Chelsea rumours 3

03 Jul 2024 15:37:18
Have we sold Hutchinson.

{Ed002's Note - A few days ago.}

03 Jul 2024 19:08:51
Didn’t see that coming.

02 Jul 2024 16:05:00
Hi Ed2, hope your well.
I think a lot of fans whose clubs need a goalkeeper would of been impressed with Diogo Costa last night, can I ask if he has a release clause in his contract?

Thank you in advance.

{Ed002's Note - all players in Spain and Portugal do.}

02 Jul 2024 18:02:37
Oh, sorry Ed, thank you.

02 Jul 2024 22:49:23
Pretty sure release clauses can only be activated by clubs within the same federation though. Or at least that used to be the case no?

02 Jul 2024 11:46:46
Edoo2 with us looking for a lw and having a scout that worked at corinthinas are we interested in corinthians talented lw wesley?

{Ed002's Note - No.}

01 Jul 2024 15:14:35
Caleb Wiley - 19 year old left back linked with a Chelsea move, is there any truth in that rumour?

Caleb Wiley - £10m - from Atlanta. He is American. Don't know much about him.

01 Jul 2024 17:01:12
Supposedly Strasbourg.

01 Jul 2024 17:02:24
Isn’t this Strasbourg not Chelsea?

02 Jul 2024 02:50:42
He is a Blue. Co signing. So Strasbourg and Chelsea :0)

02 Jul 2024 22:17:04
Celeryking, we just signed Oscar Perea too.

28 Jun 2024 09:54:38
Ed, is there any truth in the reports that we are interested in signing Kieran Dewsbury-Hall?

He's a good player, but it seems lunacy given we have Palmer, Chukwuemeka and Nkunku all capable of playing a similar role. That in addition to the various midfielders at the club including Lavia, Enzo, Caicedo, Santos etc!

{Ed002's Note - Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (CM) Manchester United could look to KDH to help refresh their midfield. Brighton are keen and have agreed a part exchange deal with Leicester and await word from the player. Brentford, Spurs and Fulham offer options. An Everton enquiry will go nowhere. I suspect one for the summer and FFP issues may be relevant, so perhaps an early sale.}

28 Jun 2024 10:28:11
I’m probably alone but he has always struck me as an underrated player.

I’m not surprised so many clubs are interested in him.

28 Jun 2024 12:37:47
Thanks Ed.

28 Jun 2024 13:03:17
Well it seems like we are making an offer, up to the player now.

Surely this has a knock-on effect to players at the club?

Ed, is there a chance Chukwuemeka moves on this summer?

{Ed002's Note - Carney Chukwuemeka (CM) Chelsea may be open to letting the player go on loan to get game time and improve his fitness. Milan offer an option for a loan.}

28 Jun 2024 13:32:49
Thanks Ed, a loan would better than a full sale. I assume the club still believe in the potential of Carney, it is only bad injury luck that has held him back so far!

I can't wrap my head around this signing but it wouldn't be the first time.

{Ed002's Note - Perhaps the new coach wants him.}

28 Jun 2024 14:09:19
Indeed Ed, seems unlikely he would be a target if it wasn't for the new coach.

Personally speaking, as much as I like KDH, I don't believe he is better than Palmer or Nkunku. I'm not saying I am right, just sharing my opinion from what I have seen of the players over the last couple of years.

I wonder if the decision to step back from Olise means Palmer will continue to see the majority of his playing time on the right, and so another option for AM became more of a priority. I would imagine the financials are working in our favour here as well by moving on a fringe player - reportedly Datro Fofana or Casadei.

Anyway, he'll have our full backing once he's confirmed as a Chelsea player.

28 Jun 2024 14:39:48
KDH is a center midfielder and plays in a completely different position to Palmer and Nkunku.
If he signs I think it will mean that Gallagher will definitely be off and that’s sits fine with me as Dewsbury-Hall is definitely an upgrade .

28 Jun 2024 15:51:09
I couldn't disagree more. KDH played as an attacking, left-sided number 8 for Leicester last season, for reference you could watch the game against us in the FA cup. If Maresca is to play the same system at Chelsea, this is the exact position you would expect to see Nkunku or Palmer play in.

As for an upgrade on Gallagher - there is nothing to suggest that is the case. In terms of data, Gallagher is better by almost every available metric, he's also younger which seems to be something that is quite important to this ownership.

28 Jun 2024 16:36:51
I have zero interest in player comparison but at the end of there relegation year I remember posting that I thought he would be a target for other clubs has he had impressed me throughout that season and in a poorly performing side.

I’m only passing on what a mate tells me about his performances last season. He apparently created a lot of opportunities and was voted player of the season by the fans and players.

I may well be wrong but can’t we just assume that CG is leaving and just all move on!

28 Jun 2024 17:17:10
I recall saying carney may be loaned.

28 Jun 2024 18:16:50
I hope not.

28 Jun 2024 19:57:01
IF the new coach wants KDH then I guess Conor Gallagher will be moving on. Enzo the Elder has to be careful here as this is going to piss off a lot of Chelsea fans and Enzo the Elder will take the blame for it. Maybe not the way to begin his tenure? Understandable that the new bloke would want his own players, but he hasn't spent time with the current Chelsea squad yet. Nothing against KDH but he doesn't seem like a player that we 'must have' and to go all out and disrupt the team/ squad to make it happen.

28 Jun 2024 20:26:22
Don’t really have an opinion on KDH himself but seems like such an unnecessary transfer.

28 Jun 2024 20:32:21
Celery, I want CG to stay but he hasn’t agreed to the new contract the club have offered and as much as I might prefer him playing for us, he is not, in my opinion a “must have” player.

28 Jun 2024 21:45:58
I admit I am underwhelmed about the rumours of us signing KDH. We have plenty of midfielders and there are other positions that need attention. However, I don’t understand why any potential midfield signings are relevant to Gallagher. He has not agreed a new contract: Ed002 has said that the club have made a reasonable offer. If it cannot be resolved he should be sold. This issue pre-dates the appointment of our new coach.

28 Jun 2024 22:28:12
Let's aggree that cg is leaving. Obviously maresca seems to prefer dewsbury to cg. So if dewsbury is coming it will be to replace cg imo.

28 Jun 2024 23:33:53
Fuser 'unnecessary transfer'sums up about 90% of signings we've made under this regime.

29 Jun 2024 05:13:32
Just picking a number to support your dislike of the owners doesn’t make it fact.

Two new goalkeepers needed. ✔️
Two new FB’s needed ✔️
At least two CH’s needed ✔️
Midfieldera needed ✔️
Forwards needed✔️

Of course it can be argued that to much was done to quickly or that some of the signings haven’t worked out but in my opinion the signings were “necessary. ”.

{Ed001's Note - goalkeepers you needed yes, but the rest you already had within the club's ranks to a level that could have given you time to recruit carefully, rather than just chucking billions at dross. And it is still continuing, selling Maatsen, rather than offloading the injury prone Chilwell. Any gain in fee is swallowed up by Chilwell's much higher salary, that is saying that you couldn't have got a similar fee for Chilwell. Chelsea should be the club that pushed Liverpool and Arsenal in recent years, as well as City, with the money that had been spent. Even the blip of the forced sale should not really have caused that much of a problem when you look at the players that were out on loan and in the academy. Especially when you consider all the hidden side payments etc that were being made under Roman. This massive investment is trying to fix a mess by doing exactly the same things that put you in the mess in the first place. It is like no one has bothered to examine what has been going on before the new owners took over and learn the lessons from it.

When Jose was in his first spell, everything about the club was geared to putting the best team on the pitch and winning. What happened? You dominated and won just about everything. Since then, everything has been about making money and you have only been able to challenge, let alone win, intermittently. The money has still been spent, so it is not lack of investment. Even those that break through from the academy into the first team know that they are just there until someone makes a good offer. They aren't like Terry, fighting to win and hold onto a place for the team they support, knowing that they are there to try and win trophies. They are brought to the academy as saleable commodities and that is all they feel like they are. Until that changes, you are always going to be hit and miss and dependent on a Conte-type coming in and driving the club forward by sheer force of will to get the trophies. And that is always going to be a short term solution.}

29 Jun 2024 06:26:30
Ed, we had two CHs out of contract. At that time I wouldn’t have been comfortable with Chalaboa and Colwill as there replacements. We also had the likes of Alonso and Werner followed by Mount and more unfortunately Kante leaving for one reason or another.

As I’ve said, there is an argument that recruiting/ change took place to quickly and if some of the replacements are good enough.

Most fans wanted Cucarella given back to Brighton with Maatsen kept but your point about using the academy players to replace certain players is well made. I personally agree that constant management changes hasn’t helped.

I was not happy with the sale of loads of academy players under Roman and I’m not going to be happy with the sale of certain academy players under the new owners. I have long held the view that all players are commodities.

{Ed001's Note - why is what you are comfortable with relevant? The club believed Colwill was the future, and Chalobah had already shown enough to believe he could be good enough to cover for injuries. You also have other youth defenders who could have stepped up. There was no 'need' to replace them. If you were going out and buying great players, a young Thiago Silva for example, that's different. But you bought an always injured headless chicken from a team relegated with an abysmal defence and a couple of punts for the future. You already had 2 punts for the future, so that is stupid recruitment.

Midfield you had hundreds of players out on loan who could have provided cover in there until you recruited the right players. Again you didn't need to buy. And again what you bought made no sense, hopeful punts but for enormous fees.

Werner didn't need replacing, he was hopelessly out of his depth with Chelsea and you already had better options coming through. Alonso? You could have played in place of him! You would have been just as mobile. He was too slow even for Spanish football.

Recruitment should be more targeted and just on top class players. You don't need to buy potential, you are producing potential and all Chelsea have done is made it almost impossible for homegrown players to reach that potential at the club. Ferguson had got the balance right for a long time at United, he would use academy players as squadfillers and buy just a few top players to sprinkle on top each season.

The one major need at the club, one that has been a problem for years as well, is a goalkeeper, and yet you still don't have a top class one. How can you spend billions and still not fix the biggest issue at the club?}

29 Jun 2024 07:28:37
I’m sorry I would not have been comfortable “at the time” of the takeover with Colwill and Chalaboa being our first choice CH’s and I may be wrong but I think the vast majority of fans wanted replacement CH’s signed.

Werner was as you say out of his depth and Alonso couldn’t defend and as you say was ridiculously slow.

As I stated in my original post there was probably no need to act so quickly but as I also said at the time of the takeover my fear was they would make rushed/ statement signings and then regret some of them but in my opinion changes were needed.

We will have to disagree about the club needing to buy potential. Ferguson also signed potential albeit not the quantity that we have.

The question you ask about goalkeepers is valid. I think Petrovic looks like a good signing but I’m not saying he is currently a top keeper.

I’m happy with lots of our signings particularly Caicedo, Lavia and Nkunku. I’m still not convinced about a few but I’m not going to right them off just yet.

{Ed001's Note - what you would have been comfortable with or what the fans wanted is utterly irrelevant to what the right thing to do was. Ferguson signed potential when the academy didn't have potential in that position. He always left a space for the better players to progress. Chelsea's gap was in goal, there isn't a potential top goalkeeper in the system, so you needed to sign one. Everywhere else you had lots of potential players, so needed to buy finished products, not more potential.}

29 Jun 2024 07:59:49
Ed, I’m sorry, it’s your opinion what the “right thing to do was” and in my opinion I think we needed to sign two new CH’s. I said at the time KK was a mistake and it could well be that the other CHs are not up to standard but as I said in the beginning that’s a different argument.

I repeat we will have to agree to disagree about signing potential.

{Ed001's Note - ok Tom, if you say so, but clearly you were wrong and so was the club.}

29 Jun 2024 08:42:33
Ed

Who would you day isxa top class goalkeeper because quite honestly when they come over here to the UK they seem to fail miserably ie Kepa and Onana?

{Ed001's Note - Maignan. Neither Kepa and Onana were any good before they came and that should have been obvious to anyone who watched them play.}

29 Jun 2024 10:01:40
Ed, it’s not wrong to have an opinion.

My original post on this subject I said there was an argument that the club acted to quickly. So we agree on that subject.

As I’ve said, I’m happy with the majority of our signings and still not decided on a few others mainly because they have been injured.

29 Jun 2024 10:04:30
I’m sorry, I should have made it clear that opinions are subjective. In my opinion.

29 Jun 2024 10:34:31
He is a good player Tom, just really not needed at Chelsea in my opinion, we have carney who were yet to see the best of.

29 Jun 2024 10:49:33
Devils advocate,
Who of the academy has who were good enough that we’ve just replaced really been a mistake,
Mount wouldn’t sign a new deal and his dad wanted move - not Chelsea fault, musiala was because of Brexit, solanke went Liverpool and didn’t show anything then so took over 7 years to get to this point, would you say we should of persisted with him?

Hall I think was good enough but Newcastle had 14 injuries and played same 11 week in and he didn’t get a look in, yes we have chalobah and Gallagher who we don’t need to move on, Gallagher is same situation as mount with contract so what do we do? Let leave for free next season, CHO we fought to keep but after his injury wasn’t the same maybe that was too soon but didn’t show much when on loan, Christensen didn’t sign and left for free, RLC couldn’t stay fit - went and stayed fit at Milan so that is a different concern about why that is.

Tammy - I blame that in tuchel I may be completely wrong but tuchel just didn’t rate him and didn’t even have him in champions league winning squad and had another goalkeeper and defenders, rice maybe, olise but he was released by other clubs after us so that’s not just a chelsea mistake, point being people act like we sell some these players and they all go on the be superstars or top top players, which the case is very few more from us and are regrettable

I think some of our academy players gets overhyped because we love a home grown story, some don’t get the chances but that’s most premier league clubs, but I do think that there are Some good enough to be used as cover more and compete to get time minutes rather than a lot of these signings were stock piling, I don’t like the amount of young talent we’re buying currently as there few key positions need addressing (GK - ST).

29 Jun 2024 10:48:10
Matt, I have lost the thread of the debate. Are you referring to CG? If yes, then I agree he is a good player and I would prefer him to stay as well as Chalaboa in the same way I wanted Tomori, MG, Tammy, Maatsen, Hall, Mount and few others all to stay.

With the benefit of hindsight out of the players I have mentioned above there is only MG I would definitely want back.

29 Jun 2024 11:42:44
Matt, Rice left at 14 and we didn’t sign Christensen and Maatsen until they were 16.

Listen, I thought Mount was a generational talent but at the moment that looks way off the mark. I thought Josh Mc was going to be a superstar and Charlie Webster was the second coming.

Managers being constantly changed hasn’t helped but just try putting the argument for stability forward as a reason to keep a coach.

There have been so many academy players sold over the last twenty years but it’s only with the benefit of hindsight that I can see that the majority haven’t pulled up many trees.

29 Jun 2024 23:43:27
Thanks for talking sense Ed1. Again, all subjective opinions but for anyone to say at the current state of things the regime hasn't been anything short of a disaster is baffling.

And Tom, Chalobah and Colwill weren't the two players at the time the club would have went with. We had Guehi performing well and Tomori performing well also.

Ed1 has summed up the rest. 30 signings or whatever we've made have been utterly pointless because we had better players in the academy. I wouldn't have gone near madueke/ mudruk etc because Hudson-Odoi was already better than them and we sold him for 4m.

In saying that, Palmer has been a massive success, as has Hutchinson, but I don't know if the successes weigh out the failures in any metric. It's been an complete failure thus far that looks set to continue with the kellyman and Shrewsbury-hall signing.

30 Jun 2024 00:56:12
Standard, both Guehi and Tomori had already been sold the year before when both Rudiger and Christensen left for free. So not sure what you’re talking about. In 22/ 23 we had T. Silva, Chalobah and Colwill (before his loan to Brighton) . Quite possible Colwill could have stepped up and performed as well for us as he did for Brighton but no guarentee of that happening. Even then we would likely have required at least 1 CB signing as Gilchrist was 18 and still in the u18 team.

CHO had several injuries that derailed his promising career and was sent on loan after Boehly &co took over in 22/ 23 to Bayer Levekusen. Whilst on loan he made a total of 21 appearances averaging 45mins/ game and produced only 1 goal and 1 assist across the whole season. Last summer he had 1 year left on his 100k/ year deal and at that point had shown nothing to indicate he would get anywhere back to the promise he had shown 4 years earlier. The fact that Nottingham Forest were pretty much the only team interested in him and only willing to pay ~£4m just shows how badly his star had fallen.

The level of revisionism is unreal on this board. Yes we’ve sold academy prospects when we shouldn't have (tomori, Guehi, Abraham etc) or even today with Maatsen and possibly Chalobah and Gallagher but there’s literally dozens of things we can bring up without making up random untrue situations.

30 Jun 2024 05:58:54
Fuser, thanks for pointing out the factual errors in Standards post.

As I said in my earlier post. I believe there is an argument to be had about the new owners acting to quickly or about the quality of certain signings.

The sale of academy players went on under RA and isn’t something new.

30 Jun 2024 06:39:30
As far as Hutchinson being a good signing as per Standards quote. If I remember correctly he only played a couple of games for Chelsea and I think in both he came on for a few mins as a substitute.

He was in my opinion managed very well at Ipswich. I think him signing for them is probably good for all parties.

30 Jun 2024 06:51:48
Apologies, wasn't sure when tomori and guehi left but my overall point is more so at the club in general wasting quality talent. I would never have sold Ake in addition to many others

Regarding Hudson-odoi, injuries hindered him massively. I don't think he was good enough for chelsea but I also don't think madueke for 30m and mudryk for 60m were good signings. I would take hudson-odoi over both of them. That was my point. Regarding Hutchinson, we've just sold him for 23m and signed him for free. That's marvellous business regardless of whether he's played a game for chelsea.

Precisely fuser, it's a trait of the previous regime which has continued. Shipping out academy talent who are better than who we bring in. You're right it's not a new regime isolated problem, but it's a problem regardless.

And again sorry for mixing up guehi and tomori sales, we've sold off so many good talent it's hard to keep track.

30 Jun 2024 07:12:19
Standard, CHO pre injury was a potential talent. It’s only now with the benefit of hindsight can a fair comparison be made between him, Noni and Mudryk. CHO was at best bang average post injury and worse in Germany.

Also, as things stand today I wouldn’t swap Noni for CHO.

30 Jun 2024 08:38:58
I'm saying of all the academy players we’ve sold how many have we really regretted, where as I do think selling chalobah and Gallagher now could be a mistake, more so because I don’t think we have or will improve on them for less than we would get selling.

30 Jun 2024 09:31:24
That’s what I’m saying Tom, on one hand I don’t like that we’re stock piling young players who likely won’t all get the chance at Chelsea when some could be squad players or back up to the back ups, but instead we sell, and use the academy like a business,

On other hand, who have we sold who have gone onto be amazing, the examples I gave, mount musiala, possibly Gallagher are reasons we can’t control or they would leave on a free if they won’t or didn’t sign contracts, rice? Guehi maybe?

30 Jun 2024 12:05:17
Matt, if we are honest we all have biased opinions and even agendas.

I can’t remember to many fans or posters complaining when academy players were sold in the Roman era.

The potential sale of CG has in my opinion almost become hysteria.

30 Jun 2024 15:28:50
The Athletic reporting an agreement is in place, so let’s just see how he goes. City have a bald manager, we have a bald manager; they have KDB, we have KDH. It’s only one letter out….

30 Jun 2024 16:32:37
Both the coaches and players you mentioned are miles apart in talent, absolutely no comparison.

01 Jul 2024 00:24:02
TomB really? There were many many complaints about the constant selling/ loaning of academy players. No one was expecting them to go straight into the first team, but players getting lost in the loan system and being constantly uncomfortable likely killed there careers. There really should be a rule that you need a % of players from the academy because all they are to us is a selling system.

01 Jul 2024 05:54:32
Standard, I said there weren’t “to many and you say there were “many many” complaints. You say say 90%! of our signings were not necessary and I say that is exaggeration to support your dislike of the current owners.

You now say that it’s “likely” that the loan system “killed” there careers.

I have no idea why or what stops a player reaching there potential but players like JT, Mount Galager, Maatsen, Ake, Ampadu, Tomorii, Geuhi, James, Hutchinson, Tammy, CHO and so many others at our club seemed to be doing ok with there careers after going out on loan. So maybe the loan system works for some players.

I think there are already rules in place about loaning players out. So I’m not sure what you suggesting?

I repeat I didn’t want the vast majority of academy players sold who have been sold but that has been my feeling for the entire 60+ years of supporting Chelsea and is not a new thing but I acknowledge that over the last 20 years it has become a more regular occurrence.

01 Jul 2024 12:30:50
"You figure out how to make the academy, that is so top, to collaborate with the first team, you show players the pathway, you teach them about how you're thinking about the future. " Todd Boehly, September 2022.

I guess it wouldn't all be so galling if they'd not seem to have figured it out when they bought the club.

Though his next line was more ambiguous, so perhaps should've been a warning:

"You treat players in the academy as academy products, not players. La Masia has done an amazing job. "

01 Jul 2024 13:39:30
EdW, I have found the selling of academy products upsetting for years, regardless of the owners.

I can think of no reason why it will change at CFC and I can now see it happening at a few other clubs.

I’ve also said for some time that any connection I felt towards the club as a fan has changed over the 10 years or so. The constant changes of managers probably hasn’t helped.

Also, in recent years I feel less of a connection towards our players. My guess is, at some stage I just looked upon the team I support as a business.

02 Jul 2024 01:17:20
Not all players have the same mentality tom. Some will be fine being farmed out constantly but being in a foreign country alone can be a huge hurt on players. I think it's pretty clear to see with chelsea players who were doing well, then got farmed out on loan and got lost in it.

Not sure about anyone else but all I remember about the site years ago was crying out for the academy? Do you remember the meltdown in 2015 on mourinhos 'academy day' when rlc got 6 minutes?

02 Jul 2024 05:02:01
Standard, of course players have a different “mentality” and that’s not just academy players.

I don’t work at the CFC academy but it has a brilliant reputation on lots of levels and that includes education. I also believe we have a mechanism for looking after players on loan to overseas clubs. My guess that is the same at most clubs. That isn’t to say that players don’t get homesick but for some it will be very beneficial. I have a nephew who has just been let go by a club and he was on loan last season to a lower league club. Him being let go had nothing to do with being on by loan. My “guess” is there are so many reasons for players not making it as a professional footballer but the most common is, they just ain’t good enough at that period of there football life.

Some of the terms used such as “farmed out” are not in my opinion helpful but that’s probably just me. My guess is that a lot of players see a loan as an opportunity and certainly a reasonable amount of players seem to have progressed quite well after a period out on loan. Of course it’s not been a success for others but it’s certainly not definitive.

Wanting “home grown” players to be successful has never changed in all my time as a cFC supporter and I’m sure that’s the same at every football club. I have no way of knowing the mentality of managers but from the outside such is the pressure for success and in recent years at Chelsea short term employment there is probably a focus on playing “ready made” players and not take supposed risks with academy players.

As a fan I want it all. I want success, I want continuity, I want top players, I want a top stadium and I want a good academy. This is only me being selfish but I also expect the club to satisfy my expectations.

02 Jul 2024 15:31:41
We had 21 players loaned out this year and 35 in 2020. I couldn't be bothered to look up the other years but if there's a definition of that other than 'farming out' please let me know lol.

02 Jul 2024 16:35:23
I have zero idea about the amount of players out on loan now or ten years ago.

What I am saying is your suggestions that “huge hurt” is done when players are on loan in this country or overseas is just your view and NOT a fact.

As I said there will be some players who thrive for being out on loan and obviously there will be some that don’t. Is there proof that I haven’t seen of “huge hurt or that it “killed” there careers?

I find it hard to believe I would use the term “farmed out, ” at least I hope I haven’t.

I have no problems with a well managed loan structure. The big thing for me is that our club manages and look after all of our players who may be on loan.

03 Jul 2024 00:14:21
I feel like you just try to find a way to argue with posters unless they're all merry about the way the club operates?

Obviously it's not true for every player but I'd wager if our academy came through at Liverpool or man united or basically any other club, more of them woukd have been successful. Again, obviously an opinion.

There is a reason FA wanted limits on loaning players out and that's because it's disrupted and not good for football.

03 Jul 2024 02:46:33
I am a fan of criticism particularly constructive criticism.

I have no idea how successful our academy is in comparison to other clubs but an awful lot of academy players seem to go on to have football careers.

I don’t remember what the rationale was for the authorities rule changes on loans a few seasons ago but if it was about quantity of loans per club I would probably agree with that rule but I repeat I like a loan that is managed professionally and as far as I know as a club Chelsea do manage there loaned players well.

03 Jul 2024 08:02:11
We gained a player last summer that was an academy product of his"BELOVED" club, Palmer, But, in the current climate, without the possibility of playing 1st team, behind Foden, he chose to leave, this is the new reality. Players and their management actually hold the reigns in transfers verses top clubs moving fwd, Tomori chose Milan 1st team rather than wait, Ghuie chose Palace 1st team rather than wait, and Gallagher will choose lower level, rather than wait, where he will be great!

03 Jul 2024 11:46:25
Kiwi, you are correct in my opinion. We are dealing with a fluid/ dynamic market.

The CG and what he thinks and the club thinks about a salary package that reflects his ability and worth to the club and poses challenging questions.

Is he worth more or the in salary to the club than Caicedo? Is he more or the same than Chuka?

Also, how do you work out the value of a player to a club. To me it seems likely that the value of a player will vary, depending on such things as “need” from club to club.

It not an exact science. We pay a huge salary to RS, Utd pay a huge salary to Rashford. Does there salary then become a comparison for other players based on performance. If any of that makes sense.

26 Jun 2024 16:54:24
Ed would you say David is our first choice striker now to bring in I understand Guiu may come in but reports and again only reports but we are pushing for him.

{Ed002's Note - No he is not first choice, but the club, like Arsenal, have been struggling to sign preferred options and are looking at others.}

26 Jun 2024 21:18:40
Lack of champions league football or finances unreasonable?

27 Jun 2024 11:51:39
David averages a goal every two games. I would be happy with that if he joined us.

27 Jun 2024 12:58:55
Always so hard to know though whether good stats for Ligue 1 - not the strongest in Europe but which has produced some wonderful strikers like Didier D and Thierry H- can be replicated in the Premiership. Truth is that I haven't watched enough of JD to have a properly informed opinion.

28 Jun 2024 01:03:12
Being canadian and involved in youth soccer i have seen and coached against JD since was young. very talented skmetimes abit lazy in training but its my belief and i and i am sorry to say don't believe he will be good for Chelsea

I hope i am wrong if he signs and would be excited but i don't believe it will work out.

28 Jun 2024 12:56:39
Interesting to get your comment Chelsea Canada particularly as you seen and coached against JD.

28 Jun 2024 13:24:57
Thanks. I would love for him to come to Chelsea and be succesful i just don't think he is there yet. Although there is always a chance he would rise to the occasion.

26 Jun 2024 12:53:40
Ed002 reports we enquired about isak, any truth?

{Ed002's Note - Alexander Isak (S) Newcastle have no intention of selling Isak and will let Bruno Guimaraes be sold instead - if that is not possible, they will have to consider selling Isak. They do not want to be having to replace both Isak and Callum Wilson this summer. Arsenal and Chelsea have a declared interest as both struggle to sign their preferred options.}

26 Jun 2024 16:29:48
Not convinced this will happen, as Ed rightly points out. But, what a signing it would be ??.

26 Jun 2024 16:51:54
I agree, seems very unlikely but would be one hell of a signing!

26 Jun 2024 19:12:21
Reports seem to say he’ll cost more than Caicedo so £120m, can’t see it happening at that figure.

26 Jun 2024 19:43:01
Newcastles interest in noni have any baring or help or completely separate.

26 Jun 2024 22:11:41
Good player but I think it’s very unlikely he will be leaving Newcastle this season.

27 Jun 2024 06:28:35
I reckon isak will be so expensive but what if Newcastle demands noni as part of the deal,

29 Jun 2024 10:44:13
Ed, while I don't agree with the strategy. I think it's easy for us to sit here on the sidelines and pass judgement, they were new owners and they were replacing Ambramovich who for all his flaws was universally loved by Chelsea fans due to the investment and success he bought. So whether we could have made do with what we had or not I think is a little irrelevant, they obviously felt like they needed to placate a fan base who had been spoiled under Ambramovich, as a way to win them over early. I mean look at SJR at United, some fans are already questioning him, same with FSG, they haven't been perfect. The issue was the new owners probably didn't have the structure in place to maximise the investment initially.

Finally, while we've bought a lot I think overall the signings have been positive: Palmer, Jackson, Caicedo (while overpriced), Gusto, Enzo (until Poch came in) have all been great. I also think there's a lot more to come from Lavia, Nkunku and Chukwumeka. CB, GK and pre the structure being put in place is where the recruitment has been questionable to say the least, Sterling, Fofana, Badiashille, Disasi, Cucurella and Sanchez were arguably as you say not better then what we already had. Overall I'm excited for the future, even if I'm not entirely convinced by the sporting directors in place. But I think we should reserve judgement for another year at least, before writing them off as a failure.

{Ed001's Note - if they are that weak they were spending to placate the fans, then you are in real trouble. I also don't see any need to do that and I don't see any way that was even in their thinking. I think it is more a case of them being badly advised and not having done their research properly before buying the club.

You think they have all been great? You are very easily pleased. If you had 4 or 5 players being great in a season, you wouldn't be finishing midtable.}

29 Jun 2024 12:15:34
Ed it's clear you don't agree with their strategy and that's fine, but the squad needed investment badly. We finished in the bottom half of the table the season before and half the players didn't want to be here, or were already out the door i. e. Rudiger, what choice did they have? I do agree about them being badly advised though and that's set them off on the wrong foot and they've been written off based on that. I think our biggest issue has been our managerial hires, Pochettino was 100% the wrong choice for the squad we had, whether Maresca is a better fit, time will tell.

25 Jun 2024 10:05:34
Rumours are Napoli have lowered the asking price / fee for osimhen, find it hard to believe when Chelsea and psg willing to pay release clause, unless they've stepped back.

I know Ed has said osimhen hasn't been enthused at prospect of Chelsea, and psg seem likely, and we seem to be watching wages. And I had moved on from osimhen but the names linked recently are or seem risky. And it seems perfect for a osimhen one way lukaku other.

And calafiori is unreal, what a player, want him as much as I wanted olise!

25 Jun 2024 17:24:51
Even after the information that we had stepped back from osihmen I still had the sneaky feeling that it would happen eventually. Not saying it will but currently there's no better fit in the market imo.

25 Jun 2024 07:14:15
Ed002 with us struggling to get lws could we get Chris Führich? Apparently he has a €25m release clause that runs out end of june. Could be a good option.

{Ed002's Note - Chris Führich (LW/AM) Took a long time to settle and has signed a new contract at Stuttgart, but Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen both see him as an option. Chelsea has sent scouts but he is down the list for them, although their preferred choices are currently unavailable.}

24 Jun 2024 09:48:38
Marc Guiu of Barcelona and Johnathon David of Lille now getting a mention along with Juan Duran. All 3 have an appeal and don't block Jackson's pathway. Nkunku is always an option as well although I think he is better deployed off the main striker. Going to be interesting to see who else gets a mention in the coming weeks.

24 Jun 2024 09:36:06
Hi Ed, just wondering if Alejandro Balde is still an option for Chelsea at LB or have they moved onto different targets?

{Ed002's Note - Barcelona won't let him leave so Chelsea are looking at other options.}

24 Jun 2024 22:33:15
That’s a shame, thanks Ed.

25 Jun 2024 11:21:32
Ed002 could caliafiori be an option? Can play lb and cb and would likely suit marescas tactics.

{Ed002's Note - Try searching.}