Original thread has been closed, so thought I'd start a new one. Obviously mods feel free to merge, etc.

Seems to be having a very good season at Torino under Mazzarri. predominantly at left wing-back. He also seems to be thoroughly enjoying himself in Italy, with an eye to staying there long-term. If he's still willing, I'd very much like to have him in the squad next season. His versatility is a real asset, especially considering our recent... ahem... struggles at left-back.

Found this interview with him in the Independent. He has always come across as humble, intelligent and likeable. Regardless of whether he ends up staying at Chelsea or not, I hope has a long and successful career:

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/ola-aina-chelsea-torino-loan-interview-profile-serie-a-transfer-epl-a8888536.html

2 hours ago, PloKoon13 said:

Original thread has been closed, so thought I'd start a new one. Obviously mods feel free to merge, etc.

Seems to be having a very good season at Torino under Mazzarri. predominantly at left wing-back. He also seems to be thoroughly enjoying himself in Italy, with an eye to staying there long-term. If he's still willing, I'd very much like to have him in the squad next season. His versatility is a real asset, especially considering our recent... ahem... struggles at left-back.

Found this interview with him in the Independent. He has always come across as humble, intelligent and likeable. Regardless of whether he ends up staying at Chelsea or not, I hope has a long and successful career:

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/ola-aina-chelsea-torino-loan-interview-profile-serie-a-transfer-epl-a8888536.html

Probably a better option than either of Alonso or Palmieri, but that would all be too easy for a club like ours ?

I thought we sold him in Jan?

I think they have the option to buy at the end of the loan.

The powers that be are clearly listening to me. Eddie Newton is a fan, seemingly we have him in mind in the event that the transfer ban is imposed with immediate effect:

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/chelsea/chelsea-reluctant-to-sell-ola-aina-with-transfer-ban-looming-a4130086.html

Eddie Newton: 'We've always known Ola has got exceptional talents - physical, technical, uses both feet, quick, powerful boy - but the question mark over his head was his concentration throughout 90 minutes. He has proved he can do that and been consistent this season.

“I’m really proud of him because he’s mentally tuned in now and I think we have to really start taking him seriously.”

I have seen a couple of videos of his performances in Torino & the one thing I gather was the fact that Aina was really good getting forward. Also he puts crosses into the box for Andrea Belotti. I was hoping CFC would give a chance in the off-season & that is starting to feel like a real possibility now.

Ive always rated Aina, this is good news.

Apparently some reports Torino is passing on the buy-option, would would be great news given our full back options (and just that Aina always seemed like a great option who should have been given more of a chance).  It does seem like he's been more of an attacking wing back than a proper full back in a four, which sounds suspiciously like Alonso and Emerson... but let's bring him back and try to make it work  It felt like he was on his way out from the interviews posted above, but he still has links to the area and academy and hopefully he'll be excited to have a real shot.

If the transfer ban is imposed, it would be good to have Aina.  Gives us more much more depth at fullback, especially if we plug Reece James in at CM like Wigan did.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Torino played Aina at wide midfield occasionally?

11 minutes ago, mwblue10 said:

If the transfer ban is imposed, it would be good to have Aina.  Gives us more much more depth at fullback, especially if we plug Reece James in at CM like Wigan did.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Torino played Aina at wide midfield occasionally?

LWB mainly for Torino i believe.

8 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

LWB mainly for Torino i believe.

Not sure how reliable this is, but it indicates he played exclusively LM & RM for Torino.  Could be subjective though, perhaps they are basing it off his position on the pitch and he was bombing forward a lot?

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ola-aina/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/236490/plus/0?saison=&verein=416&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=

57 minutes ago, mwblue10 said:

Not sure how reliable this is, but it indicates he played exclusively LM & RM for Torino.  Could be subjective though, perhaps they are basing it off his position on the pitch and he was bombing forward a lot?

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ola-aina/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/236490/plus/0?saison=&verein=416&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=

Yeah in a three at the back they often class those wing backs as a LM or RM. 

Looking like Aina is good as gone now

 

Just because they activate his clause it doesn’t me he has to sign for then, he has the option to say no. 

Looking more & more likely that Aina will be gone

 

 

8 minutes ago, robdog said:

Looking more & more likely that Aina will be gone

 

 

Congrats on handling another academy player poorly Chelsea

Torino president has announced the Aina signing - it's official.

Another one bites the dust.

I hope Petr Cech will implement a complete re-think of how we handle our young players and their loans ... and the terms of the loans ... 

A shame hes gone, but if there's some sort of buyback clause in there I'm good. Really think we could have got more money than the pathetic 10m thats being touted though.

Big Pete will need to change up the way we do loans in future. Instead of buying random players and loaning them straight out, they should almost entirely be comprised of academy players (Mount, Aina, Tammy etc..) and our first team players who struggled to find form for us, who can try redeem themselves at another big club (Bakayoko, Morata, Kenedy etc..) 

Buying players for the sole purpose of loaning them out like Piazon, Nathan, Pasalic etc have ended up being pointless 99% of the time. 

A shame that, I would have had him almost nailed-on for a spot in the first team next season.

Should have sold Zappacosta then give the spot to Aina. We could have gotten more money and the squad gets an extra homegrown player.

Really wasn’t our decision at this point - Torino activated the buy clause and Aina decided to stay there.  In fact, at the time that we loaned him with these terms, it really wouldn’t have appeared to be a bad deal for us.

9 hours ago, Deino said:

Should have sold Zappacosta then give the spot to Aina. We could have gotten more money and the squad gets an extra homegrown player.

Think we sold him because thats what we're planning to do with Reece James

Brilliant back heel assist for the Nigerian goal in today’s AFCON game. He has really grown as a player in the last year, and to think we sold him for half of Zappacosta ????