Willian secures 'Dream' Liverpool Spurs Chelsea move

[Neil Young]

looks like;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23814060

It was inevitable he wouldn't sign for Spurs...

Willian Borges da Silva --> Winger laid Villas Boas

[Reece]

Okay that's pretty good so I'll let you off with that one. No more though

[Sarb]

Okay that's pretty good so I'll let you off with that one. No more though

Sin Bin him Reecie. Show him who is boss

[Neil Young]

They're all "pretty good" (i.e. brilliant). I don't post the ones that aren't (a) good and (b) relevant to the current direction of the thread.

Not usually anyway.

So

[Reece]

They're all "pretty good" (i.e. brilliant). I don't post the ones that aren't (a) good and (b) relevant to the current direction of the thread.

Not usually anyway.

So

Guy on line.

[RedReet]

I think Liverpool need to move away from the whole idea of a marquee signing. Just can't see it happening for us. We're wasting our time going after these players. We should be looking for players like Sturridge/Coutinho who were on the fringes at top clubs and not getting game time.

Sakho/Ilori and Ljajic could be gotten for less than we were willing to spend on Willian. Throw in a youngster like Will Hughes too and that would make it a good summer window for me.

Bar in price and maybe age, are those players we missed out on any more 'marquee' than the likes of Sturridge or Coutinho?

Would any of them been on a fans shopping list in April last year?

[Sarb]

Bar in price and maybe age, are those players we missed out on any more 'marquee' than the likes of Sturridge or Coutinho?

Would any of them been on a fans shopping list in April last year?

They probably aren't. I hadn't heard of Mkhitarayan, nor had I seen Costa play more than the odd game. I've never seen Willian play. But I guess they're classed as marquee by some due to the price they go for. If people were being honest then a lot would say they determine the marquee status by how much the player is costing.

I think the club and fans are getting hung up on this 'marquee' thing too much though. There are players out there who wouldn't fall under that category but would be very good signings

[RedReet]

They probably aren't. I hadn't heard of Mkhitarayan, nor had I seen Costa play more than the odd game. I've never seen Willian play. But I guess they're classed as marquee by some due to the price they go for. If people were being honest then a lot would say they determine the marquee status by how much the player is costing.

I think the club and fans are getting hung up on this 'marquee' thing too much though. There are players out there who wouldn't fall under that category but would be very good signings

[EwarWoo]

There are players out there who wouldn't fall under that category but would be very good signings

Who wouldn't give there left nut for another Coutinho and Suarez @ 28m total.

[danperkins]

They probably aren't. I hadn't heard of Mkhitarayan, nor had I seen Costa play more than the odd game. I've never seen Willian play. But I guess they're classed as marquee by some due to the price they go for. If people were being honest then a lot would say they determine the marquee status by how much the player is costing.

I think the club and fans are getting hung up on this 'marquee' thing too much though. There are players out there who wouldn't fall under that category but would be very good signings

[Hemingway]

I think Liverpool need to move away from the whole idea of a marquee signing. Just can't see it happening for us. We're wasting our time going after these players. We should be looking for players like Sturridge/Coutinho who were on the fringes at top clubs and not getting game time.

Sakho/Ilori and Ljajic could be gotten for less than we were willing to spend on Willian. Throw in a youngster like Will Hughes too and that would make it a good summer window for me.

I agree with this. By all accounts we have near £30m to spend and we're really having trouble finding one guy to spend it on. A decent left winger and a solid center back would still improve us quite a bit.

[Slinky Skills]

Go on then Levy, pull the plug on Bale. Do it.

Agreed terms with LFC, Passed his medical at Spurs and signs for Chelsea.

[dom9]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23814060

Willian: Chelsea set to sign Tottenham target for £30m
By David Ornstein BBC Sport

Chelsea have agreed a £30m deal to sign attacking midfielder Willian from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala, subject to a work permit hearing.

The 25-year-old Brazilian was close to joining Tottenham after having a medical on Wednesday.

But it is understood Chelsea made their move at around 18:00 BST on Thursday, with a fee and personal terms agreed within 24 hours.

Willian will have a medical before his work permit hearing next week.
Play media

Jose Mourinho mocks Spurs over Willian medical

The transfer was made possible after Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, whose fellow Russian oligarch Suleyman Kerimov owns Anzhi, intervened.

Willian expected to join Tottenham, but when the Blues stepped in, he felt the chance to play Champions League football was too good to reject.

Sources close to the player said Chelsea have made enquiries or offers for his services in every transfer window since 2011.

Willian will become the Stamford Bridge club's third major summer acquisition following the arrivals of Germany forward Andre Schurrle and Netherlands midfielder Marco van Ginkel.

Earlier on Friday, Blues manager Jose Mourinho indicated that Willian would choose Chelsea over Tottenham.

When asked whether the Brazilian had chosen to join his club, Mourinho nodded.

The Portuguese added: "I know what the player wants, so in this moment we cannot hide."

Willian joined Anzhi in January for a reported £30m after five-and-a-half seasons with Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. But he became available as the Russian club attempt to cut costs after a change in strategy by their owner.

Tottenham had expected to break their transfer record and make Willian their fifth major summer signing.

"I couldn't say much in previous news conferences," Mourinho said.

"I have to answer your questions and try to be honest, but at the same time try to hide a few things.

"I'm happy with my squad, but every one of us managers, we say we are happy, but we are always unhappy.

"We always want something of more quality and we never close the door to the possibility of adding more quality."

Willian's arrival would further strengthen a squad full of attack-minded midfielders, such as Eden Hazard, Oscar, Kevin De Bruyne and Schurrle.

But one playmaker Mourinho insisted would be going nowhere is Juan Mata. Reports in Friday's newspapers said the Spain midfielder, 25, could be offered to Manchester United as part of a bid to sign striker Wayne Rooney.

"No, [it is] speculation. He's a player we all like, he's a player we all want to keep and we want more quality in the team, we don't want less quality," he said.

"We want to add quality. Juan is not a player we want to lose."

Mourinho suggested earlier this week that Chelsea would make a fresh bid for striker Rooney, 27, after their match with Manchester United on Monday.

Asked on Friday how he rated his chances of signing Rooney, Mourinho said: "I don't care. In this moment I don't care. I have a big match to play on Monday."

[peekay]

I think Liverpool need to move away from the whole idea of a marquee signing. Just can't see it happening for us. We're wasting our time going after these players. We should be looking for players like Sturridge/Coutinho who were on the fringes at top clubs and not getting game time.

Sakho/Ilori and Ljajic could be gotten for less than we were willing to spend on Willian. Throw in a youngster like Will Hughes too and that would make it a good summer window for me.

[Daniel 7]

Its pretty funny when its not Liverpool being gazumped.

Liverpool would have been his stepping stone club and the fans would have had to put up with a transfer saga every transfer window with this mercenary.

Liverpool should be looking at some of the CFC squad that will be short on games this coming season. Maybe Brendan can pump Jose for some favours.