Winter 22's Premier Football Event: January Window

[randomlegend]

No idea of the reliability of this:

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[Waffdon]

That would be a league winning signing. What a team they’re building.

I’m assuming Boehly will be on a madness and spend another 200m

[niko_cee]

You sound like you're thinking of switching fanboy allegiance.

Chelsea will probably spaff that 200m on Sanchez, Caicedo and Trossard.

[Manc]

One of two talents lighting up world football atm. I wonder who will sign the other.

[SincereTheRebel]

One of two talents lighting up world football atm. I wonder who will sign the other.

Who are the two, Mudryk and..

[niko_cee]

Kvaradona?

[randomlegend]

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia would be my guess.

EDIT: As above.

[Raoul Duke]

Can't wait to see which Eredivisie player Utd will sign to replace Ronaldo. #AnnounceGakpo

[Shindig]

Joshua Kluivert. Assuming the Home Office give him a work permit.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Justin has a brother?

[Shindig]

That's what Ten Haag will be saying, yes. :D

[Waffdon]

You sound like you're thinking of switching fanboy allegiance.

Chelsea will probably spaff that 200m on Sanchez, Caicedo and Trossard.

They’ve stolen another back room member. I think they’ll sign Sanchez but that will be about it really. Sign anymore and they can claim the Hove & Albion too.

[randomlegend]

Antony and Martinez are ballers so I have no problem with further Ten Hag approved Eredivisie raids.

[niko_cee]

They’ve stolen another back room member..

Is it the brickshithouse physio guy?

All three of those will go [at some point], although probably not all to Chelsea in January.

[Waffdon]

Paul Winstanley. Brighton’s statement says he’s head of recruitment. That’s someone from Brighton, Southampton, Monaco and Leipzig all joining the recruitment team at Chelsea with the Norwich geezer still rumoured. I’m assuming this is because they’ll be copying Man City and buying other clubs because it seems a bit much to all be involved in recruitment for one club.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Maybe the recruitment department has become sentient and started recruiting people entirely of its own accord.

I never get why the big clubs bother so much with recruitment. The pool must be limited. If you're Brentford, yeah there are loads of random fucks on the Scandinavian marshland that might fit into the midfield, but if you're looking to be at Champions League level then surely you're only sifting through known knowns.

[Don]

It's not even December and the opening rumour is just that. And Malacia.

[randomlegend]

Can you at least try to be coherent?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1595108144862343168

Here. We. Go.

[Spikey M]

Lol

[Kikó]

City to go in for him apparently.

[Ian]

:rave:

[Giggles]

City to go in for him apparently.

That was the only reason Utd brought him back in the first place anyway.

[Shindig]

I don't even know if he'll fit in there. He'll probably make Kevin de Bruyne cry or something. What if he joins Rangers as a player manager? Guaranteed goals and European football until he's 55.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Ronaldo would last about seven minutes in Scottish football before some old lag with a pint of Tennents called him a 'wee shite' and he threw a contract-ending tantrum.

I don't know why he doesn't go back to Sporting, presumably the agent wants to keep rinsing money out of him to the bitter end.

[Giggles]

He’d surely get a barrow load of money off one of the yank teams.

[Yevrah]

Surely with Haaland City don't need him or would even want him now.

I still maintain he's good, but he's clearly going to have to reduce his wage demands if he's going to join a "big" club as any of those clubs that could afford half a million a week, just don't need him. If he wants the money, go to the US or Middle East.

[igor_balis]

Would be a great signing if football was played in a vacuum and he was happy to sit in the bench and be an impact sub but he's a cunt, it ain't worth it.

[randomlegend]

He’d surely get a barrow load of money off one of the yank teams.

Some Saudi team offered him like 250m in the summer.

[randomlegend]

https://news.sky.com/story/manchester-united-owners-to-explore-sale-as-glazers-seek-new-investment-12753359

What a day this is turning out to be :drool:

[Lewis]

I hope Qatar buy it.

[Shindig]

I'll throw in my token Mike Ashley. Does he still have shares in Rangers?

[Ian]

Yeah we're definitely gonna end up with somebody even more reprehensible.

[Lewis]

The Chinese would be another good bet, if only to see the broadcasters try to grapple with it mindful of being banned from their market forever.

[Shindig]

FSG and the Glazers swap clubs. :drool:

[Yevrah]

Yeah we're definitely gonna end up with somebody even more reprehensible.

You will, but they'll spend money on the training ground, get a solid footballing operations department together, invest in the team and no one will care.

Hitler could rise from the dead and if he had the cash and could turn his hand to making sensible footballing decisions not a single fuck would be given.

"What are your thoughts Gary?"

"Well, he did kill all those Jews, but I've always said that it's better to have these things out in the open and to talk about the issues"

[Ian]

No, I suspect the vast majority wouldn't care if they thought leagues and Champions Leagues were in reach, there's enough evidence of that from other takeovers.

I've no idea if it'd put me off or not. I already watch less football than I ever have and while this season has been more enjoyable I still feel like I'm largely watching United out of habit and because otherwise I'd watch no football at all. But I appreciate I'm not the norm there.

[Ian]

Also if United get bought out by the sort of owner we're talking about here then it just pushes a super league closer because you can only have so many insane billionaires spunking money up the Premier League wall before one of them says "hold up how come I have to finish 7th?" when they could have some sort of NFL/MLB/MLS type system instead where you can be shit all year but still have a chance of winning the MacGuffin.

And a super league would 100% put me off.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The super league is inevitable. A proper 'tragedy of the commons' situation.

I had the debate with the Arab the other day. He thinks that fixtures like Man Utd v Fulham don't make sense and shouldn't exist, because why do that when you could do Man Utd v Barcelona. He said he would support Argentina against his own two national teams (Jordan/Iraq) because Messi (not Argentina) is good, and Jordan/Iraq are bad. He thinks British people are strange and bizarre because they go to watch lower league teams in their thousands (I pointed out to him that a 5th tier game drew 16,000 at the weekend) when they could be at home watching Barcelona or Juventus on TV. I pointed out to him that people are going to watch their local teams that mean something to them, but he doesn't understand that concept, because to him (and presumably millions like him) football begins and ends with watching the world's very best on TV. The grassroots game we all played in parks as kids, at school, at small junior teams, none of that exists to him.

That is the sort of fan the Super League people are hungry for, and they will win.

[niko_cee]

The Chinese would be another good bet, if only to see the broadcasters try to grapple with it mindful of being banned from their market forever.

They aren't allowed.

[Ian]

The super league is inevitable. A proper 'tragedy of the commons' situation.

I had the debate with the Arab the other day. He thinks that fixtures like Man Utd v Fulham don't make sense and shouldn't exist, because why do that when you could do Man Utd v Barcelona. He said he would support Argentina against his own two national teams (Jordan/Iraq) because Messi (not Argentina) is good, and Jordan/Iraq are bad. He thinks British people are strange and bizarre because they go to watch lower league teams in their thousands (I pointed out to him that a 5th tier game drew 16,000 at the weekend) when they could be at home watching Barcelona or Juventus on TV. I pointed out to him that people are going to watch their local teams that mean something to them, but he doesn't understand that concept, because to him (and presumably millions like him) football begins and ends with watching the world's very best on TV. The grassroots game we all played in parks as kids, at school, at small junior teams, none of that exists to him.

That is the sort of fan the Super League people are hungry for, and they will win.

They will win, and it'll be horrendous to anybody who remembers when playing another big European team (or even just a European team you knew bugger all about) was still exciting.

[Ben]

Aren’t the Chinese still concerned with their domestic property market going to the dogs? Their foreign investments (particularly in sports) have fallen off a cliff and presumably won’t recover until they pack in with the zero-COVID bollocks.

[Kikó]

You will, but they'll spend money on the training ground, get a solid footballing operations department together, invest in the team and no one will care.

Hitler could rise from the dead and if he had the cash and could turn his hand to making sensible footballing decisions not a single fuck would be given.

"What are your thoughts Gary?"

"Well, he did kill all those Jews, but I've always said that it's better to have these things out in the open and to talk about the issues"

Some people will care, I will to count one person. I can't be arsed with it if some human right pricks take over. What a shit show top level football really is.

[niko_cee]

Xi has knocked all of their mega football spending on the head.

[Giggles]

https://news.sky.com/story/manchester-united-owners-to-explore-sale-as-glazers-seek-new-investment-12753359

What a day this is turning out to be :drool:

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[niko_cee]

Also, surely all of the business yanks looking to bail suggests there isn't likely to be a future for the superleague, no?

[Jimmy Floyd]

There will be a never-ending stream of more business yanks to replace them.

[Shindig]

Are there any business Mancs?

[niko_cee]

Ratcliffe?

[Lewis]

Fred Elliott.

[niko_cee]

Ronaldo should buy it and then sack Ten Hag.

[niko_cee]

On Ronaldo, I'd not seen any of that interview but just caught a bit of it on the news, some strong "you come to me on the day of my daughter's wedding" vibes.

[-james-]

Seems like there's a mass nerd exodus ongoing at Anfield. They're cooked.

[Shindig]

Does this mean we can have Bobby Clark back?

[randomlegend]

https://www.relevo.com/futbol/liga-primera/united-vigila-mundial-unai-simon-20221128154321-nt.html#vca=fixed-btn&vso=rrss&vmc=link&vli=futbol

United after the Spain keeper apparently.

[SvN]

I thought all contracts required a release clause in Spain. Have I got that wrong, or have they abolished the rule?

[randomlegend]

I thought all contracts required a release clause in Spain. Have I got that wrong, or have they abolished the rule?

Someone on Reddit said that they are allowed to not have one, but if a player decides they want to leave without the clubs being able to agree a fee then it goes to some sort of court of arbitration who will decide the compensation. Don't know if that's definitely true but would make sense.

[randomlegend]

Looks like Ronaldo is going to Saudi for 200m a year.

[Yevrah]

Yeah, when you pick yourself for Portugal and you’ve done all he has in the game it’s hard to turn that down.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Ah, so that's why he went out of his way to cause a shitstorm and get released from his contract immediately.

Dustin Johnson got more than that I think.

[randomlegend]

Ah, so that's why he went out of his way to cause a shitstorm and get released from his contract immediately.

Dustin Johnson got more than that I think.

He got offered the same deal in the summer and turned it down. United were prepared to let him go for free to join them.

[Gray Fox]

LIV Soccer?

[Jimmy Floyd]

If they really want to disrupt in the way they have in golf, I don't see why they woudn't try and buy up as many prime age players as they can. Could be a back door Super League.

I reckon more footballers would jump for money than golfers, and golfers are a load of right-wing money whores.

[Waffdon]

Sounds like Real Madrid are closing in on Endrick. They really do run the Brazilian market now.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

72m Euros, oof.

[Waffdon]

I hadn’t realised he’s only played 7 times for them. Assumed he was doing Neymar numbers :D

[Jimmy Floyd]

72 million euros to buy a 16 year old child, at about 1 million euros per kg.

For comparison, fresh horse meat on the global markets is currently priced at around 6 euros per kg.

[Lewis]

Assuming that Madrid would be the biggest draw regardless, wouldn't you be better off waiting until he's eighteen even if it costs you more?

[Shindig]

What if they wait and miss their chance to buy him?

[niko_cee]

Assuming that Madrid would be the biggest draw regardless, wouldn't you be better off waiting until he's eighteen even if it costs you more?

They're probably just feeling cocky because their last couple of major forays there (assuming they would be Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo) haven't turned into Kerlon.

[Don]

We were reportedly close to Rodrygo so it seems it very much is a case of having to get in early. They're not all guaranteed successes it seems as Reinier Jesus shows but this Endrick kid has the build of an absolute bull so I'll rim Mahow if he isn't the real deal within 3 years.

[randomlegend]

Atletico President made it pretty clear Joao Felix is off.

Under Edwoodwoodwood we'd 100% have signed him, played him as a lone 9 and then wonder why it didn't work. Apparently Ten Hag is interested though so who knows.

[Don]

I don't know if that is more amusing than the Bellingham rumours or not. Both great.

[randomlegend]

It's going to be fun watching Liverpool fans come to the realisation they'll be spending fuck all unless/until they get taken over by one of the human rights abuse states.

[Waffdon]

I’m not sure they need oil money. Chelsea have Americans who spent £300m like it’s nothing and will spend more than that again over the next two windows.

[John Arne]

Former Newcastle midfielder Haris Vuckic has joined Buriram in Thailand.

[Waffdon]

Todd Boehly apparently entering the bidding to buy Lyon. Surely they’re a bit too big to be a feeder club.

[Manc]

Some midlife crisis.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1600856610339012619

Here. We. Go.

[Gray Fox]

Florentino plays FM confirmed.

[John Arne]

Not a chance in hell he scores a goal at that level.

1600815388631379968

[Waffdon]

Enzo Fernandes to Liverpool apparently. Hopefully not.

[Baz]

Him and Bellingham would be pretty swish.

[Giggles]

I always wonder these days when you’re all grown men with families and jobs how you actually know all these players and whether they’re good or not? Is it just from pundits on tv and podcasts, or YouTube clips, or even football manager? Or do you all actually manage to watch 15+ hours of various European leagues a week?

[SincereTheRebel]

A few years back, I watched hed two bundesliga seasons and had decent knowledge of the league and players. Most players are a complete blur though. Most football fans these days, get their facts from short clips, FIFA, and FM.

[Waffdon]

I always wonder these days when you’re all grown men with families and jobs how you actually know all these players and whether they’re good or not? Is it just from pundits on tv and podcasts, or YouTube clips, or even football manager? Or do you all actually manage to watch 15+ hours of various European leagues a week?

Champions League init

[Waffdon]

Him and Bellingham would be pretty swish.

I really, really, really hope they don’t sign Bellingham. Must be anticipating some investment from somewhere.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Football Manager is the best/quickest way to know who all the players are, even if it's not necessarily accurate in every respect.

[Baz]

I always wonder these days when you’re all grown men with families and jobs how you actually know all these players and whether they’re good or not? Is it just from pundits on tv and podcasts, or YouTube clips, or even football manager? Or do you all actually manage to watch 15+ hours of various European leagues a week?

There's this thing on at the moment where loads of football matches have been on TV, and the two players mentioned above have played like 5 games each in the last 3 weeks.

[Giggles]

There's this thing on at the moment where loads of football matches have been on TV, and the two players mentioned above have played like 5 games each in the last 3 weeks.

Yes it’s only ever happened in the past few weeks about 2 players. Thank you for clearing that up.

[Baz]

Anytime, fella.

[Gray Fox]

Enzo Fernandes to Liverpool apparently. Hopefully not.

I'll admit I have seen him play very little but have heard a lot of hype.

I would suggest Liverpool are currently dipping their finger into many midfield pies. I've heard murmurings of Fernandes, Laimer, Caicedo, Amrabat and Bellingham all popping up and there's no way there's enough money in the pot for either of the big ones there.

Also seems like Laimer is off to Bayern.

[Waffdon]

1597293726279561216

He’s now reporting Chelsea are on the verge of completing the deal. Chelsea and Hove Albion at this point

[phonics]

The last Fofana deal went so well it’s time to double down I guess.

[Gray Fox]

Romano saying Chelsea have signed Nkunku and he'll join at the end of the season.

[phonics]

Glad they learnt their lesson over athletic RB Leipzig forwards.

[randomlegend]

1604232653447864321

Looks like he's off to United then. Seems a bit of a square peg/round hole signing but I guess we'll find out.

[Shindig]

Neil Warnock's warned us off that move. :D

Most of the local paper tattle is fixated on Maddison.

[Lewis]

He's a big unit so they could play him through the middle like a bothered Anthony Martial.

[randomlegend]

Martial has looked bothered this season he just can't play more than 2 games without getting injured for 2 months.

[Don]

He'll be class and in great shape once Ten Haag has got him back from a 10 month personal training programme out in Dordrecht.

[randomlegend]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64012935

Ah for fuck's sake.

[Shindig]

After Cristiano Ronaldo's exit, getting a new striker remains a priority for Ten Hag.

You did fine without him. :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Much rather we went all in for Amrabat.

[Gray Fox]

Wesley Sneijder in any day now.

[niko_cee]

Isco's been released by Sevilla [had no idea he'd even gone there], what's that all about then?

[phonics]

IIRC the manager said he was a lazy twat who couldn't be bothered to train properly.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It was an awful move for them and he's probably taken a payoff with an offer from the Middle East or States in the tank.

[niko_cee]

Perhaps not quite Oscar tier [is he still in China?] but feels like his career has been a massive waste of time/talent from a sporting perspective.

[Shindig]

Still in Shanghai. Probably a few more years before he can make a triumphant return to Brazil.

Or ...


During the summer transfer window 2022 Oscar was denied a move to Brazilian club Clube de Regatas do Flamengo. It was said that Shanghai Port F.C. blocked the move "last-minute". Oscar had taken a photo with a Flamengo shirt on but the transfer collapsed.

Fuck.

[SincereTheRebel]

Has he signed a new contract out there? Surely he will walk away for free. He has been out there for more than four years now.

[niko_cee]

He probably has to do what he's told lest he end up in a re-education facility.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Not the only commodity that's been prevented from leaving Shanghai Port for unknown reasons this year.

[Waffdon]

Isco definitely has the Hazard’s about him. Both players really fell off after signing for Madrid - maybe a bit harsh on Isco as he had a good few seasons.

Him in that Malaga team :drool:

[Shindig]

It's got to be harder to stand out when you're in a squad of such quality.

[Adramelch]

I don't know that I would describe Isco's career as a waste of talent though if I'm honest. He played 300+ games for Real including a handful of CL finals.

[Gray Fox]

Liverpool IN for Gakpo.

[Waffdon]

Must have got some secret investors in

[Gray Fox]

Screams to me that Diaz, Jota or both are fucked for a bit.
A bit of another unpolished diamond, but why not.

[niko_cee]

Diaz is out until March at least, isn't he?

[Giggles]

If they buy for injuries then why not all the time ?

[Luke Emia]

If they buy for injuries then why not all the time ?

Because they are worried about not being in the Champions League.

[Giggles]

Because they are worried about not being in the Champions League.

:lol: you couldn’t get that rich being that conservative. They’re a guarantee for the next 10 years. Four fucking places.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1607494375621230592

Nunez in the mud, here we go.

[Manc]

That is a fantastic bit of business.

[niko_cee]

Yeah, bugger ever signing a midfielder or some competent defensive cover.

[Don]

Was dildoboy wanking over Utd signing him? That would only add to the lols of us signing one of the hottest prospects in world football off the back of an injury and talk of us missing out on top 4 :D Jude in summer and we complete football.

[Gray Fox]

:lol: you couldn’t get that rich being that conservative. They’re a guarantee for the next 10 years. Four fucking places.

It actually only really matters for 2-3 years. The UEFA proposed reform would see England handing out a further two places to whoever they really want for the champions league.

[Giggles]

It actually only really matters for 2-3 years. The UEFA proposed reform would see England handing out a further two places to whoever they really want for the champions league.

So, forever then.

[-james-]

Yeah Liverpool are toast. You never buy someone two weeks after they've scored in the world cup ffs.

[Gray Fox]

Seeing a lot of buzz that Enzo Fernandes will leave Benfica in January. They want to keep him for the season but he has a €120m release clause. Real Madrid, Man UFC and Liverpool are apparently willing to trigger it.

[Baz]

Would you rather have him or Valverde?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Fernandez (z) is just another tattooed gypo isn't he? Leave him for Simeone, 120 million euros, my word.

[randomlegend]

Seeing a lot of buzz that Enzo Fernandes will leave Benfica in January. They want to keep him for the season but he has a €120m release clause. Real Madrid, Man UFC and Liverpool are apparently willing to trigger it.

He's class, but United have absolutely no money. There's zero chance of us dropping 120m in January.

[Lewis]

Pile it onto the debt for the new owners. Nobody is paying that release clause though surely. He's six months into his European career.

[randomlegend]

He was also bought by Benfica for ~18m less than 6 months ago.

[Jimmy Floyd]

And as with Gakpo, buying at the top of the market post WC is a proper mug's game.

[niko_cee]

Gakpo's price doesn't seem all that 'top of the market' [broadly the same a Diaz last year]- is he running down his contract or something? I thought the asking price had jumped to 60m+ after a few world cup goals.

[Jimmy Floyd]

As in at the top of the market for Gakpo, not for everyone.

[randomlegend]

No different to what was being quoted for him in the summer tbh.

[niko_cee]

Just seems that's the price range he's been in since every man and his dog started getting linked with him last summer or maybe the one before - perhaps a bit more - but he was being linked to United for £50m in early December so, other than him being actually useless, I was curious as to why PSV seemed to be selling themselves a bit short, or at the very least not turning it into a SAGA.

[randomlegend]

Apparently Chelsea have offered 130m for Enzo Fernandez (above release clause so it can be paid in installments).

Wild.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Boehly is a moron.

[Ben]

Why are Atletico trying to offload Joao Felix for the rest of the season but with no option to buy?

[randomlegend]

They are basically trying to get someone to pay their costs on him for 6 months but want to keep him if it goes well.

They want like an £8m loan fee + a big chunk of his wages paid.

[randomlegend]

£16m for 6 months all in for Felix :happycry:

More than Ronaldo.

Anyone paying that is a fucking mug.

[Don]

A fifth of an Antony and you don't even need to worry about having to offload him when he begins to kick off about English culture.

[randomlegend]

Someone explain to Taz the differences between renting and buying.

[Gray Fox]

Given he's apparently on about £250k p/w, that probably cuts out a lot of teams from loaning him. You've the rich 3 in England. Of those, only Chelsea and United would have any interest. Bayern don't tend to do that kind of thing. Real Madrid will be off limits and Barcelona are probably in need of activating the 17th financial lever any time now.
Most likely he ends up in Milan.

Why do Atletico need his costs covered though? Are they fucked for money too?

[randomlegend]

I think it's "want" rather than "need".

I would guess they feel if they can't get his costs covered then they'd rather just have him as back-up.

[randomlegend]

Two ostensibly reliable journalists now saying United are favourites to spaff 120m on our boy Enzo.

If that happens I will be astonished.

[Gray Fox]

Sounds as if Liverpool would only be in if allowed to structure the payments for the €120m. Given United, Chelsea and Madrid apparently are willing to stump up the required funds, then Liverpool would be out of the running.

Instead names like Caicedo, Amrabat and De Jong are being banded about. Word is that one will come in January with the big hope that Jude is the marquee summer signing.

[SincereTheRebel]

Bellingham can pretty much go anywhere. He has supported Liverpool since a youth. Given that his foot is seriously hot at the moment. Surely, you just go with the highest bidder.

[Gray Fox]

Dortmund themselves will not give a flying fuck who they sell him to. I personally think he will end up at Real Madrid. It seems like they want to hold him until the summer while they get the next one in on their production line.

It'd be a very dangerous game for Liverpool to hang their hat on him and not pursue any other midfielder, but it does at least seem for now like one will come in, in January.
There's still at least 3 due to leave in the summer though.

[randomlegend]

A midfield three of Camavinga, Tchouameni and Bellingham is absolute filth.

[Lewis]

Madrid can't have missed out on many serious targets over the last twenty years (not counting Mubappe and that lol deal he has), so Liverpool would need to get into the Dortmund fax machine.

[Baz]

A midfield three of Camavinga, Tchouameni and Bellingham is absolute filth.

Absolutely insane.

[SincereTheRebel]

Like a FM dream

[SincereTheRebel]

I seem to remember. Big January signings usually come to the league and run circles around the other players.

[Lofty]

Arsenal are in for Mudryk, is he actually any good? All I know is Brentford nearly bought him for peanuts and now Shaktar want £100m.

[Baz]

From what I’ve seen (BT SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS) he’s very good.

[SincereTheRebel]

I dont even bother with youtube clips anymore. All players look the same, from a montage.

[Baz]

I meant highlights of European games.

[SincereTheRebel]

White Pepe that Murderyk will be

[Bernanke]

Does that make Pepe Black Murderyk?

[Gray Fox]

Widely believed Liverpool have made a bid for Caicedo from Brighton. It has been rejected, but Liverpool expected to follow straight up.

[Manc]

Brighton seeking £60m. The market is broken.

[Gray Fox]

By the sounds of it the offer isn't far off, but Brighton want more of the cash up front than in add ons.

Goes without saying if this happens then the Enzo pursuit is off.

[niko_cee]

:drool:

Shame for Brighton though, he's class.

[Waffdon]

Sounds like Fernandez is joining Chelsea. About time they started to sort that mess of a midfield out and rebuild it.

[niko_cee]

The sort of money being talked about for a player with less than 6 months experience of European football [and that being in Portugal] seems a little mental. Just buy Caicedo off Brighton for significantly less.

[randomlegend]

Ronaldo to that Saudi team appears to be done.

[Don]

That Saudi team have a name, you dirty racist.

[Waffdon]

The sort of money being talked about for a player with less than 6 months experience of European football [and that being in Portugal] seems a little mental. Just buy Caicedo off Brighton for significantly less.

Caicedo will go for £70m+ and doesn’t have that many appearances either. Both proper players though. I wonder who Declan Rice will join - presumably Chelsea still go in for him but it sounds like Kante wants to stay so someone else will need to be punted other than Jorginho.

RL’s man saying Chelsea trying to hijack Mudryk as well. FFP is nothing to Father Todd.

[Lewis]

Saudi Ronaldo
Saudi Ronaldo
Rape-rape rape rape rape
Rape rape-rape-rape rape
Saudi Ronaldo

[niko_cee]

Caicedo will go for £70m+ and doesn’t have that many appearances either. Both proper players though.

Premier League experience is king.

He'd be an ideal Henderson replacement/upgrade for Liverpool so I doubt they'll get him.

And to think, every team going was linked with him for whatever Brighton paid for a good while before he joined them.

[Waffdon]

He’ll be obscene in that Liverpool midfield, annoyingly. At least Bellingham looks off

[SincereTheRebel]

Ronaldo to that Saudi team appears to be done.

Gazzetta Football Arabia

[randomlegend]

https://theathletic.com/4049143/2023/01/01/chelsea-benoit-badiashile-monaco-transfer/

Boehly still spending like a maniac.

[Jimmy Floyd]

At least we actually need someone in that position.

[Waffdon]

One of the best recruitment teams in the world now and no Tuchel. Expect some cracking signings.

We will see if FFP is still a thing or not. The club having no debt probably helps.

[phonics]

The last bloke from Monaco worked out a treat so I can only hope it hits similar highs.

[randomlegend]

Newcastle have apparently recalled Dubravka from his loan at United.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

We're fucked, what are we going to do now?

[Kikó]

Tom Heaton mate.

[Shindig]

Karius must be injured.

[randomlegend]

1609485078681341952

Just buy everyone I guess.

[Giggles]

I’m sure one of our regular Vasco watchers will be along with a full scouting report soon.

[niko_cee]

The cost of Chelsea's U23 team [or whatever development/reserve teams are called now] must eclipse all of the other Premier League clubs combined.

What have they done with that kid they took off Villa for £20m last summer?

[Waffdon]

He’s been injured for the past 2 months. He started to get game time before that. Looks like an absolute machine.

[Giggles]

Total filth :drool: etc.

[Lewis]

Looking at him that must be Vasco da Goa.

[Gray Fox]

It seems the Caicedo talk has cooled off slightly. Brighton want £60-70m for him with most of that coming up front, but as seen lately, Liverpool like to structure deals.

I suspect he's close to a move somewhere at least, because he wasn't in the matchday squad at all for the Arsenal game. I don't think he's injured either. Chelsea should absolutely be buying him too.

[niko_cee]

He was suspended.

[Ben]

Which guy is he on that photo?

[niko_cee]

Hopefuly the Akinfenwa lookalike.

[Don]

I hope that tweet has a 500-reply dissection of why successful black men always go running off to white woman (and not the rich sort but the bottom-rung gammon families).

[Waffdon]

Liverpool after Nunes from Wolves apparently. Bit of a downgrade compared to the others they were linked to. Lots of energy though so fits the mould

[Gray Fox]

I expect links to every midfielder under the sun after these two performances.

It does seem odd that the quoted fee is almost exactly what Wolves paid for him in the summer.

[Don]

Fucking hell :drool: These mans basically just reading my posts and following them and boy will that yield results.

[Danny]

It has to be bullshit but Marca are reporting Ronaldo has a clause that he can be loaned to Newcastle if they get top 4 :lol:

Tbf to them they did call the Al Nassr move and everyone denied it.

[randomlegend]

https://gianlucadimarzio.com/en/chelsea-enzo-fernandez-benfica-transfermarket-news

127m euros 6 months after he was bought for 18m. Absolutely mental.

[Waffdon]

Pennies to Clearlake Capital

[Gray Fox]

He's played what, 15 games for Benfica?

[Shindig]

Inflation mark-up.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Apparently we have sold 4.4 billion Denis Zakaria shirts in the last week, which is how we can stay in the FFP pink. Every single person in Guangxi province has one at full retail price.

[Ian]

It has to be bullshit but Marca are reporting Ronaldo has a clause that he can be loaned to Newcastle if they get top 4 :lol:

Tbf to them they did call the Al Nassr move and everyone denied it.

It's not often a club gets actively encouraged not to qualify for the Champions League.

[Ben]

The way it's being reported is as if Newcastle are obligated to take Ronaldo if they do qualify, which cannot be even close to true.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If you're owned by the Saudis, you're owned by the Saudis. Not sure 'Newcastle' as a distinct entity would have any say in the matter.

[randomlegend]

Marca themselves have come out and denied this to be true despite the fact it's posted as an article on the English Marca website.

[niko_cee]

Why has no one bought Berge from Sheff Utd to date?

[Waffdon]

If Mudryk joins Chelsea after begging for Arsenal for the past few months :D

[John Arne]

Quality new signing annoucement picture.

1610518443975114755

[Ben]

Send it to Farage.

[SincereTheRebel]

If Mudryk joins Chelsea after begging for Arsenal for the past few months :D

If Arsenal are not putting the money up for him. Somebody else will....

[randomlegend]

Man Utd looking to get Jack Butland as their next loan backup keeper.

De Gea has apparently agreed to reduce his wages to get a new deal also. At the start of the season I'd have been all for letting him go at the end of this contract regardless, but he's actually been really good.

[Lofty]

If Arsenal are not putting the money up for him. Somebody else will....

Arsenal have offered £62m and had it rejected. Apparently Boehly has said he will beat whatever Arsenal offer but the player seemed really set on Arsenal, big mates with Zinchenko too. Is there a Ukrainian bias against Chelsea after the Roman affiliation? Who knows.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Just as well Boehly wasn't in charge of Leeds at the turn of the century. Rather than a fishtank he'd have had one of those massive Radisson Blu exploding aquarium cylinders in Elland Road, and he'd have offered Seth Johnson £400,000 a week.

[SincereTheRebel]

7 and a half years on this contract.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Unbelievable, that. He must think it's baseball. TEAM CONTROL, BABY!

[niko_cee]

What's the deal with contracts longer than 5/5.5 years then? Is this some sort of Brexit thing?

Probably some sort of amortisation scam.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's (as the yanks would say) a 'team-friendly' deal as it gives the club financial leverage over most/all of his prime years as a footballer, whether that means playing for Chelsea, or, if he's good, not being able to run off to Real Madrid on the cheap. The only downside will be if he turns out to be bobbins and we're stuck with his contract forever. You're also potentially disincentivising the player to try hard, as Winston Bogarde showed.

Baseball teams love this sort of contract, and also the mad OAP sunset years contract that Koulibaly is on. There's so much baseball that drips off Boehly's every move.

[niko_cee]

I was more asking because [based on now very out of date FM knowledge] 5 years always used to be the maximum so I assumed there was some sort of worldwide agreement governing that.

And of course he's going to Baba Rahman/Tiemoue Bakayoko things up.

Isn't it a scam to punt wages into the never never in baseball for salary cap purposes? Until you end up paying that guy £1m a year for life or whatever it is.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think so. There's like an unwritten agreement in baseball that you get paid in your thirties after slogging it out in your 20s for fuck all. Can't see that going wrong and causing a player strike, oh wait, it already did.

I don't think there's ever been a hard cap on contract years in football, unless Fifpro had one in its conditions or something.

[Waffdon]

It’s probably better handing them out to younger players you’ve invested in than what the old board did and just continually give out 1 year extensions and then loaning them off to whoever.

[Manc]

Fairly certain there's been a few ten year contracts handed out in Spain.

[Waffdon]

Saul got a 9 year contract I think.

[Baz]

There’s a player called Pepelu on a ten year contract. I used his contract dates for TTH players on FM.

[Danny]

Daley Blind has joined Bayern :cab:

[Gray Fox]

Didn't Fabregas get something like an 8 year deal?

[Ben]

Al Nassr took Aboubakar out of their squad so they could register Ronaldo and now he’s signing for Man Utd. :cab:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He's quality. I don't mind it.

[randomlegend]

1611778451156996096

Looks like it may not be Aboubakar.

1611781916314800128

He gone for sure, have to see if it's to us or not.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1612130756888772612

It's almost certainly bullshit but :drool:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Please make that happen if it means the chugging ponderous oaf thus relinquishes his automatic England place.

[Danny]

Where are people watching their football these days?

[Baz]

where are people watching their football these days?iptv

[randomlegend]

1612130756888772612

It's almost certainly bullshit but :drool:

Would explain why Ten Hag has been playing Shaw CB whilst Maguire sits on the bench. Apparently Maguire was photographed with some agent/chairman/transfer person in Birmingham yesterday.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I've heard reports that he was strolling round the Bullring.

[Giggles]

I've heard reports that he was strolling round the Bullring.

I doubt he has it in him to stroll. Walking awkwardly maybe.

[niko_cee]

That tweet doesn't exist. What was it, Maguire to Villa? They teased us with one of those when Gerrard wanted Gomez for some sort of silly sum at some point apparently.

[Ben]

Shock it's been deleted. Twitter is useless now any cunt can get a blue tick.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That tweet doesn't exist. What was it, Maguire to Villa? They teased us with one of those when Gerrard wanted Gomez for some sort of silly sum at some point apparently.

It was indeed.

[Baz]

Shock it's been deleted. Twitter is useless now any cunt can get a blue tick.

:baz:

[randomlegend]

Romano has called bullshit on the Maguire to Villa story.

Shame.

[Shindig]

It's just not the right time. In the summer Maguire and Mings will become the new Woodgate and Bramble.

[Don]

Why do we have this thread alongside a January football thread? To encourage posting rumours? :sick:

Felix to Chelsea. My don G just wants useless farmers to develop into a world class side and instead they keep dumping egos onto him.

[Waffdon]

There’s no option to buy which is probably a good thing. If he wants Chelsea or whoever to try get him in the summer he’ll need to actually try and not half arse it.

Good luck to him if no midfielder is brought into help carry the creative burden.

[Baz]

Is Bellingham on a plane yet?

[Jimmy Floyd]

What's the point of getting this street urchin for six months, to try and leapfrog us into the Conference League places?