Chelsea make Neymar approach

The transfer window is surely getting hot after several new stories regarding Chelsea FC. Chelsea have made an official approach for Santos wonder-kid, Neymar. The Daily Mail reports that Chelsea have made an offer of £17 million while Santos are reportedly holding out for £30 million. Trying to sign an 18 year old is well and good but is it too much money to be paying for a player who did not even make it into the Brazil squad for the World Cup?

England has a bad history with Brazilian players and looking back very few have succeeded. There has been a long list of failures and the latest has been Robinho and Chelsea fans would probably be grateful to Manchester City for pouncing at the right time and taking him away. Only the likes of Juninho at
Middlesbrough and Alex at Chelsea have proved to be the exceptions.

Neymar could just be one of those exceptions because unlike Robinho, Neymar is a player who is more direct and does not resort to Brazilian party tricks often. He is more of a ‘Kaka’ kind of player rather than a ‘Ronaldinho’ kind of player. And coupled with fantastic pace and strength he could prove to be the next best thing to come out of Brazil after Kaka. Ancelotti was the manager who bought the best out of Kaka and there is every chance that it could happen again with Neymar.

Look past Didier Drogba and it is quite apparent that Chelsea have lacked a world-class striker in recent times. Neymar could just be the exact one to fill that void.

A statement from Santos read,

“Santos FC declare they have received an official proposal from Chelsea FC of England for the economic rights of forward Neymar.”

Chelsea will not rest down on this one and bids past the £20 million mark can be expected in the near future.

Last summer, John Terry was linked with a mega money move to Manchester City. This time around it is Didier Drogba. The Sun reports that Drogba is the target of Manchester City. A fee of £20 million is being discussed for the 32 year old. Apparently this is after Drogba’s agent, Thierno Seydi claimed that City had contacted him and there was a possibility that Drogba could move before this transfer window closes.

Drogba still has two years left on his contract and this could be the worst ploy an agent could make so as to get a pay rise for his player. Both Chelsea and Manchester City have moved quickly to deny any approaches on either side. Although there has not been any official statement, a Chelsea spokesman has said,

“It is all irrelevant, Didier Drogba is not for sale.”

There is no chance that Ancelotti would consider selling a striker who has just scored 37 goals last season but if he does, then it will be due to the arrival of another great centre-forward like Fernando Torres.