Déjà vu: silly season again
Evening Standard, 13 June 2008
“Scolari, 59, who will take charge of Chelsea…has been promised a massive transfer budget by owner Roman Abramovich”
The Times, 13 June 2008
"Luiz Felipe Scolari has been presented with a list of targets by Chelsea that features Fernando Torres, Robinho and Franck Ribery. The Brazilian...will be given an unlimited transfer budget by Roman Abramovich...(who) has proposed signing Kaka and Deco"
Sunday Telegraph, 15 June 2008
“Talk of a pounds 100 million transfer budget for next season is interesting. I wonder if it includes the pounds 16 million already paid…for Jose Bosingwa”
Daily Mirror, 19 June 2008
“Owner Roman Abramovich is backing boss Scolari with an unlimited transfer budget as the Blues bid to bounce back from last season's failures in the title race and the Champions League Final”
Any of these sound familiar? Once again, this summer Chelsea are being linked with pretty much every player out there – from the sublime suggestions (Kaka, Villa) to the more ridiculous (Alonso). I would think that the chances of us signing Kaka this year are as strong as our chances of bagging Torres last – nil.
We can therefore read very little into much, if not all, of the transfer speculation that’s doing the rounds in the papers at the moment. There is one key difference this year however, and that’s the way the club itself is discussing its transfer policy publically. Last year Kenyon did talk openly about the prospect of buying Robinho (a debacle in itself), and he did pay homage to recent Chelsea mantra of adding to the squad sparingly and only if the right player becomes available. This year, the noises have been different: there has been talk of a number of players arriving to replace a similar number leaving, and the possibility of one, high value addition to the squad funded by Abramovich himself.
So suggestions that Ancelotti will have a £100m transfer budget are almost certainly wide of the mark - not that £100m would go very far with the players we're being linked with anyway. Nevertheless, we can expect the transfer speculation to rumble on until 1 September – Chelsea is just too good a story for red tops and broadsheets alike. Perhaps we should just try and enjoy it...
Just for fun, I've started to keep a list of all the papersthe papers tell us Chelsea will be buying with their £100m, and the REAL chances of them playing in blue next season. Take a look at it here.
I'll keep adding to the list, but post a comment if there's any transfer gossip I've missed.
£100M is great. But let's spend it wisely - the team doesn't need fixing, it just needs a couple of adjustments this year, a couple next year - all to gradually bring some youth to the side. We really need to resolve the Drogba issue - does anyone have thoughts on whether he should stay or go?
Posted by: KD | 02 June 2009 at 17:43
He has to go. Clearly wasn't bothered for most of the FA Cup Final, and spent too much of the CL final rolling around. He makes it tough to be a fan sometimes.
Posted by: James | 02 June 2009 at 17:44
I hear what you're saying, but surely not. He's the best at what he does - buying a world class replacement will cost us a fortune, even assuming there's anyone good enough available. Surely a good man-manager can bring the best of Drogba back again?
Posted by: KD | 02 June 2009 at 17:45
Have to say I agree on this one - Drogba's one of a kind. Lose Drogba, and we lose the Chelsea way of playing and the team will need a more radical rethink.
Better, keep Drogba, and add a new player who offers something different.
Think I might chuck some thoughts down on Drogba in a future post...
Posted by: Russell Saunders | 02 June 2009 at 18:01
Drogba has just signed a new 3 year contract. Anything else would have been a disaster. So what if he playacts a bit, he's still the best and strongest attacker around.
By the way its a very nice blog this one, brilliant lay-out and design. Keep up the good work.
Posted by: cfcdk | 03 June 2009 at 09:30
Thanks cfcdk - I'm working on adding a feedback page to the site so people can add what they like and don't like about the blog for future improvements, and also suggest topics for future articles.
Fingers crossed you're right about Drogba and he signs up...
Posted by: Russell Saunders | 03 June 2009 at 10:51