This lad left Barcelona and has been linked with us. I think he is a highly rated young CB. Is there any update about our interest in him?

I thought he signed a new deal with Barca?

The latest is that we have signed him. 

Yeah it's been confirmed we've signed him for the development squad.

Nice, I mean he's being called the next Van Dijk so immediately my thought is they are overhyping him. Lets see how this goes

Edited August 20, 20205 yr by driller97

53 minutes ago, driller97 said:

Nice, I mean he's being called the next Van Dijk so immediately my thought is they are overhyping him. Lets see how this goes

Let's hope it's not Dick. I liked him in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang but his accent in Mary Poppins was woeful.

Edited August 20, 20205 yr by WhiteWall

Not sure how you pronounce his name but surely the shed faithful can come up with a song for him to the tune of Kumbaya My Lord.....................................!

Always rated him.

Don't want to throw him into the deep end straight away, but looks a prospect for sure. 

Potentially a real coup. 

Also it's confirmed, not a rumor anymore!

Yeah, so unfair to the lad to even mention VVD when writing about his transfer to Chelsea. OK he's a tall Dutch defender that's about where to comparison should end.

Who???

9 hours ago, BordeauxBlue said:

Don't want to throw him into the deep end straight away, but looks a prospect for sure. 

Potentially a real coup. 

Also it's confirmed, not a rumor anymore!

I think he's for our development squad for now. But do well there, and Frank will be knocking....

I’d like to see him go straight out on loan to an English club. Toughen him up in the lower leagues at somewhere like Sunderland. 

I think it’s really encouraging that young talent now sees Chelsea as an excellent club to play for and fulfil their potential. Pre Mount, Abraham, James, Tomori, CHO, would he have chosen Chelsea over the other big European clubs who were interested? Hopefully with Lampard at the helm we can reap the rewards of a stable structure which promotes youth and adds to the first team with the necessary quality. Exciting times ahead - welcome, Xavier. 

Is this official? Haven't seen anything from Chelsea.

14 minutes ago, evissy said:

Is this official? Haven't seen anything from Chelsea.

He’s holding the Chelsea shirt up on his official Instagram page, so unless we get an Obi Mikel saga I’d say he’s our player. 

24 minutes ago, evissy said:

Is this official? Haven't seen anything from Chelsea.

It's on the site halfway down the Izzy Brown story I think

He starts first team for me, sick of our lot. 

He starts first team for me, sick of our lot. 

Let's see. Interesting prospect anyway.

And Gem, be cool. [emoji41]

6 minutes ago, Gem said:

He starts first team for me, sick of our lot. 

Until he does a gruff turn in the six yard box or plays a square ball to the opposition, a last Tomori,  and everyone canes him for not being ready. I'm all for loans I just don't understand the current fashion of season long. Why can't we loan until Christmas and reassess then with an option to extend. That way if he's tearing it up we can always bring him back.

How many players of this age have Barca let go in the past 15 years that they have gone on to regret?

Edited August 21, 20205 yr by driller97

1 hour ago, WhiteWall said:

It's on the site halfway down the Izzy Brown story I think

Indeed it is !

Cant see him spending much time in the youth team, with his physical adavantage over players that age, i dont think it would benefit him. 

I think he will be in and around the 1st team, and if he isnt going to get minutes with us this season, he will go out on loan towards the end of the window. 

He looks to have the physical and technical attributes to be one of the best in the world, but the question will be whether he has the mentality and tactical nouse to make reach that level. 

Exciting signing though.

1 hour ago, driller97 said:

How many players of this age have Barca let go in the past 15 years that they have gone on to regret?

I read an interesting article on him that stated that he come to train with us and wanted to sign with us last year, but we couldn't because of the transfer banned. So maybe the intention was always to go to Barcelona and come back to us this year ????, plus we are definitely more likely to offer first team football quicker than Barcelona.