Todd Boehly – CaughtOffside

Chelsea and others need to stop players from being “pimped out” – Collymore

Jason Pettigrove — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 09:23:20 +0000

This summer has again seen a high number of transfers from various clubs including Chelsea, and perhaps the most contentious was Conor Gallagher’s switch to Atletico Madrid.

The Blues captain appeared keen to stay at Stamford Bridge, but in order to stay within the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), he was eased out of West London.

A similar situation appears to be manifesting itself currently with Trevoh Chalobah but Chelsea are by no means alone, and that’s riled former professional turned outspoken broadcaster, Stan Collymore.

Chelsea and others must stop pimping out players

“We need to have the conversation about when a player is being signed by a club, he needs to understand where he can buy a house, school his kids and have a home base to settle into,” he said to CaughtOffside for his exclusive column.

“He shouldn’t be pimped out here, there and everywhere, just to be a great example of Profit and Sustainability rules in action.

“Conor Gallagher is another one. Four loans in three years before settling down at Chelsea, only to then be pushed out the door by Todd Boehly.

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has been accused of “pimping out” players by Stan Collymore

“It kills younger players to keep going out on loan and it basically leaves them like a ship that never docks. They’re constantly out and about and never find a home.

“Perhaps Gallagher will do that now at Atletico Madrid – find what it’s like to go and play for a club, anchor down and become a club legend – but he wanted to be ‘the man’ at Chelsea.”

There is, perhaps, an argument that in bringing in PSR, the Premier League’s tightening up has left some clubs that had significantly overspent previously, up the creek without a paddle.

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It appears to be a constant battle for some to stay within Financial Fair Play guidelines, and whilst it’s good business practice, in the interim, players are suffering by being used as pawns in the FFP game.

What that also does is stop any club that’s on the FFP precipice from getting any sort of continuity in terms of first-team staffing – and that can’t be good for business.

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Chelsea ace won’t be bullied by the club and “will take his time” to decide next career step

Jason Pettigrove — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 07:05:05 +0000

Transfer business at Chelsea has been as brisk as ever under Todd Boehly’s watch, with a number of deals being done over the past days.

Conor Gallagher has sealed a move to Atletico Madrid, Mike Penders has signed for the Blues and will join them in 12 months time, whilst Estevao Willian, Marc Guiu and Filip Jorgensen are others to have been secured this summer.

In order to balance the books for the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), there still need to be outgoings at Stamford Bridge, and one of those is expected to be Trevoh Chalobah.

Chelsea ace won’t be rushed into quick decision

The defender, like his former captain, Gallagher, is understood to want to stay at Chelsea, but the need to stay on the right side of Financial Fair Play is seeing the Blues ease players out of the exit door.

The 25-year-old centre-back doesn’t appear to be in any mood to play their game, however.

Trevoh Chalobah in action for Chelsea

“On Trevoh Chalobah’s situation, Crystal Palace are interested but it’s the same with clubs from abroad,” Fabrizio Romano said to CaughtOffside for his exclusive Daily Briefing.

“Chalobah will take his time to decide what will be the best opportunity for him.

“What I’m told too is that Crystal Palace also have Lacroix on their shortlist, a player that’s really appreciated by Glasner.

“So, a decision will be made once Marc Guehi’s future is clarified as talks with Newcastle are still ongoing, not done yet.”

News that the Eagles appear to have entered the race might surprise the likes of West Ham who were also believed to be interested in Chalobah.

It’s clear that the player won’t be short of suitors, so it’s only right that he does his own due diligence before making the decision that is best for him.

Chalobah not caving into the pressure and cajoling from inside the four walls at Cobham or Stamford Bridge is also refreshing indeed.

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Latest poor transfer decision from Chelsea could top the lot

Jason Pettigrove — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 04:52:50 +0000

With three weeks left until the transfer window closes for business for another few months, Chelsea still have the chance to do business that will afford Enzo Maresca the best opportunity of being able to start his managerial career in West London on the front foot.

The Blues haven’t had the best of times in pre-season, drawing 2-2 with Wrexham and losing 4-1 to Celtic, 4-2 to Man City and 2-1 to Real Madrid.

Their only win thus far (3-0) came against Club America, though the locals have a first chance to see their boys in action with the final pre-season game against Inter taking place at Stamford Bridge this Sunday.

Chelsea set to let ‘most promising’ academy star leave

The real business gets underway a week on Sunday when Chelsea face Pep Guardiola’s City side again, with the reigning Premier League champions travelling to West London.

If Maresca can begin his English top-flight campaign with a decent result in that game, it could set the tone.

Behind the scenes, work is still expected in the transfer market, though one decision that the club appears on the verge of making could top the lot.

Chelsea continue to turn their backs on academy talent

As Football Scotland note, Leo Castledine is one of the most promising players ever to come out of the Chelsea academy, however, the 19-year-old is set to be allowed to make a loan move to Scottish giants, Rangers.

A player who has previously trained under Mauricio Pochettino could be eased out of the club for the 2024/25 season, and whilst it might only be a loan with a view to him returning further down the line, it does beg the question as to why Chelsea themselves can’t see a development pathway for him at the club.

Surely one of the pillars of any club in this day and age is the consistent production of academy graduates.

Bringing them through to the first-team should be a priority above all else, and yet Chelsea under Todd Boehly are turning their backs on their best home grown talent.

Gallagher, Chalobah, Castledine…. who’s next?

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West Ham could be set to cash in on another Chelsea transfer mistake from Todd Boehly

Jason Pettigrove — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 04:19:53 +0000

Since Todd Boehly took over at Chelsea Football Club, there has never been a dull moment as far as transfer windows are concerned.

The American doesn’t appear to understand the need for continuity in a first-team squad, and on the face of it, prefers to treat all players as a commodity that should be bought or sold as required.

That’s all well and good in the world of business, but in the world of football things work a little bit differently.

West Ham primed to take advantage of Chelsea decision

Getting rid of your club captain for a profit in Conor Gallagher’s case isn’t a decision that would please the Stamford Bridge faithful by way of one recent example.

Bringing in highly-rated striker, Marc Guiu, from Barcelona only to potentially loan him out again straight away, as has happened with other Chelsea stars, might be said to be another head scratcher.

News from Sky Sports that West Ham are now seriously considering taking Trevoh Chalobah from their West London rivals when Chelsea have players in defence ahead of him such as Benoit Badiashile would appear to make little sense too.

Indeed, some Chelsea supporters seem to have taken to social media to express their feelings.

If Chelsea is serious, they will sell Benoit Badiashile immediately and recall Trevor Chalobah back to the squad.

As for Levi Colwill, he has no business starting for Chelsea and should only be a backup defender pic.twitter.com/l6f3utXbmj

— ????? (@badboy_jerry) August 7, 2024

If Boehly is intent on selling Chalobah because, like Gallagher, he would represent ‘pure profit’ in terms of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), then it clearly undermines what Enzo Maresca is trying to do at the club.

Just as it did for Mauricio Pochettino and Graham Potter before him.

If Todd Boehly truly loves Chelsea Football Club, then he needs to stop meddling and find another vehicle for his various business interests and investments.

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Arsenal could end striker chase in the most spectacular way with Chelsea not out of the starting gate

Jason Pettigrove — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 04:26:41 +0000

With just over three weeks to go until the transfer window closes for business again, things are beginning to hot up for the likes of Arsenal and their Premier League rivals.

The Gunners have done consistent and studious business over the past few seasons, seemingly targeting certain areas and then zeroing in on the players they want with the minimum of fuss.

Compare and contrast that way of working with the ‘kid in a sweetshop’ style of London neighbours, Chelsea.

Di Marzio: Arsenal in the race for Osimhen

Under Todd Boehly, it’s appeared to be a case of if the American owner likes a player he’ll go out and buy them, regardless of whether they’re needed, and then expect the manager to produce a winning team.

We could see this manifest itself particularly under Mauricio Pochettino, and it’s little wonder the Argentinian quickly left under the ‘mutual consent’ route.

Victor Osimhen could sign for Arsenal this summer

For a while now it’s seemed that the Blues have been courting Victor Osimhen, but, for once, they haven’t just been able to throw their money around and bring the Nigerian to the club.

The Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) have meant a much more stringent application of Financial Fair Play rules and the West London outfit just can’t afford Osimhen’s purchase without some significant sales or creative accounting, the latter of which could come back to bite them in future.

Perhaps that’s why Arsenal are solidly still in the race for the striker and could be moving towards a conclusion according to reliable journalist, Gianluca Di Marzio.

Not only would such a move really put Boehly’s nose out of joint, but it would surely sound the alarm bells for the Chelsea faithful.

In some respects, losing out on Osimhen, as seems the most likely scenario for Chelsea at present, will really see the chickens come home to roost at Stamford Bridge.

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Last minute development in the Conor Gallagher story should excite Chelsea fans

Jason Pettigrove — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 07:57:57 +0000

It’s been one of the transfer sagas of the summer already, but the Conor Gallagher story could soon be concluded with a last-minute development to excite Blues fans.

Todd Boehly has seemingly wanted to ease the club captain out of the door for some while now in order to claim his transfer fee as ‘pure profit’ as far as the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) are concerned.

It’s believed that the West Londoners are one of the clubs that are living on the precipice of Financial Fair Play, and that’s perhaps the biggest reason why the last couple of years has seen a transfer merry-go-round at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea announcement close

Arguably, that’s led to the inconsistency that we’ve seen on the pitch during that time, and despite Enzo Maresca’s positive opening statements as new Chelsea manager, as might be expected, it’s hard to see the same not continuing during the Italian’s tenure in the hot-seat.

Hanging on to Gallagher might well have been one of the keys to success for the Blues during the 2024/25 season, though as CaughtOffside columnist and transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano notes, there’s been an important development in the story.

???? Conor Gallagher's flight to Madrid has been booked for today, he's set to travel as soon as he gets the green light.

Plan revealed on Monday now set to be confirmed.

Gallagher would join Atléti on €40m fixed fee, five year deal, waiting for Omorodion & Julian Alvarez. pic.twitter.com/QldOyx9R1W

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 6, 2024

Gallagher’s flight to Madrid has now been booked, so any lingering hopes the Blues faithful had of a last-minute reprieve are apparently gone.

However, given that there’s a ‘domino effect’ with the deal, which will see Atletico Madrid’s Samu Omorodion move to Chelsea, there’s enough of a reason for supporters to still get excited.

Omorodion, 20, is a powerhouse of a front man whose mobility and strength will be right at home in the Premier League.

With many years in the game ahead of him, he could therefore develop into a real asset for Chelsea.

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Exclusive: Chelsea and Napoli have met again to thrash out Osimhen terms

Jason Pettigrove — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 05:28:21 +0000

New contacts took place in the past 48 hours between Chelsea and Napoli to discuss the formula and payment structure of a possible deal for Victor Osimhen.

The two clubs know that the discussions will take even more time to explore because of the technical aspects of the operation, and there will certainly not be a resolution before mid-August.

Much of the operation’s success will depend on the fixed amount Chelsea must pay for the Nigerian striker.

Key days ahead for Victor Osimhen and Chelsea

According to CaughtOffside sources with knowledge of the negotiations, the Blues don’t want to go beyond €60m, while Napoli have asked for at least 2 players – Romelu Lukaku and either Trevoh Chalobah or Cesare Casadei – as well as around €80/90m cash.

Another meeting has been planned in the coming days to continue where the discussions left off, and the key details are expected to be nailed down.

Victor Osimhen

It is important to point out again that PSG are currently not a concrete option for Osimhen, despite multiple reports to the contrary.

Despite his entourage having proposed the striker to the French club, PSG have made it known that they are looking for players in other areas.

CaughtOffside sources understand that a winger is a priority for the Ligue Un giants, with Luis Enrique happy that he can already count on the likes of Kolo Muani and Goncalo Ramos as central strikers.

With the Nigerian known to be desperate to leave Napoli in this current transfer window, both Chelsea and the Partnopei, and even Osimhen himself, are likely to have to cede ground in negotiations in order to get a deal over the line.

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“Unfair pressure and expectation” – Stan Collymore is worried for potential Chelsea poster boy

Jason Pettigrove — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 10:45:18 +0000

Chelsea, perhaps more than any other club in the Premier League at present, has the eyes of the footballing world upon them.

Rather than for football reasons, it’s because of the way in which the club are being run by Todd Boehly.

The American entrepreneur’s largesse in the transfer market has seen the Blues front and centre for the past couple of years, and whilst that’s clearly fed Boehly’s ego, it’s done little for harmony on the pitch.

Arguably, the Blues are a worse outfit now than when he took over from Roman Abramovich, and that’s despite spending incessantly on new players.

Collymore is worried for potential new Chelsea signing

Two of his signings – Enzo Maresca and Moises Caicedo – came in at over the £100m mark, and now talks have apparently reopened for Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, for whom the Partnopei want €130m.

It’s an astronomical sum and it would be another British record capture for the West Londoners.

Stan Collymore knows all about the pressures that come with being the British record holder, as his move from Nottingham Forest to Liverpool for £8.5m was indeed a record back in 1995, and he’s concerned for the Nigerian if he swaps Serie A for the Premier League.

“When I broke the British transfer record, you had players that would periodically do it, particularly through the early to mid 90s, as more and more money came into the Premier League,” he told CaughtOffside for his exclusive column.

“Roy Keane broke the British transfer record I think at £2m-£3m, Andy Cole went for £7.5m, I was £8.5m and then Shearer nearly doubled it with his £15m signing for Newcastle.

Stan Collymore believes undue pressure will be placed upon Victor Osimhen if he signs for Chelsea

“So, the birth of the transfer record player became a big deal.

“That player, whoever it was, got talked about way beyond whether they were good, bad or indifferent on the pitch. It was always that the record signing would be expected to make the difference which I always thought was very unfair.

“[…] At this point of a window previously, we might’ve expected a number of clubs to be breaking their transfer records but they haven’t, so all of a sudden we’re going back to the sort of mid to late 90s outlier.

“The big-name signing that won’t just entertain us but will also become the poster boy of both his club and the entire Premier League.

“That could well be the case for Victor Osimhen if his rumoured move to Chelsea comes off, because the mind boggling numbers then puts unfair pressure and expectation on him.”

Given the standpoint that Collymore speaks from, his words are worth more than a cursory review.

Osimhen was poor last season for Napoli and yet, if signed by Chelsea, will be expected to recapture the form that helped win the Serie A side their first Scudetto in three decades.

If he doesn’t deliver, Chelsea’s supporters are likely to be unforgiving, and that would be as a direct result of his transfer fee – which he isn’t in control of.

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Chelsea’s haphazard transfer policy laid bare as they target ace with only 90 minutes under his belt

Jason Pettigrove — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 09:13:45 +0000

Since Todd Boehly took over the reins at Chelsea from Roman Abramovich, it’s fair to say that the club’s transfer policy has been a little haphazard.

Players that evidently would prefer to stay at Stamford Bridge have been sold for no other reason than the club needing to ensure they’re on the right side of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

Buying players in for record transfer fees – Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo being two cases in point – evidently has its drawbacks.

???? EXCLUSIVE: Atlético Madrid and Chelsea are now in direct talks for Conor Gallagher deal.

Negotiations underway for package worth around €35/40m add-ons included, requested by Chelsea.

Gallagher, on top of Atlético list as revealed in May — now getting closer. pic.twitter.com/1SFMadRGtD

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 30, 2024

As Fabrizio Romano has detailed on X (formerly Twitter), England international, Conor Gallagher, Chelsea’s club captain, is now getting closer to a move to Atletico Madrid.

It’s understood that the Blues want the deal to go through simply because his sale would represent a pure profit as he was an academy graduate from the club.

A decision such as selling your captain, who it’s believed wants to remain in West London, is sure to rile the supporter base.

Chelsea want to sign Mike Penders

They’ll also need to get their heads around the club going after Genk’s Mike Penders.

According to HLN, the club want to sign the 18-year-old goalkeeper, who has played just 90 minutes professionally so far.

Most of his time has been spent playing for Jong Genk, the club’s youth side, in the Challenger Pro League.

He would, apparently, be loaned straight back out to his current club, and it’s clear that the signing would be one for the future rather than the present.

If, in the longer term, Penders becomes good enough, then the transfer will be seen as anything but short-sighted, however, there are surely other areas where the club should be concentrating their efforts in terms of transfers right now.

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Good news for Chelsea fans as wonder kid open to Blues switch

Jason Pettigrove — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 05:47:59 +0000

After a 2-2 draw with Wrexham and a 4-1 thumping from Celtic, Chelsea fans could be forgiven for wondering what the hell has been going on behind the scenes since Enzo Maresca took over as first-team manager.

A school of thought that pre-season games don’t really matter, that it’s more about ensuring fitness levels improve as much as anything, is still unlikely to stop the Blues faithful thinking ‘here we go again.’

It hasn’t escaped anyone’s notice that Maresca has never managed a team in the English top-flight, and those who point to the fact that he was one of Pep Guardiola’s backroom staff at Man City are somewhat missing the point.

Chelsea to land Brazilian wonder kid

In any event, it will be the business that the Italian does in the English top-flight that will be of most interest, including for owner, Todd Boehly, even if the signs aren’t particularly encouraging at present.

One piece of good news for Chelsea fans is the potential hire of Brazilian wonder kid, Gabriel Mec.

?? Chelsea are planning to advance on Gabriel Mec deal after presenting their project to 2008 born Brazilian talent.

Gremio wonderkid open to the move as Chelsea will now work on club to club agreement for Mec. ??

???? Decision on 2005 born GK Mike Penders also expected soon. pic.twitter.com/uOGkvlRhIZ

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 29, 2024

According to CaughtOffside columnist and transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, the 16-year-old – who has yet to make a senior appearance for Gremio and has only five U20 appearances under his belt according to transfermarkt – is open to the move.

Clearly, therefore, Mec is being purchased with one eye on the future and, one would assume, because his transfer conditions would remain favourable to the Premier League outfit at this point.

With one of the bigger first-team squads in the English top-flight, buying players who could become regulars in a few years rather than immediately would appear to be a sensible way of working from the club.

Indeed, Maresca could probably do with shifting a few more players from his squad before the whistle blows for the upcoming campaign.

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