Ben Haim nearing Blues switch

Bolton defender Tal Ben Haim is poised to join Chelsea, according to the player's father.

Ben Haim is out of contract at The Reebok Stadium in the summer and Sam Allardyce is already resigned to losing the stopper.

Chelsea have long been rumoured to be interested in taking the Israel international to Stamford Bridge, and a move now appears close.

Jose Mourinho is keen to add defensive cover to his squad in January and will be handed the funds to sign the 24-year-old.

Chelsea are believed to be in advanced talks with The Trotters over a £2million deal and Ben Haim's father, Emmanuel, is hopeful a move can be completed within the next seven days.

"There are advanced negotiations between the clubs," he is quoted in the Daily Mail.

"We are hoping that Tal will be moving to Chelsea in the next week."

The Blues play Liverpool at the weekend and Mourinho is thought to be keen to have Ben Haim available for the trip to Anfield.

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=442202&CPID=8&clid=30&lid=2&title=Ben+Haim+nearing+Blues+switch&channel=football_home&

I've got him in my fantasy football team. Very good player.

wouldn't think he's Chelsea quality though

Luis wrote:wouldn't think he's Chelsea quality though

he is

Bastards. I was looking forward to a back-line of

Ferreira-Essien-Carvalho-Cole

He's a Gallas replacement.

Stupid move , moving from being a first team regular to a bench warmer.

We are so screwed.

Bilal wrote:Stupid move , moving from being a first team regular to a bench warmer.

nah he wont be, we dont have terry for a long time, and as someone said, hes our gallas and so can cover the entire defence. Good signing if we get him

Obispo wrote:Bastards. I was looking forward to a back-line of

Ferreira-Essien-Carvalho-Cole

I know - would have more or less guaranteed Liverpool overhauling them...

Very Good player, but he's not the athlete Gallas is. I haven't seen him at Full Back yet...

Well just as terry is back, doubt he will play hardly ever, horrible move for his career, great for his bank balance

Now the real question is, who the hell are we going to buy who is as versatile, as talented, as young and as cheap?

Fuck. Dunn's gone to Blackburn as well. It's turning out to be a miserable transfer window.

Sam'll find something. He needs the bonus after all

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=442320&CPID=8&clid=8&lid=3&title=No+Blues+move+for+Ben+Haim&channel=&

So that means he's leaving on a free.

Fuck.

Ben Haim is a fantastic player, pity hes moving to Chelsea though as once terry comes back he won't get a sniff

Tweedle wrote:Ben Haim is a fantastic player, pity hes moving to Chelsea though as once terry comes back he won't get a sniff

He might do at RB. He's so versatile, he could probably be very good there And he'd be better than Ferreira or Carvalho me thinks.

Chelsea Football Club can confirm that it has been in discussions with Bolton Wanderers for the transfer of Tal Ben Haim in the January transfer window.

These discussions have been unsuccessful and Ben Haim will not be joining Chelsea FC in January.

Chelsea will not be signing Tal Ben Haim in January after confirming talks with Bolton Wanderers were unsuccessful.

The Premiership champions had turned to Ben Haim in a bid to ease the defensive crisis at Stamford Bridge.

The Israeli's father had also claimed that Ben Haim was closing in on a £2million transfer to Jose Mourinho's side.

But any January deal for the centre-half now appears to be off after Chelsea confirmed negotiations with Bolton failed to bear fruit.

"Chelsea Football Club can confirm that it has been in discussions with Bolton Wanderers for the transfer of Tal Ben Haim in the January transfer window," read a statement on the club's official website.

"These discussions have been unsuccessful and Ben Haim will not be joining Chelsea FC in January."

Prior to Chelsea's statement, Bolton manager Sam Allardyce had warned The Blues they only had a few days to lodge a bid for the defender, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

Allardyce told Bolton's official website: "At the moment it looks like that Tal will be here for the rest of the season. We haven't had an acceptable offer from any football club.

"There have been a few clubs, who have shown an interest in him. Chelsea seem to be keen on him. If they want him they will have to meet our valuation.

"We will only listen to acceptable offers in the next few days. If it goes beyond that we won't sell him in the last week of the transfer window.

"We have to replace Tal Ben Haim with another centre-half and if there's no one out there then he won't leave until the summer."



WOOHOO!

Interesting, I didn't know it was real interest that had even progressed to talks. Anyway, I guess Bolton are keeping him now, and I don't see Chelsea re-signing him in the summer.

Sam is still trying to flog him, which probably means that he's got somene lined up as a replacement and needs to sell him for as much as possible.

theflyingfrenchman wrote:Sam is still trying to flog him, which probably means that he's got somene lined up as a replacement and needs to sell him for as much as possible.

Or that he is going to make some cash from the deal

FFS, why aren't we in for him????

Kimbo wrote:FFS, why aren't we in for him????

Because he wants to go to a club playig in the Champions' League. Hence, not Newcastle.

theflyingfrenchman wrote:

Kimbo wrote:FFS, why aren't we in for him????

Because he wants to go to a club playig in the Champions' League. Hence, not Newcastle.

Well that's not going to happen is it, certainly not in England. I assumed he was looking for a big pay rise.

Kimbo wrote:

theflyingfrenchman wrote:

Kimbo wrote:FFS, why aren't we in for him????

Because he wants to go to a club playig in the Champions' League. Hence, not Newcastle.

Well that's not going to happen is it, certainly not in England. I assumed he was looking for a big pay rise.

so did I...if he was we'd be in for him again.

Kimbo wrote:

theflyingfrenchman wrote:

Kimbo wrote:FFS, why aren't we in for him????

Because he wants to go to a club playig in the Champions' League. Hence, not Newcastle.

Well that's not going to happen is it, certainly not in England. I assumed he was looking for a big pay rise.

Apparently Chelsea will get him for free in the summer, or Portsmouth.

I don't think it's about the money, because Gartside said he'd pay him as much as he wanted.

I hope he gets left on the bench for Chelsea and comes crawling back next season.

Don't get why we don't try and sign him in place of Lucas Neill if we're looking for that player that can cover everywhere across the back.

I wonder how much Champions League football he'll get with Chelsea reserves.

so he wouldnt want to stay at Bolton, join Newcastle or West Ham..but he'd go to Portsmouth

sad...if true.