markpitts

Since no one is interested in Enzo, they are actively trying to sell Andre Santos https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/05/andrey-santos-manchester-united-chelsea-transfer

You actually think we are signing Wharton? Reckon that move is dead once they heard his wage demands. As for Lacroix, I am not convinced. An average defender will look decent playing in a back 3, and no way is he a £50m player.

Glasner is on £13m/yr at Forest. 2nd highest paid manager in the league behind Arteta. The payoff when he is sacked mid season will be huge.

This one seems to be picking up steam.

That £120m value could plummet sharply if he throws his toys out. Won’t be surprised if he decides to go on strike to force a move away, anywhere that will pay him £300k/w wages. I still expect Pastore to question the valuation if the club isn’t willing to pay him like a £120m player.

To be fair this all started with Enzo asking for a new £300k/w contract.

I would sell him to Atletico Madrid for £80m just to see the back for him. We all know he wants out, and I can see him phoning in his performances. Perez was never going to hand us £120m after the Hazard debacle, and Mourinho played a blinder getting Bernardo Silva in early.

Do you want your defender (well most WBs are failed wingers) carrying the ball into the final third or a winger? It’s one thing getting up the field, the issue with WBs is what happens when they get there. Personally feel if you want to play a 3-4-3 formation, you have to play in transition and not worry about controlling possession. Will be interesting to see how it pans out with most teams using a low block against us.

Johan Mazambi is an interesting player; been the Swiss best player with 3 goals and 2 assists, problem though is he is playing out of position. At club level he plays as a DM or CM.

Newcastle also splashing the cash, but I don’t think they learnt from last season. €50m for Bazoumana from Hoffenheim, and potentially £42m for Manzambi from Freiburg. The Bundesliga is a scary place to be throwing money at, and Dortmund are now demanding €120m for Felix Nmecha.

The midfielders going for insane have a different skill set. No one is paying premium for a DM, players like Baleba who was priced at £100m last summer is now on the scrap heap. We currently have 4 DMs in our squad, IMO in an ideal world we need to sell 2.

Enzo Fernandez's agent, Javier Pastore: 🗣 “We are looking at options to leave Chelsea.” Madrid? He [Enzo Fernandez] has a lot of friends there, and he's very close with Julián Álvarez, they spend all their free time together. Apart from that, who doesn't love Madrid? I've never played there, yet I live there now." Just give Diego Simone a call, Mourinho isn't keen.

This window is cooked, and I reckon we might end up being the big losers. We started the nonsense when we overpaid for Caicedo, Lavia and Enzo, but it’s on steroids now. £100m for Tonali is mental. Bournemouth have turned down £59m for Alex Scott, and demanding the £80m Matheus Fernandes fee. Palace have also slapped £100m on Wharton. These players are worth half the fees they are going for, and it’s interesting the money is changing hands within the league with non-PL team uninterested. Won’t be surprised to see Madrid pass on Enzo Fernandez this summer as our lot will insist on £120m. They need to raise £250m in player sales, but I can’t see many of our dross changing clubs.

If this goes to pens, Senegal wins.

He will pull an Isak, and Pastore will mouth off to the press that he is underpaid.

Peak Mourinho would have subbed out Madueke. Even Tuchel pulled Hudson Odoi mins after subbing him on.

That should be 2-0, and good night.

What I can remember of Madueke’s time here was him constantly sagging his shorts, and spending more time pulling them up than actually playing. Seems to have cut it out at Arsenal.

Must have been promised the Anderson money. Part of his issues at Palace was a lack of investment.

“BREAKING: Spurs have made a new bid for Sandro Tonali worth around £90m. Newcastle hoping for £100m. Talks between clubs continue. Spurs remain optimistic.” When is our improved deal for the “2nd coach on the pitch” Xhaka going in?

What is interesting is Spurs are willing to pay big wages to go with the transfer fees, which our lot don’t want to. Xavi Simmons is on £200k/w, Gallagher £250k/w, and they have an agreement with Tonali at £200k/w. Won’t be surprised if targets start opting for Spurs as the 2nd prime option after Arsenal, since our lot are more interested in rummaging through the bargain bin.

“Club sources confirm Real Madrid have cooled interest in signing Chelsea's World Cup-winning midfielder Enzo Fernández, despite links to new manager José Mourinho. No formal talks have started, with Madrid prioritizing player sales over the hefty fee, even as Fernández remains on a shortlist of five options.” Perez isn’t giving us £120m, that much is certain. I reckon even if a move were to happen (highly doubt it), he would hand in a transfer request, and go on strike like Isak. £80m + add ons will be the sweet spot.

Are Madrid interested in paying that price though? This whole situation stems from Enzo demanding a new contract worth £350k/w, which the club isn’t interested in paying. I expect him to force the move, and probably hand in a transfer request after the World Cup. His argument would be that if you value at £120m, pay him like a £120m player. The Guimaraes situation at Newcastle is a precedent; Newcastle are offering him a new contract at £250k/w, and have just turned down a £60m offer from Arsenal.

Fair point. I do wonder though if our inability to pay big wages, and the state of our finances are forcing him to sanction some of these deals. No top manager walks into a supposed “big club” with a list of targets including Chavarria, Lacroix, Xhaka and Palestra. The Wharton links have disappeared, and I reckon they spoke with his agents, heard his wage demands and switched to Xhaka.

Not a fan of Maresca, but since he had those conversations they have signed Semenyo, Guehi, Anderson, and about to sign and loan back Bouaddi.