Socrates

So far looks like Alex Song and Falcao. Just waiting for the Sergio Ramos rumour. Someone wake me when this is over.

We should be interested in hijacking any deals Atletico Madrid are currently involved in as this would save us a lot of time and money down the line.

It looks as if we might be replacing two strikers - Remy and Drogba. Falcao might well be coming to replace Drogba, if Mourinho's comments are to be believed. The question then is who's coming in to replace Remy?

Scrub that. Higuain now looks like he's going to Man United. http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/447262/Gonzalo-Higuain-Manchester-United-transfer-news

Well if Remy is being allowed to leave then these rumours of Higuain add up. Sounds like a lot of money though when for another 10m or so we could trigger Griezmann’s release clause.

Won’t be: Omeruo, Van Ginkel, Bamford. If only: Varane, Pogba, Griezmann. Probably: Miranda, Douglas Costa, Falcao.

Incredible really. Rumour of a loan to Inter Milan... http://metro.co.uk/2015/06/10/juan-cuadrado-close-to-leaving-chelsea-for-inter-milan-transfer-5238334/

Still plenty of scope for this Falcao deal not to happen. Mainly a demand for a hefty cut in wages and third-party ownership problems. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/11656790/Chelsea-Iron-Lady-Marina-Granovskaia-lays-down-law-on-transfers.html

From Twitter: @tancredipalmeri: Chelsea and Falcao reached agreement on principles on loan+option to buy. Main issue now are conditions that Mendes wants to trigger option

Luiz and Matic?

Thought this was dead in the water but the Italian press are running with it: CHELSEA and Juventus are in negotiations over a potential swap deal involving Oscar and Paul Pogba, according to reports in Italy. http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/582423/Chelsea-Man-Utd-Juventus-Paul-Pogba-Oscar-Swap-Deal

He's Brazilian. That's it. We wouldn't even be looking at him otherwise. We've wasted way too much money on wingers who just don't cut it: Salah, Cuadrado, Marin, Moses. It's time to stop messing about. We should've bought top talent like Sanchez or Griezmann when they were available. We need game changers not Youtube wingers who flatter to deceive.

Even if Falcao optimistically reduces his wage demands by half from 15m a year to 7.5m that's still a cost of 14.5m for a year's loan incl. the 7m loan fee. And that's for a 29 year old player coming off the back off a serious injury and an unconvincing season. How does this make sense under FFP? Sounds like a lot of money that could be better invested elsewhere. But then I'm not a football accountant...

Something very fishy about this whole rumour. Report from Marca claims that it’s the same deal as at Man United. We pay all his wages plus 7 million loan fee. That's 22million euros for a one year deal for a crocked 29 year old striker off the back of a terrible season. http://www.marca.com/en/2015/06/04/en/football/international_football/1433432294.html Makes no sense whatsoever.

You're right. Looked it up and it turns out Jose was misquoted. For the record, Jose said: “Higuaín is the least vain – if he could, he would come to work-out in pyjamas.” Which is very different. But not as funny.

That’s that then... ‘The Chelsea manager told Marca that his interest in Griezmann goes no further than an admiration for him as a player and he ruled out any chance of a transfer this summer "Griezmann is a great striker but is not within our objectives to strengthen the squad for next season. We're not interested." ’ http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/mourinho-speaks-to-marca-about-griezmann-interest-griezmann-speak

^^^ He’s 27 - which surprised me. Thought he was older. One caveat: Mourinho: ''Higuain is the laziest player I have ever managed. If he was allowed, he'd come to training in a pyjama.''

‘Chelsea are making a £30million transfer offer to sign Gonzalo Higuain, according to reports. ‘The Blues are desperate to bring in another proven goalscorer this summer to complement Diego Costa. ‘Manchester United loanee Radamel Falcao has been in talks about a move, but reports in Italy say a £30m bid is going in to sign Napoli ace Higuain. ‘Arsenal and Manchester United are in talks to sign the Argentine, but Chelsea are putting hard cash down on the table to do business.’ http://metro.co.uk/2015/06/02/chelsea-making-30m-transfer-offer-to-seal-gonzalo-higuain-deal-5227599/#ixzz3byoYwn2P

What were we thinking? Doubt we'll get anywhere near what we paid for him. A sorry episode all round.

Someone should point Diego in the direction of some decent Spanish restaurants in London. He doesn't have to eat in the local greasy spoon all the time...

This one’s fairly random: ‘Austin is a Blues target... Austin, 25 is a lifelong Chelsea fan and will jump at the chance to stay in London and fulfil his dream of playing for his boyhood club.’ http://www.chelsea-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/austin_is_a_blues_target_862998/index.shtml?

I think there's something to this Falcao rumour. We signed one useless Colombian, might as well sign another to keep him company. And Roman does like his washed-up strikers: Shevchenko, Torres, Eto'o, Drogba Mark 2. Why stop the rot now? Besides, it's official club policy to have an over-the-hill striker on the books.

A great striker in his prime. Destroyed us in the supercup. But he looked finished last season. Really don't see the need for this transfer. Must be better options out there as back up to Costa.

Schurrle is getting one... “Andre Schurrle: Jose Mourinho texted me to tell me I had won a Premier League medal” http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/andre-schurrle-jose-mourinho-texted-5698024?

It happens... ‘Antoine Griezmann could have joined Chelsea last January - but Mourinho bought Mohammed Salah instead’ http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/antoine-griezmann-could-have-joined-chelsea-last-january-mourinho-bought-mohammed-salah-instead-1500739