Jose is having a laugh if he thinks we will sell in an area we are already pretty weak.

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Transfer-news-Real-Madrid-ready-to-test-Chelsea-s-resolve-to-hang-on-to-Didier-Drogba-with-a-cheeky-bid-article679479.html

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Arsenal-legend-Tony-Adams-reveals-his-fear-for-John-Terry-s-future-as-Chelsea-captain-if-he-carries-on-taking-pain-killing-injections-article678831.html

Very much doubt he will go there. Mourinho gets linked with everyone because of the money at the club and the fact that he does like a transfer. Cant see this happening though.

As for JT i think everyone is worried about how he will be in later life. Unofortunatley he probably will suffer. Saw and interview with Freddie Flintoff where he said everyday tasks like walking upstairs are becoming very difficult.

I wont be that bothered if we go on to win nothing this season, but only if we use the season as a platform for next season and beyond, signing players like Luiz and holding onto players like Josh and Kakuta are all good moves, but were going to need a topclass striker very soon, if Drogba doesnt pull his socks up, sell him.

Think of the furture.

I wont be that bothered if we go on to win nothing this season, but only if we use the season as a platform for next season and beyond, signing players like Luiz and holding onto players like Josh and Kakuta are all good moves, but were going to need a topclass striker very soon, if Drogba doesnt pull his socks up, sell him.

Think of the furture.

Totally agree.

Now might just be the right time to sell Drogba. £15m for a guy coming up 33 with his best days behind him would be decent business IMO.

Selling Drogba might not be too much of an bad idea BUT if we do it now without getting a replacement in return our season is f**kED. And not qualifying for CL would be a disaster. In summer yes but not now IMO.

He is a quality striker on his day, but I fear that day may be behind him now. He's obviously struggling to recover from the Malaria, and that can take years apparently. He's already about 33 years old, and it's only downhill from there really. I think if Real came in with £15m we should take it and bring in someone like Lakuku or Andy Carroll, or a similar younger striker to replace him.

Edited January 23, 201115 yr by BlueSkies

He is a quality striker on his day, but I fear that day may be behind him now. He's obviously struggling to recover from the Malaria, and that can take years apparently. He's already about 33 years old, and it's only downhill from there really. I think if Real came in with £15m we should take it and bring in someone like Lakuku or Andy Carroll, or a similar younger striker to replace him.

In theory that makes sense, but the club slowness in transfer negotiations would surely mean we would end up with one less striker. No way would Real offer us 15m for him either.

Very much doubt he will go there. Mourinho gets linked with everyone because of the money at the club and the fact that he does like a transfer. Cant see this happening though.

As for JT i think everyone is worried about how he will be in later life. Unofortunatley he probably will suffer. Saw and interview with Freddie Flintoff where he said everyday tasks like walking upstairs are becoming very difficult.

Alcohol has a part to play in that, in both cases.

Selling Drogba now would only make sense if the club were ready to sign another top quality striker, which isn't beyond the realms of possibility.

However, the Times reports that:

Drogba heads a list of senior players who could be heading for the exit in the summer as Chelsea plan a major overhaul of the squad which won three titles in six seasons but is now showing its age.

Drogba, Paulo and who else? Malouda perhaps. Senior players would also include Frank, JT, Ashley Cole. Surely not.

The problem with replacing Drogba over anyone else in the team is that he has a very hard, a very specific and very important role in the team, and if he isn't firing then generally speaking the team doesn't play as well either. I'm not sure there is anyone else on the planet (although I do think Drogba will get his form back eventually) who can replace him.

We are at our world-beating best when Drogba is also in terminator mode. These are mighty big shoes to fill.

The other side of the Drogba coin is that we tend to over rely on him, which leaves us with problems when he's injured but more so when he's off form. When he's out injured we're forced to go for a plan B or C, but when he's off form, there's the hope and expectation that he'll produce that game winning bit of magic we know he's capable of even when he's not having the best of games.

This is the paradox of having one of the greatest strikers in the world playing for you.

If Darren Bent is worth a fee of £18-24m depending on add ons, we should be looking for £15-20m for Drogba at the very least.

We wwill never let hime leave in the January window although I do expect him to depart in the Summer.

The problem with replacing Drogba over anyone else in the team is that he has a very hard, a very specific and very important role in the team, and if he isn't firing then generally speaking the team doesn't play as well either. I'm not sure there is anyone else on the planet (although I do think Drogba will get his form back eventually) who can replace him.

We are at our world-beating best when Drogba is also in terminator mode. These are mighty big shoes to fill.

I am afraid I totally disagree. This season, some of our best football (and definitely Anelka's) has been when Drogba has not been playing. Its no good looking back at what Drogba did for us in the past, although his contribution was immense. We must now look forward, let him go, but have 2/3 replacements identified (if not actually in the bag)

if Carlo was to sell Drogba, which would not be until the end of the season imo because of the chamoions league (drogba needed and top forwards cup tied) then his replacement should and more importantly, would, all ready be at the club. Which means buying that player during this transfer window,

having said that, can I throw a name into the ring, a player settled in London and apparently looking for a move........ Pavlyuchenko.

Edited January 23, 201115 yr by midlandblue

don't think I'd want pavlyuchenko to replace drogba he doesn't even hold down a regular place at spurs. X

is that not down to Defoe and the fact they play a diferent style of football to us?

is that not down to Defoe and the fact they play a diferent style of football to us?

I wouldn't want him to replace Drogba. Anelka and Drogba are far better strikers than both.

Spurs are having a good season, but they are in the same position as us, who are having an awful season. When we sign a replacement, he has to be much better than anything Spurs have got.

how about Bale, Van De Vart or Modric?

not to replace Drogba of course.

how about Bale, Van De Vart or Modric?

not to replace Drogba of course.

Bale will be too expensive.

Modric when good is great, but go missing in games.

For Van Der Vart I would prefer Sneijder. We should have gone for him when Inter signed him.

Wide right & strikers is where we need to be looking at.

any suggestions?

i totaly think that when drogbas on his day he is the best stricker in the prem he is un playable however these days are getting further and further apart selling him could be an intelgent move but onlt if we move faster than we have in a long while and secure a replacment the up side of selling drogs is our play is forced to change we need to become smarter and play without the long balls

any suggestions?

Yes.

Fowards:

Neymar (could play wide right).

Lukaka

Aguero (could play wide right)

Llorente (although pretty nailed on he will be a Real player next summer)

Carrol

Suarez (could play wide right, but is a bit of a cheating git)

Sanchez (although not seen that much of him)

Mata

I don't think we need any 1st team players in central midfield. We have Lampard, Essien, Ramires, Josh, Mikel. Benayoun & Malouda can both play in there & we have players out on loan like Matic.

I don't believe in treating a player of Drogba's calibre, as a pawn in a game of chess.

Granted he'll be 33 next season and his recent form has dipped way below par. But his contributions to our successes over the past few seasons have been enormous.

Selling him to Mourinho for a few paltry pieces of silver is not what I'd expect from our club.

Some people have very short memories!

I don't believe in treating a player of Drogba's calibre, as a pawn in a game of chess.

Granted he'll be 33 next season and his recent form has dipped way below par. But his contributions to our successes over the past few seasons have been enormous.

Selling him to Mourinho for a few paltry pieces of silver is not what I'd expect from our club.

Some people have very short memories!

Agree, plus I think he could play a key part in securing Lukaka.

Some people have very short memories!

I don't think anyone has a short memory. We all appreciate how good Drogba has been and what a difficult player he will be to replace. But there can be no roon for sentiment in football and IMO the time is right for him to leave (granted it's more likely to be in the Summer than January).

Rumours are though that Mourinho will not be at Madrid next season, so not sure if Drogba would go there anyway?