Transfer: 2023 Summer Transfer Window - Open Window Edition

[bluesfan94]

I don’t know really. If we sell both Partey and Xhaka i think we are back to square one. We’ll have an almost brand new midfield that will probably need some time to adjust. I’m not worried for the future but next season might be a wash.

Not back to square one. We've upgraded each position. And we got them early. They'll have time in preseason to gel. I'm very happy with the midfield.

 

[S E P H]

I agree on that part. I’m just worried about the transitionpart, but if Arteta wants him so bad he must truly believe Rice can settle in immediately. That is vital. Ideal in my book would be to play Rice and Partey together but from my understandning Arteta wants to play a more offensive formation so there might only be Rice as a defensive alternative. Then it makes more sense to cash in. Still need a good backup for Rice. Is that Fofana? I have nothing on him.

Totally understandable. I guess the Youssouf Fofana rumours are part of the Lavia rumours if Arsenal is not able to get him from Soton. Fofana isn't as good as Kone, but is a solid player and plays that typical #6 role, but what makes him stand out is that he's pretty dang good with the ball at his feet. Has pretty high dribbling stats for a CDM. A very north-to-south player as they say in hockey.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Mendy's departure official now too.

 

[Savant]

Some other Chelsea-related shenanigans news:

I’ve said this earlier but the change that they really need to make is simply to not allow teams to sign guys that would put them over the squad limit. Sell to buy based on transfer money doesn’t work, but you could do sell to buy based on squad size. That’s where they need to crack down. When teams are signing guys that they don’t even have available kit numbers for because they are hoarding players that’s a problem. When you can’t register all your players for European competition that’s a problem

 

[Jersey Fresh]

I’ve said this earlier but the change that they really need to make is simply to not allow teams to sign guys that would put them over the squad limit. Sell to buy based on transfer money doesn’t work, but you could do sell to buy based on squad size. That’s where they need to crack down. When teams are signing guys that they don’t even have available kit numbers for because they are hoarding players that’s a problem. When you can’t register all your players for European competition that’s a problem

Even that would have zero effect on the Chelseas, when they just stuff them at whichever affiliate club they choose.

 

[Savant]

Even that would have zero effect on the Chelseas, when they just stuff them at whichever affiliate club they choose.

Better than nothing though. They couldn’t register, I think, three players for UCL because they were over the squad limit last season. That’s where it gets ridiculous. If they want to sign Badiashile and then tell him he has to do six months at Strasbourg, let him make that decision. But it’s unfair to add players to put you over the squad limit like that.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Better than nothing though. They couldn’t register, I think, three players for UCL because they were over the squad limit last season. That’s where it gets ridiculous. If they want to sign Badiashile and then tell him he has to do six months at Strasbourg, let him make that decision. But it’s unfair to add players to put you over the squad limit like that.

I think at this point most of these players know the deal. You sign at Chelsea young for likely wildly out of pocket money, they loan you out a bunch of times, and with luck your talent wins out and you get a move to a competitive club to actually play for the shirt you’re wearing on the pitch.

 

[S E P H]

Not back to square one. We've upgraded each position. And we got them early. They'll have time in preseason to gel. I'm very happy with the midfield.

I think there is a legitimate case to be made. The midfield was our weakest position last year in regard to depth and Arsenal is putting in a crazy amount of effort to fix that area by making Rice the highest-fee English player of all time, rumours swirling with Lavia, swirling with Caciedo, and swirling with Fofana. There is also a chance that Timber and Havertz can also be classified and played as midfielders as well. That is a ton of new players if Arteta's vision is true of playing the majority of them somewhere in the middle.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

That’s what Laporte was on his knees for in Qatar lol ffs

 

[hatterson]

That’s what Laporte was on his knees for in Qatar lol ffs

Unexpected 7th lever.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Unexpected 7th lever.

Could be worse we could be twerking to be sold outright to Qatar.

 

[hatterson]

Could be worse we could be twerking to be sold outright to Qatar.

I’m desperately hoping that Ratcliffe is able to pull it off.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

I’m desperately hoping that Ratcliffe is able to pull it off.

Don’t hold your breath

 

[Peen]

Wasn’t he at Reading? Looks like he played >10 games in PL2.

Regardless, pointing to the 0.5% doesn’t make the initial quote in the tweet any less funny. This is Chelsea’s entire methodology. They even just bought a whole other club to practice it.

Early reports from the Chelsea itks are he’s essentially a prime candidate to be at Strasbourg. Both him and Andrey Santos.

 

[S E P H]

That’s what Laporte was on his knees for in Qatar lol ffs

Dirty American businessmen.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Dirty businessmen.

Yup their all the same

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Maddison to Spurs is done. They are essentially paying £30M + Winks for him. Just waiting for the official announcement.

 

[luiginb]

Maddison to Spurs is done. They are essentially paying £30M + Winks for him. Just waiting for the official announcement.

Dirt cheap. Now I wish Kane stayed cause I'd love to see those two together.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Dirt cheap. Now I wish Kane stayed cause I'd love to see those two together.

I wouldn’t rule it out. We'll see.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

The toxic relationship that should’ve ended years ago.

 

[Tony Romo]

The toxic relationship that should’ve ended years ago.

Wasn't he super close to leaving last summer?

 

[les Habs]

Wasn't he super close to leaving last summer?

Technically he did leave if I recall correctly. Apparently he really likes the club though and has even said so. The only reason this new contract is a thing is because the contract they agreed to last year was a two year deal.

Some other Chelsea-related shenanigans news:

Meh, completely unnecessary and Chelsea weren’t doing anything wrong. What Chelsea have been doing with the 8 year contracts can be as risky as it can be advantageous. Just depends on how the player pans out.

 

[bluesfan94]

I think there is a legitimate case to be made. The midfield was our weakest position last year in regard to depth and Arsenal is putting in a crazy amount of effort to fix that area by making Rice the highest-fee English player of all time, rumours swirling with Lavia, swirling with Caciedo, and swirling with Fofana. There is also a chance that Timber and Havertz can also be classified and played as midfielders as well. That is a ton of new players if Arteta's vision is true of playing the majority of them somewhere in the middle.

Havertz is going to play as a midfielder. There isn't a chance. That is the plan. The depth chart, right now and assuming Xhaka and Partey leave, is something like:

Martinelli - Jesus - Saka
Trossard - Nketiah - Nelson

Havertz - Odegaard - Rice
ESR - Vieira - Jorginho

Zinchenko - Gabriel - Saliba - White
Tomiyasu - Kiwior - (Holding) - Timber

Ramsdale
Turner​

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Thanks for Porto, Kai

 

[Adele Dazeem]

Declan Rice for 100M+ don't tell me this isn't money laundering.