Who cares on price, we need him and anyone else capable of kicking a football with any semblance of skill
I think the fact the player wants to leave, and he isn't a first team regular for Jose could push the deal through. Chelsea would obviously rather sell abroad, but if we are the only team that make a bid then they may have no choice but to sell. I'm still not sure he is the player we need, but he's still a quality footballer, and could be worked into our system i suppose
I would imagine we'd allow you first option in summer. Which doesn't mean we have to sell though of course.
As a Chelsea fan I just can not see why we would do this. We started the season with 6 attacking mids for 3 positions. We've sold one this window, it would seem madness to sell Mata at all (let alone to a rival) and leave us with really only 4 players into 3 positions, even more so now we are down to 2 strikers as well. I still feel this must all be paper talk, journos putting 1 and 1 together and getting 5. It just doesn't make any sense unless Rooney is involved, which isn't being talked about at all.
Be fair your DMs are versatile, and could push up into one of the attacking positions if you had any injuries. Lampard has throughout his career played more as an AM, hence all the goals, whilst Ramires I fancy could play as an AM either, I'm sure he has done in the past. Plus if your getting 40 million there's still a fair bit of time left in the transfer market for you to go back in for another player. I'm sure there are plenty James Milner type AMs out there, that will run back making tackles all game, that would fit perfectly into Maureen's system
Love the sly dig! Oscar, Hazard and Willian track back and do all the flash stuff as well. We don't need to settle just for industrious types! If players like Young and Nani did some hard work now and then you may be in a better state! But on your point. Only really Ramires could play wide in a forward 3. Lampard has played AM in a 433 system but less so in a 4231 system. Mikel, Essien, Matic are not going to adequately replace Oscar if he has any time out. I agree we could get someone else in but why pay over the odds in Jan for a player not P.L proven/known by our first team, when we have our 2 time player of the season ready to come in and do a job straight away if required?? Just doesn't make any sense.
Gary nev unsure if Mata is the best buy for you: http://www1.skysports.com/football/...ited-gary-neville-not-sure-he-fits-philosophy
If far rather Milner than Young or Nani though. Those 2 are epically bad, especially Young. Least Milner gives you a shift.
I'm actually a fan of Milner, does a brilliant job when he's told to. But he's so far off the three mentioned it's laughable
