And make sure to head on over to our website for all the latest on Transfer Talk. The clock is ticking, the transfer window is almost closed and we're wondering if an Ossieman deal is going to be done. And so to talk more about that, we must welcome in Frank Leboff and Gabriele Marcotti.
Because, as I just mentioned, Gab, the transfer window is very close to closing. When it comes to Ossieman... Can you talk us through and walk us through the options that he has and why we are seeing these conflicting reports?
What's going to happen with this player? I don't know what's going to happen. I can walk you through the scenarios.
Victor Oseeman signed a one-year extension to his deal in December. It gave him a very big pay rise. He's earning just over 10 million euros net a year, which works out, if you like it in pounds a week, works out. close to 300,000 pounds a week. So that is a lot of money, even by Premier League standards.
And he got a release clause inserted in his contract in exchange for extending his contract through 2026. Napoli thought they were protecting themselves. They thought that they were going to get big offers this summer for a whole bunch of reasons, different reasons that didn't really materialize. They had this clever idea of sending him to train on his own to try to force a move because their new manager, Antonio Conte.
Wanted a different center forward, Romelu Lukaku, who obviously has materialized and has signed for the club. They thought there was interest from Paris Saint-Germain. That appears to have gone away.
A lot of people reporting there's been no contact in the last couple of weeks. So now Napoli need to raise money. They've been in talks with Al-Ahly, as you mentioned.
There's reports of a 70 million euro offer, which again, when you think that Napoli were hoping to get... North of 100 million, his release clause was something like 160 million, I think, something like that, if you sold outside Europe. And now it looks like they're trying to put together a deal with Chelsea, or at least his agent, Kalenda, reportedly is doing that. The really difficult thing from Chelsea's perspective is that, you know, he's not going to want to take a pay cut.
He just signed a new contract. And 300,000 pounds a week. that's off the scale for Chelsea right now.
If we are to believe their business model about paying high fees, younger players are pushing Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell out the door. Now, if you can find homes for Sterling and Chilwell, then you save a lot of money on wages, you get some feedback. Maybe you can somehow make this happen.
There's talk of a loan and obligation to buy and whatever else. But they're certainly leaving it very late. What a seaman has said is he said that He wants to remain in Europe.
I think the likeliest scenario is that he's not going to accept Al-Akhly until after the window closes if he really sees he has no other option because obviously two years would be a long time to not play football at club level. On the other hand, if he does decide to stick it out, there is a window coming up in January. There's three international windows, obviously, where he would play with Nigeria.
You know, could he call Napoli's bluff and say, all right, let's go and talk about this come January? Because Napoli do need to get him off their books. How would you feel, Frank, if he was to take that big money offer that's reparted with Al-Akhli? Well, I would be concerned if I was Victor Ossiman, because, yeah, signing a new contract for another year was a very good idea at the time. But at the end of the day, it's complicated.
And you feel the pressure because you don't want to stay in Napoli. You feel that nobody is really interested about you. Well, they are, but they play hide and seek because they won't allow the transfer fee.
Going to Saudi Arabia, you're too young for that. So, yeah, I think the next 24 hours will be intense for him. And, well, you know, I don't know what's going to happen in his head, but I will be very concerned about my future. Because... Victor Oseme needs to play football.
I understand what Gab was saying about waiting until January. Yeah, you can play international games, but it's like, what, six games in six months or four months? It's not enough.
And you are a football player, you want to play football. Yeah, you can play a game, but it's tricky. In his head, it must be complicated right now.
It must be because this has been the name, Craig, that we were seeing linked with so many clubs that it felt like everybody wanted this player. And now this is what we're looking at right now, that he doesn't even know what's going to happen until the window closes. I mean I don't know what I can say on this that I didn't say 24 hours ago. We talked about Victor Oseman so the situation's not changed. I'd be disappointed and as I said yesterday, I would be disappointed if he had to go to Saudi Arabia because it's just a backwater.
Get lots of money, I know that, but you're completely out of the spotlight. And he's a player who has been very much in the spotlight in the last 24 months. Not so much in the last 12 months or so for better footballing reasons, but certainly the season before. And it would be disappointing to see him take that move, but at the moment his avenues seem limited.
Grab, seeing as how you mentioned Raheem Sterling, what's the situation there? Because we're seeing him linked with Arsenal now. Yeah, I think I don't see why Arsenal need another winger at this stage. I mean, maybe with Eddie and Ketia gone, you would think that a reserve center forward might be more of a priority.
But I think the thinking is, look, Sterling's going to have to take a pay cut, right, wherever he goes. Nobody's going to give him that money. The man is from London.
It would be a chance to go and join. another big club, give them another option. I can see why it might be interesting from Sterling's side, but I also think, you know, Arsenal can't see them making that kind of financial commitment, you know, especially in a position that's not a priority.
And so again, Sterling, Chilwell, Oseeman, all of these players are in this bizarre situation because, let's face it, market conditions have changed, and it's not their fault. It's not that they want to leave. it's not that they're creating this situation for themselves.
They're somehow victims of circumstances. And, yeah, I think several of these guys are going to have to take pay cuts. Where are we getting this stuff? There's no possible way Arsenal want Raheem Sterling. I mean, listen, if he goes to Arsenal...
If you're desperate to offload a player, maybe you start making a few more allowances as to where you might let them go next. What do you mean? Like, now we're seeing names that I feel that we wouldn't usually see. You don't usually see, like, Premier League rivals. I think if he was offering Chelsea...
I think if Raheem Sterling was putting his hands up and saying, I'll come and play for you for ten grand a week, I don't think Arsenal would... I'd be shocked if Arsenal were even interested. Why would they be? Yeah, exactly.
They've got Martinelli and Trossard on that left hand side, fighting tooth and nail for every single starting position. Why would they come and throw Raheem Sterling in the mix? It makes no sense whatsoever. And then you add 300... 25 grand a week.
No. He's going to be sitting on his backside when this window closes, I'm telling you. Guaranteed.
It's a resounding no from you as well, Frank. Yeah, no, we are kind of talking nonsense, you know. We are talking about a player, Rhyme Sterling, who have been very poor for the past four years.
So, as Craig mentioned, even for 10 grand a week, nobody wants him. That's what it is that we are talking about productivity. We're not talking about name. The name of Ryan McSterling was good four years ago but now I'm sorry we have to be realistic.
I'm a chairman I don't want him. him because for the past four years it was bad and it's not only on him I have nothing against Graeme Thierry who was very good he was playing for Liverpool and Manchester City I thought he was a great player the two last years of City he went down signed for Chelsea went down again and now he thinks that he can keep that salary and be able to play for any clubs no I'm sorry you will have to lower your existences and maybe try to find another club to relaunch your career. But you were so down that it's quite impossible.
And it's him, we're talking about him, but how many players we could have talked about, you know, the past years, who are trying to tell us that they're capable of going back. We saw that. We can talk about Jadon Sancho as well.
We can talk about some others. It's always some players. who still think that they still have the credit. I'm sorry, you don't.
Arsenal are building as a camaraderie, a sort of siege mentality. There's not many leaks come out of that Arsenal camp, a bit like Liverpool when they were flying, a bit like City. Even the guys that are not playing somehow seem happy enough.
Maybe behind the scenes, not quite, but it's managed very well. You think Arsenal need not only the high earner whose career's in decline because of his age, but somebody who, when he was left out of squad, his representatives come out with some long-winded statement. Do you think a team that's trying to build camaraderie needs that problem? Might be a nice new challenge from Michael Arteta.
No, no, no, that's just... I don't know where this has come from, but... To me, it's utter nonsense, I think, with the rest of the guys. I stand corrected.
If he turns up wearing a red shirt with the Gunners on it, we'll all have to eat humble pie. But I don't think we're going to have a problem in that up front. Gab, you've been laughing along at the chat here with the guys.
No, I take your point. I don't think Sterling's been that bad. There's numbers flashed up on the screen, you know, two years ago, 17 goals, eight assists. For a winger, and even last season, I think he hit double figures.
These aren't terrible numbers. for a winger on a team that's not particularly good, the way Chelsea were last year. But I think the main thing is he feels, well, hang on a minute.
I did the preseason. You didn't tell me, apparently, that that's his version of events. You didn't tell me I was not part of your plan.
You didn't tell me I was on the market. And then all of a sudden, first game of the season, oh, look, I'm not in the squad. It's not like his people released a statement because he wasn't in the squad.
It's because he was told he's not in the squad for technical reasons. And then the next day, as we later found out, oh, no, you're not in the squad because you're not part of our plans. We're going to sell you.
So I do have a bit of sympathy for him there. Now, obviously, he's got $39 million over the next three years reasons to cheer himself up. But it's not just about money, I think.
When you get older, you get on the brink of being 30. You know, it is a tough spot to be in, and it's tough for Chelsea too. Chelsea can't give him away because then they take another loss on the amortization. Chelsea are already in a terrible situation financially.
They can't just eat the Sterling contract and give him away, nor can they really give Chilwell away. So they have to find some sort of solution here, and I think it's going to entail pain for both sides, both for Chelsea and for Raheem Sterling.