If pre-season is anything to go by, it’s going to be an entertaining and frustrating academy season. Dermot Drummy’s boys finished their summer schedule with a second defeat in three as an Andre Landell double sandwiching one from Jake Kempton saw Wolves come away from Cobham with a 3-2 victory. Chelsea had their chances and found the back of the net through Philipp Prosenik and George Saville but ultimately fell…
Finally it’s here, after a disappointing World Cup and a poor pre-season, we are now back to the main course of the countries top domestic competition. Chelsea kick off the defence of their title with a late afternoon kick off at Stamford Bridge, hosting former crowd favourite Roberto Di Matteo’s West Brom, in what we’d normally assume to be a formality. However with our form erratic thus far, and Carlo…
It’s been a busy week for Chelsea’s young internationals, with no shortage of news to report upon. There’s been full debuts, junior outings, and call-ups to new age levels, and a largely positive week of action. It’s only right to start at the top, and with Jeffrey Bruma, who made his full international debut for Holland away to the Ukraine on Wednesday night. Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk selected what…
Chelsea FC today announced that they have completed the signing of Ramires from Benfica, for a fee believed to be around £16.3 million. The initial hold up to the deal was due to the third party ownership of Ramires contract, held by one Kia Joorabchian, and understood to be 50% of the value of any sell on clause. Joorabchian had played a part in bringing the Brazilian to Benfica, and…
News reaches us that Ramires has today been granted a work permit, and the £18 million deal to bring the Brazilian international to Chelsea should be concluded before the weekend. Chelsea have trailed Ramires throughout the close season and once Benfica agreed a fee to sell him to Chelsea, only a work permit stood in the way as Ramires didn’t automatically qualify for one. With the work permit now reportedly…
Some of us thought the omission of Ricardo Carvalho from the Community Shield was odd, considering his fitness and previous appearances, and sadly the reason for that is now clear. A fee of €8 million has been agreed with Real Madrid to instigate the transfer of our Portuguese defender, and re-unite him a third time with mentor, Jose Mourinho. Last season wasn’t one to remember for Carvalho as injury largely…
He was once regarded as one of the brightest prospects at Stamford Bridge, but Scott Sinclair’s Chelsea career ended Monday when he joined Swansea City on a three-year deal. The Blues will receive £500,000 immediately (although 15% of that will go to Bristol Rovers), with performance-related bonuses potentially taking the deal up to £1m. The money arriving up front probably represents the amount paid out for Scott in transfer fees…
So we kick off with the news that Peter Kenyon has finally left Chelsea, coming less than a year after he stepped down from the position of Chief Executive. With Ron Gourlay now the full time CEO, Kenyon was retained in a non-executive advisory role and it was he who called time on his involvement with the club, in order to focus on other business interests. Chairman Bruce Buck spoke…
It’s only a friendly, we keep hearing. This is true, but it is more than that. It’s a marker as to where we are in preparation for the new season, and it didn’t look good. With the upcoming internationals only serving to deprive Ancelotti of his players again, the physical and indeed mental condition of the players after four defeats in pre-season doesn’t bode well, with little opportunity to rectify…
Reports this weekend suggest that Frank Arnesen has once again been busy in the youth transfer market, with his attentions turned to Barcelona. Chelsea are believed to have secured the services of Georgian forward Giorgi Chanturia, who spent last season on loan at the Catalan club from Vake Tblisi. He was well considered at La Masia but, according to AirFutbol, he will move to London, having been unable to agree…