Re: The 2017 January Transfer Window Thread

[Kick]

It's only just been picked up by the English Media today. I'd love him, but he plays for Napoli, so I won't get my hopes up.

We've also been linked to Antonio from West Ham by both the Express and ESPN.

[Katy Perry]

Ghoulam would be a very solid addition, I feel like he could easily displace Alonso. Won't happen in january with Napoli competing in all 3 fromts tho.

[Kick]

Ghoulam would be a very solid addition, I feel like he could easily displace Alonso. Won't happen in january with Napoli competing in all 3 fromts tho.

Completely agree.

[FennecFox7]

He just rejected a new contract. If Napoli weren't like Porto when it came to letting players go I feel he would be here by now

[Katy Perry]

Both him and the other player we're linked, Kessie, will be involed in the AFCON tho. I wouldn't go for these kind of signings in January. Like Bony for City, Doumbia for Roma, the players will be available in 1 and a half month later, they tend to arrive very exhausted and will take a longer time to integrate.
In january you'd need someone to have an instant impact.

[Kick]

Mikel's Tianjin medical? (Off to weibo/tedatb) pic.twitter.com/GyVYMW9ROJ

— Dávid Pásztor (@D_Peezy) January 5, 2017

Mikel unofficially off to China.

I get the feeling we're going to get one of Kessie or Tiemoué Bakayoko in Jan.

As for Ghoulam, I'd take him over RicRod, even if he is tired. He only needs to rotate with Alonso at present.

Also, by the sounds of it, we still want a CB, in addition to LWB and CM.

[Katy Perry]

Wait, did we let him go for free? He still had 6 months on his contract ffs. Where is that 20M pounds compensation?

[Kick]

Of course we did, he hasn't played for us this season, has 6 months left on his contract and has served us well for 10 years. There was no way we'd ask for a transfer fee.

[Katy Perry]

Could have cheekily asked for a 5M or something like that given Chinese teams' generosity

[Kick]

No, that could have limited how much he'd earn, plus we don't need 5m.

[rincon]

Ghoulam is a very different player to Alonso, would be a good signing to have options. Much less of a midfielder, more of a traditional fullback. Napoli 100% won't sell in January unless forced to do so (like a release clause) or if they have a replacement lined up (haven't heard anything there). Probably one for the summer.

[Katy Perry]

Yea you're right, but I think Ghoulam would adapt well to the more advanced wingback role. He has good pace and stamina and he's comfortable both on the ball and defending.

[Katy Perry]

Rumour of Michy-Llorente swap (loan deal both) with Swansea are intensifying. Looks like it will be finalized within 24 hours.

[Shed]

https://twitter.com/skysportsnewshq/status/818920618796220416

[Katy Perry]

Why don't they go for Iva if they want a high profile with plenty of experience CB?

Zouma and Ake are back, we've seen both Iva and Aina playing at RWB vs Peterborough and Aina comfortably outperformed him, so I don't see the point of keeping him as a back-up even.

[Kick]

Andreas Christensen's father has confirmed that AC will return to Chelsea at the end of the season.

With Ake back and Zouma playing again, I don't think we need another CB if all play well. It'll also mean the end for Terry and Ivanovic.

I imagine we'll get get Llorente alone this winter.

[Katy Perry]

That would be great. Much better than spending a fortune for someone that is hard to get (50M for Stones ) or to buy someone not good enough just for the sake of bringing someone (Djilowho?).

Ake and Andreas in, Jt and Iva out. Watch our defense's average age go drastically down. With Zouma too we have a very bright future in our CB department in addition to our 3 current starters that are not even that old.

[Kick]

As long as Christensen, Ake and Zouma perform to their best, we'll be fine.

[Shed]

Andreas Christensen's father has confirmed that AC will return to Chelsea at the end of the season.

Prayers4rwo

[Kick]

Paul Clement ( ) has confirmed that there has been no contact between Chelsea and Swansea over Llorente.

[Shed]

Let's hope it stays that way.

[Katy Perry]

Weird The other day every single media outlet was reporting that not only talks had been taking places but that these talks were at a very advanced state.

Llorente coming and Michy being loaned is not something that will change the fate of our season regardless of if it happens or not, but I can get behind this decision.

Michy was bought for +30M because the possibility of Costa being suspended very often or underperforming again were tangible, and Conte fancied the idea of a 4-4-2/4-2-4 when he first came.
Now that we have stabilized towards the 3-4-2-1 and Costa has been performing even better than his Atletico last year and first year with us and has an (almost) immaculate disciplinary record, Michy has been relegated to a mere back up role a là Remy.

Could be better if we let Michy play week and week out and have him come back when we have the CL and more congested fixtures next year. Llorente has experience working with Conte and is reliable for that back-up role.

Only thing I'm concerned about is the destination. Michy has been rumoured to be loaned to Swansea and West Ham and both of these clubs seem unstable and badly run atm.

[Kick]

I think Conte wants to keep Michy to continue to groom him, so I don't think he'll go on loan.

I think I'd be ok with letting Michy go, but like you said, the clubs rumoured are not ideal, unless Clement does us a favour

[Kick]

Sky are reporting that we're after Adama Traore from Boro.

He cannot play for us this season though.

[Kick]

Looks like Ake returning is the only incoming business we're doing this window.

[Shed]

Would have been nice to make some quality additions, but Janury doesn't really lend to that most often. And I'd sooner see us be forward-thinking and forgo activity than buy for its own sake and be saddled for years with a bunch of garbage.

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