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23 Jun 2026 11:25:13
Watching developments with Paz closely. Reports that Real will recall this summer and look to immediately sell for £60m. As I previously mentioned, it's something that I think Chelsea should be all over, perfect makeweight for any deal Real want to do for Fernandez.
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23 Jun 2026 14:01:31
Please, no. The last thing we need is another young prospect from a foreign league.
We need 2 or 3 experienced Premier League ready players to complement the wonderful array of youngsters already recruited.
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23 Jun 2026 14:37:36
I'd usually agree with you this summer, but I think Paz qualifies as a special talent, or 'market opportunity' seems to be a vogue comment. Paz wasn't just another good player in a foreign league. He was one of the best players in Italy last season. I wouldn't mind him singing at all, not that there's anything suggesting that will happen other than my imagination.
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23 Jun 2026 14:49:07
Agree completely, J.
He is an unbelievable talent and isn't far off the level of Enzo as things stand. I believe his preference is to stay at Como, with Cesc, and he wants to test himself in the Champions League, however, if we get the chance to sign him, he would be an instant starter for us.
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23 Jun 2026 16:23:11
We have enough youngsters. We already have four new ones coming. We need experienced heads to assist our youngsters.
At the moment, we only need 2/3 experienced players, and we are good to go.
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23 Jun 2026 17:49:28
Those saying they want experienced & PL ready players, who are these players? Morgan Rogers has played in the PL, but at 23 is that experienced? £100m price tag too. I struggle to see any other PL forwards that fulfil the experienced & PL requirements. Kroupi & Rayan are more prospects. Ndiaye? Not sure he has that top quality.
Outside the PL, Leao - awful, Barcola - speed merchant with little end product (young too at 23), Kvara, Doue, Rodrygo, Vini Jr, Olise, Musiala. None of them are likely to leave their clubs. Yildiz & Guler both 21.
So, genuine question, what are the experienced options out there?
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23 Jun 2026 17:58:06
Fuser, I see it as something that us fans are often guilty of.
We say sack the manager, this or that player is embarrassing, the SD's are useless, and the owners are out of their depth.
Very few of us come up with alternatives. Our sometimes justified criticism is always very constructive.
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23 Jun 2026 18:28:35
Tom
Last summer window we could have obtained Osimhen but lost him to Turkey, there were also transfers for Sesko and the striker Arsenal secured. That was the window we should have sorted out our striker situation, instead we got Delap.
Galatasaray are now demanding 150mil euros for Osimhen.
Also, we could have got our GK target, but we would not pay the smallish fee and he re-signed for Milan.
So yes, I would say there is a problem with our recruitment, and that's on the SDs.
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23 Jun 2026 18:28:46
Bill, I agree with you. We have 4 young players coming in, and some will no doubt be loaned. That's enough for one window. We need to balance the squad with mentality. As for Paz, I know nothing about him. If Enzo goes, and he is good enough to start, that's fine with me. Following last summer's dire recruitment, there needs to be a big improvement.
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23 Jun 2026 18:30:32
We can also put Paz to bed as a transfer, as there is a stipulation that if RM bring him back, they can't sell him for 12 weeks.
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23 Jun 2026 19:05:40
Fuser, I would like 3 top players to come in: an experienced goalkeeper, an experienced centre back, and a top striker. My choice would be Diogo Costa as keeper, Alessandro Bastoni at centre back, and Victor Osimhen as a striker.
They won't be cheap, and that is why I would swerve more young prospects costing millions, and just pump the money into those 3. Maybe wishful thinking, but you asked the question, and that is my answer.
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23 Jun 2026 19:53:02
Greenaway, fair enough. You’ve put your cards on the table. I would be happy with your choices, but as you say, wishful thinking. If Enzo goes, we need a replacement, and our options at left wing are very weak. As I said previously, it will be interesting to see who are our starting 11 on the first game of the season.
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23 Jun 2026 19:54:43
Bill, I wanted us to sign Osimhen year's ago but apparently and if I remember from Ed002, "his" wage demands were ridiculous.
Sesko was a player I wanted us to sign rather than Delap and then had the p#as taken out of me for most of last season as he underperformed for a while at Utd.
As far as keepers are concerned, if we can't get Costa, stick with what we have got.
Anyway, my point remains I can't see the point slagging everyone at Chelsea without suggesting an alternative.
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23 Jun 2026 21:19:51
Tom, stick with what we've got. If you mean Sanchez, we're screwed. Penders might be loaned. I can't see Alonso wanting Sanchez, he likes keepers who can take control of the ball when the opposition are pressing high. If not Costa, other options should be considered. Sanchez is a liability. Can't think of another PL club who would start him.
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23 Jun 2026 21:29:12
Jimbo, the spuds keeper is the worst in the Premiership by a long way.
Also, I remember some fans saying we should sign the Sunderland keeper. I watched him in our game, and he looked very shaky, but that was only one game.
The only keepers I rate in the Premiership are Raya and Alisson.
As I say, if we can’t sign Costa, I can’t see the point.
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23 Jun 2026 21:54:10
Looks like we have signed Marco Palestra for £60 million, so that is a big chunk of the transfer budget gone. Did Alonso want him? Or are the sporting directors still dictating? Has anyone heard of him?
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23 Jun 2026 21:55:29
Tom, not sure which Spurs keeper you are referring to. Okay, Sanchez is the second worst keeper in the Premier League: that's the point, most options would be an improvement.
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23 Jun 2026 21:58:40
RPD, my comment on this subject is on the "rumours" page.
I assume Gusto is being sold, maybe to City.
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23 Jun 2026 21:59:46
Rpd, I should have added, apparently Alonso is a massive fan.
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23 Jun 2026 22:19:20
Jimbo, I have mentioned the only two Premiership keepers I rate and I wouldn't want any of the others as our No1.
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23 Jun 2026 22:29:52
Not sure it'll be as high as £60m for Palestra. Inter were mooted to be buying him for around €50m or £45m. That being said, it's someone Alonso likes, a replacement for Gusto, but equally capable of covering on the left. 🤷🏻♂️
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23 Jun 2026 22:37:13
Fuser, just finished looking at him in some clips. It's never good making a judgement on a player from clips, but he does look useful.
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23 Jun 2026 19:35:37
Great players Greenaway, I'd certainly be happy if we got them but it's just never going to happen. Osimhen wanted 400k/week or around that when we were trying to get him last summer and we obviously didn't want to pay that, I can't imagine his wage demands have gone down or our willingness to pay that much has gone up even with a 'change in direction'. I don't think Bastoni wants to leave Italy, although his stance may have changed recently. I believe it was ed002 or ed001 who mentioned it a few years ago.
Bill, Arsenal are looking for an upgrade on Gyokeres (or at least their fans want a new starting striker and their interest in Alvarez seems to indicate so) and United fans want another starting ST for Sesko to learn from. So even if we signed either of them last summer, would we not just be in the same position as their fans wanting another no9 to replace them?
I don't see us signing a ST unfortunately, both due to there being rather slim pickings out there and we have something like 6 ST's on the books. I think J.Pedro had a good enough season to remain our #1 striker for the upcoming season in the least. Depending on what formation Alonso goes for I'd be looking for a LW or no10 as that's definitely the weakest side of the pitch. My pick would be Yildiz, who despite being on the younger side is a very exciting player. Roger's probably being 2nd choice.
I think it's also likely we might go for Lacroix, there's been a lot of links to him and he's performed pretty well for Palace so I can see it happening. Maybe Diomande of Sporting. Haven't seen too many links to him recently though.
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23 Jun 2026 23:11:00 Don't know anything about Palestra; however, if Gusto goes I won't be bothered, and if Alonso has influenced the signing, good enough for me. As for our transfer budget, I think (and hope) we will be shedding quite a few players, which should help us fund new signings. Tom, by your post, it could be interpreted that you believe Sanchez is the 3rd best keeper in the PL; you must be joking! Next, you'll want Sterling back.
22 Jun 2026 15:17:45
Looks like we have sold Maresca to the 115 club for €20mil.
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22 Jun 2026 15:56:35
In my opinion, not enough. I would rather report them to the governing bodies.
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22 Jun 2026 16:03:07
Money talks, Tom, plus they have enough on their plate with their 115 charges.
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22 Jun 2026 16:39:37
Bill, money often talks, but I repeat, in my opinion it's not enough.
Further to your post, I certainly don't feel in any way sorry for City. They broke the rules, the judgement should have been made ages ago, and I hope they get exactly what they deserve. A substantial points deduction, multiple transfer window bans and an eye watering fine.
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22 Jun 2026 16:52:51
And they have to give us Haaland on a free transfer.
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23 Jun 2026 06:57:39
Bill, we were nicely on track for a top 4 finish when Man City tapped up Maresca, unsettled us as a club, and set the seeds for a disastrous second half of the season. With Maresca at the helm, we may well have achieved Champions League football this season, which is worth around £40 million, so that is the bare minimum we should demand in compensation.
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23 Jun 2026 07:18:16
If as reported, the compensation paid to us is £20m, then I'm not happy, but I will be happy next season when we are back challenging for the Premiership. 🤞
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23 Jun 2026 08:25:28
Tom, fingers crossed indeed. That will depend on signings 3 or 4 in the right positions and getting rid of at least half a dozen players. That said, I have a smidgen of hope which might be increased by a good transfer window.
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23 Jun 2026 10:47:09
I suspect the 'tapping up' was wanted by Maresca and City knew that all too well. After all, he knows all the people there, and there will surely have been earlier informal discussions. But Chelsea were right to go after City for approaching someone - whether head coach or player - under contract, and we have never made anyone stay who wanted to leave, which Maresca obviously did.
So, personally, I blame Maresca as much as City for what happened, and the run of bad form started when he had lost focus/interest in CFC, and points were dropped accordingly. So, yes, if he had been honorable and fully committed to the club, we may well have got top 4/5 and Champions League football. But he wasn't, and let's put the myth of St Enzo M, the potential saviour, to bed and realise that this was just a pretty sorry, typical football ego/perceived better opportunity saga.
Yes, I was shocked and dismayed by his departure, having begun to warm to someone I had initially thought of as a bit of a cold fish and who didn't get us playing v attractive football. But in that final of the CWC he did get the tactics spot on, and I loved his passionate running down the touchline after Estevao's very late winner v Liverpool. But the fact is that he, as much as City, stabbed us in the back. EM could have told them that he had a contract to honour, even if he did have transfer disagreements with flaky BlueCo SDs. Or that's my view, and probably the last time I will post about this!
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23 Jun 2026 14:05:08
Not sure why you are defending Man City for tapping up our head coach J. I stick to my argument that, without them doing that, we would have got top 4 and probably won a pot as well. They should pay £40 million in compensation.
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23 Jun 2026 14:16:02
It takes two to tango!
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23 Jun 2026 14:29:35
It does, Jimbo, but when you have pointed out to your sporting directors the deficiencies in the squad, and they ignore you, and your same sporting directors start gate crashing the dressing room, and your same sporting directors instruct the medical team to tell you when to substitute a player, you are probably feeling a tad pissed off, so when a rival taps you up and offers candy and promises, there was likely only one outcome.
As I have repeatedly said, the sporting directors were at fault, and I'm amazed that they are still around, to be honest, but Man City still acted as predators and should still pay £40 million.
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23 Jun 2026 15:03:09
Greenaway, in my experience, there is a clause in virtually every fixed-term contract that states the duty of an employee if he or she is approached by a third party offering alternative employment.
A fixed-term contract will almost certainly have a clause saying the employee has a fiduciary duty to inform the employer if they initiate a discussion with another company.
If a company induces an employee to breach his contract, both the employee and the offending company can be liable for damages, although it is rare for the employee to be prosecuted.
It may well be that Maresca felt aggrieved towards the SDs or owners, but he still has a fiduciary duty to tell his contracted employer that he wishes to talk to another company.
It is reported that the meetings between Maresca and City were supposed to be secret. In my eyes, they are both guilty.
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23 Jun 2026 15:23:06
Tom, it has been well documented that Maresca told the club he had been approached by Man City and Juventus, therefore filling his contractual obligation. I have mentioned this before. He also said to the club he would stop talking to them if they backed him with his wishes for the squad and, apparently, have a payrise.
The sporting directors said no. This is all old hat now, and has been discussed and discussed and discussed. The thread is about compensation, and my point is about £40 million, but as Bill said right at the start it has been agreed at £17.2 million.
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23 Jun 2026 16:44:15
Greenaway, we must be reading different reports because as I understand it, he was caught and confronted by the club having secret meetings with representatives from City.
Actually, pretty dumb on his part, because he could have easily asked his agent/representative to discuss any potential opportunity without breaking his contract or City potentially inducing him to breach his contract.
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23 Jun 2026 17:16:48
Tom, Maresca was very happy last summer until Levi Colwill got injured. He saw Levi as the Ccb who could bring the ball out from the back and help break the lines. When Levi got injured, Maresca asked for a replacement and wanted someone experienced with the same skill set. He thought, after his achievements, he would be backed, but the sporting directors said no, and that is where it all started to go wrong. It is fairly well documented. We have discussed this over and over again, and the bottom line is it is done.
Maresca went, and the rest is history, whether you feel the sporting directors are to blame, which is my firm view, or whether you feel Maresca is to blame, which is yours and others views, and this is what makes this banter site so good. We are all allowed a view, but Bill's post is all about compensation due, and, taking your viewpoint that both Maresca and Man City are equally to blame, then the £17.2 million is probably a great result for Chelsea. We might have got nothing.
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23 Jun 2026 17:21:11
Dunno, Greenway, doesn't seem like Maresca showed the devout Christian behaviours you love so much in the way he left.
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23 Jun 2026 17:40:20
Greenaway, yes, my view is Maresca and City are both culpable. I also think the reported EUR20m is not enough compensation.
I haven't got a clue what a person's religion, or if they were born in the East End, has to do with anything, but ho hum!!
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23 Jun 2026 18:26:18
I dunno either, Tom, maybe our mate Greeny can tell, as it seems to matter to him.
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23 Jun 2026 18:47:11
What is the point? I honestly think it's sometimes just ridiculous.
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23 Jun 2026 20:13:56
Yes, the whole thing is ridiculous. I'm not fussed about Maresca going, and it makes a change for us to get compo for a departure rather than paying out huge sums to coaches who have failed. Time to put this to bed and concentrate on next season.
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23 Jun 2026 20:37:45
I agree, Jimbo, take what we can and move on.
21 Jun 2026 10:47:36
Transfer prices are rocketing this summer, Diomande quoted at £112m. Newcastle turn down £80m for Tonali, Add on the agent fees and taxes and that is serious investment, maybe our stockpiling of potential might turn out to be a good move after all. Too many out there having a knock before the full picture unfolds.
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21 Jun 2026 13:00:01
Greenaway, according to some, we have "blown" £1.5bn ish. Still makes me laugh.
I hope we never find out how much a player is worth in the market, as I want them all to be successful and we never sell them. If only!!
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21 Jun 2026 13:20:58
Remind me again, Tom, where we finished last season?
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21 Jun 2026 13:25:42
Some of our signings will have added value, but those are the ones we should keep. Can't see any profit on players like Jorgensen, Garnacho, Gittens, Delap, Fofana etc.
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21 Jun 2026 13:53:32
Bill, we finished where we finished last season because we lost Maresca, but let's just drop that one now.
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21 Jun 2026 14:10:07
The term "blown" suggested the players must have "zero" value.
Some players will create a profit if ever sold and some will not.
We all judge player values differently and as fans we often forget any accrued loan fees.
I personally think we will show a profit on Delap and eventually Gittens, if we decide to sell. I wouldn't have a clue about the current book value of Fofana. I think Garnacho and, surprisingly, Jorgensen will both go out on loan.
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21 Jun 2026 15:19:01
100% correct, Tom, those who choose to use terms like "blown" are generally looking for clicks or have agendas. The investment in a player is only realised on the sale of said player at some point, which was my original point. We have stock piled a lot of promising young talent at generally reasonable prices, bar the odd exception.
Take Jackson as an example, purchased for around £32 million, had one loan fee of £15 million, would likely sell for well in excess of £17 million, and yet I have seen numerous comments about money being "blown" on him. The list goes on.
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21 Jun 2026 16:06:57
While we still had Maresca, we were 5th and 15 points behind Arsenal, and had hit bad form. Replacing him with Rosenior was idiocy, but Maresca wanted out and, frankly, put himself well ahead of caring about the club.
Far too early to know what our squad will finally look like after the window closes, but losing Cucurella is not a great start.
But, like others, I am hoping Alonso can be given the players he needs and wants for us to get Champions League qualification again this season. It already seems an age since we won it in 2021 under Tuchel and Abramovich.
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21 Jun 2026 16:13:26
Personally, Greenaway, I would give Jackson another chance. I think there is a player in there, and Palmer would be happy to see him back.
I agree Maresca running out on the club destabilised us, but the SDs/owners did not help our cause by employing Rosenior, who was definitely not ready for a gig like ours.
On the players' front, we have some really talented youngsters that I hope Alonso can mould into a winning team.
With the amount of players we bought, there were obviously some that would not make it, but I believe we are selling for decent prices.
The team that has done well so far this window is Spurs. They have stabilised their backline for £52mil.
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21 Jun 2026 16:27:25
I agree with you, Bill. We do have some very talented young players and now a very talented manager who played at the very highest level, toppled the mighty Bayern Munich in a one-team league, and gained good experience dealing with egocentric players and owners in Madrid.
With the addition of 3 or 4 top players, I can see us challenging hard for the Premier League, something we haven't done in 10 years, 6 under Roman and 4 under Blue.co.
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21 Jun 2026 16:27:47
It is a matter of opinion if we have blown money on players. We have certainly spent money and wages on players who aren't up to standard. I'm not that fussed about that argument. I am more concerned about the players' contribution on the field, rather than the fee or wages.
However, if you are looking at value for money, Eden tops the list. He gave us joy on the pitch. We bought him for £32 million, and with the add-ons we got around £120 million from Madrid. That's what I call a bargain!
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21 Jun 2026 17:48:29
Sad that football has reached a point where we judge a player on book value and amortisation as opposed to actual performance.
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21 Jun 2026 17:54:49
Just thinking about the goalkeeper situation. I will be p**sed off if Sanchez starts as No 1 next season. There are links to Costa, but I doubt it will happen. If it did, where does that leave Penders? Alternatively, we could go for a short term solution by signing someone like Ter Stegen or Sommers on a short term contract, and let them fight it out with Penders for the No 1 spot.
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21 Jun 2026 17:57:07
I'm with you there, Jimbo. What a player Hazard was, and what a bargain too. I remember, at the time, moaning pundits and punters saying we had only got him because no one else would pay his agent's fees! They were all left with egg on their faces, with the joy and trophies he delivered for us.
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21 Jun 2026 19:01:16
Jimbo, what does "blown" mean? Is it what they cost or how they perform?
Cucarella looked like a very poor investment for a season. We got a further three seasons of tremendous playing performances, and then, apparently, a book profit when he decided to leave for family reasons.
We have different valuations about players
When we sign them, and then when we might see them.
As far as salaries are concerned, I believe our club has changed more of its player salaries towards PRP.
I think that was a sound move by our current owners. My guess is our average player basic salary is lower than at other clubs.
I think players have always been judged by fans on a value for money basis for a period of their club playing career. If they are performing well, it's hardly ever mentioned. Play badly, and it's a heavy burden for some players to carry.
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21 Jun 2026 19:23:52
Tom, I didn't use the term "blown," I referred to the contributions by players on the pitch. If you believe players like Lavia, Fofana, Delap, Gittens, Garnacho, Gusto, etc. have contributed on the pitch, you are entitled to your opinion, but we still have the 5th highest wages bill in the Premier League to finish 10th.
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21 Jun 2026 20:05:14
Jimbo, I deliberately didn't post the poster's name who consistently uses the term "blown" when referring to our transfer spend.
I have "never" mentioned any player's contribution on the pitch while referencing their reported transfer fee. I learned a valuable lesson when Cucarella proved me totally wrong about his abilities.
My reference to our wage bill was, as I understand it, more the owners including more performance clauses than there had been in the past, while being aware that performance clauses are in virtually all footballers' contracts.
Us now being the 5th highest salary payers in the Premiership is interesting, but given what I have been reading over recent seasons, I would assume we were recently close to the top salary payers. If that is the case, I see it as a move in the right direction. It will also be interesting to see if the player salary levels reflect us finishing 10th in next season's reported accounts.
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21 Jun 2026 20:31:10
I would consider the right direction as competing for trophies.
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21 Jun 2026 21:05:39
Jimbo, that would be nice, and as usual, I will start next season full of optimism, but as I've said before, the majority of my 60 plus years of supporting the mighty Blues has been disappointing.
Of course, we did get to a domestic cup semi and final last season, so I suppose in a small way we did compete for some trophies.
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22 Jun 2026 10:03:49
We only got that far in the domestic cups because we had easy draws until the final and semi; I don't regard that as competing in any way.
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22 Jun 2026 11:56:56
As I said, "in a small way."
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22 Jun 2026 14:14:06
We just finished 10th in year 4. We had a UCL winning squad in year 0. That's why I use the term blown. I think we'd be a better team if we used the squad we had.
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22 Jun 2026 15:09:10
I think a lot of supporters believe that that the initial player signings were done in haste. If I remember correctly the much missed Ed002 said that the owners had acknowledged there mistake.
In my opinion player changes were well overdue and of course over any four year period regardless of owners, changes would have happened.
My view is we have some very talented players. With one exception the players signed last summer did not perform and that along with the manager changes, in my opinion, meant we took a step backwards.
I am now looking forward to a new manager with fresh ideas coaching our still young squad. I honestly think we will see a positive change in short order.
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22 Jun 2026 17:08:48
I mean, is there any point in acknowledging your mistake and then doing it again for 4 years? Hopefully, maybe now, at least lessons have been learned.
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22 Jun 2026 17:43:07
The first season our new owners took over, I had zero expectations. I looked at other clubs under new ownership and the vast majority of them seemed to struggle for "several" seasons after taking over.
The second season under our owners, I thought we would finish between 6th-8th. So, I was just reasonably happy that slow progress had been made and we had finished at the top end of my expectations.
Following on from that season, I expected further improvement and had us finishing 4th-6th with a pot in the trophy cabinet. Again, we exceeded my expectations.
Last season, I expected more improvement and hoped for a 2nd-4th finish and a good run in the CL. Obviously, I'm bitterly disappointed with how last season worked out.
New players not performing to the standard I expected and a manager leaving mid season didn't help, but the really bad decision was to appoint LR. The SDs and owners, as always, have to take full responsibility for that error of judgment.
I am obviously not happy with last season's outcome, but the previous seasons were about what I expected.
I expect us to finish in the top four next season. As I've said before, I do expect the clean up of our squad to continue with at least 8 players leaving. We already have some previously signed players coming in but I expect us to sign three more players. I think we will sign an experienced CH, a RB/WB and a LB/WB.
Just one more silly thing, I think we will see Estavao playing as ten.
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22 Jun 2026 19:09:49
Most of us are happy that Alonso has been appointed as manager, but it remains to be seen how much influence he will have on signings: I am keeping an open mind on that. That said, we still have a bunch of dimwits posing as SDs. I doubt very much if they had anything to do with the appointment of Alonso.
The recruitment last summer was absolutely dreadful, and heads should roll. I don't know if the alleged review has taken place, and if any conclusions will be published. Still a long way to go to change the culture of the club.
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22 Jun 2026 22:20:53
As I have said before, I learned my lesson about being over critical of a player when I posted negative crap about Cucarella. I will wait another season before I make a player judgement.
On the flip side, I remember praising Gusto, and now I have given up on him.
Of course, if Gusto does stay at the club, Alonso may well get a tune out of him as a wing back.
I have also posted before that most fans at virtually every club seem to blame their respective SDs for their club's problems.
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23 Jun 2026 00:11:41
Our SDs now have a solid track record of being terrible, Tom. It beggars belief that they still have jobs.
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23 Jun 2026 06:41:00
They have certainly made mistakes. I assume any end of season review has already taken place. I haven't picked up on any changes so far.
Most clubs now appear to have a structure that separates recruitment and coaching.
We seem to have more bodies than other clubs in the sporting area. I assume they all have clearly defined roles. So, it shouldn't be difficult to locate and change things if required.
20 Jun 2026 21:36:10
Now back in a hotel after spending a wonderful day at Royal Ascot.
I wa fortunate enough to meet and cahatro people from all corners of the globe including Manchester and Morecombe.
The venue is fantastic and the amount of money being spent was "probably" outrageous but to my sad eyes it was worth the spend.
It's an occasion that people dress up for but the singalong after racing was well attended by all age groups and loud. The younger generation seem to know the lyrics to some World War Two favourites. The national anthem was sung with gusto with the vast majority of people taking off their top hats to show respect to our King.
I have been fortunate enough to travel around a significant percentage of the world but when do this sort of event so well.
My god it was good to be involved with people having fun.
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21 Jun 2026 13:27:26
Tom, that's because you weren't at Stamford Bridge.
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21 Jun 2026 14:16:33
Stamford Bridge was about average on the fun stakes during my time of supporting the club. I have never worked it out, but I would think I have been disappointed more often than satisfied supporting Chelsea.
Anyway, the point was, virtually every person at Ascot yesterday looked to be enjoying themselves and the singalong at the end of racing was absolutely brilliant.
Anyone who hasn't been for a day at Royal Ascot should, in my opinion, put it in their bucket list. Not for the racing, but just to soak up the joy of the occasion.
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21 Jun 2026 15:17:22
Tom, Ascot is too posh for me. I prefer the Cheltenham Festival more suited to my station in life.
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{Ed001's Note - I used to live near Ascot for a bit, was hellish when the racing was on as you couldn't go anywhere. The roads were just nose to tail for hours.}
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21 Jun 2026 19:08:07
Blimey, I didn't find Ascot yesterday as "posh," as I say, it seemed to be a cross-section from around the world.
We seem to do these sort of events so well. Obviously Cheltenham, Goodwood, York, Aintree and Chester spring to mind in racing, but we have Wimbledon, The Open and The Ashes (at Lords).
I love these events. It's strange, but if I can get to them, they all always give me a buzz and a sense of pride.
20 Jun 2026 20:13:19
Chelsea and Manchester City are close to reaching a financial settlement worth over £10m for Enzo Maresca, with negotiations between Chelsea and Man City over the final details ongoing.
Chelsea have all the evidence that Man City tapped Maresca up and are willing not to use it if the settlement figure is paid.
This is quite a shift in the way Blue. co are now becoming more ruthless.
Top business people learn quickly, reset and go again, it has already happened with the change in direction of squad building and the appointment of Alonso as manager.
Forget project 2030, this might just be project full on.
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21 Jun 2026 14:50:40
I think £10m is letting City off the hook. I would be looking for a minimum £10m plus a lot extra (another £20m) if it was an obvious illegal approach.
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21 Jun 2026 18:53:10
Tom, strange that you say "It's obvious..." when you usually say "I don't really know." I'm taking your stance; I don't really know what went on with Maresca and City, and I don't really care. Presumably, we will get some money, but it's all pretty trivial; we have much bigger fish to fry.
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21 Jun 2026 19:30:49
Jimbo, it is "obvious." The Club found out that Maresca was having secret talks with City. Not a single person from City had asked Chelsea for permission to speak to Maresca.
You might not care, but I certainly do care, and I believe a lot of other fans care. To be honest, part of me says f*** the money, just report City to the governing bodies.
You are correct, unlike a lot of posters, I usually state "I'm only guessing" or "I don't know for sure." I was once told by the player himself that he was going to sign a contract extension, only for that player to sign for another club a few weeks later. Most fans are only "guessing." I like to admit it.
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21 Jun 2026 20:15:55
Tom, you obviously know a lot more about what happened than anyone else. If there is a settlement, there will be a Non Disclosure Agreement. You obviously have it in for City. If they are found guilty, they should indeed be appropriately punished.
However, let's not forget our breaches: true, we came clean, but that is the only mitigation: pot: kettle. Tom, I said I don't care: I don't speak for other supporters, and never have.
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21 Jun 2026 20:45:48
Jimbo, you constantly bring up our breaches and I always say the same thing. The club should always cooperate fully with any potential breach, and if found guilty, accept the punishment after any appeal process is considered or completed.
It is not only City that imposes NDA's on any contractual settlement, but NDA's are now in general use across a wide range of industries. My guess is, if we do reach an agreement with City, then an NDA will be signed by both clubs.
I am not a fan of NDA's, particularly in the area of illegal contact or inducement to breach a contract. The courts in this country take a very dim view of inducement to breach contracts, and have issued severe penalties to companies, and even banned offending directors involved in such behaviour as being company decision makers.
That is another reason, sadly, why, if an agreement between the clubs is reached, an NDA will be signed.
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21 Jun 2026 21:23:00
Tom, NDAs are used for cover ups and are anti-democratic. I mention our breaches because you keep going on about City and you don't know the outcome of the process. We self- reported and fully cooperated with the authorities and rightly were given credit in the sanctions.
However, we did breach the rules which is beyond argument because of our admissions. That is my point about pot:kettle. After the conclusion of the FA investigation we can move on and concentrate on football.
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21 Jun 2026 21:40:21
Just to clarify. I am not a fan of NDA agreements because they are misused by money companies and individuals, but I have to also acknowledge that an NDA agreement can be necessary for other reasons, including real security risks.
I have consistently said, when and if found guilty of any rule breach, accept the punishment (after any appeal) and move on without bleating.
While I don’t know the punishment that City will receive if found guilty for one or all of their 115 charges, I have zero doubt they will be found guilty.
As far as the illegal approach to Maresca is concerned, they are guilty in my opinion, and I think most fans would be in agreement on that score. If a substantial fee is not paid to Chelsea, I hope we do report them for tapping up, but my guess is a fee will be agreed and an NDA signed. We will all be then left guessing as to how much money City have paid to stop us reporting them.
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21 Jun 2026 22:05:25
Tom, you have zero doubt about City being found guilty: obviously you are in the know. I agree there must have been something untoward regarding Maresca and City, otherwise there wouldn't be negotiations: whether or not it breached rules, I don't know.
As I said, I don't care. I posted many times that I didn't think Maresca could take us to the highest level and wasn't that fussed when he left. That said, I wasn't prepared for the disaster of the appointment of Rosenoir.
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21 Jun 2026 22:21:24
I doubt there is a football fan in the whole of England who doesn't think City are guilty of some, if not all, of the 115 charges against them.
I repeat, yet again, this is my opinion, but I am totally convinced of my opinion. Of course, if I am wrong and a joke "not guilty on all counts" judgement does happen, it certainly will not be the first time I have made a mistake.
As far as you not caring about Maresca and any illegal approach, that is up to you, but again I think a substantial percentage of Chelsea fans do care about this issue. I also think the majority of fans believe City should pay a substantial fee to Chelsea. If they do not, they should be reported to the football governing bodies.
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21 Jun 2026 22:44:42
Tom, as I keep saying, I speak for myself and not the majority of Chelsea supporters, unlike you. As for the City case, you are probably right, most football fans think City are guilty. However, what is indisputable is that none of them have seen the evidence or heard the legal arguments: I am a great believer in due process.
My "guess", without any knowledge of the evidence etc., is that City will be found guilty of some charges and others will be dismissed. That is just a gut feeling based on absolutely no knowledge of the evidence in the case. I do agree that it needs a resolution for the sake of football, but I fear it will go on and on.
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21 Jun 2026 22:59:48
Jimbo, I have consistently said that this is my opinion. I do not speak for other supporters or any supporters groups.
I am convinced that the vast majority of fans believe City are as guilty as sin, and that a significant percentage of Chelsea fans care about an illegal approach to a serving Chelsea manager.
I repeat, if I am wrong, I will apologise.
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21 Jun 2026 23:16:29
Tom, if there was an approach to Maresca which breached the rules, they should pay compensation. My Chelsea mates don't give a monkeys about this issue. As I said, we have more important issues to concentrate on rather than 10 or 20 million pounds from City.
Take the money. Next season may give an indication of how the club goes forward for the future. This issue is a trivial distraction to the bigger picture: not worth a mention IMO.
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22 Jun 2026 03:45:42
We obviously have very different mates. Some of my mates are like Greenaway, and seriously angry about Maresca leaving, particularly mid-season. Some of them want substantial compensation or a governing body punishment.
For me, breaking the rules is very much part of the "bigger picture" and, as I repeatedly say, deserves their punishment. If you and your mates think otherwise, then so be it.
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22 Jun 2026 08:54:59
It could be argued that, had Maresca not been tapped up, he would have stayed and guided us to a top 5 finish and Champions League football next season, which is worth around £40 or £50 million, so that should be the compensation amount.
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22 Jun 2026 11:58:52
Greenaway, I am with you mate. I think we should be looking for substantially more than the reported £10m.
Grimaldo to Atletico Madrid for £10M. Rules him out from joining Chelsea.
Jimmy Jay Morgan to WBA for £4M. Chelsea has a substantial sell on clause. I believe he was a free transfer so pure profit.
Maresca targets Malo Gusto for Man City with Chelsea open to selling him to provide a space for Josh who is highly regarded by Alonso.
Source. Various.
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19 Jun 2026 19:47:33
Rpd, thanks. Wouldn't be worried about Gusto going particularly if it opens up a route for Josh.
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20 Jun 2026 14:12:07
Absolutely agree, Jimbo.
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20 Jun 2026 16:06:32
Also, not too fussed about Grimaldo going to AM either.
Our incoming transfers need to be top quality.
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20 Jun 2026 16:38:47
I wonder if PSG might come in for Gusto if Achraf Hakimi goes down for raping that young lady. He was getting pelters last night from the Scottish fans.
As for us, Lewis Hall would be my choice,
he knows the club, grew up with the likes of Levi and Trev and if I'm not mistaken, we have a buy back clause as well.
Can invert into midfield which will suit Alonso.
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21 Jun 2026 13:02:46
Greenaway, I am not sure we have a buyback clause for Hall. I think we might have a sell on clause, and if that is the case, it would act like a discount.
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21 Jun 2026 13:52:00
Thanks for that, Tom. I think you are correct.
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21 Jun 2026 21:48:41
Not interested in getting Hall back, he is okay, but nothing special, which was my take on Guehi.
19 Jun 2026 12:15:52.
Was chatting to the boys last night about who our greatest ever player is.
A few names in the hat included our much loved captain, leader, legend John Terry, Super Frankie Lampard, The King of Stamford Bridge, Peter Osgood, and the legendary Gianfranco Zola.
JT took our vote by a whisker.
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19 Jun 2026 13:25:10
Not even close. Jimmy Greaves.
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19 Jun 2026 15:26:51
Jimmy Greaves got a mention, Tom, but was ruled out as most of us felt he was more Spurs than Chelsea during his career.
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19 Jun 2026 16:02:51
I think Peter Bonetti is up there.
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19 Jun 2026 16:13:31
What a keeper The Cat was, Bill, but does he get above Big Pete as the all-time greatest ever player?
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19 Jun 2026 16:14:34
Captains don't come much greater than John Terry. He was Mr. Chelsea for 19 years, and led the club to greatness throughout his time at Stamford Bridge, winning a ridiculous amount of silverware in West London.
The Cobham graduate donned Chelsea blue on 717 occasions and is among the Premier League greats.
The centre-back won five Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, the Champions League and the Europa League with the Blues.
Simply astonishing.
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19 Jun 2026 18:11:04
It's hard to nail down the greatest Chelsea player: it's about era and context, not just trophies, because other players contributed. If it's about talent and getting you off your seat, Eden's up there. As for Terry, great CB, but I still don't like him.
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19 Jun 2026 20:25:40
The comments and opinions we have about players, I always find intriguing. We make comments as if we know them.
I have had the good fortune of spending time with JT, and he always came across as a really nice bloke. Strangely, I was never a fan of Lamps, who again I met a couple of times.
I had family reasons to be involved with Wise and Zola.
Obviously, Zola was just class, but again this might surprise a few people, and Wise was absolutely top drawer.
Can I just add, none of the players' personalities had anything to do with me loving or disliking a player. Greaves was just class, and I have never been so gutted as I was when we sold him for financial reasons.
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19 Jun 2026 20:45:13
Tom, I don't know Terry, but plenty of things about him have been published. He's certainly not a devout Christian.
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19 Jun 2026 20:59:02
As I've said before, I also had dealings with Mr Terry Snr.
Can I also say one of the most horrible people I have ever met in football was Mathew Harding. Not a nice man in my opinion.
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19 Jun 2026 20:46:54
JT was a great player and ud say arguably our best althought i always preferred frank.shame JT is a scumbag of a bloke makes it harder to appreciate how good he was on field
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19 Jun 2026 21:28:44
Tom, apart from your family and long standing friends: you don't really know people. We all have our faults but some people are scumbags. Generally people who become rich have trodden over many people to get to the top.
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19 Jun 2026 21:45:14
Jimbo, it's true we really only know the people we are close to!!
I try and judge people after more than one meeting, and I really don't care if they are rich or poor.
I try not to make negative comments about people I have had no personal dealings with, and I certainly don't judge people from media s***.
Over the years I have been involved in various charities, and it's via those charities that I have met lots of well known personalities. I guess most people look good at these events.
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19 Jun 2026 22:01:21
JT is a typical east end English lad, make of that what you will. For me, a total scumbag of a bloke is that fraud Hakim Ziyech who just turned up every day, took the pay and pissed off. We see things different.
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19 Jun 2026 22:57:22
Typical east end lad that slept with his mates wife . Said things to anton ferdinand and has since done similar and supported similar after retiring although hardly surprising you're a big fan greenway youve made it clear what sorta person you are
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19 Jun 2026 23:29:33
Don't know whether someone being nice or nasty should count when calculating how good or great someone is purely as a player.
It is a bit different to saying who your favourite player is, though the two can be connected.
Terry must be in the conversation for CFC's greatest player for defensive record, leadership, longevity of playing for the club, trophies won, plus being the CB who has scored the most goals ever in the EPL.
Even if he is not a nice person. Lampard is also in that conversation, as are Bobby Tambling and Peter Osgood. Didier Drogba too, cos of the big match, trophy-winning goals he scored.
Favourite player surely can be a combination of liking the player as a person plus enjoying watching him on the pitch. For me, Zola, Kante, Hazard score exceptionally highly.
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20 Jun 2026 06:49:41
Great post, J, well balanced and reflective.
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20 Jun 2026 12:43:48
"A typical East End lad," what on earth has the area he was born in or grew up in got to do with anything?
I take people as I find them.
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20 Jun 2026 13:19:08
Tom, when I was a teenager growing up in North West London, we considered ourselves cooler and more fashionable than kids from East or South London - nothing has changed. Lol.
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20 Jun 2026 15:45:07
I have favourite players from different eras. Charlie Cooke was an early favourite, followed by Clive Walker and Pat Nevin, then Zola and Arjen Robben, before my all-time favourite, Eden Hazard.
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20 Jun 2026 21:40:14
Jimbo, I was raised in South London, but I'm not a fan of stereotyping people. I mean, I did once meet a nice person from North London.
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21 Jun 2026 07:45:13
Tom, don't know much about North London; probably passed through it to get somewhere.
18 Jun 2026 09:41:17
Of course it’s early days and we shouldn’t get carried away but unbeaten after ten games is a better start than I had dared hope for. The team is showing real commitment and a desire to win every game. Well done the owners for appointing Alonso and well done the SD’s for recruiting some real talent.
Or
I can’t believe how bad these players are.
They do not deserve to wear the badge, they are an embarrassment to the club. The owners never fail to disappoint with their choices as manager and all the SD’s should be sacked.
I personally can’t wait for the new season to start. Not having mood swings doesn’t agree with me!
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18 Jun 2026 16:17:29
Tom, we haven't challenged for the Premier League title for 10 years, 6 years under our much-loved Roman, and 4 years under the much-derided Blue.co, partly due to poor recruitment under both regimes, and partly due to poor coaching, but equally because of the competitive nature of the league and our rivals.
Arsenal went 24 years without winning the title, Man U have gone 13 years, and Liverpool went 20 years. These things are cyclical, and our time will come again.
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22 Jun 2026 03:48:42
Greenaway, in my opinion, you are correct. These things are cyclical, and our time will hopefully come again.
{Ed001's Note - I used to live near Ascot for a bit, was hellish when the racing was on as you couldn't go anywhere. The roads were just nose to tail for hours.}
