I have no idea. Reddit certainely seems to think that the deal is done but then again it's reddit so I came here for a second opinion.
Chelsea under Conte | Let's sign the next Hazard, literally.
- Thread starter Gandalf Greyhame
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
In pretty sure Costa will be off in the summer. China would be great for Chelsea as we'll get a big fee.
I really like Diego, but unfortunately I have an increasing feelings this would be the last season he is with us. Lukaku, Morata or Belotti - anyone of them if we can get as a replacement to him is okay - but let's Conte make the decision not Emenalo.
No way can Morata replace Diego like for like. We'll need more than one top striker if Costa is sold.
The Telegraph reported it would be £76M deal for Diego to Tianjin.
Let's have some calculations:
4 years ago we bought Lukaku for 18M => 18M investment
3 years ago we sold a young Lukaku for 28M and got Diego for 32M => 4M loss
Now we probably are going to sell Diego for 76M and pay the same amount to get a proven goal-scorer Lukaku back - 0M loss
So apparently with a net spent of 22M (= 18+4), we have had the service of a peak Diego for 3 years and a proven goal-scorer Lukaku next season. That's brilliant.
Let's have some calculations:
4 years ago we bought Lukaku for 18M => 18M investment
3 years ago we sold a young Lukaku for 28M and got Diego for 32M => 4M loss
Now we probably are going to sell Diego for 76M and pay the same amount to get a proven goal-scorer Lukaku back - 0M loss
So apparently with a net spent of 22M (= 18+4), we have had the service of a peak Diego for 3 years and a proven goal-scorer Lukaku next season. That's brilliant.
Yes, I would prefer another player too or another player and him (so we get two players). If the reports are true then Conte seems highly rate him and Morata himself said he wants to play for Conte too. Hmmm...
My dream is that we get one of Lukaku/ Belotti AND one of Morata/Sanchez. That would be so cool
Lukaku & Sanchez for me.Yes, I would prefer another player too or another player and him (so we get two players). If the reports are true then Conte seems highly rate him and Morata himself said he wants to play for Conte too. Hmmm...
My dream is that we get one of Lukaku/ Belotti AND one of Morata/Sanchez. That would be so cool
It's the most difficult pair to get (specially Sanchez) but that's the coolest one.
Belotti and Morata is also fine to me. Just go and spend the money - easy, no transfer saga
Don't think Lukaku would be that hard to get. Stump up the cash and Lukaku would surely hand in a transfer request to try to push through the move. He's outgrown Everton. They sold Stones when the right offer came through.It's the most difficult pair to get (specially Sanchez) but that's the coolest one.
Belloti and Morata is also fine to me. Just go and spend the money - easy, no transfer saga
Sanchez will be nearly impossible unless he also hands in a transfer request and they find a good replacement.
That would be so good. And Lukaku - I think he is already classified as a homegrown player also. That's a bonus!
Greizmann and Sanchez then?
Are you kidding? That's so big - even for a dream
Morata is very average. Lukaku's all round game is still too poor for a top team, said it on here a few years back he isn't suited to dominant teams and still standy by it. Belotti would be a good signing.
Took this from the Morata transfer thread - I don't know if that tweet is legit, it seems to go back to Balague. But supposed it is, it describes a situation that has been anticipated here already.Tweet
— Twitter API (@user) date
As I said before, I'm convinced Morata would allow Conte to continue the interplay-oriented offensive approach he has taken so far, while I fear Lukaku would severely change the balance of the front three. Morata is also way more active defensively, which I'm sure Conte is looking for too. He obviously knows what he's doing, and I think it would be a mistake to enforce a player upon him that he deems to be less effective in his setup than other options.
But it's transfer news season, so it's probably better to wait if these claims will be substantiated or not.
Totally agree, I think the club needs to back Conte then if it does not work out there is no bad feeling between the club and the manager and it is clear the manager was given the best tools to do the job.
It will be interesting to see the player comings and goings this summer.
Chelsea cannot afford another meh transfer window. Theyll back him big time IMO
What happened 2 summers ago will surely not happen again. When you win the title you have to continue to build rather than thinking you're already good enough to keep winning. I think (hope!) we spend huge this summer with Conte's first choice targets.
I would love to know how he knows that Conte doesn't want Lukaku.
Talksport this morning implied that Costa may not be heading to China. Yes he hasn't settled in London but what makes everybody think China will be any easier. If he is looking to settle anywhere he may want to head back to Athletico. Costa + cash for Greizman would do nicely. Throw in a bit of Sanchez and we shouldn't get much change out of £100m.
I obviously know nothing about football(check my username) but wouldn't going for Griezmann mean a change of style? I think Conte likes his striker to be strong, mobile and able to hold up the ball whilst also defending from the front. Griezmann probably does fine in three of those but not sure he's got the aerial presence or strength that Conte would want.
Sanchez could fill that roll and Greizman replace Pedro/Willian.
I disagree. Sanchez is probably an overall better footballer than Costa but Costa has a physicality which Sanchez cannot match. I know Chelsea try and play out from the back but having Costa there when the team is under pressure also gives them an out ball to play off as he can hold his own in the air and is quite a bit stronger than Sanchez.
They are the perfect meaning of "a well-oiled machine". Yeah, they have lost some games during this season, but they have always reacted like a true big team.
I'm not an expert but Costa doesn't score many goals with his head. He does hold it up sometimes but just lately it has been bouncing off him quite bit.
My original comments were a bit tongue in cheek but I could see Sanchez in the Chelsea attack. His attitude would really spark the team and draw markers away from Hazard.
Bertrand Traore seems to be doing well on loan at Ajax at the moment so maybe they use him instead.
I think this season argues the opposite and shows that this squad was good enough to keep winning/challenging. But for all the talk of his tactical nous etc - Conte also dropped both Terry and Ivanovic. That is a huge decision for the good of the team he wanted to build.
And as far as the Lukaku/Morata situation. At no time in the recent past has the club gone against the manager for a transfer. The transfer committee has bought in addition to a manager's requests, giving him more options (KDB, Lukaku, Courtois) and sometimes the main target is unachievable and the board,with manager's consent, have to settle somewhat (Shevchenko, Torres).
That sounds good. Chelsea's current basis is excellent (squad, coach, tactics, money, pulling factor, young players, general hunger for success), so with a couple of spot-on transfer decisions the gap to Europe's top teams could be narrowed massively. Would love to see that.
Conte's success so early in his career in England takes some shine off of Guardiola's pristine reputation. Conte's squad is not necessarily much better than that of the other Premiership top sides and he still got the job done
They are by far the best drilled team in the league.
Yeah, Conte is such a rentless manager.
Conte linked with Inter again, doubt he goes though
No chance. Huge money will be spent this summer on both players and Conte himself. Hopefully nice and early like the Costa/Cesc summer a couple of years ago.
still a lot of room for improvement, specially in squad depth
Exact opposite of truth.still a lot of room for improvement, specially in squad depth
Depth is awesome but first 11 needs a 3-4 upgrades.
I know it sounds harsh, but as good as Costa has been for us, I feel we could use a tactically superior striker up top. It seems as though when we're in attack, it always comes to a halt at him a lot of the time because his dribbling, ball control and first touch is poor. Hazard and Pedro are technically proficient, but having Costa next to them can be so frustrating. One more thing that bothers me is whenever Alonso or Moses put in a good ball into the box, he is too slow to attack it. The number of opportunities go wasted because he doesn't attack the ball in the box is problem.
I will say on the flip side, dismissing his frailities, he is just as likely to come up with a goal when we need one most. As a finisher he is one of the best in Europe, and his strength, hold up play and aerial threat are also what set him apart from most strikers too. I wouldn't be sad to see him go if we got in the appropriate replacement, but, and it's a bit but, the striker we bring in needs to be a clinical finisher with good technical ability, or at least the scope to improve their technical side. I feel Costa is too old to change his style now, and he'll always be technically poor.
No one is covering Moses. No one can properly cover Alonso. Costa, who seems going to China, is the only trusted striker up front.
Also we play with 3CB but there are only 2 young CB available in the bench. One of them (Zouma) is not ready for the game after a horrible injury and one of them (Ake) has just played a total of less than 40 games in the league
We have spoke about youth integration 'til we're blue (hehe) in the face, but I really would like to see Lewis Baker in our first team squad next season. The kid has shown his potential for god knows how long, and on loan he's shown his qualities once again. I genuinely think he is our answer to Lampard. He can spot a pass, he can shoot from distance, he is a solid set piece taker, and he's English. Bring back Christensen, keep Ake in the squad along with Chalobah and Aina, we would need probably 3 more top quality signings (maybe 1 or 2 of those being more experienced players) to make our squad stronger once again.
Costa would be on my upgrade list regardless if he was leaving for China or not. Also if we bought a backup for the likes of Moses, Alonso, Cahill etc. they would be useless players like Dijlobodji and Baba.No one is covering Moses. No one can properly cover Alonso. Costa, who seems going to China, is the only trusted striker up front.
Also we play with 3CB but there are only 2 young CB available in the bench. One of them (Zouma) is not ready for the game after a horrible injury and one of them (Ake) has just played a total of less than 40 games in the league
Only logical way is to upgrade these players and make the current ones backup.
When was the last time a mf from dutch league managed to hold his own in PL?
They did with Cech to Arsenal. Mourinho was dead against it.
Can see why he prefers Morata to Lukaku.