Chelsea close on Bosingwa

Amir

We may have been interested, but I don't think there's a chance in hell we'd have spent 16m on a full back. We're not likely to sign more than two senior players this summer, and the big money has to go on a striker because we really only have two we can rely on, even if Manucho gets his work permit.

With Neville hopefully back after a good pre season, Wes and Hargo, we can actually even go another season without signing a right back, but we'll surely try.

Lahm would be perfect. He'll make the right back position his own and would also double up as wonderful cover for Evra on the left. Whether the deal is actually happening is anyones guess, though. May have a lot to do with where Alves ends up at, Real or Barca.

Man-United

He's played 6 games for Portugal and is 25 years old. Who's the Portugal first choice RB? Is it Bosingwa?

Amir

Bosingwa started several of Portugal's Euro qualification matches, including the last two. Ferreira and Miguel started more matches than him, but I'm not sure in which positions. But it's clearly between those three.

Crustanoid

Portugese agent: 'A club is interested in buying Boswinga, is he available? What price?'

Porto suit: 'He can go for 10 million - which club?'

Portugese agent: 'That Russian one - Chelsea'

Porto suit: 'Haha hahahaha haha - that bunch of gullible gloryhunting fuckwits - better chuck another six million on the price tag.'

Porto suit (into phone) 'Hello - can I order a crate of your finest Vinho and a bunch of strippers - I'm having a party...'

yamo123x

chelsea are a laughing stock, they buy players both out of desperation and to spite us.

nearly every player they hAve bought in recent times has been linked with us, obi mikel, ballack,essien,robben,ivanovic,anelka,sidwell and now bosingwa. This is no co-incidence. I think our scouts or media sources should keep stum, or maybe they should link us with a 15mill move for john pantsil and a 21mill raid on villa for marlon harewood just to see if the renties take the bait.

in regards to signings, i hope we do conclude our summer business quickly and with no fuss, i do think we will go for benzema and be rebuffed and then prob go for berbatov who i think would be awesome for us if 16mill or below. Maybe ashton if he can stay fit. As for full back richards is a great choice, he could cover centre half too which is handy, gives us physical presence and is young and english. lahm is small, quality player but can he adapt to power of enlgish game as well as evra has?

ch7

Bosingwa is Portugals first choice right back for the Euros.
He's not a late developer but he has reached a really high level over the past two seasons, don't forget Patrice Evra was playing third division football in Italy during the early part of his career, Bosingwa is a player now harnessing his talent in a position on the pitch where it helps the team after spending some of his younger days playing in midfield and even upfront.

I don't know what the hell happened with Paulo Ferreira, he cost Portugal a goal in the opening game of Euro 2004 against Greece and hasn't been the same since. As for Bosingwa for me if he stays fit he will solve Chelseas right back problem no question because the ability is there. Who knows he may flop but its unlikely from what i've seen of him.

Also people trying to compare Ferreira with Bosingwa is like comparing Kleberson with Anderson, its lazy, convenient and incorrect.

RedSky At Night

Maybe.... judt maybe we're going to wait on the RB and see if Fabio is as good as he's cracked up to be in Brazil. We already have plenty of cover so we could blood Fabio in ala Anderson?

Sarni

It's actually bollocks that they sign every single player we want. I can think of only two they swept from under our noses - Robben and Essien, and I think we weren't really that interested in Essien.

Then there's Obi Mikel's case, but Chelsea were in for him before us.

Ballack was linked with half European teams, no wonder it included both us (in need of a playmaker at time) and Chelsea who landed him eventually. Anelka was linked with all of the top 4 and I don't think anyone took him seriously as United's target anyway, at least I cannot recall any serious rumours, just papers gossip. Ivanovic was linked with us by one source only and at the same time he was linked with Chelsea by the same source. Sidwell, we were never interested in.

Looking at their squad: Cech was never on our transfer list, neither was Ashley Cole, I can hardly recall us being linked with Carvalho either. Paulo Ferreira was Mourinho's kid, while Beletti was never linked with United. Neither was Malouda, unless you count an odd rumour linking him with handful of European teams, including United. Salomon Kalou? No. Joe Cole? No. Makelele? No. Drogba? No. Shevchenko? No.

So, we can basically just stop doing it. Such situation doesn't occur. It's football, players who are on the move will inevitably be linked with clubs that need players. Heinze was first linked with Chelsea and then moved to United. Evra was linked with plenty of European teams before moving to United and so was Nani.

Ekeke

Evra was not 25... Bosingwa used to be an awful winger. Absolutely awful. He then went to Porto, they converted him to right back - where he's decent. Not great, just good. A bit better than Beletti - though his end product isnt.

He's a very similar player to Ferreira, played for the same club and transfered to the same club. Its a great comparison.

Ekeke

Anderson had proven a lot before he came to the club. And it'll be years before he's given as many matches as Anderson has been given this season, if ever.

Fabio is certainly a talent though. But he'll face the same problems Simpson has. His attacking game might be around ready in the next year, but defensively? It'll take a long time before he can really be trusted not to make big mistakes.

The difference with Fabio and Simpson however, is Fabio has real technical quality to his attacking game and is great in the air. It should see him through, even if he makes a load of mistakes. Simpson is just quite quick with a decent cross.

Trippin_Stoned

Seems Chelsea have agreed a fee with Porto.

prateik

fabio is a LB ..
he is quality . his twin is a RB . no idea about how good rafael is

fab is the U 17 captain , scored for fun and is a great player (at the U17 level obv ) .. hopefully he can continue improving .. future backup for evra when tweety leaves

RB .. nev + brown + Oshea + simpson + hargreaves (if needed)
lahm on a bosman next season .... no point wasting 16+m on bosingwa

and no , bosingwa isnt the best RB in europe ...

Amir

Alberto da Silva, a journalist for World Soccer magazine, believes Bosingwa has been overvalued by Chelsea.

"He's a good player but he's not worth that much money," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"Chelsea's current right-back Paulo Ferreira is a better player. I don't know who negotiated the deal, but he did well for Porto."

He added: "I don't believe Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson would have been willing to spend that much money on Bosingwa."

Trippin_Stoned

£16M for any right back is a lot of money.

enghuei

That means they are not going to buy Sergio Ramos.

That's good news.

Amir

That was never going to happen, not sure why people believed that. Since Abramovich's arrival there have been plenty of silly rumours about signings Chelsea would make. I think the first was Nesta for 50m. But they never actually spent such silly money on one player and there was no way they were going to pay 55m or 70m, or whatever the figure was, for Ramos.

ERICSAGOD

Well, well yet another right back.

RedSky At Night

Thanks for the clarification, always get the two of them mixed up

I did think though that Fabios is two footed and his natural position is LB but he's played RB for Brazil before. I seem to remember him scoring a beautiful goal from RB. The point being that he's surely more than adequate backup for Brown/Evra. He's built like an Ox as well so he should be able to handle the physical side of the game.

The only concern is it would be the first season playing in a proper league. So he may get the Pique treatment of chosing the games he plays. Either way, I guarantee he'll make it, i'm not so sure of Rafael, but Fabio is a special player.

Elliott

Is there a link to the 'Lahm to United' story? If true - are we buying him now or getting him on a free next summer?

Devil_forever

I don't think we'll get him on a free coz I just don't think united will pick out a bargain like that. If we were to get him, we'll probably buy him this season to stop other teams from getting his signature for free. Bayern will no doubt rape us for his transfer fee even though he's only got an year left and doesn't want to extend or we could get Micah Richards for around the £25 mill mark.

gaffs

True, 16mil is a lot for a right back. But as is 18mil for Hargreaves and sticking him at right back. Chelsea are doing the same at times with Essien - 25mil.

Wouldn't it be better to have a top class specialist right back?

It will be interesting to see what Grant does next year in the big games now he has Bosingwa. Essien will want to be playing in midfield so who gets left out?

AttackingFlair

The Brazillian "left back" is right footed so why not let him play right back?

Elliott

'The Brazilian left back' has a talented brother who's a right back. That's why. Rafael is supposed to be a very good young player in his own right. Can't expect anything from them next season mind.

MrMarcello

Could be a few big names moving away... Drogba to Milan... Lampard to Barca... Makalele could be let go... SWP? Anelka? Shevchenko back to Italy or possibly the US? Bridge may decide to move on. Could be a whole new club next season, which is per usual for Chelsea under the Roman empire.

AttackingFlair

Can't say I've seen him myself but he's been rated as a special talent... that left back. If true, I would rather he broke into the team even at right back where it can't be that bad... you know being able to cross on his natural foot and that etc

Maybe he plays on the left just to improve his game and accommodate his brother?

MDFC Manager

Done deal this, is it?

REd FUn DevIl

They have agreed to sign Bosingwa and that means they will offload one or two defenders. Ferreira, Boularhouz or Belleti.

Cold_Boy

Yes.

On the Chelsea website.

ALX8725

so much.... for a RB....

VoetbalWizard