'Torres to Chelsea' Afuckinggain...

[Ryan]

Lead story in the Guardian this... Must be a slow news day.

Chelsea target Fernando Torres as they plan squad rebuild

• Torres and Franck Ribéry lead list of transfer targets
• Squad pleads for final Champions League chance
Dominic Fifield The Guardian, Thursday 18 March 2010 Article history


Chelsea are drawing up plans to reshape their squad after being knocked out of the Champions League and despite the current squad pleading for one more chance to win Europe's top prize.

The 1–0 defeat by José Mourinho's Internazionale on Tuesday exposed weaknesses in Carlo Ancelotti's squad. The club will aim to retain the spine of the team but a number of fringe players are expected to be moved on in the summer.

Chelsea's transfer policy in recent seasons has been one of relative prudence, as successive chief executives have aimed for self-sufficiency instead of continued reliance upon Roman Abramovich's benevolence. However, the club's Russian owner has made it clear that should the right players become available at competitive prices, he will fund the occasional big signing.

Ancelotti may thus be able to consider moves for long-standing targets such as Fernando Torres, Franck Ribéry, Angel di María or Sergio Agüero. Torres is emerging as the club's principal target and the Spanish striker's future at Liverpool could be decided by the level of investment attracted to his club in the next few months. Real Madrid will compete for Ribéry's signature though the French forward, who plays for Bayern Munich, confirmed interest from Chelsea last month.

Abramovich was at the club's Cobham training base yesterday and he spoke to Ancelotti about long-term transfer policy. Funds could be raised by moving players on with the likes of Deco, Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira, Juliano Belletti and even Salomon Kalou potentially made available. The owner's desire to reinvigorate the squad could also have implications for contract negotiations with Joe Cole and Michael Ballack, whose deals expire at the end of the season, and possibly Nicolas Anelka, who is contracted until 2011.

Previous Chelsea managers have come under serious scrutiny following elimination from the Champions League but Ancelotti, who has been at the club for nine months, retains the owner's faith and will oversee the next stage in this team's development.

"Most of the players are really happy and want to stay here and continue the adventure," said the striker Didier Drogba, 32, who was sent off late in the 1-0 second-leg defeat. "It would mean a lot to win [the Champions League] together next season because we've been trying so hard to do that for such a long time. I hope there is more to come from this team."

Their forward Florent Malouda, 29, said the current team "could have given much more than we did". Ballack, now 33, offered the telling admission that Inter's physical power had proved too much to cope with. "I don't think this team is coming to an end because you can't use this game as a means of assessing the development of the side over the whole year," the German midfielder said.

Uefa's disciplinary panel has yet to decide if Drogba's red card for violent conduct – the Ivorian stamped on Thiago Motta's ankle – will prompt further sanction. The Ivory Coast striker is nine months into a three-year probationary period for a previous offence. Drogba was banned for four matches, with a further two games suspended, for verbally abusing the Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo after Chelsea's defeat in last season's semi-final, against Barcelona.

Drogba faces a mandatory two?match ban for his most recent offence, which could be extended to four games. "The referee was a bit hard [on me] with this red card," said the striker.

"I stepped on [Motta's] achilles tendon, but it was not intentional and I was more focused on the cross and the ball. I know I have had unhappy endings in Europe for the last three years [he was also sent off in the 2008 final], but I'm going to try and make it better. I hope next season will be mine."

 

[Squiggles]

I know any club would love Torres and would make massive sacrifices to do so, but they've got Anelka and Drogba already, and surely they know Torres has too much class to join their shitty, plastic club.

He loves it here. He loves the city, the club, the fans, and he'll be going nowhere.

 

[Mistadobalina]

It would be a strange move to blow 70 million on him when they already have Drogba and Anelka..I think they would be better spending the money on Ribery or someone like that.

I think it all comes down to the last 10 games, make champions league and Torres will stay. If we dont I think he will leave.

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=Mistadobalina link=topic=39367.msg1071781#msg1071781 date=1268888820]
It would be a strange move to blow 70 million on him when they already have Drogba and Anelka..I think they would be better spending the money on Ribery or someone like that.

I think it all comes down to the last 10 games, make champions league and Torres will stay. If we dont I think he will leave.
[/quote]

Drogba's 32, and Anelka's 31. They'll be replacing them sooner rather than later.

 

[Hansern]

But it won't be with Torres

 

[themn]

There was a Sunday Mirror journalist that said this morning "I think this will happen" and Alan Brazil and his little Man U cock-jockey, Ronnie Irani have "heard" that the deal to take Torres to City has "already been done".

Fucking twats.

 

[gareth_thomas]

Wouldnt suprise me to see Gomis, Aguero and Villa end up there.

 

[Farkmaster]

I don't think he'll go there, and perhaps it's just me being ridiculously pessimistic, but I'm convinced he's going to break our hearts at some point.

 

[Richey]

This kind of story is bound to come up. Torres is one of the best around, is still young and is playing for a club that is not really challenging for anything, looks like it won't be playing in the CL and is in financial trouble.
Not only is it understandable that clubs will be interested but its even more understandable that the press will be all over the situation.

Chelsea have just been knocked out the CL, its generally accepted that they have an aging squad and will most probably be looking for new players in the summer. Whether they look at Torres or not its a very easy story

 

[Rosco]

[quote author=Farkmaster link=topic=39367.msg1071852#msg1071852 date=1268901563]
I don't think he'll go there, and perhaps it's just me being ridiculously pessimistic, but I'm convinced he's going to break our hearts at some point.
[/quote]

Me too.

 

[Skullflower]

i think it's quite simple, really. we have this summer and next season to get our house in order or he's off.

 

[themn]

[quote author=Skullflower link=topic=39367.msg1071860#msg1071860 date=1268902410]
i think it's quite simple, really. we have this summer and next season to get our house in order or he's off.
[/quote]

I agree and I wouldn't blame him.

*sobs*

 

[Skullflower]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=39367.msg1071858#msg1071858 date=1268902271]
[quote author=Farkmaster link=topic=39367.msg1071852#msg1071852 date=1268901563]
I don't think he'll go there, and perhaps it's just me being ridiculously pessimistic, but I'm convinced he's going to break our hearts at some point.
[/quote]

Me too.
[/quote]

he'll leave if we're not a top level team anymore and i wouldn't blame him one bit, nor would i feel heartbroken. i'd be more concerned about the club in general.

 

[Insignificance]

According to Sport newspaper, Zlatan will be offloaded this summer and Villa or Torres will be brought in... Speculations I know, but I dont like that link at all!

 

[themn]

[quote author=Skullflower link=topic=39367.msg1071866#msg1071866 date=1268902611]
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=39367.msg1071858#msg1071858 date=1268902271]
[quote author=Farkmaster link=topic=39367.msg1071852#msg1071852 date=1268901563]
I don't think he'll go there, and perhaps it's just me being ridiculously pessimistic, but I'm convinced he's going to break our hearts at some point.
[/quote]

Me too.
[/quote]

he'll leave if we're not a top level team anymore and i wouldn't blame him one bit, nor would i feel heartbroken. i'd be more concerned about the club in general.
[/quote]

Let's see now.....agree, agree, really don't agree *sobs*, agree (probably).

 

[vantage]

[quote author=Insignificance link=topic=39367.msg1071883#msg1071883 date=1268904262]
According to Sport newspaper, Zlatan will be offloaded this summer and Villa or Torres will be brought in... Speculations I know, but I dont like that link at all!
[/quote]

They'll take huge hit on Zlatan then. He's gash.

 

[manwithnoname]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=39367.msg1071784#msg1071784 date=1268889779]
[quote author=Mistadobalina link=topic=39367.msg1071781#msg1071781 date=1268888820]
It would be a strange move to blow 70 million on him when they already have Drogba and Anelka..I think they would be better spending the money on Ribery or someone like that.

I think it all comes down to the last 10 games, make champions league and Torres will stay. If we dont I think he will leave.
[/quote]

Drogba's 32, and Anelka's 31. They'll be replacing them sooner rather than later.
[/quote]

Indeed. And there will also be a big exodus from Chelsea this summer, including the likes of Joe Cole, Ballack, Belletti, Ferreira, and possibly Anelka.

There's no doubt they'll be spending, and spending big this summer.

 

[Sunny]

Unlikely as it is, if Liverpool sell Torres to any other EPL club it would signal the beginning of the end for us as any kind of force in English football.

 

[themn]

Right, I've really got to stop listening to Talkshite.

Mike "Bluenose" Parry is saying Torres wants to leave Liverpool and that both he and Gerrard will go to Chelsea in the summer because we are now a mid-table, selling club etc, etc...

*considers murder*

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=Insignificance link=topic=39367.msg1071883#msg1071883 date=1268904262]
According to Sport newspaper, Zlatan will be offloaded this summer and Villa or Torres will be brought in... Speculations I know, but I dont like that link at all!
[/quote]

milan definately got the better of the deal with eto'o

 

[Richey]

[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39367.msg1071898#msg1071898 date=1268905951]

Indeed. And there will also be a big exodus from Chelsea this summer, including the likes of Joe Cole, Ballack, Belletti, Ferreira, and possibly Anelka.

There's no doubt they'll be spending, and spending big this summer.
[/quote]

Probably yes, but will Abramovich make the money available? Is he still as interested as he was before? And if so will he stick with the same manager - they haven't been THAT patient with managers before who have failed to win the CL

 

[StevieM]

Apparently Chelsea are offering 50m for Torres.

Double it and this story will have something resembling legs.

 

[Sunny]

£50m. Hahahahahahahaha. As. If.

 

[Skullflower]

that's what aguero was going for last summer, the fucking cheeky twats.

 

[Shadey]

[quote author=themn link=topic=39367.msg1071910#msg1071910 date=1268907137]
Right, I've really got to stop listening to Talkshite.

Mike "Bluenose" Parry is saying Torres wants to leave Liverpool and that both he and Gerrard will go to Chelsea in the summer because we are now a mid-table, selling club etc, etc...

*considers murder*
[/quote] eh wtf.. i'm having none of it.. >🙁

 

[manwithnoname]

Re; Zlatan and Eto'o, I am not sure either club will be delighted, really

Obv Barca got fucking *raped* as everyone said at the time, but while Zlatan may well be one of that club's costliest ever blunders, Eto'o hasn't done much at Inter either so far; 10 goals is it? 9?

 

[Hansern]

I don't know why you lads bother listning to that shite, they clearly havent got a clue. A deal already in place, yeah right..

Torres won't go to another English club, end off.

 

[themn]

[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39367.msg1072227#msg1072227 date=1268938165]
Re; Zlatan and Eto'o, I am not sure either club will be delighted, really

Obv Barca got fucking *raped* as everyone said at the time, but while Zlatan may well be one of that club's costliest ever blunders, Eto'o hasn't done much at Inter either so far; 10 goals is it? 9?
[/quote]

Chavs won't agree.

 

[themn]

Werder 3- Valencia 3

 

[Spionkop69]

[quote author=themn link=topic=39367.msg1071910#msg1071910 date=1268907137]
Right, I've really got to stop listening to Talkshite.

Mike "Bluenose" Parry is saying Torres wants to leave Liverpool and that both he and Gerrard will go to Chelsea in the summer because we are now a mid-table, selling club etc, etc...

*considers murder*
[/quote]

Talksport is the radio equivalent of the s*n newspaper. And Mike Parry is a fucking cunt.