11 hours ago, Argo said:

There very likely won't be another Enzo anytime soon and even if there is the chances of us attracting him are low.

Same way Hazard and Kante type players didn't crop up every year (yes I believe he is that level of gamechanger).

That's a high level of possitivity. Transfermrkt is showing 115 appearances in total since 2019, 18 goals, 19 assists. I also think he will be good and will undoubtedly improve us, but again is there a bit too much of the "generational talent" hype a little too soon here.

It wouldn't surprise me if we search back far enough there would be plenty of people that are now advocating for Havertz to be moved on, that were raving about him as a worldwide game changer in the making before he joined.

I would like us to get Fernandez as our midfield is crying out for a revamp, but some of the numbers being quoted here and for Caceido are completely out of all proportion to what these players have actually shown on a regular consistent basis. I am not saying that you are wrong @Argo and if he is the next worldwide superstar please god let him be ours, but its a big call.

1 hour ago, WhiteWall said:

That's a high level of possitivity. Transfermrkt is showing 115 appearances in total since 2019, 18 goals, 19 assists. I also think he will be good and will undoubtedly improve us, but again is there a bit too much of the "generational talent" hype a little too soon here.

It wouldn't surprise me if we search back far enough there would be plenty of people that are now advocating for Havertz to be moved on, that were raving about him as a worldwide game changer in the making before he joined.

I would like us to get Fernandez as our midfield is crying out for a revamp, but some of the numbers being quoted here and for Caceido are completely out of all proportion to what these players have actually shown on a regular consistent basis. I am not saying that you are wrong @Argo and if he is the next worldwide superstar please god let him be ours, but its a big call.

Yes it's a big call but out of all our previous signings I've only ever been this sure about Kante and Hazard so without meaning to blow my own trumpet I do trust my own judgement when I become this level of confident in a player. Ofcourse we got those two at "reasonable" prices but if we had to pay £70m to get them (around the equivalent of Enzo's price tag in a pre Neymar to Paris market) then I'd have had no hesitation and if that's what it took and we walked away we'd most probably be on a 12 and a half year title drought right now.

Edited January 25, 20233 yr by Argo

We might have to come back to this in the summer. 

Maybe we are better in trusting our own ranks to drag us to top 7 this season and just close the lid on this. 

I feel like we are buying either Enzo or Caicedo for the wrong reasons. The market is what it is in January.

Enzo represents a profile we need more so than either Caicedo or Rice. A better Jorginho in almost every sense. 

Not sure if a deal has been proposed where we pay below the release clause and Benfica keep Enzo until the summer. 

 

I think we should just buy Amadou Haidara from Liepzig. I read Brighton are looking at him as a possible replacement for Caicedo. Just get him from Liepzig and tell both Brighton and Benfica to shove off... 

I do wonder what Benfica would say to a big offer and then loaned back, for free, until the summer. Wages n all. 

1 hour ago, d-one said:

I think we should just buy Amadou Haidara from Liepzig. I read Brighton are looking at him as a possible replacement for Caicedo. Just get him from Liepzig and tell both Brighton and Benfica to shove off... 

That's a name I've seen popping up for the last couple of years. 

Sod it! They’re going after us in any case for doing wgat everyone is doing, so just get Enzo for 160m€ and Caicedo/Rice for £100m. f**k FIFA, the FA and Taylor!

The Podcasters I listen to for updates based on various "news" sources say this one is sadly not happening. One said a deal to City in the summer is most likely move for him now.

 

Pretty sure no one knows anything. Much like before. 

19 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Pretty sure no one knows anything. Much like before. 

I have the upmost confidence in anything @JM7reports. 

“When you see Enzo playing for Benfica you see a very happy player, in great shape. He’s not thinking about anything else. I’m not expecting to lose any of our regulars, and that’s why I see very focused players and I hope this stays that way.”

-Roger Schmidt; source: Metro

From my own perspective, since Hazard and Kante, we seem to have trouble getting the truly world class signings over the line. These players are worth a fortune and the selling clubs know it. Unfortunately, there are a few clubs above us in the pecking order and if we don't cough up, they'll end up going to the bigger boys in the next window. 

If we don't  get Enzo now, we ain't getting him in the summer!

35 minutes ago, xXRuufioXx said:

From my own perspective, since Hazard and Kante, we seem to have trouble getting the truly world class signings over the line. These players are worth a fortune and the selling clubs know it. Unfortunately, there are a few clubs above us in the pecking order and if we don't cough up, they'll end up going to the bigger boys in the next window. 

If we don't  get Enzo now, we ain't getting him in the summer!

And before Hazard and Kante signed it was said we couldn't attract world class players either. 

We won't get Enzo because he's too bloody expensive not Chelsea's fault.

2 minutes ago, dennisbutnotwisey said:

And before Hazard and Kante signed it was said we couldn't attract world class players either. 

We won't get Enzo because he's too bloody expensive not Chelsea's fault.

I never said we couldn't attract them, I said we can't get them over the line. Which has been true of late.

If we sign Enzo we still need an elite anchor next to him or we're just in the same position Utd were in with Pogba for 5 years. 

Unless of course we're expecting Enzo to play that role of the anchor, which is a complete waste of his talents and a waste of money.

God i wish we still had Mikel.

I can only see us taking a plunge if we sell the likes of Ziyech, Gallagher and Pulisic.

This maybe a summer thing but I really don't see Benfica ever getting someone to buyout his clause.

On 25/01/2023 at 17:07, bisright1 said:

http://www.football-news-views.co.uk/football-news-1313-do-you-know-the-difference-between-release-clauses-and-buy-out-clauses.php

But also it's just nonsense. It doesn't make sense. If we effectively had to pay 160m to buyout, there wouldn't be talks. Benfica would tell us clearly, it's buyout or nothing and we know that the buyout would cost 160m and we'd stop talking. 

Put him on a 10 year contract 😁

So why ain’t we selling players ffs, create some interest, it’s like fantasy football, Buy, buy, buy……no sell, we have to these feckers!!!

I don’t see this one getting done. It’s a £100m deal, you don’t see these deals being done last minute. 
 

Feels like we had one shot and blew it. 

54 minutes ago, JM7 said:

I don’t see this one getting done. It’s a £100m deal, you don’t see these deals being done last minute. 
 

Feels like we had one shot and blew it. 

We have all the shots we want. Just because they don't want to accept the amount we are willing to pay, we haven't "blew it".

It's not a game. There's a price point they will accept, but its above what we will pay. If that number becomes one we are happy with, deal done. 

I'm not even sure if Benfica are expecting a bidding war in the summer. Who else would bid higher than 85m, and we already allegedly have personal terms agreed. 

3 hours ago, Ballack & Blu said:

So why ain’t we selling players ffs, create some interest, it’s like fantasy football, Buy, buy, buy……no sell, we have to these feckers!!!

Have you seen how most of our players have performed for the past 12 months? Makes perfect sense that there are not too many attractive bids for them.

Seems to be the general consensus is that the players most likely for the chop are any number of:

Jorgi (6 mths left on contract - no team coming in to throw money at us for him now when they can get for free in a few months)

Kante (ditto Jorgi)

Pulisic (Been rubbish for ages, also currently out with relatively long term injury - unlikely to pass any medical)

Ziyech (Probably one of our more sellable players off the back of a decent World Cup  - but Italian teams - who seem to be the most of those interested, are broke. Lets hope Newcastle Arabia come in for him)

Kepa (back in as our number 1. Still overpriced. Still on huge wages. Still pretty sh*t).

Koulibally (Been sh*t for us - legs look shot. If he was a horse he would be put down. Long term contract. Huge salary. Could be our new Bogarde)

 

I think those are the main crew of potential sales. As you can see - not all that much hope of getting rid.

 

2 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

I'm not even sure if Benfica are expecting a bidding war in the summer. Who else would bid higher than 85m, and we already allegedly have personal terms agreed. 

But hasn't yet said that his boyhood dream club is Barcelona and they havn't done there 15th lever yet

1 hour ago, nonotnowjim said:

Koulibally (Been sh*t for us - legs look shot. If he was a horse he would be put down. Long term contract. Huge salary. Could be our new Bogarde.

🤣😂🤣