38 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

Even if Chalobah keeps improving, I think signing Kounde is as important as ever, if he is as good as some are saying that is. Rudiger and Christensen's contract issues are a very real issue and we can't assume the pair of them will be here next season. We will be in a bit of a sh*t position if they don't sign and we have nobody here ready to replace them.

We also need to think about Thiago Silva as well. I know he wants to play in the next world cup, so I am sure he will want to extend his contract with us for another season after this one, but still, football changes very quickly, and however good Thiago Silva may still be right now, his age means his body could stop him being so good any day now.

I wouldn't fancy going into next summers transfer window with only Thiago Silva, Chalobah, Azpilicueta, James and Zouma (if he stays this season) as our only CB options. It would leave us in a desperate position.

And what is the plan if we sign him this season? You don’t keep an €80m signing on the bench. You sign him now, reduce Chalobah’s mins, and with 2yrs left on his contract you risk losing him next summer.

Biggest issue is Rudiger & Christensen refusing to sign a contract, with Rudiger constantly moving the goalposts regarding when he was going to sign the contract. If we are signing a new CB it has to be one playing at LCB to compete with Rudiger, not another RCB to reduce Chalobah’s mins.

 

1 hour ago, Scott Harris said:

Even if Chalobah keeps improving, I think signing Kounde is as important as ever, if he is as good as some are saying that is. Rudiger and Christensen's contract issues are a very real issue and we can't assume the pair of them will be here next season. We will be in a bit of a sh*t position if they don't sign and we have nobody here ready to replace them.

We also need to think about Thiago Silva as well. I know he wants to play in the next world cup, so I am sure he will want to extend his contract with us for another season after this one, but still, football changes very quickly, and however good Thiago Silva may still be right now, his age means his body could stop him being so good any day now.

I wouldn't fancy going into next summers transfer window with only Thiago Silva, Chalobah, Azpilicueta, James and Zouma (if he stays this season) as our only CB options. It would leave us in a desperate position.

Completely agree

18 minutes ago, ducavis said:

And what is the plan if we sign him this season? You don’t keep an €80m signing on the bench. You sign him now, reduce Chalobah’s mins, and with 2yrs left on his contract you risk losing him next summer.

Biggest issue is Rudiger & Christensen refusing to sign a contract, with Rudiger constantly moving the goalposts regarding when he was going to sign the contract. If we are signing a new CB it has to be one playing at LCB to compete with Rudiger, not another RCB to reduce Chalobah’s mins.

 

There’s plenty of games to go around. Chalobah could start all the domestic cup games, plus a bit of the league and CL. If Kounde comes in, then a CB is definitely leaving.

1 hour ago, Scott Harris said:

Even if Chalobah keeps improving, I think signing Kounde is as important as ever, if he is as good as some are saying that is. Rudiger and Christensen's contract issues are a very real issue and we can't assume the pair of them will be here next season. We will be in a bit of a sh*t position if they don't sign and we have nobody here ready to replace them.

We also need to think about Thiago Silva as well. I know he wants to play in the next world cup, so I am sure he will want to extend his contract with us for another season after this one, but still, football changes very quickly, and however good Thiago Silva may still be right now, his age means his body could stop him being so good any day now.

I wouldn't fancy going into next summers transfer window with only Thiago Silva, Chalobah, Azpilicueta, James and Zouma (if he stays this season) as our only CB options. It would leave us in a desperate position.

Good points, thanks.

13 minutes ago, mwblue10 said:

Completely agree

There’s plenty of games to go around. Chalobah could start all the domestic cup games, plus a bit of the league and CL. If Kounde comes in, then a CB is definitely leaving.

At his age he needs to be playing regularly not stuck on the bench. We have been down this road with his brother, and you bet once you relegate him to an afterthought he will do what is best for his career; refuse to sign a new contract, and you either sell him next summer or walk on a free the year after.

4 hours ago, ducavis said:

And what is the plan if we sign him this season? You don’t keep an €80m signing on the bench. You sign him now, reduce Chalobah’s mins, and with 2yrs left on his contract you risk losing him next summer.

Biggest issue is Rudiger & Christensen refusing to sign a contract, with Rudiger constantly moving the goalposts regarding when he was going to sign the contract. If we are signing a new CB it has to be one playing at LCB to compete with Rudiger, not another RCB to reduce Chalobah’s mins.

 

That issue is why it can be good to sign Kounde rather now than later. If we are to lose one or both of those names everyone will know we are looking to sign a new defender in the next transfer window and suddenly the fees will be even higher. I read somewhere that the board is seeing Kounde also as a youth project because he's only 22 years old so even if we get him there wouldn't be much pressure but he can take his time to adapt to the new team and so on, T.Silva doesn't need to play against the bottom 8 teams so if we keep this formation there would still be enough space for Chalobah to play even if Kounde is signed.

Not sure on Kounde just now, know there is a risk he goes elsewhere.

With Chalobah playing well we have a lot of CBs, also guess not all will be here next season.

If you bring him now others will need to sit it out and sometimes this can damage team spirit.

Have a feeling Zouma will go before the deadline.

 

1 minute ago, Strider6003 said:

Not sure on Kounde just now, know there is a risk he goes elsewhere.

With Chalobah playing well we have a lot of CBs, also guess not all will be here next season.

If you bring him now others will need to sit it out and sometimes this can damage team spirit.

Have a feeling Zouma will go before the deadline.

 

You also have to consider the what if. What if Christensen (yes I know many are confident he signs a new deal) and Rudiger agree pre contracts with say Real and PSG. 

What if we are not competing for the title but are fighting for top 4. Are you sure both of those guys remain fully committed for that fight and do not protect themselves for their future moves?

If that happens we will be very happy to have Kounde to go with Silva and Trev.

1 minute ago, axman2526 said:

You also have to consider the what if. What if Christensen (yes I know many are confident he signs a new deal) and Rudiger agree pre contracts with say Real and PSG. 

What if we are not competing for the title but are fighting for top 4. Are you sure both of those guys remain fully committed for that fight and do not protect themselves for their future moves?

If that happens we will be very happy to have Kounde to go with Silva and Trev.

Yes that would leave Azpi and Silva and James can also fill in.

I agree it is a risk as Kounde is certainly a good long term prospect.

6 minutes ago, Strider6003 said:

Yes that would leave Azpi and Silva and James can also fill in.

I agree it is a risk as Kounde is certainly a good long term prospect.

Kounde also frees up Trev to play midfield cover as needed as well. 

 

Bottom line for me is if TT really wants him I hope we back him again and sign him. It is clear to me TT is impressed with Trev and he will get minutes as long as he keeps working hard and has a top attitude

9 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Kounde also frees up Trev to play midfield cover as needed as well. 

Bottom line for me is if TT really wants him I hope we back him again and sign him. It is clear to me TT is impressed with Trev and he will get minutes as long as he keeps working hard and has a top attitude

I agree, would like to see him used as cover for the midfield at times as well this season, although apparently Tuchel see's him as a defender going forward. If Zouma does end up going then I think the signing of Kounde would only strengthen the squad. 

Romano says were still interested in signing him. This might be one of our late transfers for the summer.

I hope we push this through.  We're going in the right direction, and signings like Lukaku and Kounde address quality when adding.  We'll have a few too many CBs, but still think one or two could leave, coupled with contracts.  Puts us in a strong position.

Chalobah will continue to get his chances.  This is good in building for the future.

I hope we do sign Kounde, I know there’s a risk that Trev’s minutes will be reduced but we do need to think 2/3/4 years down the line. We’ve got a lot of uncertainties around our defence so if he’s as good as what is believed then we need to snap him up while he’s available. 

Update lads

 

 

2 hours ago, LongtimerLurker said:

Update lads

 

 

I hope we sign him this window. Then next summer we don't need to worry about any defender.

It looks like we are offloading Zouma and bidding for Kounde. This is no news but it seems like this is the way we go. 

https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1429778970514427907?s=19

Essentially financing Lukaku and Kounde by selling surplus like we have this summer would be fantastic business.

I went and watched a bit of Seville v Rayo. Too one sided after zidane  sent off, before that Kounde didn’t look that exciting was pretty heavily pressured by some Rayo left winger. The winger did a cross in. Kounde did look reasonably quick and his passing and touch were good  without being exciting in themselves. 

40 minutes ago, Sindre said:

Essentially financing Lukaku and Kounde by selling surplus like we have this summer would be fantastic business.

Not bad window pretty decent good I would say.

 

Edit Zappa has gone to Atalanta for €10m so that's some more in the pot. Pending a successful medical

Edited August 23, 20214 yr by LongtimerLurker

1 hour ago, LongtimerLurker said:

Not bad window pretty decent good I would say.

 

Edit Zappa has gone to Atalanta for €10m so that's some more in the pot. Pending a successful medical

Quite, quite good. More to come too. Bakayoko loan fee, Barkley will leave too. Wouldn’t shock me to see RLC go on loan again as well. Plus the fee for Zouma’s sale. We will get close to coming out even on the Lukaku and Kounde deals.

45 minutes ago, mwblue10 said:

Quite, quite good. More to come too. Bakayoko loan fee, Barkley will leave too. Wouldn’t shock me to see RLC go on loan again as well. Plus the fee for Zouma’s sale. We will get close to coming out even on the Lukaku and Kounde deals.

So far with buy backs and all we are doing a good job this summer.

His passing is unreal.

If we can raise the money for a decent amount of his estimated 68mill transfers fee through sales and loans of players TT is happy to let go, from my reading we will be happy to pay Sevilla the fee they want.

Also read all deals including and before Tammy have already covered the cost of signing Lukaku. Everything after that is to fund towarda Kounde.

In theory that is:

Zouma to West Ham for 26mill (him leaving is key)

Zappacosta to Atalanta for 7.5mill 

Ike Ugbo to Genk for 5mill

Bakayoko to Milan Loan for 1.5mill 

That would free up a CB spot and raise 40mill. That will likely be enough for the club to agree to Sevillas demands and could be offset more if we can shift Barkley.

I feel this deal might just happen. Pretty much depending on Zouma exit. Hopefully we can strike a deal with WHU.

Arsenal game illustrated once more we can do with better ball playing CB's. Kounde should be just that.