axman2526

http://www1.skysport...nterest-hots-up Looks like Hulk's agent has given up trying to force Porto's hand and is now trying to force ours... New deal for him means we may be better of looking at some of those other targets...

Think this is just one of those random rumours that will have no foundation in the end. If we sign another CM we do not need it to be a defensive one imo.

Yeah basically this guy seems to know very little more than we do. This deal is likely to drag on for a fair while.

Not seen any update on the rumour mill of this thread for a few posts now. Where is our resident Porto fan? Are the Porto directors and Hulks agent still in London holding deadlock talks?

I doubt Jason would have said that if he was not sure about it. Robbie defiantly deserves this chance to prove himself, but you have to wonder what he will have to achieve to stay on long term as a one year deal does smack of him keeping the seat warm for Pep, and that will probably be hanging over him all year. Every press conference "are you worried that defeat here will ensure Pep takes your job next season" etc.

Is rumorued that Robbie will be offered a one year deal soon, if he has not been already. However is also speculated he will turn it down and look for a longer deal.

I doubt Porto would buy him before the Hulk deal was done, they are not silly when it comes to such matters it seems.

I think it is important to remember that while most, if not all of us, believe the recently quoted 65mill euros for Hulk is way over the odds (though Arruda may disagree) the only persons opinion that matters is Roman. If he wants Hulk and is willing to pay that price then is his call. Me I am less panicked about it. We have got Hazard, we already have Mata and there seems to be less talk about Marko Marin. Personally if our attacking 4 for the first game of the season, and games after that, is: Marin----Mata-----Hazard ----------Torres--------- Then I am not worried. Roman can do what he wants though. He has sacked many managers, (a few almost all Chelsea fans would have disagreed with him in doing so) bought and sold millions and millions of pounds worth of talent. And what has it got us? Some of the best football we have ever seen at the Bridge. Some seasons delivering a landslide of goals, 3 Prem titles including the famous double, as well as all 3 possible top English doubles and, last but not least, the Champions League. Much as I do not agree with his every choice the man has got a pretty good track record and done amazingly well, certainly compared to some of the horror story club owners. So if he wants to spend 52mill on Hulk then by all means, if he changes his mind and goes for someone cheaper or just tells Robbie (or whoever) they have who they have then that is fine as well. In Roman I Trust. Only have to look at that gif we have on this forum of him and his son to see why.

Porto are not a club to let players, good players that is, leave cheaply and will want to squeeze every penny out of us. I do not expect them to cave like Benfica did with Ramires and Luiz. This story is old now, "all aspects of the deal are done bar the transfer price". This could run to the end of the window as we hope Porto drop their price but they will not. Going up to 35mill was around what I thought was fair, given what Porto have had to pay to get him, develop him and make a profit. 52mill is way over the top and silly business. United play a more sensible game, wait for their targets to run down their deals and snap them up cheap most of the time. Maybe we should see how much Bayern would deal for Muller now.

Why would Bayern sell at 15mill? Home grown, Bayerns own academy, a German international attacking player for 15mill? Bayern are not a 2 bob club, they are a major European side and, as I said, doubt they would sell for much less than Hulk. If that is wrong though he would be an amazing bargain at 15mill.

I'd be happy with either, it just seems like noise from his agent to me where the Hulk situation has covered more ground in the media. No price has been mentioned yet for Muller so for all we know Bayern may ask for as much as Porto are with Hulk.

I really rate Muller but there does not seem the room for him unless the deal for Hulk falls through. If we sign Hulk then he would be back up to the front 4 we are expecting to see next season, and he has said his reason for possibly leaving Bayern is more first team football, not to be back up for us.

This guy could be more up Romans ally: http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11860/7797842/Maicon-agent-hints-at-exit

Have to wonder if there have been words behind the scenes there, he has well and truly left the door open and, if our interest in Van Der Wiel is true, then could be to replace Brana. Would be a shame as he has been amazing for us, however if Roman wants us to be Barca esc VDW is more like Alves than Brana I guess... There is also something else to consider. Brana, like a lot of our squad, completed their final goal as Chelsea players on May 19th. Won the League, yup, won the double, yep; won the Champions League, check. Only things left are to win the Super cup and club world cup but whether those are a strong enough pull I do not know. Maybe he just wants a new challenge?

Sad but true, would take a real special one to get 3 or more years. I'd love to see Robbie given 3 years though to produce an attacking side that win things.

Stuart Pearce would be mad to pick Bellamy over Lamps if given the option. What is the age limit before being over age? 23? I read somewhere Bertrand had been earmarked to be the main LB of the side.

Like abigsmurf when I was younger I very much cared about the national side. Euro 96 and France 98 were rather devastating. But after that, the general loathing the Chelsea lads have gotten and the sheer BS our press makes trying to destroy the side at every turn, and the gullible fans just lapin it up, I'll want them to do well for the Chelsea lads sake but aside from that the exits from all the other tourneys have made little impact on me.

Means JT will be used as the RCB rather than the LCB most likely, as Lescott will be brought in. Unless Roy uses Jones at CB instead. Cannot see JT enjoying his time alongside Johnson rather than Ash, would have been better overall had the hamstring injury ruled JT out, you know he will get the blame when we fail.

Really great vid there, good choice for music and a nice selection of clips. Only thing I would add would be longer coverage of the Barca legs. Knocking them out how we did was only marginalized by how we came back from dead a few times against Bayern.

We hear a bit about making the FFP rules, in addition to the whole "break even" and the club being able to support itself. The Asian market is one we have not cracked yet (which also makes me wonder why we did not target the lad United are about to buy) and Hulk is apparently very popular in the Asian market. I believe Roman and the board are looking at these signings trying to get the best available players in the need positions (playmaker Hazard, wide right/back up forward Hulk etc) who have some longevity as well as marketability to them. Could be wrong but if Hazard becomes a star then he could be marketed well, and if Hulk already has a good following in Asia then we can use that, while hopefully improving what the team has to boot. It is not certain it will work that way, but is more likely than Schurrle and M'Vila generating a lot of market income.

May take him some time to settle too. Ramires was viewed by many to be a waste of money in his early games with us, David Luiz a liability who should be played further forward. Fast forward a bit and they both play key roles in winning us the Champions League. Hulk may need that time too. End of the day is up to Roman how he spends his money and the main call throughout last season of where we need to improve on was more creative players out wide. We have Marin and are close to having Hazard and Hulk, Kalou is gone and hopefully so will Malouda be. From Kalou, Malouda and Sturridge as our main three wide options to having the option to use Mata wide with the added quality coming in, along with Marin, Hulk and Hazard. Looks much better options in that department now to me.

We have heard a few random rumours that the club would like to have a joint press conference for both Hazard and Hulk. This leaves me to wonder that maybe a third seat could be set for that press conference, one for the manager. If Roman is looking to make a statement of intent by having those two players share a press conference, maybe he wants the manager to be unveiled at the same time?

So who will the media blame for Stevie G not cutting it for England this time? Two tournaments in a row they have seen JT stripped of the armband at a time where Rio was not going to get it so the media darling could captain the national side again. Only this time no Lampard to be blamed for impeding SG. So now what? Probably the focus will be on how JT should have not been playing for England instead...

I do not blame him, I think he is doing his business spot on. It is that same type of business I would like to see us do when selling players. Given the way the market is, and that we paid 50mill for Torres 18 months ago and had a huge windfall winning the CL, in addition to being ready to supposedly part with the best part of 40mill plus in transfer, singing and agent fees to get Hazard I think Porto have every right to expect to get 35mill-40mill for Hulk. Is a risk for us to spend that, as it was on Torres, Sheva and Drogba at the time and you can see the different level of results. If he works out we win things most likely, and maybe sell him a few years later for a higher price if Real or Barca come knocking. (Atletico would get far more for Falcao if they cashed in now). Similar with Hazard, though his fee would be even bigger given he is younger than Hulk. What you can say though is if the reports were true Benfica wanted 25mill for Ramires and 35mill for David Luiz (roughly) and got around 18mill and 25mill respectively. Ron Gourley took a harder line than he did with Liverpool for Torres and got the price down a bit. Will he achieve the same with Hulk? Maybe, that depends on Hulks determination to move and if Porto already have plans in place for the cash injection; as well as the instructions he has received from Roman.

Have to agree with that. Also believe we would be mad to invest such funds in a back up to Torres. It has been made clear that Nando will now be the number 1 striker and the team will be mailed to suit his game. These recent years we have been trained to suit the qualities of Drogba, very different qualities to Torres. As much as I rate Falcao, and I think he is a top, top striker. Unless we do a 180 and move on Torres I see no point in moving for him as a number 2, he deserves better than that.