Summer Transfer Window 2023

[stokeriño]

5 minutes ago, Brandon Cutler Fan Account said:

There's no way we still have Baba Rahman, surely.

They gave him a new 3 year contract in 2021 FFS.  

[Roster Depth Sicko No. 2]

...why?

[stokeriño]

Some reasoning along the lines of "either we let his contract expire and he leaves for nothing, OR we extend it in the hope that someone will eventually pay money for him (while sending him on loan in the meantime to get most/all of his wages covered)".

Silly Chelsea. He'll retire before anyone will buy him from you.

[Naitch]

We legit could've fielded this team as recently as last year:

Baxter

(Dujon) Sterling | Clarke-Salter | Miazga | Rahman

Bakayako

Hudson-Odoi | Barkley | Drinkwater | Kenedy

Batshuayi

Bolded players are still under contract...

[Roster Depth Sicko No. 2]

Wait I missed that the first time, we still have Bakayoko too??

[stokeriño]

23 minutes ago, Brandon Cutler Fan Account said:

Wait I missed that the first time, we still have Bakayoko too??

Yet another 3 year contract extension signed in 2021. It was essentially a gambit to get Milan to agree an Option to Buy as part of the loan deal - otherwise his contract would have expired in 2022 anyway.

(Regarding the summer of 2021: I've noticed in the past that winning a major trophy tends to cause Chelsea to make the most absolutely batshit crazy decisions in the ensuing transfer window. Of course this pattern is now moot since all our transfer windows have become batshit crazy.)

[Lineker]

 

[Hobo]

When James Milner signed for Liverpool in 2015 I don't think anyone could've predicted he'd have still been at the club at 37 and have played over 300 times.

He's most certainly lost a step or two in the last couple of seasons but was an amazing signing.

[Lineker]

 

[Lineker]

 

[Gazz]

Considering they'd have about 9 goals and 4 points this season without him, I'd suggest 'no'.

[METALMAN]

If Tottenham sold Kane to Man City back when he wanted to leave a couple of seasons ago maybe City would never have ended up buying Haaland and Arsenal would have won the league by now.

[Colly]

Isn't the question more "do they have a choice if he wants to go?". Player power is massive these days, if he wants out (he can't be wanting to play Europa League at his age) he'll go somewhere.

[Lineker]

Quote

Sergio Busquets will leave Barcelona this summer, ending an 18-year association with the club. The 34-year-old midfielder, who joined the Catalans’ youth team in 2005, made his first-team debut in 2008 but has decided to move on after turning down the offer of a new contract on reduced terms.

“The time has come to announce that this will be my last season with Barca,” he said in a farewell video released by Barcelona. “It has been an unforgettable journey. I always dreamed of playing with this shirt and at this stadium and reality has exceeded all my dreams.

“I wouldn’t have believed it you if you had told me when I arrived as a youth player that I would play 15 seasons at the best club in the world and surpass 700 matches. It has been an honour, a dream, a source of pride and meant everything to defend and represent this badge for so many years. Although it has not been an easy decision I think the time has come.”

Busquet, whose 718 matches for Barcelona put him third on the club’s all-time list of appearances, has won eight league titles – soon to become nine – three Champions Leagues, seven Copas del Rey, seven Spanish Super Cups, three European Super Cups and three Club World Cups. Busquets, who retired from international duty last year, holds the record for playing in more Clasicos than any other player with 48 appearances against Barcelona’s rivals Real Madrid.

He could add another league title to his achievements this season, with Barcelona leading the table by 13 points with five games remaining.

His next stop is expected to be Saudi Arabia as talks are understood to be advanced. A report on Spanish TV show El Chiringuito de Jugones said that Busquets has accepted an offer by Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal along with Lionel Messi. Messi’s father has said the Argentinian has not “signed or agreed” a deal.

 

[Szumi]

He's either going to Saudi Arabia or Inter Miami. I can't see any other move, and it will almost definitely be the same club as Messi. 

As much as I don't want either one in MLS because I hate everything about Inter Miami (the way they were given the club, the clown show that is the organization & stadium stuff, how they cheated their asses off), I would still rather see them here than playing in Saudi Arabia. 

[Colly]

It's not like anyones going to actually see him (or anyone else) playing in Saudi Arabia anyway. Just assume he's retired like we all did with Iniesta despite being into his 5th season in Japan...

[METALMAN]

I always assumed one of the advantages of being a multi-millionaire is the ability to avoid nonsense like Miami and Saudi Arabia and just spend the end of your career doing something nice rather than chasing the money. But I guess some people r just v greedy.

[Szumi]

2 hours ago, METALMAN said:

I always assumed one of the advantages of being a multi-millionaire is the ability to avoid nonsense like Miami and Saudi Arabia and just spend the end of your career doing something nice rather than chasing the money. But I guess some people r just v greedy.

In defense of Miami, Lio Messi has been linked there for years because of how much he loves to vacation in Miami, as well. He goes there I believe every summer, and owns property there.

[METALMAN]

He should own property and vacation somewhere better 

[Lineker]