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.

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.

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.

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

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?

£23m might just be Chelsea's initial bid. Y'know, like how we go in with...[size=xx-small]£5m[/size] at first before returning with .[size=xx-small]£5.5m and Denilson on loan[/size] I'm sure they're prepared to pay £30m if they have to.

Fottball365.fr are adamant he isn't leaving Lille this window despite interest from Chelsea, Madrid, Inter etc

They´re reporting it as an ´exclusive´ .

http://www.mercato365.com/infos-clubs/lille/malgre-l-interet-prononce-de-chelsea-eden-hazard-reste-a-lille-801699.shtml

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?

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

We DO have potential world beaters in Ryo and Oxpot though. The only problem is that they are a bit young.

Gazza M wrote:

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

just what I was thinking!

With wenger in charge there is no point even contemplating signing someone like hazard, who will cost more than 20 million at least.

Apparently we were prepared to pay well in excess of that for Götze in the summer.

So it's said.
Who knows? It's all a matter, seeing as whatever it was that we did offer was clearly an amount that they could afford to refuse.

Most clubs that aren't on the verge of ruin would turn even a good offer down if it comes in too late for them to get a replacement.

The only thing I believe is seeing a player pull on a red and white jersey. Our biggest recruits in the past 3 years have been Henry and Sol Campbell. Our only hope is for Wenger to reach out to Hleb and Lassana Diarra.

Humble Rex wrote:

Most clubs that aren't on the verge of ruin would turn even a good offer down if it comes in too late for them to get a replacement.

Yes. Apart from us that is.

Offer for Cesc wasn´t even good! We are not too good at this shit, are we?

Humble Rex wrote:

Apparently we were prepared to pay well in excess of that for Götze in the summer.

there is a lot of "rumours" that we were willing to pay 25 for gotze and 30 million for mvilla yet none of these players ever seem to be joining arsenal or wenger never confirms or denies these rumours. The arsenal PR system feed this shit the fans to show they are actually doing something in the transfer market.

Those rumors are a kind of morphine adminstered by Gazidis to relieve the Arsenal fan's pain.

Think the Dortmund president confirmed we launched a big bid for Götze, but I could be wrong. Think it was also confirmed we bid big for Reina, and we apparently had an offer bigger than our transfer record accepted by Blackburn for Phil Jones.

We'll spend big this summer but I wonder how many players will jump at the chance to join us now?

Humble Rex wrote:

Think the Dortmund president confirmed we launched a big bid for Götze, but I could be wrong. Think it was also confirmed we bid big for Reina, and we apparently had an offer bigger than our transfer record accepted by Blackburn for Phil Jones.

I think Bob Wilson confirmed Reina..

Man Utd and us tabled a 16 million pound bid for Jones. Ferguson called him up, Wenger called him up. We all know where he ended up.

Jones would in no way improve our defence at the moment, I rate smalling ahead of him, another defender Ferguson signed from under our nose . Jones is one for the future but we needed a Mertesacker type signing in the summer, experienced defender.

That's three defenders that we've bid for but didn't get, Jones, Smalling and we put in a 7 million pound bid for Cahill in the summer but Bolton bitched and Wenger pulled out of the deal.

General Mirth wrote:

We'll spend big this summer but I wonder how many players will jump at the chance to join us now?

When you spend big from our position, you will end up attracting Messrs:

• Downing
• Henderson, and
• Carroll

I think that's an exaggeration too far the other way. We'll get good players, provided none of the bigger clubs try to step in. Liverpool have been idiotic in their transfer policy, Newcastle have built a better team for the price of Andy Carroll.

Although the players themselves may expect more of an incentive given that lack of CL football.

Shady Shakes wrote:

Gazza M wrote:

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

there have been reports that torres was offered to PSG, from Ancelottis own mouth. chelsea are trying to tighten their belts, whether we want to admit it or not. we can't keep playing the poor card.

Humble Rex wrote:

We DO have potential world beaters in Ryo and Oxpot though. The only problem is that they are a bit young.

world beaters? they look useful, i dont think either is ready for the potential world beater tag yet.