January 2019 Transfer Window

[Bluewolf]

MONACO HAVE REVEALED that Chelsea are holding up Michy Batshuayi’s move to the Ligue 1 outfit, with the Blues keen to offload the striker permanently rather than on loan.

Batshuayi has spent the first half of the season on loan at Valencia but has struggled to make an impact, scoring just three goals in 23 appearances.

With his stint in Spain to be cut short, it was expected he would move to Monaco on a temporary basis to reunite with Thierry Henry, with whom he worked during Henry’s stint with the Belgium national team.

Monaco now claim, however, that despite there being an agreement with the player as well as Valencia, Chelsea are pushing for the move to become permanent.

“We are happy with our transfer window so far,” vice-president Vadim Vasilyev told a press conference.

“It’s true that a striker could help the team. We’re just looking to good opportunities on the market.

“Batshuayi? We have an agreement with the player and with Valencia but not with Chelsea.

“They want a [permanent] transfer. Everything could go very quickly in football so we’ll see.”

Everton had previously shown an interest in Batshuayi, and were reportedly willing to pay up to £18 million to sign the striker.
However, Chelsea’s policy is to recoup as much of their original outlay as possible when selling players, and given Batshuayi cost £33m in the summer of 2016, it is likely they would demand a similar amount.

Henry and Monaco are hopeful the 25-year-old can come in and help fire the 2017 Ligue 1 champions to safety, with the club currently sitting 19th in the table.

They have already signed one Chelsea player in Cesc Fabregas during the January window and are next in action tonight against Nice – a match that will see Arsenal legends Henry and Patrick Vieira face off for the first time as managers.

Anything over 20m and they can take a long walk of a short pier. I like batshuayi but let's face it his stock is very low at the minute.

 

[Goat]

Dzeko would bag

But for how long?

So far this season hes scored 2 league goals, hes showing up for CL games, but not for League games it seems.

Hes 33 in a month.

If we could get him for a small fee on a short term contract, then sure, but I have concerns.

 

[COYBL25]

are we feeling better today mate?

I will be once my eldest lad who’s been sick goes back to school.

He’s had me up the F’in wall

 

[billyblue80]

We aren't signing Dzeko. Brands wouldn't do that. I suspect we will bid for Bats but are waiting till we shift a few.

 

[joko]

Stanislav Lobotka, make it happen brands

 

[Stephenlloyd]

Stanislav Lobotka, make it happen brands

Linked with Dortmund today, looks a great player

 

[Neiler]

I see a lot of sense in this. If the tightening was likely to come (and I felt it may well have been) it would have been the summer. Very few of the people advocating that the money had run out and Moshiri couldn't keep dipping into his pocket can explain how we managed to go on the spending spree that came. The only bit of analysis really provided was that the impending austerity would be kicked down the road for another year. I sense that's where these rumours/feeling come from.

I just can't see it myself. So the question is, how did Moshiri square the circle? He's either got substantially more than is reported (which is widely acknowledged, but this would have to likely be substantially more like 4/5 x the reported value of him) or he is a front guy for a broader consortium. Either way money is there.

Running in parallel to this though is a revamping of the club, structure and approach to recruitment. I think the names you give are spot on, young players who could become World Class. I think that will be a lot of our approach. There is a chance we can't close deals this January though. What we've seen from Brands though, is he is happy to wait until the end of a window, and likely willing to wait until another window if necessary.

To me this is a good thing, we are not just going to recklessly spend money because it's their. It's done more harm than good when we did it (as Moshiri himself stated that it's about how it's spent). January is of course a difficult time to recruit, though you can get some very tasty deals from lads who are out of favour. I think this is where the Dzeko link comes from, Batshuayi and potentially even Ryan Fraser (who's contract is coming up). I could see us trying to do something for Fraser in the summer at a knockdown fee. The other 2 maybe one comes in at a significantly lower price?

Either way, we are doing things properly now. The lack of signings makes me strangely optimistic. That we are not going to go and spend a load on this years Walcott/Tosun and give ourselves a dilemma 12 months down the line. Don't get me wrong I think we will be looking at players, but they need to be the right player at the right price. We are identifying lads with 18 months to go (or with Brahimi 6 months) which is a sensible way to approach things. Make an offer if they won't accept know you can have another go in the summer in a strong position. The sort of sensible business management that has been missing from the club for many years, finally enacting with someone who has the competence and reputation to enact the policy effectively.

Or you could believe the money has ran out. It's up to people what they believe.

Not sure i agree with your take on our finances to be honest mate.

The business is running a growing loss every year and we are likely making 170mill this year and spending 210 that cant continue. Thus we need outs.

Apart from that

We are running a 60 million transfer deficit, that thus far he has supported. I would be very open minded that he is funding this himself to the end of time, but i dont for a few reasons. 1) The man himself his comments at the recent AGM, 2) The need for capital for the new ground, we/he will be funding some of it, 2) We have used the vast majority of Chinese banking overdraft to fund our most recent transfers 4) We have borrowed already on the strength of future Lukaku and Stones payments.

The last two in particular give you a sense that not all our losses and deals are funded from Moshiris own pocket, some are advanced payments and credit facility. I also think our market shifted a bit from summer 17-18. Last summer we signed two players, Richarlson and Digne, we signed another with a buy back back clause, one on a free and two on loan, that to me gives a sense of the type of market we can shop in and maybe where we are financially.

I know the point you are making, i just dont see it in black and white from a business or behavior perspective.

 

[blueblue]

I am not convinced Everton are involved here at all.
Chelsea would prefer a loan rather than a sale and with two weeks still to go in the window they are hoping to find a buyer in Monaco or somebody else.

We are doing the same with Niasse,Tosun, Schneiderlin and probably two or three others.

Why rush into a loan now when you might get a sale later ?
At the very least I think Niasse and /or Tosun would be sold before we sign any striker.

 

[DanB90]

I’d have Dzeko purely for the fact I’ve wanted him for about 10 years.

Not that I even think we’re intersted like.

 

[Eggs]

...tentative links with 18 year old Manchester City winger, Rabbi Matondo.

 

[DanB90]

...tentative links with 18 year old Manchester City winger, Rabbi Matondo.

Shalom.

 

[FTY]

But for how long?

So far this season hes scored 2 league goals, hes showing up for CL games, but not for League games it seems.

Hes 33 in a month.

If we could get him for a small fee on a short term contract, then sure, but I have concerns.

Just typed a full reply then I read your last paragraph. Yeah that but I can't see it be anything else tbffff

Knowing us though he'd come in, score loads this season, we'd pass on all our striker targets and then he'd do his best Grant Holt impression for the rest of his contract

 

[Nymzee]

Concerns me if we're going this hard for Bats.

 

[Tel001]

Why dont we get that Rooney fella in from DC United, I hear he's been banging them in stateside... I know he's 32 but he could do a job for us and get some goals.

I’d actually play him over our other strikers tbh... if we was on like 50-75k a week I would have kept him, his wages were massive that wa stage main problem

 

[Goat]

Not sure i agree with your take on our finances to be honest mate.

The business is running a growing loss every year and we are likely making 170mill this year and spending 210 that cant continue. Thus we need outs.

Apart from that

We are running a 60 million transfer deficit, that thus far he has supported. I would be very open minded that he is funding this himself to the end of time, but i dont for a few reasons. 1) The man himself his comments at the recent AGM, 2) The need for capital for the new ground, we/he will be funding some of it, 2) We have used the vast majority of Chinese banking overdraft to fund our most recent transfers 4) We have borrowed already on the strength of future Lukaku and Stones payments.

The last two in particular give you a sense that not all our losses and deals are funded from Moshiris own pocket, some are advanced payments and credit facility. I also think our market shifted a bit from summer 17-18. Last summer we signed two players, Richarlson and Digne, we signed another with a buy back back clause, one on a free and two on loan, that to me gives a sense of the type of market we can shop in and maybe where we are financially.

I know the point you are making, i just dont see it in black and white from a business or behavior perspective.

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