19 Aug 2024 23:42:41
Welcome Jaoa! I'm a fan of this signing even though I don't think it makes a lick of sense! But this definitely means two of Madueke, sterling and mudryk are leaving. Now, we need a starting GK, CB, and ST.
20 Aug 2024 06:37:01
Jörgensen, I think according to Ed02 is highly regarded. It will be interesting to see how the combination of Colwill and Fofana develops. I would like Osimhen (still) but I can’t see it happening but apparently our recruitment team are still trying.
20 Aug 2024 08:04:53
Tom,
A good recruitment team would have given up flogging a dead horse long ago.
They know we need an experienced no.9 yet still we have a vacancy and we have already played our first game of the season.
If we had one in place vs Man City, who knows what the result would have been.
20 Aug 2024 09:51:42
Bill you make it sound as if the club haven’t explored lots of CF targets. I personally prefer it if they stick with what we have unless we are getting the clubs No1 and preferred choice and that’s Osimhen.
If by some chance we do sign Osimhen on agreeable terms will you then be giving the constantly slagged off recruitment team a ???
20 Aug 2024 09:57:38
This transfer window has been mystifying in so many ways Bill1955. And change of managers seems a big gamble too given his slim cv. Yet with millions more spent and a nearly fit squad so Lavia and Nkunku feel. like new signings we should expect l nothing short of top 4 of course after such a giid finish to last season.
20 Aug 2024 10:01:16
But if we can still sign a top striker perhaps all will be well.
20 Aug 2024 10:27:51
Bill, while I maintain I cannot see us signing osimhen and he's been psg bound, we don't exactly know. I think we're probably hanging in there but deep down are resigned to him going elsewhere.
20 Aug 2024 11:37:27
PSG now back as slight favourites gor Osimhen after we were forced while. but presumably still a chance we could get him.
20 Aug 2024 11:46:16
Maybe Osimhen would prefer to play for PSG and if that is the case and he signs for them, no doubt our owners will be at fault in some peoples eyes.
20 Aug 2024 14:17:03
Rumours now say PSG don’t want Osimhen so who knows.
20 Aug 2024 15:23:17
Will be interesting. 10 days left.
20 Aug 2024 19:23:15
Tom not slagging the owners in this one but I think it was quite frequently said he preferred PSG and maybe others over Chelsea so I don’t get why will have put all our eggs in one basket, ok we’ve been linked with others but not really pushed for anyone or we would of heard about it.
So yes if we don’t get him and he really didn’t want to come as we are made to believe then the recruitment will get a little stick am not bothered either way if he comes great if not fine. I do think we will struggle if we don’t get a good N09 tho.
20 Aug 2024 20:49:15
Tom,
I really do not like our transfer policy, it's like the hokey kokey, in out, in out shake it all about.
So yes, I will will be critical of our recruitment team until it all finally settles down and I have said recently that it could be a good idea to get a two season transfer ban which could help stabilise our club.
20 Aug 2024 21:36:06
Nib, it’s also been said that his hero was Drogba and he wanted to emulate his success playing for Chelsea. I personally don’t believe the vast majority of the shyte in newspapers or the so called “social” haha media.
Bill, I am critical of the amount of players signed but to be fair my view isn’t fair because I can’t believe we won’t be selling/ loaning lots of players in the final days of this window. I can’t work out why you would be happy with a transfer ban? Fergie used to shuffle his squad virtually every season and I think it’s good to keep staff on there toes. I don’t envisage the same wholesale squad changes in windows to come but opportunities could present themselves and it wouldn’t be good if we couldn’t take advantage of them.
20 Aug 2024 23:22:58
Nib66, the club have chased 3 other strikers so far this summer and discussed a further 2 with their clubs other than Osimhen. Doesn’t sound like it’s been all eggs in one basket does it?
21 Aug 2024 07:38:17
And yet Fuser, not one has come through the door so whoose fault is that?
21 Aug 2024 08:22:50
Bill, it doesn’t have to anyone’s fault. Just maybe the valuation, the club not wanting to sell, salary or the player just not wanting to join could all be valid reasons.
It doesn’t have to be anyone at Chelsea’s fault.
21 Aug 2024 08:31:39
But it could Tom, we seem to have no trouble in buying several players in positions we are already over stocked in and let's be fair, we don't need.
We do need a ST though and badly.
21 Aug 2024 09:04:15
Bill, my point is it’s more likely not to be anyone at the clubs fault.
Yea we probably do need a strikes but let’s not make another Lukaku type mistake. I’m sure we have had targets and it would appear Osimhen is our top choice. If we don’t get him how far down the list do you want to go to a player who is available?
21 Aug 2024 10:20:28
So if we don't get Osimhen them it's nobody then.
All I can say look forward to mid table at best Tom.
21 Aug 2024 12:00:48
If it’s not Osimhen I’m not who the alternative would be but. I’m sure the club have alternatives but are they available? I have my doubts.
I still think we will finish between 3rd-5th. If our players stay fit I think there is every reason to be optimistic we will improve on last seasons 6th.
21 Aug 2024 14:39:15
I think if we are saying “stop flogging a dead horse” with Osimhen and/ or complaining that we are signing players in other positions easily so why not up front, I think we also need to say who this mystical, easily purchased world class striker is.
I know the tax breaks in Italy for overseas players have changed, but fitting Osimhen into the age structure Chelsea is trying to create is a challenge; Ivan Toney might be an option, but what is the value in a 28 year old with one year left on his contract? What are the realistic options?
For me, flog the horse with Osimhen, but if not we can go into the season with Jackson - written off after 1 game (again), when he missed most of pre-season - and Nkunku/ Felix who can cover the role, plus Guiu as one for the future. That’d be fine. Not really any worse than most of the teams around and above us.
21 Aug 2024 17:12:28
FD77
The mystical striker is foe the recruitment team to find as they are the resources to do so.
If we are going into the seaso with just the four players you mention then I hope you are right and they score lots of goals but I have my doubts as you know.
Osimhen's transfer fee and wages are a big hurdle to overcome however I'm not even sure he wants to come to us and I believe Napoli know this which is why they are pushing to sign Lukaku as a stand alone.
Would I be happy if we got him, of course I would but surely so close to the end of the window suggests PSG will come back in with an offer that Napoli will find hard to reject and thatcwill be too late for us to find the mystical striker we desperately need.