🔴🟢Fluminense manager Renato Gaucho:

"We are an ugly duckling in financial terms. Fluminense's finances are not 10 percent of these European clubs. They have the means to hire the individual players to give themselves higher chances of winning. We are ugly ducklings but that doesn't mean we can't win the Club World Cup."

"I usually say that Thiago is a monster on the pitch. He has helped us a lot, he knows European football and Chelsea well. He is essentially a coach on the pitch. His experience is critical - along with his high quality football.

"He talks a lot to his teammates on the pitch, especially in these major matches, against major international teams. His experience and style of play are paramount for us."

Chelsea FoS sponsorship deal will not happen until the end of the FIFA Club World Cup.

👕 LiveNation branding will remain on the shirts until the end of the tournament, but the partnership is now effectively over. The club is also looking for a sleeve sponsor.

[via Łukasz Bączek]

Joao Pedro:

"I felt the love and support from [the fans] as soon as I stepped onto the pitch against Palmeiras. I felt comfortable, and I didn’t feel pressure. I’m just a guy who realised my dream of playing for a big club."

"I'd say I am a striker. I like to play as a number nine. But I also like to feel free on the pitch. And that's what Enzo said to me, 'Play like a number nine but come deeper to link up with the other players'.

I am a very technical player. I like to score as well. I play like a nine, but I also have the mind of a ten as well. I think this combination will be good for my team-mates and for Chelsea."

"I think Chelsea is a big club and my dream was always to play for a big club and to win trophies.

Chelsea have a great team, a young team and I think that's why I came here."

“Sources have told me that Chelsea and Arsenal are discussing a figure around the £40m mark for Madueke”

[via SamC_reports]