Official: Chelsea Sign Mateo Kovacic On New 5 Year Deal

[Michael Tucker]

1 hour ago, Mark Kelly said:

Rumour is we have to actually , gulp , buy him to get him to be able to stay

Well Mark, I'm not too sure  about these 'rumours', but as far as I can recall, we took him on a season loan, with the options of another season's loan, or a buy out. 

[paulw66]

3 hours ago, Michael Tucker said:

Does it? He'd be on loan, and on wages for another season. Just like he was this season.  Doesn't seem to be a lot of the Hazard money being frittered away there, tbh.

 

1 hour ago, Mark Kelly said:

Rumour is we have to actually , gulp , buy him to get him to be able to stay

 

11 minutes ago, Michael Tucker said:

Well Mark, I'm not too sure  about these 'rumours', but as far as I can recall, we took him on a season loan, with the options of another season's loan, or a buy out. 

From what I have read, we either buy him now, or we don't have him at all.

We signed him last year on loan with an option to buy. we either execute that option, or it becomes a whole new deal, and hence invalid under the terms of the ban.

If we can buy him, we should IMO. 

[Bob Singleton]

I, too, believed it was a year loan with option to buy.

I think somewhere in there there is a decent player (certainly better than Bakayoko) but he really needs to contribute with more goals. I'd be happier if we were thinking of buying him if we didn't already have Barclay, Drinkwater and Bakayoko, and Kovicic was being brought in for cover rather than potential starter.

[Leo91]

All depends on what the new gaffer wants from his midfielders. I don't think Frank will divert much from Sarri tbh. He still likes a ball playing DM to build from the back so Jorgi is best fit for that role. Kantes name has to be on the team sheet so he's the box to box. With Kova/Barkley fighting it out for the final starting position at the start of the season until RLC comes back.

For me it would be Drinkwater to go and we sign Kova. Rather have someone with a seasons football behind him.

Leaving up with two options for each position

Jorgi/Mount

Kante/Barkley

RLC/Kova

Baka can stay if we can't find a buyer and use as utility man for injuries. But Ampadu can do that role as well and I'd rather use him as reserve DM/CB.

Edited June 25 by Leo91

[RobertoftheGiz]

1 hour ago, paulw66 said:

If we can buy him, we should IMO. 

Any idea of the price?

[Flinkers]

4 hours ago, RobertoftheGiz said:

Any idea of the price?

€50m

[Box of Tricks]

I'd love to see him under a different manager. (By that I don't mean Zidane).

[Sciatika]

I would like Kovacic to stay. I think we need some experienced players.

[Bison]

Surely this club have had enough of being fleeced by Madrid. This guy is not worth even half of the reported 50m they want.

[Sciatika]

Don't disagree but with a transfer ban, it is Kovecic or nothing.