[Albion] Marc Cucurella *Signed For Chelsea 05/08/2022*

[dazzer6666]

Alzate started off well then went shit. Bissouma has clocked up about 100 Premier league games. Big difference

Alzate was good last season when he played (mostly covering when Biss was injured - v Chelsea for example). Caicedo has barely put a foot wrong in any of his games so far, so not sure consistency is going to be an issue.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

In your opinion …. Potter clearly thinks differently about how he uses his players. Has used Mac there several times already and don’t forget Biss didn’t start out as a CDM he has progressed into that role. Could well be that Potter can do that with one of the midfielders we already have.

Maybe, but any of our current players would be a project, that seems unnecessarily risky when trying to cover for a player of Bissouma’s talent. Obviously we can’t just stroll and buy a carbon copy but I’d feel more comfortable if we signed someone who has played more than a handful of games in that position.
I still think it’s too great of an expectation on Potter with a severely weakened first XI.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Still wonder if Ali Mac is going to play there………..

I believe he can certainly cover the position for certain games, but I’m not necessarily convinced it’s a role that he’d want long term.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

We don’t have another CDM in the squad?

Bissouma wasn’t a specialist CDM when we signed him, but we turned him into one of the best. There is no reason that Potter couldn’t do that again with another player, or as he’s often done before, he’ll adapt how we play to fit with those players at his disposal. No one would have thought Marc Cucurella could play as a centre back but it took less than one season to turn him into an excellent one. I’m sure Potter will overcome and adapt the lack of a direct replacement for Biss, if one even exists that is.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

So........................

Has he gone yet?

 

[blockhseagull]

I believe he can certainly cover the position for certain games, but I’m not necessarily convinced it’s a role that he’d want long term.

Maybe not.

I’d like to see us get someone in, but a left sided defender/wing back seems the priority.

Let’s hope there is a grand plan no one is yet aware of

 

[Eric the meek]

So........................

Has he gone yet?

As good as done. Only the contracts to be given the once over by the lawyers, personal terms to be exchanged, club doctor to sign off the medical, player to be photoshopped in Chelsea strip, and job's a good'un.

So.....that's a no then.

 

[Rover In Exile]

Occasional visitor from Blackburn Rovers here again.
I've looked at your official website, and I see that neither JPvH nor Matt Clarke are in the 25-man squad shown there. (Colwill isn't either).

I'd like to read something into this(!), but can someone clarify, please?
Is JPvH definitely available to go out on loan again?
Our own management-team is being very cagey about this, but all Rovers supporters would love to have him back.
Failing that, do you think Matt Clarke might be available, instead - either on loan or as a permanent signing?
If the latter, is he likely to be happy with a Championship place, and what sort of fee would your club be asking?
Unless we sell Ben Brereton Diaz, I doubt that we could afford more than £2.5million.
Would you say he's worth that much?

 

[Swansman]

Occasional visitor from Blackburn Rovers here again.
I've looked at your official website, and I see that neither JPvH nor Matt Clarke are in the 25-man squad shown there. (Colwill isn't either).

I'd like to read something into this(!), but can someone clarify, please?
Is JPvH definitely available to go out on loan again?
Our own management-team is being very cagey about this, but all Rovers supporters would love to have him back.
Failing that, do you think Matt Clarke might be available, instead - either on loan or as a permanent signing?
If the latter, is he likely to be happy with a Championship place, and what sort of fee would your club be asking?
Unless we sell Ben Brereton Diaz, I doubt that we could afford more than £2.5million.
Would you say he's worth that much?

My guess is that this Colwill loan means that two out of Duffy, van Hecke and Clarke will move elsewhere before the transfer window closes. Think van Hecke is likely going on loan somewhere - at his age, he needs regular game time.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I think we are forgetting the huge amount the club is in the red plus the current financial strife the nations in plus I imagine the reductions in season ticket sales £100 million might be helping fund the short fall incurred.

The club policy appears to be buy cheap develop sell move forward

Occasional visitor from Blackburn Rovers here again.
I've looked at your official website, and I see that neither JPvH nor Matt Clarke are in the 25-man squad shown there. (Colwill isn't either).

I'd like to read something into this(!), but can someone clarify, please?
Is JPvH definitely available to go out on loan again?
Our own management-team is being very cagey about this, but all Rovers supporters would love to have him back.
Failing that, do you think Matt Clarke might be available, instead - either on loan or as a permanent signing?
If the latter, is he likely to be happy with a Championship place, and what sort of fee would your club be asking?
Unless we sell Ben Brereton Diaz, I doubt that we could afford more than £2.5million.
Would you say he's worth that much?

Looks like the going rate for our defenders at the moment is 50m+

Soz

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

Occasional visitor from Blackburn Rovers here again.
I've looked at your official website, and I see that neither JPvH nor Matt Clarke are in the 25-man squad shown there. (Colwill isn't either).

I'd like to read something into this(!), but can someone clarify, please?
Is JPvH definitely available to go out on loan again?
Our own management-team is being very cagey about this, but all Rovers supporters would love to have him back.
Failing that, do you think Matt Clarke might be available, instead - either on loan or as a permanent signing?
If the latter, is he likely to be happy with a Championship place, and what sort of fee would your club be asking?
Unless we sell Ben Brereton Diaz, I doubt that we could afford more than £2.5million.
Would you say he's worth that much?

I wouldn’t worry about the squad on the website as I doubt it’s been fully updated for the new season. Colwill won’t be on there as he isn’t officially our player yet.

I would expect Clarke and JPvH to both go out on loan again. Clarke is outstanding in the Championship but never seems to get a chance here, even in pre seasons. He’s out of contract at the end of the season, unless we have an option on a further year, so he might be available at a cut price this summer. He’d certainly be an asset to any Championship team.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Marc Cucurella *SINGS on a five-year contract*

Occasional visitor from Blackburn Rovers here again.
I've looked at your official website, and I see that neither JPvH nor Matt Clarke are in the 25-man squad shown there. (Colwill isn't either).

I'd like to read something into this(!), but can someone clarify, please?
Is JPvH definitely available to go out on loan again?
Our own management-team is being very cagey about this, but all Rovers supporters would love to have him back.
Failing that, do you think Matt Clarke might be available, instead - either on loan or as a permanent signing?
If the latter, is he likely to be happy with a Championship place, and what sort of fee would your club be asking?
Unless we sell Ben Brereton Diaz, I doubt that we could afford more than £2.5million.
Would you say he's worth that much?

As others have said, this Colwill development plan we’ve been lumbered with means that we’ll need a Championship club to develop JPvH likewise.

I don’t think we’ll find anyone to take Duffy off our hands with his salary and sadly, he’ll not make many appearances for us but Clarke will be sold, probably for a loss unfortunately (he cost £3.5m and I think we’d be kick to get £2m).

So there you have it, bid £2m for Clarke or get JPvH on loan for the season once again. Get on the phone to Barber.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Occasional visitor from Blackburn Rovers here again.
I've looked at your official website, and I see that neither JPvH nor Matt Clarke are in the 25-man squad shown there. (Colwill isn't either).

I'd like to read something into this(!), but can someone clarify, please?
Is JPvH definitely available to go out on loan again?
Our own management-team is being very cagey about this, but all Rovers supporters would love to have him back.
Failing that, do you think Matt Clarke might be available, instead - either on loan or as a permanent signing?
If the latter, is he likely to be happy with a Championship place, and what sort of fee would your club be asking?
Unless we sell Ben Brereton Diaz, I doubt that we could afford more than £2.5million.
Would you say he's worth that much?

Don't pay any attention to the players list on the official site.

It is famous for being out of date in the summer - the player numbers may be wrong, they are in last years kit, some are missing.

To the main point.

Colwill coming in means 2 out of Clarke, Duffy and van Hecke are likely surplus this season.

Loans, or even sales, of any of these 3 players are now distinctly possible.

 

[SeagullinExile]

My guess is that this Colwill loan means that two out of Duffy, van Hecke and Clarke will move elsewhere before the transfer window closes. Think van Hecke is likely going on loan somewhere - at his age, he needs regular game time.

I think Clarke is deffo off somewhere. Stoke are looking at him apparently. Possibly a permanent deal.

 

[GT49er]

I think Clarke is deffo off somewhere. Stoke are looking at him apparently. Possibly a permanent deal.

Well, they were so thrilled with the last Brighton CB they loaned, weren't they? (Now playing for the third best team in La Liga).

 

[Rover In Exile]

My guess is that this Colwill loan means that two out of Duffy, van Hecke and Clarke will move elsewhere before the transfer window closes. Think van Hecke is likely going on loan somewhere - at his age, he needs regular game time.

Thanks.
I think Duffy is out of our price-range, and I'm not sure that all Rovers fans would be comfortable with him returning, anyway.
Daft in my view, but some people do hold grudges!

 

[Rover In Exile]

Looks like the going rate for our defenders at the moment is 50m+

Soz

I think we can manage that in old Italian Lira!

 

[Eeyore]

I think we can manage that in old Italian Lira!

Clarke and VH would be the perfect fit for a team challenging in Division 2. So hopefully your lot will be on the phone.

Just don't go all Leeds United if they get you up

 

[Rover In Exile]

Thanks for all the replies.

If van Hecke can't even get into your squad, it does underline again the massive (and growing) gap between the PL and the Championship.

 

[SeagullinExile]

Well, they were so thrilled with the last Brighton CB they loaned, weren't they? (Now playing for the third best team in La Liga).

You mean Seria A?