Although of course this is completely pointless if Potter just simply doesn't fancy him.

[Vesper 30,301]

5 hours ago, Superblue said:

I thought Zakaria's cameo tonight for Switzerland was very good. Came on when they were truly under pressure and he just managed to relieve a lot of that by acting as a screen in front of the defence and blocking a lot of space and opportunities which had previously been there in the middle of the pitch.

I'm still pretty baffled how he hasn't played more for us when we're currently crying out for a player of his profile in the centre of our midfield. 

We're being linked with someone like Bennacer for £40m and there's talk of Rice for £70m+, but I'd love to really find out just what we have with Zakaria this season first. With Juventus' issues and seemingly desperate to get him off their payroll anyway, I'd be looking at spinning the usual Italian trick back on them (reject the buy clause in the loan contract, and try to negotiate a cheaper deal). I'd be inclined to throw a £10m bid at them "take it or leave it" and see what happens. Although of course this is completely pointless if Potter just simply doesn't fancy him.

I agree. His upside is potentially huge. He seems to be recovering quite well, long term.

[Vesper 30,301]

11 hours ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

When asked about RM

“Real Madrid is the biggest club in the world, so who knows… maybe one day I can play there. I would like to, yes,” admitted Gvardiol when asked about the club’s apparently interested in his services.

https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/player-quotes/biggest-club-77m-world-cup-star-says-he-wants-to-sign-for-real-madrid-after-claims-Chelsea-could-bid/

This is not good, not at all.

Real are ageing out overall. Multiple huge retirements soon. Even a few of the ones I will list below are soon 30 or 31 (Rudiger, Cuntois, Alaba, Carvajal).

The will be buying massive new players.

Here are the only 30 (Alaba and Cuntois, not that 30 matters for a GK, and the soon rapidly in decline Carvajal, who simply must be replaced this summer or next IMHO) and unders ATM who are good to great on Real:

 

Thibaut Courtois   
Éder Militão    
David Alaba
Antonio Rüdiger   
Ferland Mendy (they are not satisfied)
Daniel Carvajal   (starting to age out now) 
Aurélien Tchouameni   
Federico Valverde    
Eduardo Camavinga    
Vinicius Junior    
Rodrygo  
Marco Asensio (meh and supposedly being sold) 

 

2, 3 years from now or so, only the 8 (counting Mendy and a GK) in bold will still be there and not at nearing or actually ageing out levels. Pretty crazy.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,092]

6 hours ago, Superblue said:

I'm still pretty baffled how he hasn't played more for us when we're currently crying out for a player of his profile in the centre of our midfield. 

 

19 minutes ago, Vesper said:

I agree. His upside is potentially huge. He seems to be recovering quite well, long term.

Our favourite theory about GP not playing Zakaria because the club wants shot of him in January and therefore wanted to preserve the possibility of him going on a new loan after Christmas hasn't panned out, but I still feel there must be some non-football factors influencing the manager's decisions re Denis's. Hard to make sense of it otherwise.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,092]

18 minutes ago, Vesper said:

This is not good, not at all.

Real are ageing out overall. Multiple huge retirements soon. Even a few of the ones I will list below are soon 30 or 31 (Rudiger, Cuntois, Alaba, Carvajal).

The will be buying massive new players.

Here are the only 30 (Alaba and Cuntois, not that 30 matters for a GK, and the soon rapidly in decline Carvajal, who simply must be replaced this summer or next IMHO) and unders ATM who are good to great on Real:

 

Thibaut Courtois   
Éder Militão    
David Alaba
Antonio Rüdiger   
Ferland Mendy (they are not satisfied)
Daniel Carvajal   (starting to age out now) 
Aurélien Tchouameni   
Federico Valverde    
Eduardo Camavinga    
Vinicius Junior    
Rodrygo  
Marco Asensio (meh and supposedly being sold) 

 

2, 3 years from now or so, only the 8 (counting Mendy and a GK) in bold will still be there and not at nearing or actually ageing out levels. Pretty crazy.

Ture, but the gravity of Real is what it is and everybody has to work around it.

The implications of a medical having been carried out means that, rightly or wrongly, I believe the Nkunku deal is done and has been since summer. For less convincing reasons I am hopeful that Gvardiol may also have already been wrapped up. If so then, worst case scenario, we have him for a few seasons.