Heavily linked with a 45M move for Insigne in the red rags today.

4 minutes ago, CarefreeSimmo_ said:

Heavily linked with a 45M move for Insigne in the red rags today.

Touted as a Hazard replacement if he moves to Real Madrid

I'd hope we do everything to keep Hazard, but to be perfectly honest I'd be happy to sell Hazard if it meant signing James, Morata, and Insigne.

Edited June 13, 20179 yr by the special one

11 hours ago, MoJames said:

 

OK someone help me understand the constant attempt to pull in a CB. We have Cahill, Geezer, Dave, Ake, Zouma, Christensen fighting for 3 spots. I know we have a chunk more games which I hope Ake sticks around for. Outside of that this suggests Zouma isn't up to snuff or we have desires to move Dave to wingback? From everything we've heard we have a gem in Christensen and I would hate to bring in someone which would push him out. Granted I trust the board I just don't understand VVD, Bonucci, etc

easy, Cahill is past his peak, Luiz shown signs of drop in his from on the second half of last season, and Zouma hasn't really shown that he can excel in a back 3. overall, our backline doesn't exactly screams world class

13 hours ago, MoJames said:

 

OK someone help me understand the constant attempt to pull in a CB. We have Cahill, Geezer, Dave, Ake, Zouma, Christensen fighting for 3 spots. I know we have a chunk more games which I hope Ake sticks around for. Outside of that this suggests Zouma isn't up to snuff or we have desires to move Dave to wingback? From everything we've heard we have a gem in Christensen and I would hate to bring in someone which would push him out. Granted I trust the board I just don't understand VVD, Bonucci, etc

 

Our 1st team's CBs are in the last period of their peak atm with exception to Azpi, we need someone who can help with the transition for Ake and Christensen. We never used to have this problem because Terry was so good that he became a mainstay while still being relatively young but even then he had the likes of Wise, Petrescu, Gallas to learn from. 

Our 1st team's CBs are in the last period of their peak atm with exception to Azpi, we need someone who can help with the transition for Ake and Christensen. We never used to have this problem because Terry was so good that he became a mainstay while still being relatively young but even then he had the likes of Wise, Petrescu, Gallas to learn from. 

Thanks for all the feedback. I'm hoping this is the evolution. I don't know if Ake is good enough but I certainly hope so. Him and Christensen manning the back line for years to come.

I think Ake could become good enough yet playing with Azpi would mean two shorter CBs making us vulnerable when teams play two big strikers up front or have the tall midfield runners.

1 minute ago, Strider6003 said:

I think Ake could become good enough yet playing with Azpi would mean two shorter CBs making us vulnerable when teams play two big strikers up front or have the tall midfield runners.

I agree with that but we desperately need a left footed player to play on the left side of a back three as GC is often exposed when he has to go wide to the left...as a back four Ake makes perfect sense as a LB...Laporte would be a brilliant on the left of a back three...

I've found something I can moan about, not Bakayoko, not Lukaku, but Willy Caballero. If Tibo gets injured, we may have to rely on Willy Caballero, anyone actually think he's better than Eduardo? I don't, the second keeper position is very important, I can't believe we'd fill the void with a 35 year old Man City flop.

41 minutes ago, doctorblue said:

I agree with that but we desperately need a left footed player to play on the left side of a back three as GC is often exposed when he has to go wide to the left...as a back four Ake makes perfect sense as a LB...Laporte would be a brilliant on the left of a back three...

If we don't sign VVD personally would be happy with Kolarov (just for those booming long range diagonals to the right flank)...

No complaints from me if we sell Ake, personally I don't think he's ready yet - sell to Bournemouth and buy him back in a few years.

Edited June 13, 20179 yr by the special one

Kolarov...that made me laugh...

I know everyone can have an opinion BUT selling ake to buy kolarov has got to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Ever

Just now, didierforever said:

I know everyone can have an opinion BUT selling ake to buy kolarov has got to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Ever

10 hours ago, Floyd25 said:

I've found something I can moan about, not Bakayoko, not Lukaku, but Willy Caballero. If Tibo gets injured, we may have to rely on Willy Caballero, anyone actually think he's better than Eduardo? I don't, the second keeper position is very important, I can't believe we'd fill the void with a 35 year old Man City flop.

This. I'm struggling to see why in an era of homegrown requirements our 2nd and 3rd choice keepers both count as foreign. This is either poor planning or scouting on our part not to have an English player in one of those spots. Especially since we've  have so few in outfield positions and now we're losing two. At least Christensen counts right? It just seems too easy to have a young homegrown player as #3 or an older homegrown player as #2. 

Edited June 14, 20179 yr by TheChelseaBlues

Not so much a rumour, but Roma have signed Hector Moreno from PSV. No chance Rudiger is leaving according to Roma's sporting director, but didn't say conclusively that Manolas is staying...

Edited June 14, 20179 yr by the special one

Not a rumor but definitely random. I'd fancy signing a few Ajax players. Theyre are several Id like to see is snap up before they cost double what they would now next summer. Younes, Klassen and Sanchez come to mind as the best. Klassen in particular has a bit of Lampard about him 

Chelsea apparently interested in Ruben Neves, I haven't seen much of him and unfortunately he doesn't seem to have made much of an impact at Porto this season but I remember thinking he looked very composed and mature the few times I have seen him play still only 20 so would look to be a signing for the future. Any thoughts?

Not sure we need another defensive midfielder if we're in for Bakayoko? 

2 hours ago, doctorblue said:

Not sure we need another defensive midfielder if we're in for Bakayoko? 

He's not a defensive midfielder, he's a deep lying playmaker who will sit deep and pull the strings

Hazard out for the first 5 games or more, are we going to start Willian in every game, or bring in a new winger? We need a winger who's going to take it to the opposition, create and score goals, I don't think Willian does this enough. What if he gets injured, anyone happy with Alonso on the left wing and Pedro on the right? I'm not, though that's the likely scenario.

This one is open again: 

 

Chelsea are ready to set aside £53million in order to bring Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly to England. [Corriere dello Sport]

Replacement for Dave at RCB i'd imagine if we did sign him(and i imagine dave would switch to the left centre back position). He's 6'5 so would definitely help at set pieces, from what i've seen of him this year he's an absolutely tank of a defender, quick, strong and not bad with the ball either

Feels like we've been linked with a lot of players but nothing seems to be happening. I don't want to sound like a transfer moaner (I accept I am though) but why is it taking so long. Lukaku should surely be a done deal by now, the other babyeko (?) was apparently on his way to London on Saturday. 

Frustrating really. Rant over!

KK's agent allegedly has a gentlemen's agreement that Napoli would agree to an offer of 60m euros...but recent reports say that they aren't willing to entertain any offers for him...please don't let this degenerate into last Summer's farce...

3 hours ago, Sparkz said:

He's not a defensive midfielder, he's a deep lying playmaker who will sit deep and pull the strings

That's not how many reports describe him...but I bow to your greater knowledge...

I find the constant need to clarify player roles almost like the music genre arguments you see in the comments on youtube.

"Mate it's not techno, it's progressive jungle".