Totally agree TG.

Player valuations have been so skewed by Chelsea's spending that West Ham must be thinking about £120m + for Declan Rice.

Don't see it happening personally and both he and Caicedo will probably end up at Chelsea.

Talking of Chelsea can anyone tell me if this kind of spending can go on indefinitely with payments amortised over 7 or 8 years, effectively kicking the FFP can down the road. Can they do exactly the same in the summer unless UEFA intervene?

UEFA are intervening

https://www.football365.com/news/opinio ... imitations

They are also bound to see some bad knock on effects surely. Players on long term deals that can’t be shifted and have to be paid off.

What if there is a wilshere type scenario and a player suffers an injury that halves his ability but is on an 8 year contract. It’s a disaster surely

Too little too late if Chelsea's spending pay's off (excuse the pun). They've literally bought a brand new side in a couple of windows.

I bet Chelsea are already exploring other loopholes.

What is does do is go against the spirit of the FFP rule but then City and PSG have already found ways to circumvent it in the past.

Looks pretty good...

Indeed. A penny for his thoughts. If he had stayed I'm guessing he would have played as much as he has done at Chelsea and in a title challenging team.

Legend in the making
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6tGRY4AQapI

For anyone having a meltdown over our January business, we bought 3 players and loaned out a youngster and a CM who has never convinced in the games he has played. We got vital cover across the front positions, cover at left-CB and cover for def-mid. Of course we'd have all liked Caicedo but it will have to wait. Meanwhile Man City lost their most reliable (until this season) and versatile defender because he fell out with the manager and there are rumours of more unrest in that City dressing room.. In their last game against us Stone also pulled a hamstring - so City's defence is down to Dias, Laporte, Akanji, Ake, Walker, Lewis. That is only 6 defenders and only 2 natural full-backs.

We're 5 points clear with a game in hand and we've got stronger whilst City have got weaker. Still all to do but we've done ok

The way Chelsea have mitigated it in the past is loan deals - that is reliant to some degree on the loaning club picking up the tab on the high wages - but that amortised fee is still being paid off as a negative on the accounting books each year until the player is officially no longer a chelsea player.

There is also the small matter of actually forging these players in to a winning team and having a manager good enough to do that whilst keeping all the players happy and motivated when at least maybe 6-7 of them aren;t even going to be in the match day squad each week. Also a 10 point gap to bridge and 6 teams to usurp to get in to the CL places and the money that brings

This has caused quite a furore here.

SA tourism is suffering because of electricity and water outages, crime, etc.

So what does the government do?

Sponsor Tottenham Hotspur to the tune of R1 billion! Obviously.

https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa ... 0218e10e9e

Vieira?

I remember Balderstone attempting Test cricket and being blown away by Michael Holding at The Oval in 1976. To be fair, he wasn't the only one.

Good luck Sambi

Yes, it seems he only played two Tests. Still, it's quite impressive that the bloke who scored the goal against Tottenham that put Carlisle top of the league (briefly) in 1974 also played Test cricket against the West Indies in 1976.

He was a fine County player and probably deserved his Test opportunity. Sad for him he had to face "Whispering Death" at his most fearsome.

At one time playing both football and cricket professionally was not at all unusual. Arsenal had several men who played first-class cricket - Dennis and Leslie Compton, Ted Drake, Andy Ducat, Wally Hardinge, Arthur Milton, Don Roper, Jim Standen, Harry Storer, Ray Swallow and Henry White. The indomitable Brian Close of Yorkshire and England was on our books as a young man, though he never made it to our first team.

Tis might have slipped unnoticed......Leicester chair Khun Top has relieved the club of debts to parent company King Power totaling over £194m.

That is still financial doping, rack up loads of debt and have your owner wipe it out so you can start again. We've seen how Chelsea circumnavigate the FFP rules, how do Leicester do it with this one?

As part of the deal that took Porro to Spurs, Spurs have sold 15% of their sell on rights to Marcus Edwards. No telling how much that 15% could be worth - right now it is probably £2-3m or so

I knew I'd forget someone

Chelsea can only select 3 of their January signings to be part of the Champions League squad - so 4 of the players below will have signed for Chelsea but be unable to play CL. Id say it is really 3 from 4 (Fofana, Santos and Madueke will almost certainly be left out)

David Datro Fofana
Benoit Badiashile
Andrey Santos
Joao Felix
Mykhailo Mudryk
Noni Madueke
Enzo Fernandez

"Relationship between Brighton & Arsenal,has been damaged. Brighton were left irritated and perplexed after the 2nd bid as they felt Arsenal did not get the message that the player is not for sale."

Haha, is that all it takes for Brighton to get a bit touchy. They'll sell when the price is right, you can't get upset if clubs make bids for your players (who want to leave).

If only all transfers worked this way.
Club A "We'd like to buy player X, we bid £xm for him"
Club B "We don't want to sell him"
Club A "Ok, thanks for your time, see you later"

Hi Rich,

Didn't Abramovich do pretty much the same thing, wrote off £1.3b in debt so Chelsea were effectively debt free.

What's the difference between an owner doing that or just giving a club a few hundred million to spend with no obligation to pay it back.

Madrid and Barca have been financial doping for years except now with the likes of City, PSG and Chelsea it has reached obscene levels. Actually City have reigned back their spending a bit in recent seasons but that's after spending a billion or so in the few years before.

European clubs are only going along with it because they can fleece english clubs for the kind of money they would never get selling within the rest of europe.

Benfica have just got £100m for a player they payed about £10m for a season ago. How mad is that.

Yep. Its bonkers

New Chelsea owner running rampant siphoning up any player he fancies that just winks in his direction with that 'come get me look'.

Zinchenko!

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8Jzp6Mr30Bo

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.