Liverpool FC Forum

by **Reg** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:11 am

The Times April 16, 2008

Chelsea stars head for exit in fire sale by Abramovich

Chelsea are planning a mass clear-out of players at the end of the season, irrespective of what happens to Avram Grant. The Times has learnt that as many as ten first-team squad members could leave Stamford Bridge in what would be the most dramatic upheaval since the unprecedented summer of spending immediately after Roman Abramovich bought the club five years ago.

Grant and Abramovich are united in the belief that Chelsea’s squad needs a substantial overhaul if the club are to win trophies, although whether the first-team coach will be around to undertake the process is unclear. Abramovich would like to give Grant at least one full season to prove his worth, partially in the hope that it would justify his controversial decision to dismiss José Mourinho in September, but the owner’s reaction will be governed by results.

With many fans openly hostile and some players privately unconvinced, Grant’s position remains precarious, although taking Chelsea to the Champions League final for the first time would be enough for him to soldier on.

Grant is understood to be confident of keeping his job and has begun planning for the future, with Abramovich ready to release substantial funds to buy world-class players. The Israeli considers the squad he inherited to be unsuited to his requirements and several players have been told that they can move on.

Andriy Shevchenko, Claudio Pizarro, Steve Sidwell and Tal Ben-Haim will be put up for sale, with the futures of more established players such as Florent Malouda, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Carlo Cudicini and Juliano Belletti uncertain. With Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Wayne Bridge unsettled, the number of departures could reach double figures.

Chelsea’s biggest problem is likely to be finding clubs willing to match the wages they pay to fringe players, some of whom have lengthy contracts, while the heavy losses they will have to accept on transfer fees will hit their hopes of reaching their break-even target by 2010. Shevchenko, for example, is worth only a fraction of the £30 million Chelsea paid for him two years ago.

Sidwell, Ben-Haim, Wright-Phillips and Cudicini should be easier to sell to Premier League clubs, but the same cannot be said of Malouda, Belletti and Pizarro, who are less than 12 months into lucrative four-year deals.

Drogba would command a high fee if Chelsea fail to alter his determination to find a fresh challenge elsewhere, although Lampard’s resale value is falling all the time while his contract talks are on hold. The England midfield player was excused training yesterday as he spent the time with his ill mother in hospital and is unlikely to travel for tomorrow’s match away to Everton.
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Roll up, roll up, the Chavs are falling apart.... thi is great news just before the CL semi.....

by **Bad Bob** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:16 am

I'd almost forgotten they signed Malouda, TBH. Wonder if he regrets that decision or is he just happy to get the pay cheque?

by **hello_red** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:53 am

and people think we have problems?

by **account deleted by request** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:59 am

I wouldn't mind signing Shevchenko for about £5million. I know he hasn't broken any pots at Chelsea but he is still a top class player ,and maybe a change of scenery and partnering Torres, and with Gerrard loading the bullets it would be enough to give him a new lease of life?

I would take Bridge for £5 million as well, a decent defender who can also go forward.

by **Toffeehater** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:58 am

Yup i'd take birdge and shaun wright phillips too , can play on either flank as a winger , talented player and we've got a good left back in bridge , who likes to go foward

by **ruskiy playmaker** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:13 am

I don't know if they'd be willing to sell to one of their league rivals, especially if we knock them out again but the good news is that this may unsettle their players for the CL games.

by **Bad Bob** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:02 pm

I wonder if they're looking at our most recent board room flare up and rubbing their hands in glee too. "Liverpool will be distracted."

by **stmichael** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:11 pm

If he's unsettled due to not playing enough, I'd take Joe Cole in a heartbeat.

by **Bad Bob** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:59 pm

stmichael wrote:If he's unsettled due to not playing enough, I'd take Joe Cole in a heartbeat.

Agreed--he'd suit our system down to the ground and would take a lot of the creative pressure off of Gerrard and Torres.

by **JBM** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:40 am

s@int wrote:I wouldn't mind signing Shevchenko for about £5million. I know he hasn't broken any pots at Chelsea but he is still a top class player ,and maybe a change of scenery and partnering Torres, and with Gerrard loading the bullets it would be enough to give him a new lease of life?

I would take Bridge for £5 million as well, a decent defender who can also go forward.

Could be worth a Gamble on Shevchenko (135k per week though), Joe Cole and Wayne Bridge would be excellent signings, will Chelsea do business with LFC?

by **Number 9** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:52 pm

Chelsea 1-0 up on Everton!

Wtf is that Petr Cech guy like,has a chin strap to go with his padded swimming cap as well now.

Soon he'll be wearing a suit of armour in nets! :no

by **NANNY RED** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:35 pm

Bad Bob wrote:I'd almost forgotten they signed Malouda, TBH. Wonder if he regrets that decision or is he just happy to get the pay cheque?

And to think that we were gonna buy him :laugh:

i think we got off lightly there with that one

by **Aussie Style** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:00 pm

yeah i'd take joe cole. swp or bridge too.

by **Seano Kop** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 8:45 pm

Malouda is a very, very good player. He would be even better if he joined us.

by **JBM** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 4:31 am

Anyone else think the best transfer news for Liverpool from this summer might be Mourinho
raiding chelsea for Drogba, Lampard etc and C.Ronaldo joining Madrid???

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Chelsea stars head for exit - In fire sale by abramovich

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