Chelsea Category
Chelsea football club news, Chelsea transfers
Everton: the phoney war to keep Barnsley boy Stones from Chelsea
Transfer Balls: The Sun reports that Everton are unhappy with Chelsea captain John Terry for trying to lure John Stones, 21, to Stamford Bridge.
Asked about JT’s comments, Goodison chief Martinez said: “It is wrong — you know that it is illegal. The rules don’t allow you to comment on players at other clubs in that open manner — and that is disappointing… I am not stupid enough to say I know what will happen but I’ve always said he is not for sale.”
Everton have rejected bids of £20m and £26m for Stones. They have told Chelsea in writing that Stones is not for sale. But Terry hasn’t got the message, opining on Wednesday:
“One day I won’t be in the team but Chelsea are looking to the likes of John Stones for the future, so the club will continue to grow and do well.”
The Guardian notes:
Everton appear content at present to register their complaint with Chelsea rather than with the authorities. Martínez added: “We have a fantastic relationship between the two clubs. In the past we made our biggest investment in Chelsea [when signing Romelu Lukaku]. We all know there are rules and regulations and it is something we don’t want to see when other clubs speak about your players. It is wrong and it shouldn’t happen. As clubs we have a good understanding of where we are.”
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Chelsea hand it to Arsenal: Jose Mourinho loses with the winners
Having seen his Chelsea side lose to Arsenal in the Community Shield season opener, Jose Mourinho make palava of the post-match handshake. For those only versed in the Premier League era, shaking hands was once the perfunctory act of players and gentlemen. It’s now more loaded than George Bush a frat house party.
Mourinho stood at the foot of the stairs and made a point of shaking the hand of every single member of the victorious Arsenal team as they passed. All except one: Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.
The Chelsea boss then sashayed off down the tunnel but not before chucking his runner-up medal into the crowd.
In Jose’s defence, shaking and not shaking have both cast aspersions on his grasps of etiquette and sportsmanship. Aston Villa’s then bosses Paul Lambert and Roy Keane complained about the being offered Mourinho’s hand to shake, albeit before the match was over. Poor Jose can’t do right for doing wrong.
We, meanwhile, wait the next time Mourinho and Wenger, looking forward to Sky TV’s five hours of pre-grapple handshake talk and if now if the time for fist bumps.
Quand José Mourinho et Arsène Wenger se snobent… pic.twitter.com/pzMOvlz5j1
— L’Actu Foot (@ActuFoot_) August 2, 2015
Posted: 2nd, August 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Chelsea defy the Daily Express with Jese Rodriguez inaction
Transfer Balls: Hear the one about the Real Madrid “star” who doesn’t want to join Chelsea? The Daily Express has:
Real Madrid star: I don’t want to join Chelsea
We meet Jese Rodriguez, 22. We want to know what he has against Chelsea?
“I’ve never wanted to leave. I’m very grateful to the coach for counting on me. He’s shown he has faith in me. I’ll try to make the most of every opportunity I get. Coming back midway through last season as I had to do and not play, then play was far more complicated. I feel better. The injury is well behind me and I feel great. I don’t mind where I play. I like all attacking positions so I can adapt easily.”
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Posted: 29th, July 2015 | In: Chelsea, Reviews, Sports | Comment
Arsenal V Chelsea: it’s the economics, stupid
It’s Arsenal v Chelsea in the Community Shield and the Press are turning it into battle between the clubs’ respective managers, Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho.
Having heard Mourinho engage in the kind of maths politicians use to tell the masses that a deficit is actually a surplus, Wenger responds:
“We spend when we think we have to spend and do not listen to what people think or say. When we don’t have the money, we don’t spend the money we haven’t got.”
It’s Jose’s good fortune that Chelsea manager Roman Abramovich has yet to call in the £1bn-plus interest free loan he handed the Blues.
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Posted: 29th, July 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports | Comment
Chelsea: Mourinho loves looking at Arsenal, mocks Pelligrini and fails his maths test
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has been talking with the Times Matt Hughes in Montreal, Canada
On Mistakes:
“I’m accepting of mistakes, but not accepting of a lot of mistakes. Mistakes are a part of the game, but a lot of mistakes are not. I’m emotional and this game doesn’t allow us to make lots of mistakes because we are punished for that.”
On Referees:
“…when there is an accumulation of mistakes like we had last season, I’m sorry, I find it difficult to accept. If I make too many mistakes and I put players on the bench then I’m sacked. Referees should be given a rest if they make mistakes, if only to take pressure off them.”
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Posted: 28th, July 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Reviews, Sports | Comment
Chelsea: Mourinho attacks Kevin De Bruyne for the club’s errors
Chelsea manager José Mourinho says Kevin De Bruyne, the player he sold for £18, and Manchester City are willing to pay up to £50m to sign, does not regret letting him go.
The Belgium midfielder left Chelsea for German club Wolfsburg in January 2014 after only six months in Mourinho’s first-team Chelsea squad.
He has gone on to garner rave reviews. Pep Guardiola, the Bayern Munich coach, calls De Bruyne “a huge talent”.
Chelsea did not include a buy-back clause in his contract.
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Desperate Chelsea use the media to tap up Everton’s John Stones
Is John Stones edging closer to a move to Chelsea from Everton?
The media think it’s a matter of when not if. The Times reports:
The Everton defender is understood to want to join the champions, although he has no plans to agitate to secure his departure from Goodison Park at present.
Gary Cahill thinks its a good idea to play for Chelsea. The player who joined the Blues from Bolton Wanderers says Stones should do the right thing and join. It’s all self-serving balls, of course. The habit of wheeling out players to tell a target how great they are is one honed in Spanish football.
Says Cahill:
“In terms of ambition if you’re a young player in the game, have played in the Premier League like he did a lot last year, and a big club come calling it’s very difficult to turn down because you want to achieve the most you can in the short period you have in your career as a professional footballer. When a top club comes calling, who you know will be firing on all fronts with competitions and medals, that’s ultimately what you want to be playing for. It’s hard to turn down of course.”
Why can’t Stones win medals at Everton? This modern footballers’ mantra about leaving not for money but to win things is no less craven than moving for the cash.
“He will look at the club, look at the players, and look at being involved in a squad like ours. When Chelsea came calling for me it was an opportunity, it was a chance and looking from the outside, you may not be sure how it’s going to go. But it’s one you can’t turn down, you have to grab it with both hands. Then you have to work as hard as you can to make it work.”
Stones is better than Cahill was at 20. He also plays for Everton, a bigger club that Bolton. Chaliil cost Chelsea £7m. Everton have turned down a £20m bid for Stones.
And then the real wooing begins:
“When you talk about being able to handle big transfers you look at their personality. From what I have seen when I have been away with him for England, he is a genuinely nice guy, a down to earth lad. There is nothing ‘big-time’ about him. So for me I’m sure he will be able to cope with the fee. Plus, with the right support around him, like from the more experienced players in the squad, and his family, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
What drivel.
And here comes Jose Mourinho to diminish Everton:
“The market is where it is and it’s up to the clubs to decide yes or no. And I speak just for ourselves. For ourselves there are certain rules. It’s a good market. That is why smaller other clubs if they have interesting young English players they use that in the right way for them. I don’t even criticise them.”
Chelsea are looking desperate. In the mad world of football money, what’s expensive today is cheap tomorrow. Everton should hold out for a fortune. If Raheem Sterling’s worth £49m, name your price and wait.
Plastic ‘racist’ Chelsea fans banned from football by anti-football bigots
Five Chelsea fans (all white) who shoved Frenchman Souleymane Sylla (black) off a train on the Paris Metro have been punished. The four chanted “We’re racist, we’re racist, and that’s the way we like it” on their way to watch Chelsea’s Champions League match against Paris St Germain on February 17th.
The judgement:
Richard Barklie, 50, of Victoria Street, Carrickfergus, Co Antrim; Joshua Parsons, 20, of Woodhouse Place, Dorking; Dean Callis, 32, of Islington, London; and William Simpson, 26, have been issued with football banning orders for five years.
Jordan Munday, 20, was banned from football matches for three years.
District Judge Gareth Branston told London’s Stratford Magistrates Court:
“This was an abhorrent, nasty, offensive, arrogant and utterly unacceptable behaviour and cannot be allowed in modern, civilised society. It must be stamped out.”
Branston said Barklie joined in the racist chanting of “John Terry is a racist and that’s the way we like it”.
Parsons shouted “where were you in World War Two?” and “F*** the IRA”, the court heard.
None of those chants are especially racist, are they? Stupid? Yes. Arcane? Yes. Hackneyed? Yes. The only hint of creativity is the one about John Terry, the Chelsea captain infamous embroiled in a racially-fulled row with QPR’s Anton Ferdinand. Terry was cleared by the courts and banned by the FA.
Aside from the pushing and intimidation on the Metro, you wonder if the boorish Chelsea fans have been found guilty to thought crimes. Surely they were just speaking freely. Yes , what they said was offensive, ugly and evidence of mental negligibility. But when we arrest people for saying things, we are in danger of becoming an illiberal mob.
As for the guilty, the Irish Times hears the pick of the excuses:
Munday, of Sidcup south-east London, is said to have joined in the racist chanting, an allegation he denied, insisting he was just “breathing”.
Mouth breather!
But this excuse, picked up by the Indy is also a cracker:
Mr Barklie, who is a former police officer from Northern Ireland, told the court that Mr Sylla was “the only person using aggression” and had tried to force himself on the train when there was no space. The Chelsea fan said: “I did push him, I put my hand out to stop him getting into this space.”
Mr Barklie said he had put his hands up to defend himself, in accordance with his public order training…
No rubber bullets were fired in self-defence. And that cultural sensitivity training let him down.
None stood in court, raised a stiff arm and declared his love for Hitler. This is modern Chelsea, not the 1970s headhunting neo-Nazi breed, wiped out by modernity, the prevailing culture, a Jewish owner, success, Sky Sports, a shifting culture, mockery, the fact that a quarter of Premier League players are black and to a much lesser degree anti-racism laws.
Racists words but not necessarily racists.
The one exception seems to be Simpson, of Ashford, Surrey, who previously been arrested twice before for race-connected crimes, including once allegedly calling a taxi driver a “f****** Paki”.
All men had denied being racist.
Arsenal: Petr Cech says Arsenal have one big advantage over Chelsea
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech tis talking about his new life at Arsenal.
Is Cech’s transfer a sign of a shift in power? Arsenal have not beaten Chelsea in the Premier League since October 2011 (5-3 defeat at Stamford Bridge). Indeed, since Roman Abramovich hooked Chelsea to his wallet, Arsenal have beaten Chelsea just six times from 30 matches played. Most worryingly for Arsenal fans is that in 13 attempts, Arsene Wenger has yet to defeat José Mourinho.
Says Cech:
“There are a lot of things in common between the two clubs. Nobody wants to lose games, and everybody wants to win so we’re all focusing on getting ready for the season. We want to have a successful season, which means we have to be prepared, as there are a lot of opponents in the pack in the Premier League and the Champions League, who will have the same targets.”
Pretty anodyne stuff, there. We want to win. We don’t like losing. But Cech begins to open up:
“What I’ve found is a group of players who work very hard and are focused on what they’re doing on the pitch to get ready. I’ve found the team spirit quite extraordinary, I have to say. Everybody pulls in the same direction, which is why I believe we will have a successful season. You need to have that connection between players to work towards the same targets to be successful. I’ve only been here a short while, but I can feel the team is together.”
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Posted: 21st, July 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Everton’s John Stones wants Chelsea move
The Sun says John Stones is “keen” to move from Everton to Chelsea. Readers are told:
JOHN STONES is ‘definitely interested’ in joining Chelsea.
And Chelsea want him:
And the champions are preparing a £25million bid after having a £20m offer rejected.
The Mirror says the bid will be £34m. The Mail said it’s £26m.
We hear from a Sun “source”:
“This is not a Raheem Sterling situation where there’s any bad feeling between John and the club or vice-versa — but John is definitely interested in going to Chelsea.
“John was not misquoted last week but the timing of that quote being released by Everton was quite interesting because he actually spoke BEFORE the bid.”
The Times says Everton rejected the Chelsea bid last Friday. Stones was quoted as having said this the day earlier:
“I am very happy to be at Everton for the future. My aim right now is to try and nail down a regular spot in this Everton team and hopefully that will take care of playing for England. I have to keep learning off the likes of Phil Jagielka and keep progressing at this club.”
Unless a big money bid arrives, in which case, see yer Phil…
Chelsea reject Pedro gossip as Manchester United move for Liverpool and Arsenal target
Chelsea will not be signing Pedro from Barcelona, says the Mail. The paper say Chelsea will recruit one more player this summer transfer season but it won’t be Pedro.
This is some news to Mail readers who in recent days have been told that Pedro to Chelsea is very much on:
July 12: “Chelsea to make £22m move for Barcelona star Pedro”
July 14: “Chelsea are reportedly close to signing Barcelona forward Pedro”
July 17: “Liverpool are ready to challenge Chelsea for the signing of Barcelona star Pedro”
Sky Sports quotes Jose Mourinho:
“I have five wingers, if I lose one maybe I am interested in another but at this moment I have balance and quality and numbers. I am looking for a defender to finish this balance in our squad and after that we are ready to answer anything that can happen to our players.”
Meanwhile, the Mirror says Pedro is off to join a Manchester United.
Which will upset Arsenal, who, The Independent told readers, have met with the player’s agent.
Such are the facts.
Posted: 20th, July 2015 | In: Chelsea, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Manchester United offer £22m for Pedro who agreed Chelsea deal after joining Arsenal
Manchester United are to offer Barcelona £20m for their spare-part forward Pedro.
The Sun says Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are also after the 27 year old, whose record reads 98 goals in 318 appearances for the Catalans.
But the Times says Man United are leading the chase and have prepared to trigger the player’s £22million buy-out clause in his new contract.
“It’s true I have received important offers,” says Pedro. “My situation is complicated because I want to play a lot of minutes, but that is becoming very difficult at Barcelona.”
Complicated’s right. With so many clubs apparently after Pedro, the utter balls flow freely.
On July 15, the Star’s Paul Brown said Chelsea would sign Pedro “next week”:
The Star reported that Chelsea have met Pedro’s £22m release clause, adding:
Liverpool and Inter Milan were also interested in Pedro, but they are set to miss out as Chelsea are his preferred option.
The Week agrees, stating:
The 27-year-old has agreed to join Chelsea where he’s been told he’ll have more opportunities to showcase his talents.
But just yesterday the Express noted:
The Blues were thought to be closing in on a move for Barcelona ace Pedro, but reports in Spain suggest Mourinho is not prepared to meet his £22m release clause.
Chelsea have and have not bid £22m for Pedro?
The Mail says Liverpool will make an offer.
And it was back in May the Metro announced that Pedro wanted to play for Arsenal and the Gunners would bid £26m for him.
Such are the facts.
Posted: 18th, July 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Everton’s John Stones rejects Chelsea and the chance to ‘win things’
Transfer Balls: news to gladden the hearts in that Everton have rejected a £20 million Chelsea bid for John Stones
Everton say the England Under-21 defender is not for sale at any price. Of course he is. He has to be. A stupid sum of money would tempt Everton to sell. Indeed, the Mail says Chelsea will make improved £26m bid. And the Express – yes, we know, it is full of utter balls – says Everton are making moves to replace Stones:
But the best part of this story is what Stones says. He’s on £30,000 a week. Not a shabby sum, but far less than Chelsea would pay him:
“I am very happy to be at Everton for the future. My aim right now is to try and nail down a regular spot in this Everton team and hopefully that will take care of playing for England. I have to keep learning off the likes of Phil Jagielka and keep progressing at this club.”
Hurrah! That’s what fans want to hear their young player say. The recent hideous agent-fed phrase – “I want to win trophies” – sticks in the craw. It’s not all about what you want. It’s about the team.
Stones might just be the antidote to the familiar cries to the craven footballing mercenary.
Transfer Balls: Nicolas Otamendi will only play if Manchester United or Chelsea buy him
Transfer Balls spots Nicolas Otamendi. The Sun says he’s threatened to go on strike at Valencia in a bid to “force through a mega-bucks move to Manchester United”.
Is Otamendi really desperate to play for Man United?
The Daily Express expands the market to both big Manchester clubs:
Nicolas Otamendi set to choose between Man Utd and City as agent flies in for crunch talks
You might suppose the agent is flying into Manchester. He isn’t. The agent is flying into Valencia.
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Posted: 15th, July 2015 | In: Chelsea, Manchester City, manchester united, Reviews, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Chelsea ‘sign’ Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic (Liverpool never did)
Transfer Balls: Chelsea are poised to sign Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic for £8 million.
The Telegraph says the transfer will go through today. Marco van Ginkel will head to Stoke City as part of the deal.
Begovic will earn £75,000 a week at Stamford Bridge.
Of course, this is transfer balls, where we keep track of dire football reporting.
Two years ago, Begovic was on his way to Liverpool, sais the Sun:
STOKE keeper Asmir Begovic is set to follow boss Tony Pulis out of the club — and sign for Liverpool.
Such are the facts…
Chelsea invade Arsenal and Spurs turf and move to Wembley Stadium
Chelsea have made a move to rent Wembley Stadium. The Blues have offered £11 million a year to use Wembley as a temporary home while Stamford Bridge is rebuilt.
If approved, Chelsea will play home matches at Wembley for two seasons from 2017.
This is bad news for Spurs, who are redeveloping their White Hart Lane ground. They have offered Wembley about £8 million a year.
Spurs’ fans are local to Wembley. That moves makes sense. But Chelsea based in north London is odd? The Blues did petition the Rugby Football Union about using Twickenham, a move that would keep Chelsea in touch with its fanbase. But that ran into problems with local residents, crowd management and council planners.
Of course, it could be argued that Wembley has been a second home for Chelsea in recent years. No longer do the club’s fans need orienteering skills and tissues to stem a nosebleed as they head north on the Metropolitan line. Spurs, however, well at least they have their memories and a ‘Tottingham’ song:
Posted: 7th, July 2015 | In: Chelsea, Reviews, Sports, Spurs | Comment
Transfer balls: Arda Turan skewers Chelsea, loves Barcelona but tomorrow it’s Arsenal
Transfer Balls: The story of Arda Turan’s move from Atletico Madrid to Chelsea or Barcelona features on the cover of Spanish paper Mundo Deportivo.
The paper say the two clubs won’t announce if Turan is moving to Barcelona until Monday.
Looks like the trusty Daily Star was wrong in saying Turan would announce his next move ‘tomorrow’, which is now today. But, then, the other British papers did say Turan was heading to Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United:
The Metro, June 30: “Arda Turan has agreed terms to sign for Manchester United from Atletico Madrid”
He’s on his way to Man United.
ES (Spain) July 1: “Barelona has reached an agreement with Atletico Madrid for Arda Turan”
He’s on his way to Barcelona.
Daily Mail, July 1: “Chelsea favourites to sign £29m Arda Turan from Atletico Madrid with Turkish star preferring London move over Barcelona”
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Posted: 4th, July 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Arda Turan signs for Manchester United, wants Chelsea and ‘dreams’ of Liverpool
Transfer Balls: Chelsea are in for Arda Turan. But he’s agreed to join Manchester United. And Barcelona. And Arsenal want him. Well, so we read in the papers:
Daily Mail, June 30: “Arda Turan keen on £29m Chelsea transfer as Turkey midfielder says he wants to leave Atletico Madrid”
He’s on his way to Chelsea.
The Metro, June 30: “Arda Turan has agreed terms to sign for Manchester United from Atletico Madrid”
He’s on his way to Man United.
ES (Spain) July 1: “Barelona has reached an agreement with Atletico Madrid for Arda Turan”
He’s on his way to Barcelona.
Daily Mail, July 1: “Chelsea favourites to sign £29m Arda Turan from Atletico Madrid with Turkish star preferring London move over Barcelona”
Come on you Blues!
Daily Mail July 2: “Barcelona set to beat Chelsea to the £25m signing of Arda Turan”
Daily Express, July 2: “Arda Turan revelation gives Man United, Chelsea and Arsenal a huge boost – ARDA TURAN has confirmed that talks of a deal with Barcelona are completely false”
Can Arsenal get him? Do they want him?
But the Daily Star says it will all be sorted out today:
Arda Turan to decide whether to join Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester United tomorrow – ARDA TURAN will announce which Premier League side he is going to join tomorrow.
Number of words in any of those stories from the player or Chelsea: nil.
But one paper has quoted the player.
Daily Express, February 27: “Arda Turan: Liverpool is my DREAM team and I want to play for them!”
Such are the facts.
Posted: 3rd, July 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Arsenal’s Petr Cech suddenly ages terribly (photo)
A mere three days since signing for Arsenal, the now former Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has aged rapidly.
This was Cech when he joined the Gunners:
June 30 2015
And this is Petr Cech now:
Of course it’s Sun computer wizardry that has made Cech appear oplder. But if that’s what he’s going to look like at 40, Petr might want to tighten the chin strap on his helmet.
Posted: 2nd, July 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports | Comment
Watch Arsene Wenger welcome Petr Cech to Arsenal from Chelsea in fantastic style
Are Arsenal fans happy their club is likely to buy Petr Cech from Chelsea? Yes. Very. The Bleacher Report (via Pies) have produced this brilliant vine to illustrate Arsene Wenger’s anointing of Cech as his new number one.
Posted: 23rd, June 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Chelsea’s Petr Cech needs Christophe Lollichon Arsenal if he’s to thrive
Chelsea’s John Terry says Petr Cech can win Arsenal the Premier League title. Arsenal want to buy Cech for £10 million. His first competitive match for the Gunners could be the Community Shield agsint Chelsea on August 2.
Says Terry:
“If they do get him, that will strengthen them for sure. He will save them 12 to 15 points a season. I am sure if he does leave — which nobody wants to see, but we understand he wants to play football — he is going to be sorely missed. He will improve whatever side he goes to.”
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Posted: 23rd, June 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports | Comment
Chelsea star Kerry Dixon goes to prison
Kerry Dixon, 53, the fromer Chelsea striker, is in prison. He’s serving nine months for punching and kicking 38-year-old Ben Scoble in Dunstable’s Nag’s Head pub.
Judge Barbara Mensah told Luton Crown Court:
“It was quite clear from the CCTV footage we have seen that you were. the aggressor. Out of the blue you knocked him from the stool and continued to pummel him on the ground. It was clear to me where you were hitting him was about the head.”
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Transfer Balls: Chelsea’s Petr Cech wants to set new Arsenal recrod but not for £39m
Transfer Balls: is Petr Cech leaving Chelsea for life at Arsenal? The Sun says the player’s goalkeeping coach has “risked a major rift with Chelsea — after indicating the Blues stopper wants a move to Arsenal.”
Christophe Lollichon has coached Cech at Cheslea since 2007. He told French media:
“His family like England. And a player is happy when his family is happy. He wants to stay in England, but I don’t know if there are discussions. The Premier League is his primary objective. But it will also depend on the conditions. The advantage is that Arsenal is a top club, with a philosophy that pleases him and that is in London. Tottenham? I do not think they have the same ambitions as Arsenal. Petr wants to break the record for the most clean sheets in the Premier League.”
And PSG?
“Much has been said about him at PSG but the problem is that when you have evolved in England, Ligue 1 seems light compared to what Petr has now experienced.”
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Posted: 16th, June 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Chelsea’s Diego Costa orders one more alcopop before returning to Atletico Madrid
Transfer Balls: The Sun reports that Diego Costa is ‘bidding’ for a ‘Chelsea exit’.
The story runs:
DIEGO COSTA has told friends he wants to QUIT Chelsea this summer and return to Spain.
Which friends we are not told.
Sources close to Costa, 26, have confirmed Chelsea’s £32million top scorer is homesick and prepared to take a massive pay cut to rejoin former club Atletico Madrid.
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Transfer Balls: Radamel Falcao and his agent share the same Chelsea dream
Transfer Balls hears the Daily Telegraph report that “Radamel Falcao is “desperate to join Chelsea”. How deseperate to join the Premier League champions is the man once nicknamed “El Tigre” and billed by Pep Guardiola as “the best penalty-box forward in the world”?
“Former Manchester United striker willing to take big pay cut to link up with Jose Mourinho”
How much, then, for the man whose end-of-season appraisal was delivered by Manchester United boss Louis Van Gaal:
“Falcao is a top professional and a good human being. On behalf of myself and everyone at the club I would like to wish him well for the future.”
A good pro and good bloke. That’s what you get for £1m-a-month. Bargain.
Matt Law adds:
Manchester United have decided not to take up their option to sign Falcao permanently, but the Colombian wants to stay in the Premier League and ideally move to London.
He’s not desperate to play for Chelsea, then. Falcao just wants to live in London.
Arsenal showed an interest in Falcao last August, but are unlikely to pursue the striker this summer – leaving Chelsea as his only hope.
Arsenal didn’t puruse the striker because he cost $265,000-a-week. He then played not all that well for Manchester United, who did agree to pay his nutzoid wages for a season. Manchester City had been interested in the Colombian until they were told that it would cost £29 million to fund the deal.
Law adds:
Chelsea are in the market for a replacement for Didier Drogba, and Jose Mourinho and Falcao share the same agent, Jorge Mendes… Mendes will attempt to broker a move to Stamford Bridge for Falcao.
Of course he will. But even the most ambitious agent must agree that the chances on Chelsea paying Falcao £65,000-a-week more than they invest in Eden Hazard are thinner than Brendan Rodger’s excuses.
As ever the Metro pipes up. It says that the deal is on and Falcao could take a £100,000-a-week pay cut to realise his dream of playing for [insert name of London club here] come true.
Just £165,000-a-week to hire Falcao, then. The man’s a dreamer…
