Chelsea Banter Archive January 29 2020

29 Jan 2020 21:37:47
There would be no way we'd sell Willian this close to end of window without chance to get replacement in, Barcelona are as desperate as we are.

29 Jan 2020 21:43:42
Boga or Zaha. Or a silly huge bid for Sancho.

29 Jan 2020 23:09:27
Never happening even the press in Barcelona are laughing at Sky Sports apparently with their stupid rumours now.

29 Jan 2020 23:29:52
I was arguing / discussing on twitter with someone about how we have our targets but clubs won’t sell mid season. There response was pay over the top to get our targets, I thought that was ridiculous, now Windows nearly closer I’m thinking the same thing. I’d make a terrible owner lol.

30 Jan 2020 00:59:50
Even paying over the top still won't do it. Players like Sancho and Werner were never moving no matter how much money was offered unless we start going into stupid figures.

But overpaying slightly for certain players would end up being worth it if the teams targets are achieved at the end of the season. In the position we're in and with other teams strengthening for me we have to take the risk. Especially if it's for either Mertens, M. Dembele or Cavani since i genuinely believe they'll be huge for us in getting top 4.

29 Jan 2020 20:52:16
Reports that Barcelona are going to make a late move for Willian before Friday.

I know a lot on here are not Willian's biggest fans, but imo we can't afford to lose him even more so if we don't bring anyone else in.

Willian could and will be vital to us in our chase for a top 4 as spot during the remainder of the season.

We need experience in our squad, and losing one of our most experienced players this month certainly won't help in the months ahead.

29 Jan 2020 21:25:13
If we bring in Mertens i don't mind offloading Willian. Mertens can play in his position if needed and we'll still have Pulisic, CHO and Pedro (eventhough i rate Willian higher than Pedro) . But if we just bring in a backup ST who can only play at ST then it'd be foolish to sell him.

29 Jan 2020 22:15:51
he is a top class professional he never seems to come out an say i want to leave etc obviosuly he's happy and settled in london but he's also wise enough to realise its his last chance to sign for a big club and Barcelona is as big as they come have to love willians professionalism do top bloke.

30 Jan 2020 07:31:38
Ed already said willian wants to stay at chelsea.

29 Jan 2020 18:03:33
Hertha Berlin sign piatek - €28m, that rumour now dead too, praying there some hope for dembele, also Milan selling piatek and having ZI, what strange business, doesn't seem they are planning for future, maybe we'll look to Hernandez on the left in the summer.

29 Jan 2020 20:05:45
They've agreed a fee. That's all at the moment. (Unless ed says otherwise)

They are likely to sign him, like Tottenham were likely to sign Willian and we were likely to sign Robhino.

29 Jan 2020 10:36:42
No signings looking ever likelier. The club needed to treat this like the summer window and accept we may need to overpay to get deals done. I worry massively especially for forward areas and creativity. If Abraham gets injured long term, the top 4 is gone.

29 Jan 2020 10:56:25
RJ28P I would love to have seen at least one signing this window that could have added genuine quality to the side, as I fear Bruno Fernandes will to United. Would much like us to have signed him. Perhaps such a signing (or two?! ) will still happen. But as Ed002 has pointed out and most of us accept the January window is v tricky for obvious reasons beyond the financial ones - and to most clubs including CFC presumably latter still a consideration if books to be balanced/ money not wasted - because few clubs would allow best players to leave mid-season. So I agree with you that we need (and club knows it) to bring in another striker/ proven goal scorer to have better chance of top 4 place but clearly real quality one needs to be both available and willing to come to us. Bit like TomB - if you read this Tom, much hope you're doing ok and my thoughts like others on here are with you - I don't like endless paper speculations and look forward to window closing. If a surprise fantastic signing still comes in will be great of course.

29 Jan 2020 11:33:49
JBS, listening to Lampard's interviews, you can hear the frustration. Judging on what journalists are saying, we are penny-pinching again. I'd love Lampard to come out and give his true honest opinion on the board and say what he wanted this window as it is clear as day we've failed to provide it. Buck said in November the next window would show how much Roman was committed to Chelsea. Evidence so far is very little.

29 Jan 2020 12:17:44
RJ28P - what does it even mean to be "penny pinching"?
Nowhere in the world will you find a business that will be spending several millions more than what they believe the product they're buying is worth - at least I think you would have a really, really hard time finding a lot of healthy businesses that would do that.
And while Chelsea is a football club, it is also a business, and the governing bodies of the footballing world have certain rules to prevent clubs from spending much more money than they earn.
Paying too much for players should not be the road to go, because why wouldn't every club in the following transfer windows not want us to pay more for their players?
At least, I myself have complete faith in the leaders of this club that they're trying their very best to secure a responsible future for the club that we all love.

29 Jan 2020 15:35:47
EmilSC, I mean it's why we won't meet Dembele's asking price, why we want a reduction on Sancho's asking price, why we won't pay the costs for Cavani. The list goes on.

29 Jan 2020 16:07:55
Well I do get what you mean. But it's honestly very difficult as a person that isn't involved in the deals to be able to tell whether Dembele is being valued to high by Lyon because of injuries, and perhaps Cavani is simply just seen as being too expensive given his age and recent injury record?
In regards to Sancho, it quite simply seems as if Dortmund have put a very very high valuation on him, but with a lot of the biggest clubs in Europe interested in him, why wouldn't they?

29 Jan 2020 20:46:16
Van Dijk seemed expensive. I bet everyone now would say it was good business. Our board refuse to pay up when it matters. When did we last sign a first choice target.

{Ed002's Note - I have no idea what you are talking about.}

29 Jan 2020 07:39:02
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Review Of The Day 29th January 2020