Chelsea Transfers

[Magic Lamps 11,668]

Praise the lord another 17 yo is joining to save our season 

[Special Juan 27,439]

What's all this shit about this geezer from Sporting? Another stop gap load of shit

[Costa19 858]

30 minutes ago, Special Juan said:

What's all this shit about this geezer from Sporting? Another stop gap load of shit

If you mean Gyökeres, yeah, even though Im Swedish i can confirm he is horse shite and not on the level we need. 

[Fernando 6,488]

So Silva leaving this summer. 

And then we got Fofana injured, and Disasi who I'm not sold. We need to get new CB me thinks. 

Despite the bad goal that we got with Badi I still take him over Disasi. 

I mentioned before that I would like to buy Hincapie from Levurkesen. We have two players from Ecuador might as well add another, and I think Hincapie might be the best of them. 

Edited December 21, 2023 by Fernando

[KEVINAA 106]

Here is Pape Daouda Diong - https://www.transfermarkt.com/daouda-diongue/profil/spieler/1183575

17 year old for Senegal from club Académie Foot Darou Salam de Dakar

CDM and CM

 

Edited December 22, 2023 by KEVINAA

[Strike 7,254]

 

[DDA 9,691]

57 minutes ago, Strike said:

 

Looks an absolute beast in his YT vids but who knows.. the level of that league is pretty dire. 

[Strike 7,254]

1 hour ago, DDA said:

Looks an absolute beast in his YT vids but who knows.. the level of that league is pretty dire. 

Our whole team look like absolute beasts on YT

[DDA 9,691]

1 hour ago, Strike said:

Our whole team look like absolute beasts on YT

God it hurts.

[Fernando 6,488]

Piero Hincapie: Leverkusen’s rough diamond whose decision-making must improve

Liam Tharme

Jul 26, 2023

11

This summer, we are running a series profiling 50 exciting players under the age of 25 — who they are, how they play, and why they are attracting interest during this transfer window. 

You can find all our profiles so far here, including “the Gen-Z Sergio Busquets”, the Canada striker determined to become a household name and the French midfielder who can do it all.

---

Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, is more than a century older than Piero Hincapie, but it describes him perfectly as a player.

Published in 1886, it tells of Dr Henry Jekyll, who has an evil, criminal alter-ego, Edward Hyde. Jekyll, uncontrollably and temporarily, transforms into Hyde and becomes violent.

With Hincapie, there is the technically proficient, experienced-beyond-his-youth side, but also an overcommitted, defensively rash side to his game.

There is the 21-year-old with 27 senior international caps, and already having played at a World Cup, a Copa America, and in the Champions League and Europa League. Yet there is the then-teenager who committed the error leading to Argentina’s second goal in the 84th minute of a 3-0 Copa America quarter-final defeat in which he would later be sent off. “Everything went wrong against them,” Hincapie said afterwards. He also clumsily conceded a penalty in a must-win group game against Senegal at the World Cup, too (Ecuador lost, 2-1, and were eliminated).

There is the positionally versatile left-footer, able to play centre-back in a three or a four, or operate at left-back or left wing-back. The player under 23 with the most minutes in the Europa League and/or Champions League last season (1,192), but also the man who received the most yellow (13) and red cards (three) in the 2022-23 Bundesliga.

 

 

 

Hincapie scored once (away to Eintracht Frankfurt in October) and assisted once (at home against Borussia Monchengladbach in May) in the German top flight last season, but ended up being sent off in both games having been at fault for goals conceded. Leverkusen did not win either match.

---

Hincapie signed a new contract at Leverkusen in February, which runs until summer 2027. Simon Rolfes, their managing director, retrospectively described his arrival at the club two years ago as an “investment in the future”, adding that “back then he was a talented central defender with really big potential” and “he became a key performer, he has shown his international quality”.

 

Leverkusen acquired him after one season at Argentina’s Talleres, who he had joined from Independiente del Valle in his native Ecuador — the club where Brighton’s in-demand midfielder Moises Caicedo also came through the youth ranks; they played together in the team that beat River Plate to win the Under-20 Copa Libertadores final in March 2020.

Miguel Angel Ramirez, who was head of Independiente’s academy when Hincapie was there, tells The Athletic that “what stood out most was his physicality”, adding that, “Piero is extremely quick, technically sound and tactically intelligent. It’s no surprise that he’s one of the most valuable centre-backs on the market. I think he is cut out to play for one of the biggest clubs.”

His debut Bundesliga campaign was in 2021-22, but Hincapie’s rise from first-team regular to guaranteed starter has much to do with his suitability under Xabi Alonso, who replaced Gerardo Seoane as Leverkusen manager last October. Hincapie has started in 33 of Alonso’s 37 games in all competitions — the ones he missed were all due to suspensions.

Alonso has described him as “a very modern defender. He can play in different positions. He’s aggressive, is making better decisions when he has the ball, backs himself more to play diagonal passes and get in behind”.

Leverkusen have been tactically and systematically flexible under Alonso but primarily play a high-possession 3-4-3 with a box midfield, which has seen Hincapie deployed in numerous roles and positions.

He played three different ones in Leverkusen’s four biggest home league wins last season (they finished sixth, having beaten four of the other eventual top seven at the BayArena, to qualify for the Europa League).

Hincapie was the left-back in a 4-3-3 in the 2-1 defeat of title-bound Bayern Munich in March:

Against RB Leipzig (2-0 in April) and Union Berlin (5-0 in November), he was the left centre-back in the typical 3-4-3, attempting the most passes (46 and 92 respectively) of any Leverkusen player in those matches.

He was at left wing-back in April’s 3-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, though played more defensively compared to Alonso’s wing-back on the other flank, Jeremie Frimpong:

Alonso matched up Roma’s 3-4-3 in the Europa League semi-finals in May, with Hincapie starting at left wing-back in the first leg in Italy and almost getting an assist inside the first minute.

Leverkusen break following a defensive-third regain, attacking down their right then switching play left. Moussa Diaby finds Hincapie high and wide:

One-v-one, he nutmegs Zeki Celik and crosses low for the late-running Robert Andrich, but he shoots straight at Rui Patricio.

Right centre-back Odilon Kossounou picked up an injury, so Mitchel Bakker came on at left wing-back late in the first half and Hincapie moved to left centre-back.

His first action there was to drive beyond the first line of pressure — one of Hincapie’s best attributes — and punch a pass successfully into midfield.

His assist for Amine Adli at home to Monchengladbach just over a week later is similar, stepping out and then playing a long vertical pass through midfield.

“It’s the position (centre-back) I feel most comfortable in,” Hincapie said in February 2022. “I can give order to my team-mates and that’s something I like. It gives me an outlet when it comes to playing the ball, much more than at full-back, always going back and forth.”

Hincapie’s positional versatility makes it complicated to compare him statistically to others.

First, because playing different roles changes his demands and opportunities, but also because positional benchmarks vary wildly: his per 90 minutes average of 1.9 progressive carries in 2022-23 ranked in the top three per cent of big-five leagues centre-backs, but was below the average for full-backs.

Hincapie needs to increase his end actions if his long-term future is to be as a ‘lateral’, rather than in central defence, but he has shown glimpses of final product with through balls and crosses from deep after dribbling to the edge of the final third.

---

Cristian Romero of Tottenham Hotspur was one of the statistical matches for Hincapie last season. They defend the same way: always front-foot, touch-tight and aggressive… and sometimes winning the ball.

The Bundesliga being so transitional exacerbates Hincapie’s defensive flaws, but when he does sit off opponents one-v-one, his body shape is detailed and considered — up on his toes (not flat-footed), carefully showing opponents one way and picking moments to attempt the tackle.

But all too often he gets on top of attackers and he makes contact often with his arms, frequently conceding fouls, allowing himself to be turned and, sometimes, compromising the team’s defensive shape.

The result: 40 fouls committed, fifth-most by any defender in the division last season and the most for a Leverkusen player. But he ranked top among his team-mates for tackles plus interceptions in all competitions (146 — 94 tackles, 52 interceptions), while impressively ranking second for midfield-third tackles (38).

Notably, someone Hincapie has cited as an idol is Sergio Ramos, the most yellow and red-carded player in Champions League (all-time) and La Liga history (since 1998-99, the point from which data is available).

Whereas Hincapie’s in-possession strengths suit him playing left centre-back, he defends much more like a wing-back, often making tackles high upfield.

Leverkusen’s 3-4-3 is often expansive and can expose centre-backs, requiring quick decisions to prevent or terminate counter-attacks and sometimes needing defenders to man-mark, Marcelo Bielsa-style. But Hincapie has a catalogue of fouls committed a long way infield or upfield, where he has tracked an opponent; they are not posing any danger, are facing their own goal, yet he clumsily fouls through the back of them.

And at times, this can leave exploitable holes in the Leverkusen back line.

The most significant example of Hincapie’s touch-tight approach ending badly was that red card in the Copa America quarter-finals two years ago.

Fair enough, he is stepping up to Lionel Messi, but with left-back Pervis Estupinan playing high too, he has made space for Angel Di Maria to run in behind.

Di Maria gets to the ball first, and Hincapie makes a valiant effort to recover…

…but pulls Di Maria back on the edge of the area.

It was similar to his second yellow card in Frankfurt last October.

The initial error is not his, and the system exposes him, but he ends up positioned too wide, allowing Daichi Kamada to play a through ball inside him to Randal Kolo Muani, who is positioned in Hincapie’s blind spot.

He puts in another big recovery sprint, but the tackle is late and he concedes a penalty.

Hincapie (6ft, 183cm) is not a tall defender (Virgil van Dijk, who is 6ft 5in, towers over him in the screengrab from the World Cup below), although the 5ft 9in Lisandro Martinez dispelled that as an essential characteristic after joining Manchester United last summer. But it might explain his tendency to be aggressive and physical, being without the size advantage most centre-backs benefit from.

His aerial win rate (53.9 per cent) in all competitions last season was worse than those of Leverkusen’s other centre-backs: Edmond Tapsoba (6ft 4in; 57.9 per cent), Kossounou (6ft 3in; 58 per cent) and Jonathan Tah (6ft 5in; 59 per cent). Combined, those three collected 20 yellow cards in all competitions (just two more than Hincapie collected on his own) and were never sent off.

---

Since the start of June 2021, Hincapie has played in 103 matches and started 93 for club and country. He has earned a fast-tracked route to the top of domestic and international football — “everything has happened so quickly. All my expectations have already been exceeded”, he said last year — but stability is needed now to refine his craft.

He called Leverkusen “exactly the right club” when he signed that contract extension in the middle of last season, and is central to this young, promising generation of Ecuadorian football.

But he needs to be more Hincapie and less Hyde.

 

https://theathletic.com/4700142/2023/07/26/piero-hincapie-50-to-watch/

[Vesper 29,022]

13 hours ago, Fernando said:

Piero Hincapie: Leverkusen’s rough diamond whose decision-making must improve

Liam Tharme

Jul 26, 2023

11

This summer, we are running a series profiling 50 exciting players under the age of 25 — who they are, how they play, and why they are attracting interest during this transfer window. 

You can find all our profiles so far here, including “the Gen-Z Sergio Busquets”, the Canada striker determined to become a household name and the French midfielder who can do it all.

---

Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, is more than a century older than Piero Hincapie, but it describes him perfectly as a player.

Published in 1886, it tells of Dr Henry Jekyll, who has an evil, criminal alter-ego, Edward Hyde. Jekyll, uncontrollably and temporarily, transforms into Hyde and becomes violent.

With Hincapie, there is the technically proficient, experienced-beyond-his-youth side, but also an overcommitted, defensively rash side to his game.

There is the 21-year-old with 27 senior international caps, and already having played at a World Cup, a Copa America, and in the Champions League and Europa League. Yet there is the then-teenager who committed the error leading to Argentina’s second goal in the 84th minute of a 3-0 Copa America quarter-final defeat in which he would later be sent off. “Everything went wrong against them,” Hincapie said afterwards. He also clumsily conceded a penalty in a must-win group game against Senegal at the World Cup, too (Ecuador lost, 2-1, and were eliminated).

There is the positionally versatile left-footer, able to play centre-back in a three or a four, or operate at left-back or left wing-back. The player under 23 with the most minutes in the Europa League and/or Champions League last season (1,192), but also the man who received the most yellow (13) and red cards (three) in the 2022-23 Bundesliga.

 

 

 

Hincapie scored once (away to Eintracht Frankfurt in October) and assisted once (at home against Borussia Monchengladbach in May) in the German top flight last season, but ended up being sent off in both games having been at fault for goals conceded. Leverkusen did not win either match.

---

Hincapie signed a new contract at Leverkusen in February, which runs until summer 2027. Simon Rolfes, their managing director, retrospectively described his arrival at the club two years ago as an “investment in the future”, adding that “back then he was a talented central defender with really big potential” and “he became a key performer, he has shown his international quality”.

 

Leverkusen acquired him after one season at Argentina’s Talleres, who he had joined from Independiente del Valle in his native Ecuador — the club where Brighton’s in-demand midfielder Moises Caicedo also came through the youth ranks; they played together in the team that beat River Plate to win the Under-20 Copa Libertadores final in March 2020.

Miguel Angel Ramirez, who was head of Independiente’s academy when Hincapie was there, tells The Athletic that “what stood out most was his physicality”, adding that, “Piero is extremely quick, technically sound and tactically intelligent. It’s no surprise that he’s one of the most valuable centre-backs on the market. I think he is cut out to play for one of the biggest clubs.”

His debut Bundesliga campaign was in 2021-22, but Hincapie’s rise from first-team regular to guaranteed starter has much to do with his suitability under Xabi Alonso, who replaced Gerardo Seoane as Leverkusen manager last October. Hincapie has started in 33 of Alonso’s 37 games in all competitions — the ones he missed were all due to suspensions.

Alonso has described him as “a very modern defender. He can play in different positions. He’s aggressive, is making better decisions when he has the ball, backs himself more to play diagonal passes and get in behind”.

Leverkusen have been tactically and systematically flexible under Alonso but primarily play a high-possession 3-4-3 with a box midfield, which has seen Hincapie deployed in numerous roles and positions.

He played three different ones in Leverkusen’s four biggest home league wins last season (they finished sixth, having beaten four of the other eventual top seven at the BayArena, to qualify for the Europa League).

Hincapie was the left-back in a 4-3-3 in the 2-1 defeat of title-bound Bayern Munich in March:

Against RB Leipzig (2-0 in April) and Union Berlin (5-0 in November), he was the left centre-back in the typical 3-4-3, attempting the most passes (46 and 92 respectively) of any Leverkusen player in those matches.

He was at left wing-back in April’s 3-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, though played more defensively compared to Alonso’s wing-back on the other flank, Jeremie Frimpong:

Alonso matched up Roma’s 3-4-3 in the Europa League semi-finals in May, with Hincapie starting at left wing-back in the first leg in Italy and almost getting an assist inside the first minute.

Leverkusen break following a defensive-third regain, attacking down their right then switching play left. Moussa Diaby finds Hincapie high and wide:

One-v-one, he nutmegs Zeki Celik and crosses low for the late-running Robert Andrich, but he shoots straight at Rui Patricio.

Right centre-back Odilon Kossounou picked up an injury, so Mitchel Bakker came on at left wing-back late in the first half and Hincapie moved to left centre-back.

His first action there was to drive beyond the first line of pressure — one of Hincapie’s best attributes — and punch a pass successfully into midfield.

His assist for Amine Adli at home to Monchengladbach just over a week later is similar, stepping out and then playing a long vertical pass through midfield.

“It’s the position (centre-back) I feel most comfortable in,” Hincapie said in February 2022. “I can give order to my team-mates and that’s something I like. It gives me an outlet when it comes to playing the ball, much more than at full-back, always going back and forth.”

Hincapie’s positional versatility makes it complicated to compare him statistically to others.

First, because playing different roles changes his demands and opportunities, but also because positional benchmarks vary wildly: his per 90 minutes average of 1.9 progressive carries in 2022-23 ranked in the top three per cent of big-five leagues centre-backs, but was below the average for full-backs.

Hincapie needs to increase his end actions if his long-term future is to be as a ‘lateral’, rather than in central defence, but he has shown glimpses of final product with through balls and crosses from deep after dribbling to the edge of the final third.

---

Cristian Romero of Tottenham Hotspur was one of the statistical matches for Hincapie last season. They defend the same way: always front-foot, touch-tight and aggressive… and sometimes winning the ball.

The Bundesliga being so transitional exacerbates Hincapie’s defensive flaws, but when he does sit off opponents one-v-one, his body shape is detailed and considered — up on his toes (not flat-footed), carefully showing opponents one way and picking moments to attempt the tackle.

But all too often he gets on top of attackers and he makes contact often with his arms, frequently conceding fouls, allowing himself to be turned and, sometimes, compromising the team’s defensive shape.

The result: 40 fouls committed, fifth-most by any defender in the division last season and the most for a Leverkusen player. But he ranked top among his team-mates for tackles plus interceptions in all competitions (146 — 94 tackles, 52 interceptions), while impressively ranking second for midfield-third tackles (38).

Notably, someone Hincapie has cited as an idol is Sergio Ramos, the most yellow and red-carded player in Champions League (all-time) and La Liga history (since 1998-99, the point from which data is available).

Whereas Hincapie’s in-possession strengths suit him playing left centre-back, he defends much more like a wing-back, often making tackles high upfield.

Leverkusen’s 3-4-3 is often expansive and can expose centre-backs, requiring quick decisions to prevent or terminate counter-attacks and sometimes needing defenders to man-mark, Marcelo Bielsa-style. But Hincapie has a catalogue of fouls committed a long way infield or upfield, where he has tracked an opponent; they are not posing any danger, are facing their own goal, yet he clumsily fouls through the back of them.

And at times, this can leave exploitable holes in the Leverkusen back line.

The most significant example of Hincapie’s touch-tight approach ending badly was that red card in the Copa America quarter-finals two years ago.

Fair enough, he is stepping up to Lionel Messi, but with left-back Pervis Estupinan playing high too, he has made space for Angel Di Maria to run in behind.

Di Maria gets to the ball first, and Hincapie makes a valiant effort to recover…

…but pulls Di Maria back on the edge of the area.

It was similar to his second yellow card in Frankfurt last October.

The initial error is not his, and the system exposes him, but he ends up positioned too wide, allowing Daichi Kamada to play a through ball inside him to Randal Kolo Muani, who is positioned in Hincapie’s blind spot.

He puts in another big recovery sprint, but the tackle is late and he concedes a penalty.

Hincapie (6ft, 183cm) is not a tall defender (Virgil van Dijk, who is 6ft 5in, towers over him in the screengrab from the World Cup below), although the 5ft 9in Lisandro Martinez dispelled that as an essential characteristic after joining Manchester United last summer. But it might explain his tendency to be aggressive and physical, being without the size advantage most centre-backs benefit from.

His aerial win rate (53.9 per cent) in all competitions last season was worse than those of Leverkusen’s other centre-backs: Edmond Tapsoba (6ft 4in; 57.9 per cent), Kossounou (6ft 3in; 58 per cent) and Jonathan Tah (6ft 5in; 59 per cent). Combined, those three collected 20 yellow cards in all competitions (just two more than Hincapie collected on his own) and were never sent off.

---

Since the start of June 2021, Hincapie has played in 103 matches and started 93 for club and country. He has earned a fast-tracked route to the top of domestic and international football — “everything has happened so quickly. All my expectations have already been exceeded”, he said last year — but stability is needed now to refine his craft.

He called Leverkusen “exactly the right club” when he signed that contract extension in the middle of last season, and is central to this young, promising generation of Ecuadorian football.

But he needs to be more Hincapie and less Hyde.

 

https://theathletic.com/4700142/2023/07/26/piero-hincapie-50-to-watch/

he is another left-footed CB though

we already have Colwill, Badi, and Bashir Humphreys, plus (he is shit there so I do not really count him) CuCu

that said, I do rate him, along with (remotely available only)

 Left-footed CBs

Alessandro Bastoni (very likely would not come here)
Piero Hincapié 
David Hancko  
Gonçalo Inácio 
Willian Pacho  (Real Madrid looking hard at him with Alaba now down for the season)  
Alessandro Buongiorno
Jorrel Hato    (17yo)
El Chadaille Bitshiabu   (18yo)

Edited December 23, 2023 by Vesper

[Vesper 29,022]

stone cold fact

we should have purchased Douglas Luiz instead of Caicedo

£50m less cost that could have went to Osimhen funding

fight me on this, wifey has me rather on the lash with her masterclass Manhattans (key to them is Sagamore Spirit Rye, a superb yank whiskey)

2 ounces rye whiskey
1 ounce Carpano Antica Formula sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Garnish: brandied cherry

[Thor 2,435]

6 minutes ago, Vesper said:

stone cold fact

we should have purchased Douglas Luiz instead of Caicedo

£50m less cost that could have went to Osimhen funding

fight me on this, wifey has me rather on the lash with her masterclass Manhattans (key to them is Sagamore Spirit Rye, a superb yank whiskey)

2 ounces rye whiskey
1 ounce Carpano Antica Formula sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Garnish: brandied cherry

I bet you in a year or twos time - most of you will be happy with the core of our signings. Sure there are a couple that won't work out, but the signings that are already here will be key/core to our team of title winners in the future. 

We haven't won a domestic title since 2017. We sprinkled in Europa in 2019 and a CL in 2021 which eased the pain of that - but the reality is, we haven't been the dominant Chelsea for a long, long time. We were a team that could win cups and be the best team on any given day.

We're building towards being consistent, dominant players in the league again. I don't see much issue with taking two steps back to be able to take five forward. We weren't winning titles domestically. We weren't going to win another CL. The stars came together on that run and we played brilliantly, but we weren't consistent enough to continue to be that threat. 

I know we lost to United - but I look at what they're doing and there is no vision. I look at our signings and strategy in comparison, and at least we're trying to put together a team that clicks. Signings aren't an issue. Our habits and tactics on the pitch are. Some players are having to be forced out of bad ones. Signings won't fix it. Its why Mudryk and Palmer looked brilliant coming in, and eventually fell into the confines of lazy habits somewhat that the team as a whole displays. Vertical passing and breaking those lines in between defensive walls are our biggest problems at the moment - and its a key, key issue. We are really close to figuring things out. It doesn't take much - that last 5% - but it unlocks everything. Arsenal and Villa have literally gone through it.  

[Vesper 29,022]

3 minutes ago, Thor said:

I bet you in a year or twos time - most of you will be happy with the core of our signings. Sure there are a couple that won't work out, but the signings that are already here will be key/core to our team of title winners in the future. 

We haven't won a domestic title since 2017. We sprinkled in Europa in 2019 and a CL in 2021 which eased the pain of that - but the reality is, we haven't been the dominant Chelsea for a long, long time. We were a team that could win cups and be the best team on any given day.

We're building towards being consistent, dominant players in the league again. I don't see much issue with taking two steps back to be able to take five forward. We weren't winning titles domestically. We weren't going to win another CL. The stars came together on that run and we played brilliantly, but we weren't consistent enough to continue to be that threat. 

I know we lost to United - but I look at what they're doing and there is no vision. I look at our signings and strategy in comparison, and at least we're trying to put together a team that clicks. Signings aren't an issue. Our habits and tactics on the pitch are. Some players are having to be forced out of bad ones. Signings won't fix it. Its why Mudryk and Palmer looked brilliant coming in, and eventually fell into the confines of lazy habits somewhat that the team as a whole displays. Vertical passing and breaking those lines in between defensive walls are our biggest problems at the moment - and its a key, key issue. We are really close to figuring things out. It doesn't take much - that last 5% - but it unlocks everything. Arsenal and Villa have literally gone through it.  

not even going back to Drinkwater et al days, we have made too many crazy bad signings as of late, starting with that cunt Rom, and then exploding under Boehly

[Vesper 29,022]

Conor Gallagher now likely to stay at Chelsea after internal talks

The Chelsea star has been tipped to leave the club during the January transfer window.

https://www.givemesport.com/conor-gallagher-now-likely-to-stay-at-Chelsea/

 

 

[Vesper 29,022]

Marc Cucurella injury 'bad news' for his Chelsea career

Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella has been dealt an injury blow at Stamford Bridge, having had to undergo ankle surgery.

https://www.givemesport.com/Chelsea-marc-cucurella-injury-bad-news-career/

[Thor 2,435]

2 hours ago, Vesper said:

not even going back to Drinkwater et al days, we have made too many crazy bad signings as of late, starting with that cunt Rom, and then exploding under Boehly

It really isn't all that hard to turn things around. 

We have a great piece in Palmer upfront, as well as Nkunku. Both super young and full of promise. Does Mudryk work out? Maybe. Sterling is a good vet.
Enzo-Caicedo-Lavia-Conor midfield as they grow will become even better. 

Honestly need to get our fullbacks and wingers sorted and we do okay. I think Jackson plays his way into a good player. Buy a striker if we need to. Market is trash right now. We aren't that many pieces away from good stuff. 

A striker that finishes and wingers that play better between the lines, and we have a bunch more points on the board now. 

This isn't some ship that can't be turned around. 

[bigbluewillie 1,859]

7 hours ago, Vesper said:

Conor Gallagher now likely to stay at Chelsea after internal talks

The Chelsea star has been tipped to leave the club during the January transfer window.

https://www.givemesport.com/conor-gallagher-now-likely-to-stay-at-Chelsea/

 

 

Tottenham could offer Denmark midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, 28, to Chelsea as part of a deal to sign their England international Conor Gallagher, 23. (Sky Sports)

Fucking depressing, I really rate the lad, and for that Spuds clogger.