Hardly impressive, apart from his hairstyle.  

 

Let's get serious !  Maurizio wants Higuain not an unknown of 27 years.

Or a top player or nothing.

I taken a look at a few clips, penalties, free-kicks, one on ones with a turn of pace and headers. Still not sure due to the leagues whether he is only looking good because they are poor. 32 in 34 for the Turkish side in 4th. 

Take with a pinch of salt??

Chelsea transfer news: Barcelona president opens talks over Philippe Coutinho swap deal
CHELSEA have been offered Barcelona ace Philippe Coutinho in exchange for Eden Hazard, it has sensationally been claimed.

Source - Daily Star

1 hour ago, the special one said:

Take with a pinch of salt??

Chelsea transfer news: Barcelona president opens talks over Philippe Coutinho swap deal
CHELSEA have been offered Barcelona ace Philippe Coutinho in exchange for Eden Hazard, it has sensationally been claimed.

Source - Daily Star

If it's true, then it shouldn't even be considered, not even for a second.

3 hours ago, the special one said:

Take with a pinch of salt??

Chelsea transfer news: Barcelona president opens talks over Philippe Coutinho swap deal
CHELSEA have been offered Barcelona ace Philippe Coutinho in exchange for Eden Hazard, it has sensationally been claimed.

Source - Daily Star

Hmmm... how about Willian + Morata for Coutinho?

34 minutes ago, Wearyourblue said:

Hmmm... how about Willian + Morata for Coutinho?

Hell, you can even throw in an Alonso... I know there were rumors of them looking at him as well.

On 10/01/2019 at 12:49, dkw said:

What's a joelinton? Sounds like a plumber from Halifax, "Joe Linton and sons, we unblock anything...." 

Well if he can unblock a stubborn defence...

Tentative rumours today of us considering triggering our buy back clause for Nathan Ake which expires this season. £40m.

With Luiz apparently unlikely to renew is expiring contract there may just be something to this. 

12 hours ago, ForeverCarefree said:

Tentative rumours today of us considering triggering our buy back clause for Nathan Ake which expires this season. £40m.

With Luiz apparently unlikely to renew is expiring contract there may just be something to this. 

Well we certainly need to consider homegrown options for some of our signings and he knows the club well. These days he plays more as a full back though. I would see Ampadu as the long term successor for Luiz and not just because of his hair.

14 hours ago, ForeverCarefree said:

Tentative rumours today of us considering triggering our buy back clause for Nathan Ake which expires this season. £40m.

With Luiz apparently unlikely to renew is expiring contract there may just be something to this. 

We would be foolish not to being him back.

Nathan Ake for 40m..do we need him? 

Ake is still very defensively naive imho, due to poor positioning in a 1 v 1 situations he still fails to block shots that players with worse ball playing ability do naturally for instance.

He would however be a good backup CB to have, and as we know he can also play LB/DM, I just don't see him as a first team regular if we have any ambition. Ampadu may develop into a better player personally, he just won't have that 'grace' (fluid movement) that Ake seems to possess (which leads people to believe he's better than he is).

I think the Ake rumour may have something to do with Callum Wilson... apparently we've been quoted £75m!?!

Edited January 14, 20197 yr by the special one

3 hours ago, evissy said:

Nathan Ake for 40m..do we need him? 

Cahill looks like he's off this month and at the moment the current rumour is that David Luiz isn't going to renew his contract with us and will leave on a free at the end of the season. 

With Cahill and Fabregas going we've lost two of our homegrown contingent so you can bet we'll be looking for players that qualify under that rule (one of the reasons I think we've shown an interest in Wilson). 

Not sure Ake is of good enough personally. He's a decent player but if we want to kick on and improve the team we need to be looking at top quality players. If we lost Luiz and replaced him with Ake I think we'd have regressed. 

2 hours ago, the special one said:

Ake is still very defensively naive imho, due to poor positioning in a 1 v 1 situations he still fails to block shots that players with worse ball playing ability do naturally for instance.

He would however be a good backup CB to have, and as we know he can also play LB/DM, I just don't see him as a first team regular if we have any ambition. Ampadu may develop into a better player personally, he just won't have that 'grace' (fluid movement) that Ake seems to possess (which leads people to believe he's better than he is).

I think the Ake rumour may have something to do with Callum Wilson... apparently we've been quoted £75m!?!

On reflection I was a little hasty saying this - for me Ake would absolutely be a good signing - I still think he's defensively naive, but IF he kicks on to another level he does have potential to be a top top player - what I meant to say is that I'd like us to sign Ake but also maybe to sign Javi Martinez (if Luiz leaves next summer?).

Rudiger/Christensen (or Ampadu if Christensen is Barcelona bound?) - Martinez/Ake 

Edited January 14, 20197 yr by the special one

I can't see why Ake a nailed on starter at Bournemouth with a solid manager would want to come back to Chelsea with the vague promise he might replace someone in the near future.

Apparently Bournemouth are now asking 70m for Wilson which for me closes that particular striking option.

 

Ake's not even that good. His positioning is poor whenever I see him play.

The names like Ake and Wilson doing the rounds just fill me with a feeling of how far we have fallen in terms of our ambition.

Replacing the type of players we have had over the past few years with a level or 2 below is not the best way to kick on.

 

7 minutes ago, Chelsbear said:

The names like Ake and Wilson doing the rounds just fill me with a feeling of how far we have fallen in terms of our ambition.

Replacing the type of players we have had over the past few years with a level or 2 below is not the best way to kick on.

 

Solid homegrown squad players though wouldn't you agree?

7 minutes ago, Chelsbear said:

The names like Ake and Wilson doing the rounds just fill me with a feeling of how far we have fallen in terms of our ambition.

Replacing the type of players we have had over the past few years with a level or 2 below is not the best way to kick on.

 

Think it has more to do with a lack of squad planning, due to not having a technical director in place. We have lost 1 homegrown player, and potentially could lose 2- 3 more by the end of the month in Cahill, Moses, Drinkwater). 

 

1 minute ago, the special one said:

Solid homegrown squad players though wouldn't you agree?

Ake yes; wouldn’t touch Wilson. Wan Bisakka and Chilwell are better options.

We are paying now for being shortshighted and getting rid of Ake, Chalobah, Aina etc few years ago. 

3 minutes ago, the special one said:

Solid homegrown squad players though wouldn't you agree?

Should be producing our own HG squad players, can't be that tough a task given the levels of investment in our academy. Rather than stumping up £100m+ for two Bournemouth players (no slight against them).

23 minutes ago, the special one said:

Solid homegrown squad players though wouldn't you agree?

isn't that what we have an academy for and our youth teams are always in and around the European titles so surely a few like CHO could make the numbers up. 

It's just poor long term planning and it's hitting us heavy in the pocket having to shell out huge fee's for players who are not going to add much at all to our first team when that money could go toward a top player who would improve us.

We just seem to be a rudderless ship at the minute.

12 minutes ago, Chelsbear said:

isn't that what we have an academy for and our youth teams are always in and around the European titles so surely a few like CHO could make the numbers up. 

It's just poor long term planning and it's hitting us heavy in the pocket having to shell out huge fee's for players who are not going to add much at all to our first team when that money could go toward a top player who would improve us.

We just seem to be a rudderless ship at the minute.

Nail on the head mate, it's a f**king joke tbh

This Paredes better be f**king worth it if he signs, if he flops too I can't help but feel the mood will turn very sour at the Bridge.

Edited January 14, 20197 yr by the special one

Wilson isn't worthy that 50 million

Only 13 goals whole last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB0fMUTzX9s