| Could be a great signing for Chelsea.. |
Well it sounds quite funny now but Chelsea are targeting another Belgian in Marouane Fellaini as we reported couple of days ago. The Blues have already completed the signings ofEden Hazard for 32 million pounds and Marko Marin for 8 million pounds, withthe club set to announce the capture of Porto’s Brazilian striker Hulk for 38million pounds.
Chelsea are keen to add to their midfield and TheDaily Mirror newspaper claims that the Stamford Bridge club have identified the24-year-old as the long-term replacement for Frank Lampard.
The Belgian international has impressed many sincejoining Everton in 2008, with the box-to-box midfielder equally adept atdefensive and attacking duties.After Fellaini was recently linked with a shockmove to city rivals Liverpool, Everton team-mate Phil Jagielka admitted hecould see Fellaini leaving Goodison Park due to the Toffees’ well documentedfinancial difficulties.
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| Kevin De Bruyne could be loaned elsewhere along with Lukaku for first team action… |
On 31 January 2012, transfer deadline day, theBlues and KRC Genk announced the permanent signing of De Bruyne, with the feerumoured to be in the region of £7 million. He signed five-and-a-half-yearcontract at Stamford Bridge, but would stay at Genk for the remainder of the2011/12 season. De Bruyne told the club website: “To come to ateam like Chelsea is a dream but now I have to work hard to achieve the levelthat’s necessary.
The Sun claims that the former RacingGenk winger will be allowed to spend next season on loan with Nigel Adkins’Saints, as the Stamford Bridge club want him to continue his developmentelsewhere for a year.
Blues owner Roman Abramovich sanctioned the singingof the 20-year-old in the mid-season transfer window, paying his club a fee ofaround £7million and agreeing a five-and-a-half-year contract.
He was immediately loaned back to Genk for theremainder of the season, but the report claims Southampton beat the Belgianclub in the race to take him on next year.
Chelsea have already secured the £32milllionsigning of De Bruyne’s compatriot and international teammate Eden Hazard, aswell as young German midfielder Marko Marin, and so was not expected to featureregularly for the Blues if he stayed to fight for his place. Kevin De Bruyne hasloads of potential and his destiny lies in the future generations of Chelsea.
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| Dembele is yet to commit his future with Fulham and has been tipped by many to fill in the boots of Frank Lampard once he retires.. |
If not Fellaini then Chelsea are not short of options. We and Manchester United are locked in a battle for signingBelgian star midfielder Mousa Dembele. The talks have been opened over a 10million pound move for Fulham’s attacking midfielder.
Dembele refused to renew his contract which has 12 monthsremaining. The Blues see him as an ideal long-term replacement for Legendarymidfielder Frank Lampard. The Europeanchampions already signed Dembele’s international teammate Eden Hazard for 32million pounds earlier this week from French club Lille.
If Dembele does agree to sign with the us, he will be thefifth Belgian recruit for the club with Hazard, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtoisand Kevin de Bruyne also in the side.
United though are also in the running with manager Fergusonbeing a long admirer of the 24-year-old Belgium playmaker.
But Dembele in a recent interviewed said that he has fullyfocused on the present and as wellcomitted to with Fulham which did contradict the recent reports but in thefootballing world as we all know things can change in minutes.
Martin Jol converted the Belgian from a
forward into acentral midfielder during his first tenure at Craven Cottage and it has had apositive effect on his form and market value as a result.
forward into acentral midfielder during his first tenure at Craven Cottage and it has had apositive effect on his form and market value as a result.
He told the Fulham Chronicle: “I’m very happy to stayat Fulham, especially because of the boss.
“I think it’s very important to have the backing of themanager and he’s a coach who gives me a lot of confidence – that’s why I feel Iowe it to the gaffer as well.
“I think every player needs that and I’m no different.I go to training every day and work with joy. It’s a fantastic club and I’m notin a hurry to move anywhere.”
Jol’s decision to move him into the centre of midfield haspleased the Belgium international and he hopes their form in the second half ofthe Premier League season can be carried into the next campaign.
He added: “I’m very happy with the change this year inthe position I play because I’m a player who likes to have the ball as much aspossible – and that is down to the manager as well.
“I think I can hold the ball very well – and it’s anadvantage to the team if I have a lot of the ball, so I like that position alot.
“I’m also very happy with the way the season went. Theclub is doing very well and we have a very strong team with good players.
“Next year, everybody wants to do even better. I’m notsure what will be our target next season, because in a way it’s the club andmanager who decide.
“I don’t know if it is realistic to try for fourth orfifth or sixth, but I think we should look to do even better than this seasonand last.
“Maybe we will have more energy because we don’t playin Europe this season and we can concentrate on the league.”
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| Recent reports suggest that Muller could make a shock switch to the Premier League. |
Muller has put clubs on alert after admitting he willconsider any offers which come his way in the coming weeks.
The Germany international was believed to be a target forboth Chelsea and Manchester United last summer, and late last year he revealedhe turned down the chance to join the Blues following the 2010 World Cup inSouth Africa.
Chelsea are still thought to be keen, but according to TheSun, City believe they can also win the race to sign Muller.
“As with Chelsea, my management have tried to keep anyoffers away from me before Euro 2012,” Muller, who is also thought to beof interest to Inter Milan, told Sport Bild last week.
However, he insisted that his immediate focus is on Euro2012.
“My job is to play in the European Championshipnow,” he continued.
“This is what I am concentrating on without questioningit.”
Muller, who rejected a move to Chelsea two years ago overconcerns he would not get to play regular first-team football, also added hewas happy at Bayern Munich, but refused to pledge his long-term future to theclub.
“Generally everyone knows though that I don’t just wearthe Bayern badge on my chest, but that Bayern has always been my club, so Idon’t really think about moving or going away,” he said.
“At the same time, the situation is such though that Ican’t say I’m not listening to offers and I won’t move.”
Muller’s signing would provide our attack another dimension. And yes targeting these many Belgian internationals is quite capricious but would be an incentive for us only with better team coordination and mutual understanding.
Stay Tuned for more transfer gossip…
And KTBFFH!
Thanks for the updates.
Thanks for the updates.
Great coverage there buddy.
Muller could head to Inter Milan
Fellaini is wanted by both Sir Alex and The Special One.
Great coverage there buddy.
Muller could head to Inter Milan
Fellaini is wanted by both Sir Alex and The Special One.