Lump Of Celery

Reported in some Italian media as a €5 loan fee, which sounds like a lame deal to me. I would be holding out for more and pushing him out to Saudi on a permanent deal if nobody matches it. I know their is some risk we would have to pick up his wages until January but €5m is just a mockery, they'll never be able to buy him permanently, he will be worth less next year and there will still be no clubs wanting to buy him

I don't think it does, this is the exact wording from the FIFA website- Players aged 21 and younger and club-trained players will be exempt from these limitations.

The loan rules only apply to players who are over 21 and not club trained. So only Kepa and Ziyech taking up slots atm I think. Does mean we will have to move on the majority of these 19 hear old players we've bought to flip after their 21st birthday. Makes the process a bit more risky as they are on long contracts

Well I guess you're completely wrong then, beacuse here is Neil Bath talking about Vision 2030 in 2021 some months before the club was put up for sale - https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/the-young-generation--neil-bath-on-plotting-pathways-and-his-pri Still think it was TB's idea? Like I said before, it's got nothing to do with the foreign teenagers that we are signing. Thank god Neil Bath's "empire and influence has grown" under the new ownership, he's done an amazing job so far. Maybe no coincidence that the current crop of excellent academy graduates that came through from the Under 10s coincides with his promotion to overseeing the entire development operation in 2011 ‐ https://www.chelseafc.com/en/teams/profile/neil-bath

My concerns with Kudus are a) he hasn't played that many games, and only in the Eredevisie b) his injury record It would feel like signing Madueke Mkii which just isn't what we need right now, in fact I'm not sure we should have signed Madueke Mki for the same reasons Poch said we need another offensive player. But a short term one who can hit the ground running, and doesn't block the growth of those younger players we have. I have no idea who fits that bill. Zaha may have been a good shout, anyone else playing at a good level, maybe in the twilight of their career, available short term, will likely be off to Saudi on huge wages. We can't even offer the sweetener of the opportunity to play in the Champions League for these type of players Maybe we could sign someone half decent for Strasbourg, loan them, and then send them back to play there when we don't need them? I was surprised that Eley Wahi apparently didn't want to sign for us and go to Strasbourg... and then signed for Lens! Edit- I've said it a couple of weeks ago but if Felix is available on loan again I wouldn't be against it, at a reasonable fee. Fits the bill of what Poch is asking for. Seems his only option is Barca and they can't register the players they have

All of the best players our academy has produced were at the club from Under 10 - Reece, Trevoh, Connor, Broja, Colwill all good enough to be in this seasons squad. Then Tammy, Mount, Musiala, Declan Rice, Nketiah, Tomori, RLC all playing at top level teams Of the ones brought in from elsewhere at an older age group I can only think of Ake and Christensen that got to play at that level, maybe Maatsen to be added to that. Then a couple like Van Aanholt and Bertrand that played at a level below the top teams The success of our academy seems to actually be the coaching at very young levels, rather than bringing players in from outside

I watched a highlight reel earlier. He clearly has good technique but was very scrappy and lacking in physical strength, and tried to do everything on his own (maybe just the bits that made it to the highlights tbf) Not sure is even ready to play at Strasbourg level yet

I assume you mean 'Vision 2030' which I believe was thought up by Neil Bath some time before the change in ownership. The aims were to have 15% of first team minutes played by academy players, 25% of the first team squad to be academy players, above average gcse and A level results, and to have more players playing pro football than any other academy. All to do with the academy and nothing to do with signing 18 year olds from Brazil and sending them on loan. That seems to have come with the new owners, I assume to make money. The slew of 14-16 year old we have recently signed from other English clubs for peanuts (which none of us really care about) probably fit the bill for Vision 2030. I imagine it is now as hard as ever for any of them to break into the first team given the signings we've made, or at least not straight from the academy.

I only saw somebody post something about it on here, in another thread I think

Poch said in his press conference just now - We were talking about one offensive player, the right profile. If we can add the right profile yes but not to bring players so we can add one more and to stop the evolution of some young guys. We have offensive players but they need to recover. If we now bring a player that needs to adapt, you are going to spend the same time as Broja and you are going to create a mess in the squad. We need a little bit of help now. We are trying to find the right profile so after won't be a problem and can be compatible. It is not easy, we are trying to do something. I'm not sure what that means, possibly a loan for an older player or even a free agent. Perhaps some truth in those Hazard rumours?

I think it may happen more often, well it already is actually. We are seeing Big 6 teams quoted ridiculous fees by other Premiership sides in any player they are interested in - reports of Man City being quoted £80m for Paqueta and £70m for Eberechi Eze. Us paying £55m for Lavia and all the signings from Brighton are a good example. These players are super important to smaller clubs, whereas Big 6 teams are usually less desperate to hold on to players of a similar quality, and more keen to recoup fees and get wages off the books. For example us selling Havertz and Kovacic. Also there are only a handful of teams outside the Prem that can even afford the big fees, so The Prem Big 6 represents about half the market. It is becoming a lot easier for the top rival clubs to deal with each other than others, it used to be the opposite. Or maybe I'm just becoming desensitized by the fact Chelsea have no qualms offloading players to direct rivals

I don't think we need any help with FFP this year. It is based over a 3 year period, therefore makes sense to push it into next the accounting period when thinking longer term

Seems he is a lifelong Newcastle fan so I guess he pushed for the permanent move, which softens the blow a little. But definitely disappointed too, I agree in thinking he will have a great career

Massively paraphrasing here but - Forget about the emotional attachment to players... Trust in the business plan, the new owners will increase revenues in an innovative way and bring stability The only thing that would make this acceptable is winning numerous trophies along the way. I couldn't give a toss about profit and loss accounts. All we have as fans is our emotions towards the club and players, what do revenues matter I've just realised our longest serving player is probably Reece James! Hard to have much emotional attachment to this playing squad right now. These new players need to go out and give their all to win things to earn our affection, like previous club legends have. As per my previous post, this isn't just a business its the famous CFC! We shouldn't aspire to stability or being a profitable business

I agree with all of this, and I don't fear us going under. I'm also aware that Clearlake's intentions are to make us as profitable and healthy as possible. But on the sponsorship point we've always had a sponsor anyway so it's not a ±75m just a plus whatever we had before (-minus the month we've already missed) Just feel a lot of trepidation that we're stepping into the unknown, and also that the new owners might be looking at things on a pure investment basis. I'm not trying to be all doom and gloom either. As i said before I'm very excited about the squad we now have, and I wanted Poch as manager. As a fan looking at the first team squad building it's happy days, but there are a lot of other factors we care about where there are big question marks. Let's not kid ourselves, we're being run by investment bankers not Chelsea fans or even "soccer" fans, and that is worrying that they don't have the same cares that most fans do. I also appreciate fans cares don't align with running a successful business, but it is a balancing act because this isn't just a business it's the famous CFC 💙

Combined with last season I guess it would look a lot different though, most likely top of the chart? I posted yesterday that we are fine with FFP, but cash flow is probably an issue. Any sales required are probably to service debt rather than for FFP. Hope we're not going the glazer route - which from a fan perspective is terrible, but must be an amazing investment for them should they sell This new era is very exciting but very nerve wracking at the same time. But I guess despite all the misgivings we are building an amazing squad, and i do have faith they know what they're doing financially if nothing else

Gallagher could be handy this season, but long term looks like a square peg in a round hole. Compared to others not defensively sound enough at CM, and not skillful enough further forward. I appreciate his hard work, effort and attitude though. When I've seen Hall play in a crap side last season at 18 years old, he makes things happen and creates great chances. That's a valuable quality

I certainly don't believe anything until I see the player at the training ground or officially announced, and was speaking hypotheticals. Although that picture of Hall has me questioning that! Thinking about it, surely we don't need to sell any more players this season for FFP (cash flow etc is another issue). Mount, Kovacic, Havertz, RLC, Ampadu has netted us at least £100m in the FFP plus column. A few more odd millions on Mendy, Pulisic, and a lot of neutral amortisation sales like Koulibaly. Wage bill massively reduced with some of those plus Kante, Auba, Kepa and hopefully more to go. Next summer - Trevs value is protected because of his contract, Gallagher will have 1 year left but be worth roughly the same. Hall probably worth more with a loan and contract, Maatsen too if he signs a new contract. Even if we eventually do have to sell academy players, surely it makes long term financial sense for the new business model to either - develop these players a bit more (Hall, Maatsen) and retain the useful ones that cost nothing (Trev, Gallagher) rather than making expensive signings. The formers could even turn out to be stars. I'm unsure on this new model of being a conveyor belt for young talent, particularly as it seems soulless and seems to be to the detriment of our actual academy products becoming first team players. Just as we turned the corner in that respect. Some of the decisions are a little bewildering too, examples - Casadei signed for big money, plays reserve football and then 1.5 seasons in the championship, unlikely his value will grow. Big Les if he goes on loan to Strasbourg proves nothing as he's already playing that level. And if true and we value Hall at 30m at 18, why on earth would you consider selling a prospect that good? Then theres the issue that surely any upcoming CM prospect will think twice about signing for us with 2 £100m 22 year olds ahead of them in the pecking order- the model doesn't seem sustainable there

My vote would be keep Gallagher for a season, loan Hall, not sign Lavia. Don't get the hype around Lavia personally, and we've just spent close to 300m on CM's that are under 22. Rome wasn't built in a day, maybe take a season for some of our prospects to improve and see where we're at.

The loan to the Stripey Nigel's and new contract would have been perfect. Seems to be more naturally talented / skillful and with a higher ceiling than the other candidates for sale.

Quite liking the all black goalkeeper tiger stripe shirt, that's flown under the radar

Looks like they will be blank unsponsored shirts, the banner at the top of the page says - We’re excited to announce that our 23/24 season home kit is now available to buy and delighted to offer our fans early access. If a “Front of Shirt” sponsor is subsequently announced in the future, fans will have the opportunity to buy this version via our Megastore or online store. Unfortunately, we cannot permit fans to return blank shirts for branding to be applied post-purchase.

The sponsorless shirts are now available to buy from the Chelsea Megastore. Not bought a kit in ages, but tempted....

It is hard to find an exact list of layers on loan, but I know at least Hutchinson and Rankine are already out on loan at Ipswich and Exeter Edit - and Webster in the dutch league I believe

Was just about to comment on the irony in BB's post