Slobodan Rajkovic

[abramovich]

This kid had so much potential, we have paid ₤3.8 m for him back in 2005, which was a world record at the time for a player under 18 years of age.

Now, after three seasons spent on loan at OFK Beograd, PSV Eindhoven and Twente he's back at the club training with the main squad

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/103035654

and supposedly we rejected an approach from Galatasaray, if tribalfootball sources are to be believed

http://www.tribalfootball.com/chelsea-reject-galatasaray-offer-rajkovic-915031

Is there a future for Rajkovic at Chelsea? Anyone who has seen him at Twente may want to comment.

Edited July 29, 2010 by abramovich

[Cam]

I only really know much about him from a FM perspective...so I can't provide a good insight...but I hope he makes it...he was pretty good in the game hahaha

[kalpitv]

We've got TOO many left-backs on us then? After Cole and Zhirkov in the pecking order. We have him, van Aanholt and Bertrand!

[Cam]

Is he just LB, or can he play in the centre too?

[jcm28]

According to FM (i'm with cam on that one ) he can play anywhere in the defense and even defensive mid. If that's true then I see no reason to let him go. Give him the chance and see how it goes.

[german-blue]

He got banned from international football for a whole year because he spitted at a ref at the olympics...

Otherwise I hope he has a future at Chelsea..Considering his hight Im sure he can play as a CB too

[TheWestwayWonder]

I thought he was a CB first, I never remembered hearing about him playing fullback.

To be honest, I had completely forgotten to include him in the stable of our on-the-cusp young defenders. I dont know anything about his readiness, but if he has developed like expected, then I hope Carvalho being sold to Madrid will open up a spot for him in the defensive rotation.

[Randy36]

I have seen Rajkovic play a couple of times for Twente but was not impressed.

He looked good enough to play at Championship level.

I doubt he has the potential of David Luiz!

[BelgradeCFC]

I have been watching him play at OFK Beograd and he had showed incredible talent. In that period he was playing at centre back for a first team regulary and he was only 16-17 years old.

I have his autograph on my OFK Beograd jersey B)

[abramovich]

Young Chelsea central defender Slobodan Rajkovic, 21, was also denied a work permit after agreeing a deal to join Fulham.

Link

So we are trying to sell him, I presume?

[abramovich]

Just read in the Guardian that he's a free agent now. Why didn't we try and sell him earlier?

So after spending over £5m in transfer fees and paying his wages for several years we let him walk. Splendid.

[The Moos]

Never saw him play, but he struck me to be a talented lad. I hope we know what we're doing. And surely we could have gotten something for him? Even if he wasn't good enough for us, he wasn't exactly bad, was he?

Might as well say it. This transfer window have been one of the strangest I've witnessed from our side. If I woke up tomorrow and saw the headlines "Drogba goes to Arsenal for free" I would hardly react.

It's just odd.

[Planet Drogba]

I know what you're talking about Moos. When I heard Stoch left for Turkey, I was absolutely stunned. Especially when you consider the season he had, his age, and that we need a right winger...

[TheWestwayWonder]

Just read in the Guardian that he's a free agent now. Why didn't we try and sell him earlier?

So after spending over £5m in transfer fees and paying his wages for several years we let him walk. Splendid.

Wow, sums that up well. Couldnt even find him some time during preseason?

I remember back when he spat in that officials face and was banned for a year. I assumed the club was sticking by him because he mustve been quite a talent.

[PloKoon13]

I just found out about this. What happened here? Surely he could have slotted in as the fourth centre back?

[Scooby Blue]

I too heard he had been released, but this has just appeared on newsnow

http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/transfer-rumours/2010-08-20/chelsea-set-send-serbian-duo-out-loan

So is still ours or not then?

Talksh*te gettibg there facts wrong?

Edited August 20, 2010 by Scooby Blue

[TheWestwayWonder]

Yes, has there been any confirmation of him leaving, one way or the other?

[PloKoon13]

"We have to find a solution for some players to give them a loan, above all the young players,†said manager Carlo Ancelotti.

"Rajkovic, maybe Matic. We are trying to find a solution with them.â€

I am confused.

[BelgradeCFC]

Vitesse hope to quickly secure the loan signings of Ismail Aissati from Ajax and Slobodan Rajkovic from Chelsea, according to a report in Voetbal International.

Having been taken over by Georgian businessman Merab Jordania earlier this week, the club have received an injection of funds and are expected to be active in the transfer market in an attempt to strengthen their squad over the course of the next ten days. Their first activity seems likely to be confirming the arrival of the pair on a season long loan.

Aissati is expected to arrive from Amsterdam with an option to buy at the end of the term, while Rajkovic will not have such a clause written into his deal.

Press reports earlier in the week suggested that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was behind Jordania’s buy-out of Vitesse as he wants to use the club as a nursery for reserve and youth players, though the Russian was quick to strenuously distance himself from these suggestions.

Link

[ace]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6331501,00.html

Still nothing official from the club, but it seems like we still have him, although he (and Matic....and maybe Mellis) are all headed to Vitesse on loan.

Edit: Vitesse has announced it as official.

Edited August 23, 2010 by ace

[TomW]

http://www.vitesse.nl/nieuws/bericht/op-weg-naar-vitesse-rajkovic-en-matic/761

Google translation.

Nemanja Matic and Slobodan Rajkovic on their way to Arnhem. Both players sign up Tuesday morning for the first time on the training of Arnhem.

The Slovak Nemanja Matic is a left-footed midfielder and debuted last in the Premiership for Chelsea. Slobodan Rajkovic is no stranger to the Eredivisie. The defender previously played for PSV and FC Twente. Tuesday following more detailed information about both players and their transfer to Vitesse.

Vitesse TV makes a report Tuesday by the arrival of newcomers. This is Tuesday afternoon as soon as possible to monitor Vitesse.nl.

[undertow]

slovak, eh? ohdear... well, at least there's only one country between slovakia and serbia.

[german-blue]

slovak, eh? ohdear... well, at least there's only one country between slovakia and serbia.

a bit embaressing...they dont even know what nationality their players have....

Im a bit disappointed that we let Matic go to be hoenst, if we would have loaned him out last season that would have been good.

But now after we let Belletti and Ballack go, he still cant make it, must be frustrating for him.

After all he is alredy 22.....

[undertow]

Im a bit disappointed that we let Matic go to be hoenst, if we would have loaned him out last season that would have been good.

But now after we let Belletti and Ballack go, he still cant make it, must be frustrating for him.

After all he is alredy 22.....

a bit strange, but i trust charlie's judgement.

do we know if he's going for the full season or will/may come back in january?

[Virosh]

I'm very surprised by this loan. I fully expected Matic to be an important part of the team this season with all the players we had leaving and only two coming. I hope Carlo knows what he's doing, but I'd like to know why he changed his mind, since at the end of last season he clearly stated Matic is ready to be with the first team.

Edited August 24, 2010 by Virosh