June 02, 2006

Chelsea FC: Right, just to be clear we're buying every single good player who will take our dosh: Mourinho and Abromovich add teen midfield sensation Jon Obi Mikel to round out the week's purchases. £16 million for the Norwegian, £30M to AC Milan for Schevchenko, undisclosed millions to Feynoord for 20 year old 'stateless' striker Salomon Kalou, throw in a couple million (pounds) to get a 30 year old third string keeper and, hey, take Michael Ballack off of Bayern Munich's hands on a free transfer (which I'll never understand how they let happen).

posted by billsaysthis to soccer at 10:56 PM - 10 comments

Milan, meanwhile, is rumored to be turning the Blues money right around to England by purchasing StevieG for £32M; with Benitez signing a new four year deal will our Captain jump ship?

posted by billsaysthis at 10:57 PM on June 02, 2006

Yes, but at least Sheva will brighten the Stamford Bridge crowd.

posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 07:29 AM on June 03, 2006

Stevie G is no Beckham. This is one captain who knows something about loyalty. There will be no spaghetti on his dish next season. It's a career of sausage and chips.

posted by fowler11 at 09:36 AM on June 03, 2006

Hey, the BBC is censored in China, so I can't read the article. Does anybody have a different link or story on the same topic?

posted by rpmurphy81 at 10:45 AM on June 03, 2006

Here's the entire BBC story, rpmurphy81: Chelsea have signed Nigerian youngster Jon Obi Mikel in a £16m transfer. Chelsea will pay £12m to Manchester United as well as £4m to Norwegian club Lynn Oslo, who had reached a deal to sell Mikel to United in April 2005. The agreement resolves the future of the 19-year-old midfielder, who has been the subject of a bitter dispute between the three clubs. United have agreed "to terminate their option agreement" with Mikel, whose registration goes to Chelsea. "Under the terms of this agreement, Chelsea will pay Manchester United £12m, half payable now and half in 12 months, and Lyn £4m, half payable now and half payable in 12 months' time," said a United statement. United thought they had secured Mikel's transfer from Oslo after he signed a pre-contract agreement with them in April 2005. But the Nigerian subsequently claimed he had been pressured into signing the contract and wanted to join Chelsea instead. A statement from Chelsea said: "As a result of this settlement all claims in this matter, which Chelsea were never an official party to, are now withdrawn. "The payments do not in any way imply the acceptance of any such claims and have been made solely so that Mikel can resume his career. "United will support Chelsea in any work permit application, if necessary. "All parties have agreed that there will be no further comment on the settlement or any of the allegations or claims."

posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 03:01 PM on June 03, 2006

fowler11, I dare say your namesake would have been spoken of in the same terms five years ago and he went packing. If Milan do offer over £30M for Gerrard, the largest fee for an English player ever, do you think club or player could say no? You're new here but I want you to know that I'm a Liverpool supporter so his departure would tear me up, but I bet Munich fans have the same feeling over Ballack and he left for no return cash.

posted by billsaysthis at 08:57 PM on June 03, 2006

Thanks Tex.

posted by rpmurphy81 at 10:57 PM on June 03, 2006

We won't sell at £32m and he won't sign for Milan anyway. The source for this rumour is the Daily Star, hardly the epitome of journalistic integrity. It's simply an accidental product of the malformed brain of a bored, drunken hack.

posted by walrus at 09:02 AM on June 04, 2006

If the Star is the source of the rumour then walrus has a point. They said only last week that Man City were considering offering Birmingham £2m for Mario Melchiot. Whilst it's a nice thought it does somewhat ignore the fact that his contract ran out at the end of the season and he is thus a free agent.

posted by squealy at 09:14 AM on June 04, 2006

walrus I certainly hope he stays.

posted by billsaysthis at 03:02 PM on June 05, 2006

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