Klaus wrote:

We should focus on Jovetic. Fucking hell, I want that kid (please don't misinterpret that).

😆 It's all right Klaus Dules is away.

Ricky1985 wrote:

Ian McGarry
Eden Hazard expects an agreement to be reached with #CFC for his transfer this week. Personal terms are close to completion. Fee approx 28m€

That guy works for BBC Radio 5 apparently. Not that means much, but more reliable than some random bloke claiming it.

I hope this isn't true especially if he's available for 28 million euros. We better be involved in this somehow eventhough we'd probably lose out once it comes to the fee and wages but show some ambition ffs

What's infuriating is that we'll fritter away millions on mid-range talent, but won't spend proper money on proper players.

Ridunkulous.

gutted if the the chavs get him. hazard to arsenal was one i thought was written in the stars.

If we go for him and fail then fair enough, I'll still be pissed off, but c'est la vie. If we don't even bother to try then the club, and us fans, have no place even contemplating winning the big trophies at the start of each season.

I almost hope it is Wenger now stubbornly refusing to spend, if it ain't then what does that say about the next 10 years? But, truthfully, I really, really doubt it. Wenger would love to sign Hazard, I'm convinced of that. I'd be astonished if it's his principles or some belief in a 14 year old in the reserves that's stopping us from bidding.

The only thing I can think is that the fee involved is much higher than is being reported, maybe structured in a way that commits Chelsea to a huge number eventually, or the wages are sky high (though I doubt that), or that there's no truth to the story. Otherwise we're having a laugh if we're not interested in making an offer.

Ricky1985 wrote:

If we go for him and fail then fair enough, I'll still be pissed off, but c'est la vie. If we don't even bother to try then the club, and us fans, have no place even contemplating winning the big trophies at the start of each season.

I almost hope it is Wenger now stubbornly refusing to spend, if it ain't then what does that say about the next 10 years? But, truthfully, I really, really doubt it. Wenger would love to sign Hazard, I'm convinced of that. I'd be astonished if it's his principles or some belief in a 14 year old in the reserves that's stopping us from bidding.

The only thing I can think is that the fee involved is much higher than is being reported, maybe structured in a way that commits Chelsea to a huge number eventually, or the wages are sky high (though I doubt that), or that there's no truth to the story. Otherwise we're having a laugh if we're not interested in making an offer.

i don't think there's anything stopping wenger from attempting to sign hazard. not the board, nor wages. i think this is just a case of chelsea getting the drop on us (if true).

If Hazard really is available for 28 million euros, it would absolute madness to not go for him, for so many reasons. Mainly because we desperately need a new winger, and Hazard himself even admitted Arsenal (and Real Madrid) are his favourite clubs. He's Lille's top scorer AND top assister so far this season, and on top of that, he's used to playing with Gervinho, which could potentially benefit them both.

Gazza M wrote:
Ricky1985 wrote:

If we go for him and fail then fair enough, I'll still be pissed off, but c'est la vie. If we don't even bother to try then the club, and us fans, have no place even contemplating winning the big trophies at the start of each season.

I almost hope it is Wenger now stubbornly refusing to spend, if it ain't then what does that say about the next 10 years? But, truthfully, I really, really doubt it. Wenger would love to sign Hazard, I'm convinced of that. I'd be astonished if it's his principles or some belief in a 14 year old in the reserves that's stopping us from bidding.

The only thing I can think is that the fee involved is much higher than is being reported, maybe structured in a way that commits Chelsea to a huge number eventually, or the wages are sky high (though I doubt that), or that there's no truth to the story. Otherwise we're having a laugh if we're not interested in making an offer.

i don't think there's anything stopping wenger from attempting to sign hazard. not the board, nor wages. i think this is just a case of chelsea getting the drop on us (if true).

No way. It has been reported by every French journalist for about 5 years now that we have scouted, monitored and enquired after Eden Hazard - I'm sure the guy doesn't go to the toilet without us knowing about it.

Latest reports I've seen are saying that although a deal has been agreed, Hazard won't actually join Chelsea until the summer, so maybe they have moved now to get in and catch everyone out, but I'd be absolutely flabbergasted if we were one of the clubs they caught cold.

If we don't move for him it can only be two things as far as I'm concerned; 1) the money Chelsea were offering was too much for us, or 2) Hazard doesn't want to come here and has told us so. I refuse to believe we're not interested.

Ricky1985 wrote:

Ian McGarry
Eden Hazard expects an agreement to be reached with #CFC for his transfer this week. Personal terms are close to completion. Fee approx 28m€

That guy works for BBC Radio 5 apparently. Not that means much, but more reliable than some random bloke claiming it.

Just saw the following from frenchfootballweekly in reaction to the above:

The information needs to be taken with a pinch of salt as McGarry’s record of posting moves that were “done” that never actually come through has become well known on the social network site. Previous claims mentioned that Guus Hiddink and Marco van Basten would be the new managerial team at Chelsea and the deal to bring Luka Modric to Stamford Bridge was also a “done deal”.

When it comes to McGarry’s news please tread carefully.

Just earlier this week Lille’s academy director Jean-Michel Vandamme was quoted as saying:

“We have received some very interesting propositions for Hazard, but the player will stay with us until at least the end of the season. He certainly won’t leave until then.”

“He certainly won’t leave until then. Then, if we can find someone willing to make an appropriate offer, we will look to reach an agreement.

“Interest from Inter Milan? There are clubs in all of the major European leagues that want him. His price? I think a player like Hazard is worth at least €40m (£33m).”

There is no doubt this story is going to run and run until the window closes. We won’t know who was telling the truth until February the 1st.

http://frenchfootballweekly.com/2012/01/17/could-eden-hazard-be-off-to-chelsea/

why would you be 'flabbergasted' if we were caught cold? have you seen our transfer dealings lately? chelsea have been curbing their obscene wages of late, and hazard has said in the last year that he likes our club. we should be in for him and have the resources to do so.

The problem is all the major news sources in France, l'Equipe and RMC in particular, are saying the same thing.

I've just seen on l'Equipe that Lille have signed Nolan Roux for €8M, too. He's a striker, but the two things could be connected.

Gazza M wrote:

why would you be 'flabbergasted' if we were caught cold? have you seen our transfer dealings lately? chelsea have been curbing their obscene wages of late, and hazard has said in the last year that he likes our club. we should be in for him and have the resources to do so.

As I said, we have tracked him for a long time.

Chelsea still pay Terry, Lampard and Drogba 200k a week each. They could have offered Hazard 150K a week for all we know, and that's us out of the running isn't it?

those contracts were awarded in their "silly money" phase. they're not throwing that sort of cash at new signings nowadays.

Says who? We know they didn't want to give Lampard and Drogba bumper new contracts, but we don't know what they're prepared to off a 21 year old potential star like Hazard.

If I were them I'd offer Hazard the sort of money that makes it impossible for him to wait until the summer and to take poorer clubs like us out of the running. And I expect if they really have pulled the deal off and got his signature then that's exactly what they've done.

Ricky1985 wrote:

The problem is all the major news sources in France, l'Equipe and RMC in particular, are saying the same thing.

I've just seen on l'Equipe that Lille have signed Nolan Roux for €8M, too. He's a striker, but the two things could be connected.

I can't find the story on the L'equipe website, link please?

ÂŁ23m might just be Chelsea's initial bid. Y'know, like how we go in with...[size=xx-small]ÂŁ5m[/size] at first before returning with .[size=xx-small]ÂŁ5.5m and Denilson on loan[/size] I'm sure they're prepared to pay ÂŁ30m if they have to.

Trying to be objective - why would Hazard, or any other player, choose us over Chelsea even if the two clubs offered exactly the same wages?

Mata seemed prepared to come here - until he heard of the interest from Chelsea.
We apparently offered Phil Jones better wages than Man U - we know what he chose.

If you want to win trophies you don´t join a club that has won nothing for 7 years if there is interest from better clubs.

Vantastic wrote:
Ricky1985 wrote:

The problem is all the major news sources in France, l'Equipe and RMC in particular, are saying the same thing.

I've just seen on l'Equipe that Lille have signed Nolan Roux for €8M, too. He's a striker, but the two things could be connected.

I can't find the story on the L'equipe website, link please?

L'Equipe had the whole 'Real Madrid head-to-head with Chelsea' story a couple of days back.

Vantastic wrote:
Ricky1985 wrote:

The problem is all the major news sources in France, l'Equipe and RMC in particular, are saying the same thing.

I've just seen on l'Equipe that Lille have signed Nolan Roux for €8M, too. He's a striker, but the two things could be connected.

I can't find the story on the L'equipe website, link please?

http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/N-roux-va-signer-a-lille/256697