Chelsea Transfers

[LAM09 7,062]

1 hour ago, TheHulk said:

We should sell him while his stock is still high anyway, he contributes to absolutely nothing nowdays.

How can his stock be high when he's hardly fit?

I'm sure the way our board works, they'd like to ship him off for some juicy profit if the chance came about.

[ZAPHOD2319 4,819]

Please be for reals!

 

 

[Special Juan 28,146]

13 hours ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

His offer from Chelsea was 150k with incentives that could take it to 300k. He might not like that he has to earn the other half of the offer.

Probably worried he had to run a bit a and chase a few through balls

13 hours ago, mkh said:

Reece James is unlikely to be fit enough to start against Chelsea's next opponent, Bournemouth. He is still thought to be a couple of weeks away from returning to full training.

(@Matt_Law_DT)

 

🤢😵‍💫😵‍💫

250,000 pounds per weeks

 

Romeo Lavía due to start training again with a view to being fit for the Bournemouth game.

(@Matt_Law_DT)

🙌🙌

I'm like a broken record with Reece James but he simply needs selling and quickly, the bloke is fucked. As for Lavia, he ain't far behind.

 

[Reddish-Blue 2,510]

12 hours ago, LAM09 said:

I'm sure the way our board works, they'd like to ship him off for some juicy profit if the chance came about.

With the contract that was given to him, he won't be shipped off anytime soon.  6 years, 250k a week for a player that will end up playing 10-15 games a season if he's fit.  

Sad part is that talent wise, he's easily up there with the better RB's...

[Vesper 30,226]

1 minute ago, Reddish-Blue said:

With the contract that was given to him, he won't be shipped off anytime soon.  6 years, 250k a week for a player that will end up playing 10-15 games a season if he's fit.  

Sad part is that talent wise, he's easily up there with the better RB's...

before he started getting injured all the time, for like a 12 month period, he was the best right back on the planet

every time the ball came to him on the right he was an all-out menace to score or asisst, plus he was just a beast on defence (which set him above TAA and Hakimi, his main competition, plus that was when Kimmich was playing as deep holding MF for Bayern)

[Vesper 30,226]

Costliest squads: Chelsea breaks all records

https://football-observatory.com/WeeklyPost470

 

The 470th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the 100 teams in the world having committed the most money in transfer fees to recruit their current squad members (both permanently or on loan). Chelsea tops the list with €1.28 billion including add-ons (regardless of their actual payment) and €1.15 billion without them. These are the highest values ever recorded (see last year's rankings).

Manchester City and Manchester United complete the podium, with amounts including add-ons also in excess of €1 billion. Sixth with €772 million, Paris St-Germain is the only non-English team in the top seven. The French outfit ranks just behind Arsenal (€798 m) and Tottenham (€787m), while outranking Liverpool (€735m). Real Madrid (€720m) and Juventus (€626m) are the only other non-Premier League clubs in the top 10.

Al-Hilal (€485m, 13th) are first among non-big 5 league teams, ahead of three other Saudi Arabia's clubs: Al-Nassr (€270m), Al-Ittihad (€226m) and Al-Ahli (€224m). Flamengo (€208m) clearly outranks Botafogo (€85m) and Palmeiras (€77m) for South America. In total, 19 countries are represented in the top 100, with a maximum of 24 clubs for England (the 20 Premier League sides and four teams from the Championship).

Transfer fees committed to assemble the squad (€ Million)

Squads as on 03/09/2024. Including any add-ons and paying loans.

[Vesper 30,226]

Chelsea squad audit: Analysing the 33-player group and their roles under Enzo Maresca

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5741466/2024/09/04/Chelsea-squad-audit-roles/

The British transfer window is finally closed, ending a typically relentless summer of incomings and outgoings at Chelsea.

Last month, The Athletic published an update on 53 (yes, you read that number correctly) players either listed on the first-team page of Chelsea’s official website, loanees signed as part of Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly’s global youth recruitment drive and any player who had appeared for the club in a competitive match in the 2023-24 season.

Further sales and loans have significantly reduced that number in the days since; Angelo Gabriel is the most recent addition to the list of departees, joining Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr in a permanent transfer worth €23million (£19.4m; $25.4m) on Monday. Chelsea could not offload every member of their so-called ‘bomb squad’, leaving some difficult situations to navigate at Cobham between now and January.

GO DEEPER

PFA pushing to stop 'bomb squads' as strategy for forcing player exits

Over the next four months, the focus will be on what happens on the pitch, so The Athletic is doing one more (relatively) streamlined audit of Chelsea’s squad, assessing 34 players (the 30 listed on the first-team page of the club’s official website, plus leading academy prospects Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George and forwards Deivid Washington and David Datro Fofana) and their likelihood of earning minutes under Maresca.

Let’s begin…

Goalkeepers

Robert Sanchez — Began the new season as Maresca’s first choice in the Premier League, but could easily lose that status if his form dips below some mixed early performances.

Filip Jorgensen — Made his first Chelsea appearance in the Conference League play-off against Servette, committing a bad error to concede a goal in the second leg in Geneva. He may be in goal for the domestic cups, too, and will get opportunities to push Sanchez.

Marcus Bettinelli — Primarily retained as the third-choice goalkeeper because of his veteran experience at 32 years old and status as a popular, respected figure in a young dressing room.

Lucas Bergstrom — May be involved in first-team training and some pre-match warm-up exercises, but is very unlikely to sniff real minutes as long as Sanchez or Jorgensen are fit.

Defenders

Axel Disasi — Sitting at the bottom of Maresca’s senior centre-back pecking order and injuries mean he could be deployed more often at right-back, where he looks uncomfortable.

Marc Cucurella — A clear starter at left-back after a golden Euro 2024, though he has not been asked to drift into midfield by Maresca as often as he was in Mauricio Pochettino’s final weeks.

Tosin Adarabioyo — Sits just below Wesley Fofana in the right-sided centre-back depth chart, but Maresca will turn to him if the Frenchman’s availability becomes a problem again.

Benoit Badiashile — Regarded as a backup to Levi Colwill at left-sided centre-back to start the season. An elegant defender undermined by bad mental lapses.

Levi Colwill — He will start the games that matter for Chelsea whenever he is fit and his burgeoning partnership with Fofana has promise. He is Maresca’s best passer out of defence.

Ben Chilwell — Has no place in Maresca’s system as a conventional attacking full-back, but could not secure a move away from Chelsea before Friday. Faces a long wait until January unless he is willing to go to one of the leagues where the transfer market is still open.

Reece James — Should be a key player under Maresca, but his durability remains a huge question mark. Chelsea need him fit if Malo Gusto faces a long spell on the sidelines.

Malo Gusto — One of Chelsea’s best recent signings who has lessened the impact of James’ frequent injuries. So good on the ball that he is often asked to ‘invert’ into midfield by Maresca.

Wesley Fofana — His availability is a big boost after a nightmare two years with injury. Fofana is the only dominant aerial athlete in Chelsea’s starting XI and an aggressive, proactive defender.

Renato Veiga — Intrigues with his blend of size, athleticism and technique as an inverting left-back, but is often rash in the tackle. At 21, he is not ready to be a Premier League starter yet.

Josh Acheampong — Very highly rated at Chelsea as an option at right-sided centre-back and right-back. Injuries may mean the 18-year-old gets more first-team chances in the latter spot.

---

Midfielders

Enzo Fernandez — Chelsea’s captain on the pitch in the absence of James and a key player for Maresca, though his best position in the Italian’s system remains a mystery.

Carney Chukwuemeka — Ended a summer of transfer uncertainty by remaining at Chelsea and will be reintegrated. The 20-year-old is a big talent, but how ready is he to play given his lack of pre-season minutes?

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall — Looks short of full fitness following an ankle injury sustained at Leicester City and has underwhelmed. Projects as a squad player.

Moises Caicedo — Tasked with being the deepest of Chelsea’s midfielders, he will need proper support if Maresca is to find his midfield balance. Caicedo seems to work well with Romeo Lavia.

Cesare Casadei — Will be part of the first-team squad, but it is hard to envision Maresca trusting the 21-year-old to play more for Chelsea than he did for Leicester in the first half of last season.

Omari Kellyman — Was shaping up to be an important player for the development squad before a hamstring injury set him back. The 18-year-old is expected to be out for around two months.

Romeo Lavia — Chelsea need the 20-year-old Belgian to make a big impact in midfield with Conor Gallagher gone, but Maresca must also manage his minutes load carefully after a lost 2023-24 to injury.

Forwards

Pedro Neto — Was set to be Chelsea’s undisputed starter on the left flank until the loan signing of Jadon Sancho. Neto might be more threatening on the right but has stiffer competition there.

Mykhailo Mudryk — Is likely to be the biggest loser from Chelsea’s attacking recruitment. A wealth of options means Maresca does not need to trust the 23-year-old in any game that matters.

Noni Madueke — Was not a clear starter coming into the season, but his red-hot form is making him impossible to drop. Has a clearer path to big minutes if Cole Palmer is deployed centrally.

Joao Felix — Will be used on the left and through the middle of Chelsea’s attack, including as a false nine. The question is if he is good enough to start for Maresca in any of those roles.

Nicolas Jackson — His status as a key long-term piece was reinforced by a new contract that commits him to the club until June 2033. Jackson is expected to start the big games whenever fit.

Christopher Nkunku — Played more in pre-season than anyone, but Palmer and Fernandez have pushed him out of the Premier League team. A quality option in attacking midfield or up front.

Jadon Sancho — Has a good chance to start regularly in his preferred left-wing position if he can build his fitness quickly and convince Maresca with his form. Has a lot to prove at Chelsea.

Cole Palmer — Maresca has made Chelsea’s reigning player of the season the key to his attack, as he was under Pochettino. Will provide playmaking and scoring on the right and centrally.

Marc Guiu — Earmarked for a loan if Samu Omorodion or Victor Osimhen had arrived. He is hard-working and enthusiastic but does not look ready to help a team with Chelsea’s aspirations.

Tyrique George — Maresca’s decision to throw him on against Servette was a sign of trust in the promising 18-year-old winger, but he has a lot of high-profile competition to play regularly.

Deivid Washington — Chelsea are high on his long-term potential and he will spend time with the first team and development squad until January, when he could be loaned to gain experience.

David Datro Fofana — Played no part in Chelsea’s pre-season in the expectation he would leave on loan or permanently. Several markets are still open and he is not in Maresca’s plans.

[Vesper 30,226]

Chelsea

https://thedailybriefing.io/i/148446044/Chelsea

• Chelsea still appreciate Victor Osimhen despite him joining Galatasaray, so could this be one to watch again in January or next summer? Fabrizio Romano takes a look at the situation in his latest column.

• Ben Chilwell to Fenerbahce? Some reports suggest the Chelsea left-back could be cleared to move to Turkey on loan.

• Nicolas Jackson’s new deal until June 2033 is 100% sealed and will be officially announced soon. Chelsea also counter-signed all the official documents.

• Chelsea have made a £6m profit with Angelo’s sale to Al Nassr, after more than one year. There’s also a sell-on clause included in the deal for the young Brazilian winger.

• Chelsea confirm Jadon Sancho is set to train with Enzo Maresca and his staff during the international break. He’s already in good shape and ready for debut as a Chelsea player vs Bournemouth at the end of next week.

• Cole Palmer has withdrawn from the England squad, Chelsea have confirmed. The player will now spend the rest of the international break at Cobham.

• Malo Gusto has withdrawn from the France Under-21 squad because of a thigh injury, Chelsea have confirmed.

• Noni Madueke: “Maresca wants to push me and wants to make sure I get the best out of myself in every single training session. Top players train to their fullest every single day, so that’s for sure what I strive to be as well!”

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Chelsea still appreciate Victor Osimhen following shock Galatasaray transfer

https://thedailybriefing.io/i/148478972/Chelsea-still-appreciate-victor-osimhen-following-shock-galatasaray-transfer

In one of the surprises of the summer, Victor Osimhen has decided to go to Galatasaray. It’s a straight loan from Napoli for one season, and it was important for there to be two clauses in the deal - one for his release clause at Napoli to be changed to €75m, and another for there to be a break clause for the January transfer window.

Appreciation for Osimhen from top clubs remains, so even though he’s happy to be going to Galatasaray, and it’s a fantastic signing for them, appreciation especially from Chelsea remains. They tried until the final hour of the summer transfer window to make something happen with Osimhen, so let’s see if they will have the door open to activate the option to negotiate for him again in January, or next summer - at this moment I don’t know.

Overall it was a really surprising saga - no one was expecting Osimhen to end up at Galatasaray but many things happen with Napoli, Al Ahli, Chelsea...it was a difficult story. In the end, Osimhen preferred not to stay four months without professional football at Napoli, and to try a new experience. Still, Chelsea’s appreciation remains so let’s see what happens in the future, while there’s also the possibility of other top strikers like Benjamin Sesko being on the market next summer.

[Vesper 30,226]

 

Roma have booked medical tests for Mats Hummels on Wednesday, travel also planned. After an improved proposal was sent yesterday, the club wants to complete the deal after medical tests. Here we go, expected soon.

[Vesper 30,226]

Left-footed CB targets (as Badi has to go IMHO) either this January (unlikely) or next summer, and if Badi goes, Colwill is our only left-footed CB now (NO, CuCu is not an option)

Alessandro Bastoni  (basically impossible)
Gonçalo Inácio   
Piero Hincapié 
Castello Lukeba   
Murillo  (but will be crazy expensive, they already instantly turned down £50m from us this summer)
Dávid Hancko 

youth

Jorrel Hato 
Yarek Gasiorowski  

[Vesper 30,226]

Right-footed CB targets (as Disasi has to go IMHO) either this January (unlikely) or next summer) We also might cash in on Tosin (althought he have Aaron Anselmino coming in, who can hopefully replace him). We deffo need anothe right footer if both Disasi and Tosin leave, as we simply cannot rely on Fofana to stay healthy, and Anselmino is young and raw.

Ronald Araujo (almost impossible)
Bremer (very hard pull)
Marquinhos   (ageing, but can be a younger Thiago type)
António Silva (€100m release clause that Benfica will not bend on)
Giorgio Scalvini (if he fully recovers from his knee injury)
Ousmane Diomande 
Tomás Araújo
Cristhian Mosquera 
Malick Thiaw
Jarell Quansah 
Isak Hien 
Yann Bisseck
   

youth

Pau Cubarsí  (youth, albeit already a starter at Barca, and almost an impossible pull)

 

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LB

damn shame Antonee Robinson is not 3 or 4 years younger

I think he would be a great LB option to replace Chilly (obviously my main target, as Alphonso Davies is very likely going to Real, is Nuno Mendes, but good luck pulling him, and even if we did convince him to come, PSG will want at least 80 to 90m or so euros for him)

BUT

if we bought Robinson next summer (when he turns 28yo), we only would get 2 sub 30yo seasons out of him, and we all know BlueCo is not going to go for that

Theo Hernández is just 2 months younger than Robinson, Federico Dimarco just 3 months younger, so also likely no goes

best other LB options IMHO are

    
Miguel Gutiérrez
Quilindschy Hartman  (IF he recovers 100 per cent from his knee injury)
Milos Kerkez   
Patrick Dorgu 
Bradley Locko 
 

[Vesper 30,226]

RB

Simple

do not need if Reece stays healthy and/or is not sold

if he doesnt stay healthy or is sold

then

best options are 

    
Achraf Hakimi  (crazy hard pull)
Jeremie Frimpong (will be massively expensive, just like Hakimi would be)
Michael Kayode    
Wilfried Singo  
Nahuel Molina
Kiliann Sildillia
Josha Vagnoman  
Arnau Martínez 
Devyne Rensch  
 

Michael Kayode    👍🏽

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GK

the simplest possible

only one I want now that Mamardashvilli is off to Pool

do not want to discuss any others

 

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IF Filip Jørgensen doe not come good and IF Costa goes elsewhere (a good possibilty, as Citeh, PSG (not happy with Donnarumma), Bayern, Barca, Inter, etc, will all be ,looking for Gkers more than likely)

then we are in real trouble until (and IF) Penders can become our number 1

Kobel is poor (like Donnarumma) with his feet

Guillaume Restes would probably be the next best option, but he is also (like Penders) only a teen, granted already starting ina  Big 5 league

so many other good keepers went elsewhere this window, and/or will not move

Edited September 4, 2024 by Vesper

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CF

I am pretty sure BlueCo tries agaon for Victor Osimhen

I would rather go for Jhon Durán

here are the best (IMHO) of the rest of the options

Alexander Isak
Dušan Vlahović
Viktor Gyökeres  
Loïs Openda  
Benjamin Sesko
Evan Ferguson
Jonathan David (will likely be on a free, with a shedload of big clubs trying for him)
João Pedro 
Santiago Gimenez

youth

Eli Junior Kroupi    

[Vesper 30,226]

DMF

very short list

these are the only ones who interest me and who are remotely available

Bruno Guimarães    
Martín Zubimendi   (shocked that Arse failed to pull him)
Morten Hjulmand 
Alan Varela 
Adam Wharton  

youth

Gabriel Moscardo   

 

[robsblubot 3,595]

1 hour ago, Vesper said:

DMF

very short list

these are the only ones who interest me and who are remotely available

Bruno Guimarães    
Martín Zubimendi   (shocked that Arse failed to pull him)
Morten Hjulmand 
Alan Varela 
Adam Wharton  

youth

Gabriel Moscardo   

 

Don't think we can play with a DMF *and* Caicedo (ball-winning mid). That'd be too defensive unless the DMF is also a maestro. Aren't we covered there esp when Lavia eventually becomes available?

Edited September 4, 2024 by robsblubot

[robsblubot 3,595]

Podcast in Portuguese by Brazilian journalists about Chelsea (since Abramovich times) as well as the new wall street-like approach (which is what they call it).

What's interesting is how much they talk about the stuff we've discussed here: 1. if players become stars would they have to leave to get top wages? 2. what if players lose the ambition due to the long contracts 3. motivate players with large squads (that group thing already addressed by Maresca to a degree) 4. young squad and missing experienced players--that some of the players who won the CL are still young and could still be at the club

The one thing they touch and that I don't think we've addressed is the differences in competitiveness between American sports and international football. If you ever watch both sports live (I have multiple times), it's really difficult to compare. I'd describe American sports on the stands as a party, while international football has a much more serious tone. I've been told college American Football would be closer to Int Football, but even if you have more passion on display (than NFL), it's still a party IMO.
Baseball takes it to a different level as it feels more like a family and friends reunion on the stands.

So, they question how the points listed above would affect, or not, our ability to build a strong and resilient team capable of facing highly competitive opposition, which is what we find in the PL. I am really curious about that myself.

 

Edited September 4, 2024 by robsblubot