Mehdi Benatia

[Joe Hart's Dandruff]

"Chelsea offer €22m plus Lukaku for Benatia
Chelsea are hoping to beat Manchester City to Mehdi Benatia and have offered the Roma €22m (£18m) plus Romelu Lukaku for the defender.

Source: Tuttomercatoweb.com"

goal.com

This is Chelsea knowing we have a 50m spending cap due to FFP and by them coming out with that deal they are trying to force out hand into paying an over the odd fee leaving us with very little left over to spend elsewhere, that's my opinion on it anyway.

If Chelsea can force is into spending 30m + on Benatia then I think they will see that as job done.

Bar a left back, I don't see why Chelsea would need to improve defensively?

Chelsea just assuming Lukaku will go and play for Roma. Doubt he would be too enamoured with the drop in standard of the Itslian league, as well as the racist abuse he would undoubtedly endure.

 

[MCFCUSA]

Or maybe instead of trying to hike up the fee for Benatia, Roma just aren't interested in selling one of their best players no matter the price? He has 4 years left on his contract, not 1 or 2 but 4… Thats what makes this so difficult because they just got him and now they are in Champions Leauge and don't NEED to sell, last year they NEEDED to sell because they had no other income besides player sales. Now they do. What part of that don't you guys understand, Roma aren't just going to sell Benatia to us because he's complained about his contract in the media and City made an offer. If they have no intention to sell, then they have no intention to sell.

 

[FredTilson]

Why doesn't the club try for Lovren, cosidering the coach has left and the Katharine Liebherr doesn't give a hoot, we could get him for 20 million quid.

Plus he wont go in January for the AFCON.

 

[Umedaman]

"Manchester City will make formal contact with Roma in the next 24 hours and submit a £25 million bid for Mehdi Benatia, Goal understands."

Sounds like we may hear some good news very soon.

 

[Rammy Blue]

I reckon we'll get him, opening bid just to loosen them up. We'll prob pay circa £25mil, which to my mind should represent decent value for the lad.

 

[higgi1p]

What makes you think it would be good news? They may say bugger off and come back with £35 million and we might consider it, Roma are difficult to do deals with

 

[Rösler von Stretfordbömber]

And of course the Maureen "hijacking" our Benatia bid rumours originate from the Express, which is pretty much right there with the Mirror and Star at the bottom of the reliability barrel.

If for some reason Benatia is not do-able I wonder if Godin could be bought from Atletico? Similar age to Benatia and a brilliant defender in his own right. Fantastic work in that CL final and at many other times this year also.

I barely saw Benatia play last year but Atletico was on all the time on BeIn. I'd love to have Godin in our team and it seems like Atletico always needs to sell players with their various financial issues.

 

[George Hannah]

"Manchester City will make formal contact with Roma in the next 24 hours and submit a £25 million bid for Mehdi Benatia, Goal understands."

Sounds like we may hear some good news very soon.

we get both?

 

[Umedaman]

What makes you think it would be good news? They may say bugger off and come back with £35 million and we might consider it, Roma are difficult to do deals with

Yeah maybe good news is jumping the gun a bit, but I'm anxious and am hoping this means we'll get some official news soon...

 

[SPIDERBOY]

I reckon we'll get him, opening bid just to loosen them up. We'll prob pay circa £25mil, which to my mind should represent decent value for the lad.

Mercato365 reckon we offered €22 million and was told "no"...........apparently not willing to let him go for less than €35 million.