Abacus

It'll be wedding season, marra.

Well, that's just decided it. I'm watching whichever of the two that Paul Chuckle is competing in.

Turns out they play tonight - Sheffield Wednesday, it's on Sky. But Celebrity MasterChef is also on, so I'm in a bit of a dilemma. Which bunch of competing amateurs who are probably unable to boil an egg should I watch?

West Brom have been much the better team, in fairness. Watford look really poor, though. Getting beaten all over the park.

Hahaha goooooaaalll

Ooof, should be well ahead. I think it's all set for Brucey to bemoan his bad luck if they lose now. On another day...with a bit more quality...see positive signs...have to score at this level...

Pretty dull to watch this. It's only interesting to see how City try and adapt their passing game to having a big out and out striker. Feels a bit disjointed at the moment. I'm hoping Pep starts yelling "just kick it to the big man!"

I'd agree with that. It's very hard to take too much from the first game of the season, but Lampard walked into the harder job to start with. Despite having lost his best attacking player and working under restrictions, I think Everton gave a decent account of themselves yesterday, and might have had a point. Not saying I rate either of them, mind, and the idea of appointing people based on their name alone seems daft. Though, I've a lot more respect for the way Rooney has tried to go about things. In retrospect, it looks like our decision-makers got the Howe choice absolutely right, even if they had a slice of luck with not getting Emery. And also with Rafa not being an option then. Nothing against either of those two, but I've not been this invested in a manager since...well, before Ashley anyway. Anyway, my first pick for the managerial sack race this year is the dislikeable Ralph Hasenhuttel. Think Gerard and Lampard will have a couple of streaky runs plus media mates to keep them safe for longer (like a certain Mr Bruce).

If so and you're Leicester, why wouldn't you just reject this bid and wait for the next one in that case. Boehly means business ? Yeah, best let it be known who your number 1 target is and you'll pay more than you've offered then. Leicester; We don't want to sell either Fofana or Maddison. No way, not at all. But if we absolutely had to, it would take a ridiculous bid and we'd only sell one. And here is how much, even though they're definitely not for sale. So, quick Chelsea quick, bid something stupid for Fofana since we're leaking that Newcastle might buy Maddison instead! Now now now! And quick Newcastle, act fast! Pay over the odds for Maddison right away in case Chelsea buy Fofana! Aye, right.

Yeah. PIF invest in lots of things around the world, including Clearlake. They don't have any real control over how they use those funds or how their multiple investments are run, they just want a return from the money they put in. So, it's a complete non-story and a clickbait headline. As you say, if Chelsea make a profit that's just part of the return PIF would make from Clearlake, that's all.

Probably just cancels it out with his Disney Plus account.

I hear they are having to pay his wages in monthly installments.

£3m up front apparently. So, nothing much.

Are Chelsea thick or what? As good as he is, they've been played by Leicester here. Something tells me the new owners have been listening to Tuchel's over the top whingeing too much. With that kind of spend, they'll need a genuine title challenge this year, or a CL challenge.

Do you remember when the genuine "big" club announcements were that we'd dug a borehole at the training ground to save money on water bills?

I'm quite happy with our transfer business so far. In that, I think we can already look forward to comfortable mid-table and no chance of having to fire up the relegation-ometer. So anything we add from here on in is only going to be exciting and push us onwards and upwards. But as it is, I'm happy going in against Forest with what we've got. I think that first 11 should be more than enough to turn them over.

If Maddison doesn't come off (and there's still plenty of time), I wondered if it would be worth going back for him in January. Normally not a great time for buying and selling, but whatever happens with Fofana, in his case 6 more months of his contract would have ticked down. And time for both clubs to have sounded out alternatives in the meantime.

Well, I'd be surprised if we weren't also looking at multiple players simultaneously, in Europe and elsewhere given we now have the back office team to help with that. I doubt we're just going from one target to the next. Whether we get JM or not (and I'd love him to sign now too), don't forget this came out of a clear blue sky with no-one really knowing about it beforehand. Plus, we don't seem to mind coming back to deals later on (like with Botman - not sure there's much we could have done re Ekitike).

Yeah, thanks for the reply. I think we're probably hoping to go in a similar direction re the training ground and off field investment. And probably hampered in similar ways in the short term, despite having the funds to go faster, if allowed. Which is frustrating for a manager as they are judged on the here and now. But, I suppose, long term, is the only real way to grow the club. Interesting about the manager role maybe having too much influence. I'd always been dead against a DOF type role, but I can kind of see the advantages to putting a brake / being a corrective on the manager now.

Well, that's your view. The European leagues are nowhere as healthy as the PL financially speaking. It's why they're more of a seller's market, outside of the likes of PSG. As for Paqueta, he's a regular in the Brazil national team, Madison isn't (yet) for England. I doubt you can compare the two anyway, but I'd personally take all talk of what we have and haven't bid with caution and not worry about it either way. Whoever we get (in up to a month's time) will be an upgrade, and the transfer window madness means it's easy to fixate on one deal or another like it's the be all and end all. I've done it myself, but that way madness lies...

Nah, we pay what we think he's worth to us and then move on if not. It's a buyer's market, especially in the European leagues which struggled more than the PL. So far, there hasn't been a queue forming from the big clubs either. And that's not meant to be a dig at all, he's a really good player, and most fans here see Leicester as an enviable model to follow. Rodgers might want £60m, but he probably won't get that. That's if he even has any say in it anyway - to me, he is sounding a bit like a hostage who is making escape plans / getting his excuses in. What's your take on him? It seems like a real odd position to be in to be considering losing either him or Fofana, for example. I know the wage restrictions etc. But is that down to him, or the club, or just a bunch of bad luck?

With everyone going on about us buying Richard Madeley for one MILLION dollars, I hope we blindside everyone with a sucker punch transfer. That Sesko looks a real talent to me, would absolutely love it if we snuck in and bought him. (Although, for some reason, I have it in my head that it's pronounced Sexshow. It's certainly what I'd get printed on the back of my Saudi shirt anyway.)

Would be our new record signing, wouldn't it? Love a record signing, me. I remember the days of thinking £1.75m was a bit steep for Andy Cole...

Be a cracking Monday if this goes though, mind. And all because Shelvey pulled his hamstring.

They probably won't get any "bother" from Real Madrid or Barcelona fans either.