Reports are Rolan has been in London today and yesterday for talks with Fulham, to me this is a good sign if he wasn't interested and just using us while come over for contract negotiations, I also hope he has a good day at Wimbledon with some amazing matches it might help sell London! It amazes how many people haven't heard of him, he is Uruguays 3 rd choice striker behind Suarez and Cavani and has been for a few years now I'm pretty sure he played against England in the last World Cup, I have no doubt he's would be a good buy but doesn't fit the target man that Joka seemed to be after!
If Rolan was in fact at Wimbledon today then hopefully he was on Centre Court as if not he may not have seen much tennis, today was a bit of a wash out.
I was playing 5 a side up the road in Barnes, he should have popped along. Bet he'd have finished some of my cutbacks!
He's been given a deadline of tomorrow to decide. please log in to view this image Meanwhile, Eibar the smallest club in the history of the Spanish top flight seem to know how to spot a bargain. They've signed a Brazilian striker on a free and Spanish papers say he's a ready made replacement for Sergi Enrich, who Sky Sport say has a £6.8 million release clause in his contract. Well within our budget if we were prepared to fork out for Rolan. Know which of the two would get me more excited.
Barnes - Blimey. That's where I grew up. In Lonsdale Road to be exact. I take it the Bull's Head is still there? Although I used to go in the pub next door - the Waterman's Arms. Couldn't stand the Jazz crowd you got in the Bull's Head - and it was a Young's pub so didn't (in those days) sell lager.
If we have the ambition, I don't see why not. We can't just have one recognised CF, injuries, suspention and sissy fits to consider.
Depending on what source you prefer to believe Rolan has either decided not to join us or is having his medical today! If it has fallen through I hope we have a back up option? Enrich would be decent and cheaper
Tomas Kalas is in a squad of players for the Dark Side to play Crawley at the weekend. However, there may be a clue - ray of hope even - in the statement: "Eddie Newton (Loan Group Technical Coach) will bring the following squad to West Sussex" Source: https://www.crawleytownfc.com/news/2017/july/chelsea-squad-confirmation/ And just by coincidence he joined us first time round exactly 1 year ago today. please log in to view this image
Posting this because it's being reported by GhanaSoccer, who keep a close eye on players from there country and have been pretty accurate in the past (includig a couple linked to us). Anyway they say we're interested in Godsway Donyoh. The centre forward, who is 22 (apparently), was signed by Man City in 2013 and immediately loaned out to Swedish side Djurgarden. At the end of his first season there City were unhappy that he had been played constantly on the wing and couldn't get a guarantee he'd be given the CF role, so brought him home. Not sure what happened then but he joined Danish side Nordsjaelland on a free in January 2016. He's managed 9 goals and a good few assists in his 26 games for them. A strength definitely is that he can hit them with both feet, as demonstrated in this obligatory video clip -
My suspicion on the Rolan it could be waiting to see if he will get work permit before announcement, we've had a few of these go wrong before. If Genuine, Piazon has been active on his twitter account when people have asked him if he is coming back, replies with 'good news soon'.
The gaffer has been "missing" from the usual training places over the last two days - Stuart Gray led the team in the friendly against QPR. And Mr Khan Snr is in town today. Wishful thinking that it's for meet and greet with new signings ..... ??? OR is it simply unveiling of the new kit .... ???? OR just a jaunt on Bastille Day with his NFL lot .... ?????
Sud-Ouest say we've made a bid for another Bordeaux player - left back Maxime Poundjé. The 24 year old, who has joint Cameroon and French nationality, has been out of their team for most of last season with recurring achilles tendon problems, which is obviously an issue. Think he only played something like 10 matches. Bordeaux nonetheless gave a 2 year contract extension, inevitably with an eye on getting some money for him. Roll on that famous medical (although it seems to have been somewhat in recession in the recent past)..
Apparently we have had the bid for Poundje accepted, reports suggest the amount is €10 million for both Rolan and Poundje however you want to split it up. Anyway it is now down to us to try and convince the players.
A late report states that Fulham are interested in an under 21 German midfielder called Keanu Staude who made his mark with his club side last season and was also picked for the German National under 21 team . Sounds interesting, meets the clubs age criteria, and before seeing him play must surely be an improvement on some of the selection who donned a Fulham shirt in the friendly against Chelsea
The latest rumours on Twitter are the on off Rolan deal is back on and is expected to be announced soon, interestingly rumours are the hold up is both clubs want to announce the Rolan and Poundje together and we are still talking to Poundje! This morning there are reports linking us to Blackburn midfielder Elliot Bennett.
Hmmm, I've just looked Elliot Bennett up on wikipedia and his stats seem underwhelming. He seems to be a winger, but not one who scores a lot of goals. He's 28, so probably not going to get much better than he already is. Purely on the basis of that, and without having any memory of seeing him actually play, I don't see what need he's going to fulfill in our squad. I say without any memory - apparently he came on as a sub when we beat Norwich 5-0 on the opening day of the season a few years ago (before going off injured) but all I remember from that game is us! (and my eldest getting freshly appointed England manager Roy Hodgson's autograph).
Diego Rolan is not in the 21 man Bordeaux squad for a game against Real Sociedad, as their manager says, "I can't work with a player who's head is here one day and elsewhere another, he is going to have to clarify things". Could read something positive into that but the important fact is he is back in France after a second visit to Motspur Park. Would it not be equally wise for Khan Jnr to clarify things and move on?
According to quite a reliable source we have today signed a 19 yr old goalkeeper from Braga called Daniel Clemente, at that age cant possibly be considered as first choice, or can he.
We've agreed a loan deal with Liverpool for Sheyi Ojo but apparently so have a few other clubs. Its now up to the player to decide where he wants to go. If I remember right he was on loan at Wolves last season. Anyone have any opinions of him from seeing him play last year?