In this window Chelsea have outspent all the clubs in the Italian, German, Spain, French leagues - combined!

Chelsea have a fine midfielder in Fernandez, but imagine how much this magnifico would be worth today!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YsxnA6DXIY

Rich,
This bidding war between clubs smacks of a high tiered auction. Might as well just parade any players that clubs hope to get on a stage at Wembley ( a neutral ground) and let the bidding auction begin.

Balogun has just scored a hat trick for Reims, he’s now the top scorer in the French league with 14 goals

The balogun thing could create some difficult decisions this summer. His goals are insane you can’t ignore that. 3 strikers vying for 1 spot doesn’t work though. Who goes ? I wouldn’t like to be making that decision right now. He’s got to be given a run next season now.

The most goals scored in the five major leagues in Europe this season so far..

1- Erling Haaland (25 goals)
2- Harry Kane (16 goals)
3- florin Balogun (14 goals)


… if your selling then you have to ask for 70 million quid. In this market no way should you ask less. Find a 22 year old with similar record.

Look at his third. No player in our squad would have scored that.

Also you have to say like Nketiah it’s madness he hasn’t had an England call and surely needs to be in the next squad.

Totally bizarre situation coming up this summer and a decision that the management won’t win any way

For sure.
That's why I find it ridiculous and hilarious when we are continually linked with vlahovic or encouraged by some of our fans to sign another striker.
We have Jesus, Eddie showing what a quality striker he is and Balogun top scorer in France.
Difficult decision awaiting Edu and Arteta next season as they all are going to want regular football.
You can satisfy 2 but not 3.
You're right though.
Balogun has to be given a run.

Eddie and Folarin could be our strike force for the next 10 years but one brilliant player standing in their way
....Jesus.
I'd hate to lose any of them.
Horrible dilemma for the club but great position to be in talent wise

Trust me mate it’s going to be a long while till we are linked with strikers again.

Thing is Southgate needs to be quick here because Balogun qualifies to play for the US and he will need a replacement for Harry Kane in 2 years. That lad looks likelier than any to be able to do that role.

The only thing Arteta can do is start next season with all 3 and let them duke it out but the one with least minutes is bound to ask for a transfer or loan in the next window. That’s going to be really interesting but also don’t rule out some club making a huge bid for him. Strikers are in short supply

Which 2 would you keep moving forward TG?

Very true.
Clubs will be taking notice of his exploits in France.

Exceptionally hard on Nketiah but I think Balogun looks a far more rounded player with more to his game. Can hold it up and score penalty box goals so you would have to say Jesus and possibly Balogun.

However many football teams operate a social hierarchy and I could see a scenario especially if we win the league ! That Balogun would be on the outside trying to displace 2 firm members of the squad again.

I honestly can't call it.
Not many gave Eddie a chance when Jesus got injured but he has been absolutely superb and his game is definitely improving.
If Jesus was 28 29 it would be an easier decision to get big money for him and go with the 2 youngsters but Jesus is only 25.
If pushed I'd go Jesus and Balogun.....just
*%^@*** love Eddie though

Any time Arsenal sign a player and he's pictured with Arteta and Edu it makes me realise how huge Edu is, the guy must be 6ft 3 or 4 minimum!

England have an prolific but aging striker - Arsenal are delivering two great strikers on a plate for England, and England could still balls it up and lose both of them to Ghana and USA

There is room for all three in my view. In fact, having three who can play that central striker role is a good thing. Jesus is excellent in the wide positions. We were going to spend a fortune on Mudryk as another wide option and if Balogun is now a genuine contender for the centre forward role, then we simply have more options with Jesus, Saka, Trossard, Emile Smith Rowe and Martinelli as really excellent wide players. The nervousness about an injury to Saka is diminished.

Their all centre forwards though. Nketiah wasn’t getting a look in until the injury. With Trossard now Jesus won’t be played wide much.

I’d agree with those who are unsure there is space for 3 out and out strikers in the squad. Jesus can play wide right but I can’t see us being able to keep all 3 happy.

I think before we put Balogun ahead of Nketiah we should get Balogun on a loan in the Prem. If he wasn’t our player and we signed him there would be concern if he can do it in ‘this’ league. Eddie and Jesus have proven they can.

What a loan it’s been for him, he’s probably and realistically quadrupled his market value.

Jesus is as much a wide player as he is a centre forward, as borne out by his time at City. It's all about rotation. We will be in the CL next year. Loads of games to play and it's great to have options. Go back a few weeks with Jesus and Emile Smith Rowe injured and we had nobody on the bench to bring on against Newcastle (jury is out on Vieira). Now, Jesus is definitely our No.1 striker but competition for that position is a good thing.

How many games would balogun have started this year? I’d guess 2 at most. Even with rotation. If Jesus hadn’t got injured I think we would have had an issue just with 2. That’s the issue

You have 4 players now competing for wide positions before Jesus is even considered there, chuck in the centre forward position and you would 7 competing for 3 places and that’s ignoring Fabio vieira. You’ll struggle to keep them happy

It's not about this year though. We are looking to next season. Balogun would have started very few games this season because he hadn't proven himself. It's much easier to rotate established players than kids. Grealish and Mahrez are frequently on the bench at City. If we have a good season next year we will play close to 60 games. This season we were talking about putting out weak teams in the cups to save the first 11 for the league. We needed more depth and an improved Balogun adds to that.

Agreed. It will require good management, but the alternative is worse. With on two central strikers that the manager trusts, , you are one long term injury away from a very precarious situation, as we have seen.

With our high energy pressing game, we need to be able to substitute our front players after about an hour. Otherwise we are running Nketiah, Saka, and Martinelli in to the ground week after week. Having a strong bench is a huge advantage.

And obviously if we are in the champions league we can't afford a big drop in quality when we rotate, which we will have to.

Balogun yesterday

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6MRmPVZ034

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY58GOHnh94

Ok then I guess how many games would Nketiah have got if Jesus hadn’t got injured and how many games would a third established striker have got before as well.

The grealish comparison just highlights what I’m saying. 3 city wingers competing for 2 spots. We would have 3 strikers competing for 1. Many games would involve 1 of the 3 not getting any minutes at all.

You are talking about how it would be good for us which it would but I’m suggesting you can’t keep those 3 happy in Artetas system with 1 up front.

They deleted the part of the interview where he says he'll prove some of the SG forum members wrong.
Frankly, I don't know what to expect but I'm very hopeful and more optimistic than pessimistic.

Arteta has such a clear vision of how he wants the game played (and its proving succesful) and with that he has a similarly clear vision of what each player in each position is required to do. So, it would make sense therefore that Arteta's ability to spot talented players is going to be very high. If your plan is clear and a success, and you know exactly what strengths each position needs you just find players to fit that criteria - which crucially won't always be the big name player, hyped up player, or sometimes even a player who is playing that well in his current team if the skills he has that would fit us perfectly are not being used by his team.

The Football White Paper

https://www.football365.com/news/footba ... ch-chelsea

Mason Greenwood has had the charges against him dropped. A sad affair for all involved. As always only two people in these cases will ever know the real truth of what happened. Overly partisan fans will tend to fall heavily on one side of the argument but none of us really know a thing about it.

Lets hope both of them can get on with their life - although knowing the British tabloid press (and rival fans) there is probably little chance this won't hang over both of them for a long time

I'd hope Utd take him back. He is innocent and we cannot mere allegations ruining people's lives.

They are right.

But La Liga were quite content when Real Madrid and Barcelona were (and still are) ‘doped’ from outside finance. They could attract whoever they liked and were most adept at unsettling players so that the move became inevitable.

A witness has withdrawn their evidence.

The prem as a whole gets tarred with the wild spending brush but really it’s 1 or 2 clubs right at the top end and a lid at the bottom that’s out of kilter. Historically big and successful teams like us and Liverpool spending a decent chunk of money shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. But Chelsea spending £600m is unprecedented and also teams like newly promoted Forest spending £200m is bonkers. In a way it’s that side of the prem spending that is crazy but has also made it the most watchable league because you have teams who finish well in to the bottom half with £40m strikers and so whilst the team loses matches there are times on their day when the individual quality will shine and they can give the best teams a good game and play entertaining football.

You only have to look at players at top European clubs swapping it for a low level prem team, simply to come and play in the prem…..and the money isn’t bad!

Jorginho vs Arsenal, a bit dated but still....

Yes “prosecution did not go ahead because witnesses (complainant in this case) withdrew statements” does not equal “found innocent.” Basically the evidence hasn’t been challenged or answered and will remain like that. It’s the equivalent of Fabinho on that Brighton player. We all know it was a red card but the FA’s hands are tied. No one “deserves” a career earning millions so I wouldn’t be too fussed if this particular evidence stopped someone doing that.

I think man united will pay off the last 2 years on his contract. Their statement lends itself to the fact they are considering it. No way will they want that attention.

Criminal justice in the UK is an absolute joke however I don’t think the CPS has much choice if the complainant withdraws they have little evidence to proceed. I hate the way crime is dealt with here. Zero police and old bill more concerned with nicking speeders than stopping violence. I know that sounds like a generalisation but it’s pretty true.

That No.10 with the afro looks good. We should have signed him instead.

Weirdo