17 Jan 2026 06:58:46
Who’s going to be this perfect CB for Chelsea this January?
Apparently, the club are looking for a player who’s comfortable playing out from the back, is first team / EPL ready and can develop with, ultimately playing alongside, Colwill. They will obviously stick to their age criteria as well, don’t see them signing a 28 year old fully fledged / experienced international.
Romano has stated we have three players on our list, one of which is named as Jacquet, who plays for Rennes and is being chased by half of Europe. I’m not seeing a current EPL defender who meets the criteria.
Who else should we be looking at?
In other news, some reports that it’s between us and Man City for Barcelona midfielder Dro Fernandez, who is leaving on a €6m release clause. Flick Maya’s described loosing the player as the biggest disappointment of his career.
17 Jan 2026 08:53:42
J, I enjoyed your report and fingers crossed you are correct on the recruitment front.
17 Jan 2026 08:54:51
PSG now favoured to sign Dro.
17 Jan 2026 08:57:56
Jacquet is wanted by all the top clubs in europe and in particular Liverpool, Aresnal and Real Madrid so will be very difficult to sign him I imagine?
17 Jan 2026 10:23:49
69 million for a centre back whos played 19 senior games in ligue1 is absoloute insanity.
17 Jan 2026 10:50:09
Jacquet is only 20 so certainly fits the agre profile - or is he already a bit too old? lol - and his highlights package looks good strong and quick (but said package unlikely to show any errors of course) . Another great prospect. But could take time to adapt to EPL?
Anselmino looked v promising indeed to me when I watched him at the Bridge in our preseason friendly v Bayer Leverkausen and do not know whay we didn't hold on to him - I suppose we altready had BB and perhaps thought Hato could play there though seems more comfortable at LB- yet we loaned him out to Borussia Dortmund where he is excelling.
What I think Matresca wanted was an already EPL proven LCB to replace/stand in for the injured LC. Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth may be available in this respect but is 'elderly' at 28!
But given we are unlikely to win my=uch this season pergaps Jacquet would be another good purchase/investment for the future. Fits more in line with CFC as a trading club that might be able to compete for ECK or EPL - if we can retain our best players - ina few seasons time?
17 Jan 2026 11:54:00
So, I ask again has any poster seen these two young CH’s we are being linked with actually play?
I personally have no idea of how good they currently are.
Obviously some feel they are overpriced, so I assume they have seen them play.
17 Jan 2026 12:50:27
Tom
I'm sure you will probably be aware but I doubt anybody has seen them play.
17 Jan 2026 14:25:01
That’s my point Bill. So, if that is the case how do qualify as a waist of money?
17 Jan 2026 14:50:37
I've not seen them play only Jacquet's highlights reel in which he looked impressive as most do but did reveal his size strength and pace. But we are all guessing on how he would turn out to be when in a blue shirt at the Bridge. As most will have been with likes of Gittens and Hato.
Bringing players in from outside the EPL typically more if a gamble than getting them in from another EPL club or may need more time to adjust. Can only hope Jacquet is the bees knees of CBs if we sign him.
17 Jan 2026 15:57:04
Jacquet has (apparently) told Rennes he wants to join Chelsea this window. Haven’t seen him, but, given the wide depth of interest in him, he must have some promise. If he signs, for me, we’d need him to be an immediate upgrade on Chalobah, Tosin or Badiashile - tough ask.
17 Jan 2026 18:23:43
J I agree with you and would just add that hevis predominantly left footed and is probably more physical as a player than BB.
17 Jan 2026 22:11:17
Highly rated player. £55 million-ish for a player with 30 Ligue 1 games under his professional belt. City are signing Guehi for £20 million. I'm nonplussed.
17 Jan 2026 23:03:34
EdW, I’m not sure how interested we would have been in Guehi given his reported wages.
18 Jan 2026 05:16:29
If I’m not wrong, in the summer Guehi was asked if he would be interested in returning to us and shut it down instantly.
18 Jan 2026 06:04:44
Guehi contract was up, if he had three or so years left he’d be valued significantly higher. Tom’s correct about wages too. Right player for us, but wasn’t going to happen.
18 Jan 2026 08:59:50
I'm in agreement, his wages demands are far too high for us and I'm totally happy with that.
Who do we get on, who knows and to be honest I will only be interested when we signed somebody that puts on a shirt for us and actually plays rather than being loaned out.
The young fellow at Dortmund who is on loan from us is supposedly playing well getting rave reviews from their coach, why not give him a go.
In the summer, a clear out of our CB's should be a priority.
18 Jan 2026 18:04:24
Jacquet is rated highly. but my argument would be so are anselmino, sarr and josh and the forgotten colwill whos still only 22
surely a better idea might be a bit more experience to balance it out?
18 Jan 2026 20:25:50
I would like to think they have looked at all different solutions. I haven’t seen th lad play and so far no other poster has said they have seen him play.
He could be the cat’s whiskers. If we sign him I wi wait and see before I start judging or making comparisons to other players.
18 Jan 2026 23:04:15
he might become the cats whiskers- issue is we already have 3 that 'might' become good- how about looking at someone whos played a bit before.
19 Jan 2026 12:08:31
Maybe because they consider this guy to be better than what we currently have.
19 Jan 2026 14:29:01
The problem is how do we know that tom… sarr and anselmino have done well by all sccounts and you can see there's a top class player potentiallt in josh …. Just feels like money that couldve been better spent.
19 Jan 2026 14:56:59
How on earth do you reach a conclusion that any transfer fee could’ve been better spent.
Not a single poster has said they have seen the lad play other than social media clips. Our manager has first hand knowledge of the player as well as our SD’s supposed positive reports.
I am assuming/guessing they feel he is an upgrade on what we currently have. I’m personally not in a position to judge or be critical of that decision.
21 Jan 2026 12:13:09
I like PochEmpire’s comment about how crazy it would be to spend £69m for a player who has played 19 games in L1. Enzo had played 17 games for Benfica, so presumably the fee for this lad should be higher!