Chelsea rumours 3

15 Jan 2025 18:20:30
If rumours are to be believed Chalaboa is only back for the remainder of this season.

The story goes he has an agreement with the club for a permanent move in the summer.

15 Jan 2025 19:29:05
So let's get this right, we didn't want Chabs, we now want him and in the summer we won't want him again.

Have I missed anything here, he must feel well wanted by us. not.

15 Jan 2025 21:38:47
Bill, I’m not sure I believe the rumour but in my opinion he hasn’t been treated with a great deal of respect. I assume if the rumour is true then the club and player have reached some sort of agreement.

15 Jan 2025 21:50:43
Poor bloke. Hopefully he plays next to Collwill and proves he’s a starter.

14 Jan 2025 13:46:42
Any truth in the rumours of Tel to Chelsea? I can't imagine we'd let Nkunku go without signing a replacement.

14 Jan 2025 18:21:52
I can't Tel if it's true or false, The_Fez.

14 Jan 2025 19:02:34
The rumours seem to be gathering pace, although it seems like a weird trade-off. I do rate Tel, and reckon he seems to be a fairly talented lad, however I would prefer getting an established striker, such as Gyökeres, rather than another youngster.

15 Jan 2025 08:30:10
Like that is going to happen KTBFFH.

12 Jan 2025 18:06:57
I’m a little shocked that Veiga might be going to Dortmund on loan with an option to buy. He’s been decent when he’s played, not really pulled up any trees so far but would leave us a little light at LB.

12 Jan 2025 19:28:24
fuser, I’m a little disappointed as well but we should remember two things (a) He got dropped from a match squad for a reason (b) we have a history of not keeping unhappy players.

12 Jan 2025 19:49:11
1 out 1 in Fuser?

12 Jan 2025 23:12:00
Tom, players get dropped from match squads for reasons: yes. Let’s just hope that the reasons are justified and in the interests of the club. For the club’s sake, I hope they are willing to keep unhappy supporters. &.

13 Jan 2025 04:32:26
Wouldn’t have a clue if dropping Noni or him from the squad was “justified” and it’s virtually impossible for a club to make all its fans happy.

13 Jan 2025 08:12:58
As I said previously, it was only a matter of time before the so called B squad got fed up and wanted to leave.

What are we going to do when the European conference league starts up again when the B squad has been decimated, tire out the A squad?

13 Jan 2025 09:28:13
If players want to leave because they don’t think they are getting the game time they deserve that’s something I understand.

My guess is a few more will leave as well. If the likes of Disasi, Felix, KDH, Noni and Nkunku want to leave along with Chilly and Chuka it will be a shame but I think we will be ok.

13 Jan 2025 09:40:07
I think he won't go on loan, the club will need a replacement so they are right to sell,
I don't see viega as yet been good enough for premier league personally he looks very raw anytime iv watched him,
30 mill id sell, We will see a lot of these scenarios with players under this ownership, young and if the manager doesn't rate them very highly theyl be allowed to leave for the profit,

Also what did oliver glasner mean when he said Trevoh didn't play for contractual reasons what does that even mean.

13 Jan 2025 10:11:49
Poch, this is just me thinking but if Veiga does leave maybe Chilly doesn’t leave.

13 Jan 2025 13:20:34
Tom

Chilwell is the one that needs to go, injury prone also not in the Blue Co age bracket.

13 Jan 2025 15:04:59
Bill, the comment was meant slightly tongue in cheek. When a manager says he doesn’t want a player it’s usually pretty final.

13 Jan 2025 19:37:09
Lol Id say no tom b chilly, s days have been numbered all season so strange he's such a quality player when fit.

14 Jan 2025 11:06:07
I also think the not using of Chilly apart form injury problems is about age policy but this age policy also goes with a new wage policy/ structure I think. Not sure how completely the club would keepo to it but does seem to explain many out outgoings/ sidelinings and possibly the not meeting of CG new contract expectations? The question though is how eg to know who is a proven goalie/ strike ie key positions (bit would be true for other positions and of course manager) rather than having to gamble more than otherwise might be tghe case on getting right pick with youngsters.

14 Jan 2025 11:44:33
All these players we’ve signed how many would you actually say you want them to stay. I can think of 6 or 7 I would let go.

14 Jan 2025 13:26:40
My guess is every player has a price but like most fans, some players leaving wouldn’t upset me as much as some others if that makes sense.

10 Jan 2025 12:36:31
Ronald Araujo, 25,are Chelsea going to sign him in the jan transfer window?

10 Jan 2025 20:19:59
No we are not.

12 Jan 2025 23:13:36
Why not?

13 Jan 2025 09:40:26
because he's more injury prone than james.

06 Jan 2025 18:51:50
Rumours that the gaffer would like Andre Santos back from his loan to cover the midfield. I like the way he has now had a good look at this squad and decided who fits and who doesn't. All starts to paint a clear picture as to his use or lack of use of substitutes. I like that.

07 Jan 2025 13:00:34
Santos should stay on loan unless Lavia has a long-term injury.

07 Jan 2025 14:25:01
Absolutely agree Celeryking, leave the boy where he is and let him enjoy improving his career.

07 Jan 2025 15:43:38
If Lavia was fit all the time I would agree with you Celery but he can't be relied on. Casedei is not good enough and is moving to Italy and there are rumours that KDH is off to West Ham (he is also not good enough) . Cover is needed.

09 Jan 2025 17:58:58
Didn't EM have a chance to compatre Casadei or Santos or Ugochukwa in pre-season games? If so, and was looking at one or the other as back up for e. g. Lavia or Caicedo he seems to have decided on Casadei who EM had already seen a lot of at Leicester. Is it because Santos has down so well on loan and EM has changed his mind on Casadei? Certainly Casadei has been given almost no EPL game time. BUt then EM clearly had asay in tarnsfer of KD-H as a replacment for CG. not obviously an improvement on what we've seen from KDH thus far compared to CG last season.

10 Jan 2025 10:52:33
I'm not sure if you were aware JBS, but Conor didn't want to play for Chelsea anymore.

10 Jan 2025 13:28:07
Enzo

I think it was more yo do with the contract rather than him not wanting to play for us.

11 Jan 2025 13:50:02
The whole [X] third/ fourth choice midfielder isn’t good enough narrative drives me a little nuts. A number of these guys appear to be decent, PL level players who can fulfil a squad function for Chelsea. A game might occasionally turn on whether one guy is 5% weaker than another, but seldom.

These are either young - so don’t expect the earth immediately - or at least on a par with Tiago, Sam Dalla Bona, Sidwell, Smertin, Jarosik, Grant….

11 Jan 2025 21:05:31
FD77, I remember Iva being referred “as just” a squad player and he didn’t turn out to bad. Likewise when Dave was signed, he was just seen as a so called squad defender.

It’s about impressing in training and when given the chance taking it.

13 Jan 2025 08:52:51
Completely agree with you FD77.

06 Jan 2025 12:01:36
If rumours are to believed we are considering a Chalaboa recall. Apparently there is a break clause in his loan deal.

I think he is a far better option than Disasi. Of course the headlines will be "Chelsea U turn. " I have no problems with the club/ manager changing its mind.

Depending on departures, I think there is a very good chance Santos will be recalled. He has apparently been very good so far this season.

06 Jan 2025 14:51:17
I do hope we recall Chalobah. It would be an embarrassing climb down from a management team who didn't just loan him, but actively excluded a first-team player from training and pre-season, but the right decision nonetheless.

It's one thing to not have a problem with this, but another to not lay criticism at the club's door. It was abundantly clear in the summer that out of Disasi, Tosin, and Chalobah we let the best one leave. Much like most of our business this season, there was very little logic or value applied.

06 Jan 2025 15:42:57
The best thing you can do if you make a mistake is admit it and then move on.

I wouldn’t be surprised if TC said he would prefer to stay at Palace.

06 Jan 2025 15:47:10
Totally agree Bandy, we should never have let Chabs leave and it was very poor to ostracise him.

The question will be, does he want to come back knowing Maresca does not want him.

06 Jan 2025 16:41:30
I’m hoping it’s all part of a cunning plan!

06 Jan 2025 17:11:30
Or is off on a permanent basis?

07 Jan 2025 13:01:08
We need a new CB. However, Chalobah is not the answer imho.

11 Jan 2025 13:52:33
Is Trev better than Disasi? Yes. Does that mean that when you factor in everything else recalling him is the best plan? No.

Let Chalobah play football, trust in Achempong and tosin under Baduashile is back. Seems fine to me.

04 Jan 2025 20:48:35
I no its tough without the Legend Ed 02, but can any of the Ed, s provide us with any sort of potential ins and outs in January,

I get the feeling enzo does not trust felix, nkuku or dewsbury hall are they likely to leave?

We look so light in midfield and defensively due to badishille and disasi been absoulotely terrible and viega nit PL standard and lavia been injury prone

My question is why waste more money on dross and just bring back santos and chalobah?

Thanks for any response
This side is now under pressure so is maresca let's see how he reacts to this terrible run wev started.

{Ed001's Note - I don't know much sorry, though Maresca did not want Felix in the first place and fought hard to get Dewsbury-Hall, so I would be surprised if the latter leaves, though not so surprised if Felix left.}

04 Jan 2025 21:20:48
What I don't get ED001, if Maresca wanted KDH, why does he not play him.

{Ed001's Note - probably because he is not as good as the other options.}

04 Jan 2025 22:29:34
Surely Maresca should have known if he was not as good as the other players. If not why do you think this was not the case.

05 Jan 2025 08:46:28
Bill, KDB was bought in the summer window. The manager would have been assessing all the players plus using his knowledge of this particular player’s performances when he was manager of Leicester.

KDB performed really well for the manager in Leicester’s promotion season. Sadly KDH hasn’t played well so far in his Chelsea career, although there were some small signs of improvement pre his injury.

I will not be righting him off just yet but then I never do until they have played a season at least for our club.

Felix is different as I couldn’t work out why we wanted to sign him given we had him on loan before and he didn’t pull up any trees in the premiership. There are rumours of the player leaving in this window, apparently to Benfica.

05 Jan 2025 09:36:50
Tom

Apparently for Maresca's interview he apparently threw down a booklet on the players and went through each one with the SD's so the question is if he was so knowledgeable of the players during the meetings, why did he not know there were better than KDH.

JF, don't get me started on that one, I would put that down to the DD's but in some people's eyes they can do mo wrong.

As you know Maresca would be nowhere near the club if it was my choice, but hopefully I'm wrong on that one, time will tell but it's not looking good at the moment.

05 Jan 2025 10:17:43
Bill, saying EM “threw a booklet down” sounds very dramatic but to me it just shows he did his homework on the squad.

We had a player on loan at Leicester last season, so got that reason I watched a lot of there early season matches, KDH was the stand out player in there team and would say he was one of the best players in that division. EM obviously rates him but he hasn’t played well so far in his Chelsea career. Cucarella had a shocking first season so I’m happy to trust the manager and give the player some more time.

EM, was my third choice to become our manager but I have been pleasantly surprised. We are 4th in the league and that’s about what I expected. I can’t see the point in making a Judgement on his managerial abilities until the end of the season. As much as the results haven’t been good over the last few games most fans were happy prior to this slump.

I’ve also been happy enough with the way we played over the last few games despite the results but as I’ve said I’m not happy with our game management.

05 Jan 2025 10:55:37
As I said Tom

Maresca would be nowhere near our club if it was my choice however I did also say that I hope I'm wrong and that tine will tell.

While he is here he is our coach but that does not mean I need to think he us a hold coach and the right one for our club.

Of course, it's just my opinion.

05 Jan 2025 11:38:33
Bill, I didn’t think Sarri, Conte, Lamps, TT or Poch should have been our manager. I did think Potter was the right choice, so what do I know!

When we appointed them they all got my support but when I felt it necessary my criticism but let’s look at this season in the round and I think most fans will be satisfied with the progress being made by the team.

05 Jan 2025 12:56:27
Let's see where, we are at the end of the season.

I for one would not know who could replace Maresca as there is a dearth of good coaches, and coaching in the premiership is a other dimension entirely.

05 Jan 2025 15:47:06
Most corporations have succession plans in place but I find it hard to believe they are contemplating replacing EM.

07 Jan 2025 12:59:59
We forget that Maresca really doesn't have much managerial experience. We never should have bought Dewsbeury-Hall.

04 Jan 2025 19:39:13
Latest transfer rumour.

PSG are prepared to pay £166m for Cole Palmer.

Should the club sell at that price? Would you sell at that price?


For the record, at that price I would reluctantly sell him.

04 Jan 2025 19:55:19
Definitely not Tom, the boy will become a mega star and PSG and others know it.

Sooner sell them our entire defence than CP.

04 Jan 2025 20:09:25
Bill, I’m pretty sure your view will be one shared by the majority of Chelsea fans but I have no issues being in the minority!

30 Dec 2024 13:34:10
Randal Kolo Muani to Chelsea? From PSG and on a loan apparently. Any truth in this? Would Nkunku be going the other way on loan?

{Ed001's Note - they are offering him round, PSG want rid. He will be linked with everyone that could possibly want a forward in the next few days.}

31 Dec 2024 13:40:33
I hope not. Kolo Muani hasn't exactly set the world alight.

31 Dec 2024 15:00:28
He would a massive mistake in my opinion and hasn’t got the potential of Guiu.

27 Dec 2024 04:07:20
At half time yesterday a guy told me Chilly could be playing in Manchester after this window and Utd have asked about another defender.

It's rumour time yet again!

27 Dec 2024 10:03:16
Sadly Tom without our beloved ED002 around, that's all we have got to go on now regarding transfer rumours.

27 Dec 2024 12:32:50
Ed002 will always be sadly missed but I love the rumour more than the fact.

27 Dec 2024 21:25:58
Chilwell needs a move if he had any sense he would take a wage cut and get regular football and who knows international football given the the lack of options for England at left back. Otherwise he can sit on his hands on £200K a week. What we shouldn’t do is what we have done with Sterling and effectively pay his wages for a rival: take the financial hit and let them train with the under 23s.

28 Dec 2024 09:54:42
I can’t see the point of Chilly either partially or fully stay on the clubs books. I also think Disasi may as well leave as well and if the rumours are true, Felix could be going to Benfica and I assume Chuka (sadly) will find game at another club.

We have players like Santos and Gilchrist doing well out on loan and maybe Santos could come back in this window.

I just can’t see us signing anyone in this window.

28 Dec 2024 11:15:34
Tom

I agree to no signings this window however it's been said Santos is staying where he is until the summer.

I would also say nobody leaves this window either espically on loan.

JF, we definitely did not need to sign in the first place.

28 Dec 2024 21:02:08
I agree probably no signings but do need to move players on. However, we need to be careful we have players in key positions who can’t stay fit and if the coach keeps freezing players out for technical reasons we will be short of options. Frankly, the summer signings have been totally uninspiring so I don’t mind a zero in window as long as some of the younger players get a fair crack of the whip.

30 Dec 2024 13:33:11
What happened to Ed002?

{Ed001's Note - he passed away a few weeks ago mate.}

30 Dec 2024 15:54:06
That’s really sad news best wishes to his family and all the other Ed’s life can be so cruel.

{Ed001's Note - thank you Gen, he is a big loss as a person even more than as an editor.}

17 Dec 2024 08:01:51
Obviously reports about Mudryk aren't good but the club haven't confirmed anything.

I have only seen WAGNH with the story and they say it's being reported out of Ukrain.

17 Dec 2024 10:15:53
Definitely not the news I expected to wake up to. From my understanding the initial reports are, like you said Tom, coming out of Ukraine. The club has, while I was writing this comment, confirmed the "adverse finding" in his sample. While I don't like speculating, I reckon this could probably explain why he's been "ill" for the past two weeks.

17 Dec 2024 11:43:55
My guess is you are correct regarding his reported sickness.

Reports are now saying that the drug concerned is “performance enhancing” and not “recreational, ” whatever that means.

Al sorts of stories about the lad having a personal trainer in recent months, I suppose that information could end up being relevant but I doubt it.

Apparently he and the club are awaiting the results of the “B” sample. Let’s hope that comes back with some good news.

17 Dec 2024 12:07:43
I think Mudryck is a “gym rat”. You don’t need muscles to be a good player e. g Eden Hazard.

17 Dec 2024 12:21:24
Well Tom, from my understanding and please correct me if I'm wrong Ed001, both performance enhancing and recreational drugs are considered banned substances in most (if not all) sports, for differing reasons of course, performance enhancing drugs being banned for, well, enhancing the perfomance of athletes, and recreational drugs being banned cause they are typically illegal.

In this particular instance, the reported drug is meant to enhance endurance and increase recovery after exercise, which obviously grants an athlete an unfair advantage compared to clean athletes.

Regardless, like you said, all we can do now is wait for the results of the B sample and hope for the best.

{Ed001's Note - yes, both are banned. The difference is usually how they are handled by the FA. If a player is banned for recreational drugs, the FA will usually allow them to be listed as injured during their ban, so long as they go into rehab.}

17 Dec 2024 15:05:50
Thanks for the clarification Ed!

It's interesting that players can be listed as injured if they get caught taking recreational drugs. I remember reading a few conspiracy theories about that practice potentially taking place, but I wasn't sure whether to believe it or not.

{Ed001's Note - it is not a theory, it has been proven on more than one occasion.}

17 Dec 2024 15:45:46
Oh wow I did not know that, that's quite interesting! I don't actually know how I feel about that to be honest. On one hand I understand that this may "protect" the players from public scrutiny and outrage, but on the other hand it seems shady to basically sweep something like that under the rug, so to speak.

I'd love to hear your take on it, if you don't mind of course.

17 Dec 2024 16:04:56
I’m a little confused about who tested Mudryk. It would seem to be the FA and not UEFA. I suppose in the scheme of things it doesn’t matter.

17 Dec 2024 16:04:59
It is about sweeping it under the rug, they just want the sport to look clean and are very lax about drug testing in general. Sadly they are more worried about optics and something similar to the way cycling collapsed in the wake of the Lance Armstrong revelations happening in football.

17 Dec 2024 16:32:19
Players who are banned for drugs should be held out to public scrutiny; they have let the club and the supporters down. If the FA won’t tell the truth then the clubs should.

17 Dec 2024 18:34:11
If the clubs consider a player as just an asset they are not likely to reduce the value of that asset.

A few years ago I was told by a senior FA official about a young player who racially abused an official. The young player was told he had to apologise and attend special training course. The player was not fined or banned but he was reported by the club as injured.

So, the above information that Ed has provided comes as no shock to me.

18 Dec 2024 09:17:42
Conspiracy theory here.

It happened while on duty in Ukraine, who is to say the Russians did not do this to get back at the FA and CFC for what was done to RA.

18 Dec 2024 09:36:56
Bill, putting aside the RA revenge angle, I had a similar idea and theory that if his “B” sample fails one of his advisors arguments will be it was the Russians what did it.

19 Dec 2024 21:42:10
It could be so.

23 Dec 2024 17:06:01
The B test should be back by now and 99% of the time, the B test is the same as the A test.