Chelsea Banter 4

02 Jul 2026 07:39:12
{Ed's Note - MK Scouser has posted a new article entitled, A Squad Deep Dive as Iraola Takes Charge

01 Jul 2026 13:50:58
Athletic are reporting that, from Real Madrid's perspective, a move for Fernandez is unlikely, with club sources downplaying the move. This is news that appears to have been confirmed by Fab Romano, via the power of emoji.

Personally, I don't think his behaviour has taken him past the point of no return, as far as being welcomed back into the team, from the World Cup, for pre-season. He certainly hasn't pulled a Courtois - yet.

This makes the move for Xhaka make even more sense, zero chance we're signing a £100m midfielder without selling one first. Without selling Fernandez, Xhaka makes sense from a financial and character perspective.

01 Jul 2026 22:27:10
City may well be in for Enzo F if Madrid cannot afford him?

01 Jul 2026 23:06:32
I have a feeling it will go through. Their president promised a high profile signing, publicly made a bid for Alvarez (I don't think that was ever going to happen), but I don't really see any other big names being possible. Olise won't be leaving Bayern, and I don't really see any other big names out there that are possible.

02 Jul 2026 08:28:50
Fiser

If the other clubs are fighting to keep hold of their big names, we should as well.

02 Jul 2026 16:27:14
I tend to agree, Bill, and was sorry we couldn't keep hold of Cucurella. If we lose Enzo as well, that is two of our best-performing players from last season gone, so then the question is, can we replace them with equal quality, confidence, and experience.

02 Jul 2026 16:51:41
If a player has had his head turned by another club, and wants to leave, then that is fine by me. Thank you, and goodbye. Curcurella was very honest when asked about his move home to Spain, and it was very much for family reasons, and I wish him well. If, and it remains a big if, Enzo wants to leave, then the price needs to reflect his ability, and I read somewhere that the club will not entertain offers less than £120 million, and that was before Elliot Anderson signed for Man City at £117 million, and Tonali to Spurs for £100 million! The fees are crazy.

If Alonso lines us up as a 3-4-2-1, then Moises and Xhaka will occupy those 2 central spots, and Palmer and Estevao will fill the two 10's, and Jaoa Pedro may well work there as well, and that is before Alonso even looks at a replacement. That all said, I have a feeling Enzo might just stay.

02 Jul 2026 18:18:12
Good post Greenaway, and yes, players will have reasons beyond money or even going to a 'bigger' club like Real Madrid for moving from CFC. Family concerns are a good and understandable human reason!

29 Jun 2026 18:00:07
Both Maresca and City are paying us for him to sign for City. The statement put out by the club clearly indicates that there was almost nothing to be done and no way to keep Maresca after City approached him.

Rosenior was the worst choice to replace him, but our December form and Maresca’s comments didn’t show that we’d do too well even if we forced him to see the season out.

30 Jun 2026 06:01:22
Fuser, I think, once the club found out what was going on, it was virtually impossible for Maresca to stay on as manager for the remainder of the season. Garden leave, followed by compensation, was the logical conclusion.

01 Jul 2026 12:42:14
Maresca did not take honouring his contract seriously, and sabotaged Chelsea's season by putting his own interests before all others at CFC. He completely deserves to be greeted with boos when he brings City to the Bridge next season, and I hope that he fails at City, though with their squad it would be hard to fail, which is why he wanted to jump ship!

29 Jun 2026 17:30:45
Interesting reading all the statements for Enzo Maresca.
It's not very often, the details come out like this.

30 Jun 2026 05:56:58
Finchy, I agree, mate. I was reading our statement, and I could almost feel the club's anger.

28 Jun 2026 09:06:13
Been a few rumblings that Alonso loves the idea of Lavia alongside Caicedo in the double pivot. He's not the only one, but most of us gave up on the idea of that being a longterm solution quite some time ago.

28 Jun 2026 10:41:41
Given that Lavia has never played a full 90 minutes for us, it doesn't sound like much of a plan.

28 Jun 2026 17:33:29
We can all see that Lavia has the ability to be world class, but, as Jimbo says, can he be relied upon?

28 Jun 2026 18:24:52
Presumably, that's why the rumours about Alonso wanting Xhaka are floating around.

28 Jun 2026 22:16:31
Xhaka might be a bad option if the price is low. He has worked with Alonso and seems to have really turned his career around from his time at Arsenal.

29 Jun 2026 14:36:12
I see from the official club statement that Maresca will have to play compensation as well as City - good.

29 Jun 2026 16:17:17
Also, Jimbo, it was good to see them say they have a manager in Alonso who has integrity, ouch.

29 Jun 2026 17:13:15
We should rub it in by finishing above them next season. I doubt that there will be much bonhomie in the directors lounge before the games.

01 Jul 2026 12:45:14
City has arguably been the most financially corrupt and underhand of all in the EPL under its current owners, but will probably never face any punishment of real consequence - though one keeps hoping they will!

27 Jun 2026 23:08:28
Just watched the first half of the England game: so predictable I'm going to bed. Tuchel has made some huge errors in the selection of the squad. Palmer, Colwill and TAA should have been included. What was the point of wasting a spot for Henderson, who even in his prime was bang average.

Lee Dixon is delusional about our wide players. Rashford is a spent force and Saka is the most overrated player in the PL. Morgan Rogers £100 million? If so, don't let Enzo go for less than £150 million.

27 Jun 2026 11:03:10
Thanks Tommy for over cooking Reece, what a plank! The whole footballing world knows that Reece can't play 2 games a week, the bloke has had 20 hammy issues in the last 6 years and why oh why did he not take Trent Alexander Arnold?

27 Jun 2026 12:34:36
Greenaway, so a professional footballer in his prime can't play twice in a week in a tournament. Yes, that is a problem. Just as well we're not in Europe next season.

27 Jun 2026 12:44:12
Greenaway

Reece should have retired from international football. He knows his body's limitations. I think this season he needs to deputise, rather than be a first-team starter.

27 Jun 2026 12:47:39
Sadly, Jimbo, Reece James is just not able to play 2 games per week, and I was shocked that Tommy took him to the WC over Trent and others, when fitness and the ability to play multiple games in a short period of time is so important.

Reece can't really get up and down that right wing anymore with those hamstrings of his, and will likely be deployed as a RCB, if at all, under Alonso. Tommy got it wrong.

27 Jun 2026 13:35:14
I'm afraid Reece is a bit of a luxury and I don't really like him at CB.

30 Jun 2026 05:54:42
I guess I must have seen James play at CB, but I just can't seem to recall it?

I seem to remember him playing on the right side of a back three, but again I'm struggling to remember the game?

26 Jun 2026 14:13:19
Surely Man City must know the outcome of their 115 charges?
I would hazard a guess that they will receive a hefty fine and a less than 10-point deduction.
The club has to persuade incoming players about this and, along with high wages received, they'll just see it as a blip (the points deduction may even be less than what I've said).

No way does Anderson join them for £100 million plus if they are getting a large deduction of points and maybe they have done a deal with the Premier League?

26 Jun 2026 16:00:17
RPD, yes, City are very bullish about this case. It is normal practice in complicated civil cases for the parties to receive a draft judgment to allow for representations on factual errors before the decision is made public. Obviously, I don't know if that will happen in this case, but I would be surprised if it wasn't.

26 Jun 2026 21:06:57
City also knows, unless it's a lil tickle punishment, they'll very likely appeal it. The appeal will likely take a year if not longer, so they've probably got at least another 2-year window without punishment.

26 Jun 2026 21:33:05
Fuser, that's true. Also, another alternative is that the case is a score draw and a settlement is being negotiated.

27 Jun 2026 07:53:49
To be honest, I don't believe that the Premier League can go easy on City. There are far too many eyes looking on.

27 Jun 2026 08:38:08
ED01, what are your thoughts on this whole matter? surely, if City get off lightly then that sets a precedent for others to do the same?

{Ed001's Note - they have to hit them fairly hard as there is such a lengthy list of offences. Hard to see that they can truly do much though, as they would need to relegate them to really make it matter.}

27 Jun 2026 10:02:02
I agree ED01 but just can't see it happening.

27 Jun 2026 12:05:31
Best one might hope for is likes of a twenty or thirty points deduction for each of the next two seasons - so they could still avoid relegation given the fantastic squad they have, and are still adding to - and/or a transfer ban for four windows.

Transfer ban probably wouldn't hurt them much at all.

But they will probably not do this, or take away any titles, and probably just give them a 40 million pound fine, ie peanuts.

27 Jun 2026 12:26:30
What did they actually do? all I read is 115 charges but what charges? How come others like Everton and Forest and ourselves were dealt with quickly?

30 Jun 2026 06:36:16
Greenaway, I seem to remember the long list of charges against City being posted by one of the Eds some time ago.

I personally believe the delay itself needs to be investigated. My guess is the clubs you mentioned only had a few charges against them and to a certain extent cooperated with the respective investigations.

26 Jun 2026 07:39:17
{Ed's Note - BlueNose1878 has posted a new article entitled, Why Promise David Could Suit Everton

26 Jun 2026 00:53:35
According to Romano, Madrid have given Como until Monday to pay 60m before they put Nico Paz on the market. In the current market, where Anderson goes for 130m, this seems like an absolute steal. Would be over the moon if we got him as part of the deal for Enzo to go the other way.

26 Jun 2026 07:51:48
As I've mentioned here already. I think it's too good a deal to not create some interest. I think he fits what Alonso wants to do really well. My only caveat is that it's another predominantly left-footed attacker; from a squad-balance point of view, is that what we need?

At the start of June we were linked with Olmo, who Barcelona also wanted £60m for.

Would that be a deal that would make more sense for us right now?

26 Jun 2026 10:03:05
A fair point to bring up, and something I hadn't thought about. I do think the 60m fee would be too good to pass up, although all indications are that he wants to play in Europe next year, so he may be one we are never considered for anyway.



Olmo would certainly bring the experience we've been talking about adding to the team. His injury history would worry me entering the Premier League, though. He has missed a tonne of football consistently over the past few seasons.

26 Jun 2026 12:19:59
Maybe go back for Fermin? We almost signed him last summer.

26 Jun 2026 12:35:04
Fermin is one of the reasons Olmo can leave Barca. He's a nailed-on starter there now. Unfortunately, no chance we get him.

26 Jun 2026 13:12:07
Paz going back to Como on new permanent transfer.

26 Jun 2026 14:13:48
Really smart decision by Como. Look forward to watching him progress.