I haven't seen him for Roma, but I would've expected 15 goals in 32 appearances to fetch us closer to £20m. I can't imagine the fee was agreed before the loan deal because it's still only around £1m more than we paid for him.

I won't lose any sleep over selling him, but he looked better than Cuadrado ever did. I'm genuinely concerned with the number of players we are taking risks with this season.

edit: I know Remy is being linked with the Lukaku deal....I'm really surprised Pardew and Crystal Palace haven't come in for him. They bid £30m for Batshuayi and Benteke, so they clearly have money. That deal would make perfect sense for both parties.

if we can offload a player that will not get games, like remy, to make the lukakku deal palatable (50m plus remy), then great!

salah was a good player in my book, its a really cheap price they have let him go for.

Im sick of letting our good players go, and signing trash for millions.

Latest statement from Conte suggests Costa is staying, at least for one more season. At a press conference in Minneapolis he said " Diego Costa is a Chelsea player and he's very happy to stay with us". On his back injury he said "Diego has recovered and is now available for tomorrow's game. I am very glad I can count on him".
So, hopefully we have Costa for next season. Only guessing, but I wonder if we've said that we won't stand in his way if he wants to go back to Atletico next summer ? It would make sense for all parties. If we get Lukaku, he would have a season to blend in. In Conte's preferred system all three strikers will get games. We have good relations with Atletico, and it avoids any ill will.

We have now apparently offered Everton £65m plus Remy in exchange for Lukaku. If true, that's a monster bid. Remy wasn't at all bad on occasion, surely worth £15m+ at today's inflated prices ? Everton are also rumoured to be interested in Bony who didn't really settle at Man City (l liked him a lot at Swansea and hoped for while that we might go for him) so it does look as if things might be coming together.

The only issues I have with Remy is 1) His performances for us all pointed for me that he was a sub player rather then a starter and 2) When we needed him unfortunately for him he got injured. If we can use him to sweeten the deal with Everton then I think that will be more useful to us then anything he would be able to do on the pitch.

Thanks for the welcome people

I think if we bring in Lukaku he will be playing as the main man. It will be another step up in his career. Its a remarkable amount of money, but if it makes us stronger then Im happy with it.

Im a big believer in strengthening the spine of the side, I think thats what City and United are doing and its what we need to do too. Bring in Lukaku in addition to Kante and thats a good start.

I agree with this.I think its all well and good having these squad players but if you dont trust them to come in and do a job when needed then really what is the point of them? Remy falls into that category for me.

now all we beed is a big italian no nonsence defender!

whats everyones first conte style 11 (assuming lukaku deal will go though)?

A belated welcome from me as well.

Do you think Lukaku will be our main man if Costa stays ? I know the fee suggests that, but Costa remains in most lists of top strikers in the world despite last season.
I would have thought Costa is just the type of striker Conte would admire, a fighter with plenty of attitude. Which is incidentally why I've not been so keen on Lukaku. I like to see a front man with a bit of fire, a bit nasty. Despite his size Lukaku always appears a bit docile. Though you can overdo it of course, like Suarez and Costa have often proved.

im watching lukaku in the united game now. I know its only a testimonial, but i expect to see a £75 million striker.

I don't even know what his style is. We can't go 3 at the back, and he keeps trying 2 up top. Kante and Fabregas in CM with Lukaku and Costa up top....???

Then you will be disappointed because that's not how things work in the real world as well you know

Most people would expect to see a striker in a testimonial/friendly play like he's in a testimonial/friendly. Especially one that has not long come back from an international tournament and is playing for a new manager.

Its worse than a training game, nothing can be gained from it, if he has a stinker or scores a worldy.

Do you watch many training games? Or are you watching just so you can make comments about a player that has nothing to do with his value?

So...you're expecting to see a £75m striker, but admit that nothing can be gained from it, even if he scores a worldy? So even if he acted like a £75m striker it wouldn't mean much.

I was meaning that the testimonal is being played at a pace and fervor so poor that nothing can be gained from watching it.

Im sorry you didnt undertand my post, but hopefully i have clarified things for you.

Well, yes, nothing meaningful can be gained from it, that's the nature of friendlies. It's not the place to be watching a player justify their supposed value. Especially a testimonial which is even less serious than an ordinary preseason friendly.

That clears that up then. Have seen it rumoured as £16m too, but either way it's a paltry amount. Just hope we've had the common sense to put a buy-back clause in this time, just in case....

I think we have a fair idea of Conte's recent style from his Juventus/Italy teams. It's just difficult to know how he can follow that system with the current Chelsea squad.
But I'm hoping he's more flexible than some people seem to think. I would imagine a manager plays a system to suit the players he has at his disposal, rather than try to force the players into a system that doesn't work.
Three at the back doesn't look feasible, as you say. But a 4-4-2/4-2-4 set up doesn't look very promising with Kante and Fabregas in CM. We are so thinly stretched at the back we'd need the protection of Kante and Matic, but where does that leave Fabregas ?
I much prefer a return to the old 4-3-3 or even the disliked 4-2-3-1 until we get hold of the right personnel.

Right now I think I'd rather see Chalobah start next to Kante. Pre-season or no, he's been bloody impressive so far.
Honestly, I think 4-3-3 is the way to go. We need Fabregas for the assists he provides, but, like you say, he doesn't offer enough defensively. We might be fine if we actually buy some defenders, but I'm not holding my breath there. Our problem with that formation would be keeping all the AM's happy if we don't ship some out before the window closes.

Yes, playing with a front two would mean making sacrifices somewhere. Then with Hazard on the left (who we don't want to burden with defensive duties again) and Willian or Cuadrado on the right, it begins to look lightweight in midfield.
I've only seen highlights of Chalobah's pre-season games but read good reports. I've been hoping we would get the "old Matic" back to give us some authority in midfield. But if Chalobah can step up and fill the role, that's great.
But it's screaming out for additions at the back, and they will need to be top quality as well. Let's hope we haven't left it too late !

i take it no one watched us beat AC Milan this morning?

2 goals for oscar, reports are that Kante played well when he came on

I think from Lukaku's point of view he won't be keen to move unless he is seen as being first choice, he's at that stage of his career.

I'm torn about Costa, fit and firing he is absolutely lethal, I just worry about relying on him for an extended period of time to not either get injured or sent off.

I get what you are saying about Lukaku but I think he is primed to improve further, the fee is a bit eye watering but thats the way this summer has been I suppose.

The post match interview suggested Oscar may get his chance this season despite the rumours that he will be sold.

Good performances all round, and Cuadrado looked very good again, as did Moses. I'm still not convinced about Oscar and do not think he's cut out for the PL. I'd sell him to an Italian club and keep Moses. I'd also give Pedro one more season to adapt.

Oscar is a player who will make a big effort every now and then and catch the eye. The PL is too physical for him, and all too often he fades in games. Fabregas doesn't exactly get stuck in around the pitch every game either, but his forward passes and assists are world class, and he's on a different level to Oscar. I just think he's a luxury player, and we need much more consistency than a great performance every 10 or 15 games.

Another world class CB is a must, ad the club should be trying to seal a deal for Victor Lindelof or Kalidou Koulibaly asap. If Tezza and Cazza are going to start we all know it's only a matter of time, before we look far too slow in defence, and we need a fast, strong CB to cover that very significant, gaping risk. Zouma is still not fit and even if he was, we can't rely on having him fit for every game.

The CB need is bigger than the need for another striker, and the club should be looking ahead and getting that deal done, not waiting for the obvious to happen and panicking late August.