Van Gaal v Mourinho: Master v Apprentice (feat. Feliks)

Nice updates, interesting pre season for both clubs,

@walkinshaw: All good. It'll be Chelsea or United next time round

@Murtagh: Feliks has outdone himself with that update! And yeah, hopefully Memphis hits the ground running for me

@Oz96: Cheers mate. I wouldn't say it has a 'direct impact,' but it does give the viewer an idea about how we'll be approaching some match updates for the big matches.

@Jack: Cheers Jack, always appreciate the feedback!

@Nick_H: Agreed! Feliks is handling on the graphics and is killing it!

@C.J.Lippo: Should be a rather challenging test for both teams this pre-season. And thank you!

@TheN1886: Thanks mate! I think it'll be a close race between United, Chelsea, Arsenal and City for the title this season!

@Murtagh: Thanks again mate, as I said to Lippo, should be a good test of where we're at against the big teams

After over 400 games for the Blues, Čech will join cross-town rivals Arsenal

---

Chelsea icon Petr Čech has made his long rumoured departure from Chelsea, joining heavyweights Arsenal on a 4 year contract worth around £5m a year. The fee, said to be around the £10m mark, was finalised on the 29th of June as the Czech goalkeeper looked for more game time after being replaced by Belgian, Thibaut Courtois.

“During the season, it became clear that my situation would not improve and - as I know I am not at the stage of my career where I want to be on the bench - I made my decision to move and look for new challenges.” - Petr Čech

---

Čech arrived at Chelsea in 2004, winning 13 championship medals before moving onto Arsenal, where his new manager Arsène Wenger says “[he] is a player I have admired for a long time and I am very pleased he has decided to join us.” Meanwhile, current number one at the club Wojciech Szczęsny said he was delighted to learn from “one of the best goalkeepers in the world.”

Čech, Arsenal's first signing of the summer, could face Chelsea as early as August 2nd, when the two sides meet in the Community Shield at Wembley.

Great update mate, enjoying this story!

Thorgan Hazard, brother of Eden, is the biggest player to leave the club this week.

---

As is customary at Abrahamovich's Chelsea FC, 4 more fringe players leave the club after failing to make an impact in the first team. Thorgan Hazard, Josh McEachran, Gael Kakuta and George Brady are the last departures from a club which is building a reputation for signing these kinds of players before loaning them out and eventually selling them. The four players follow in the footsteps of players such as Romelu Lukaku, Patrick van Aanholt and most notably Kevin De Bruyne and will hope they can recover from the dreaded 'Chelsea dump.'

Thorgan Hazard, after spending the 2014/15 season on loan there, has joined Borussia Monchengladbach for a total of £5,850,000, after admitting everyone only knew him as the brother of Eden. However, the 22 year old admits there is a buy back clause in his contract and that his dream is to return to Chelsea as a better player.

"It remains my goal to play with my brother Eden at my dream club Chelsea one day, but for now I want to stay at Gladbach for a long time. I can develop here, have a coach [Lucien Favre] who trusts me, and I am close to my native Belgium." - Thorgan Hazard

It's unknown what the buy back clause is worth or when it can be activated.

Still teammates at Belgium, Thorgan dreams of returning to play with his brother Eden at Chelsea

---

Gael Kakuta is the second casualty, joining back-to-back Europa League winners Sevilla on a 4 year deal, with the Spanish club paying over £2,000,000 in compensation due to Kakuta being under 24. The French midfielder made just 6 appearances for the Blues over 6 seasons after being described as "the future of Chelsea" by Carlo Ancelotti. However, he spent the last 5 years on loan around Europe and now finally gets his desired permanent move after the expiration of his contract.

Another failed youth product at Chelsea, George Brady now gets a chance to start anew

---

The French-born English centre back was once one of England's top prospects, with Chelsea winning his signature back in 2012 despite heavy interest from Arsenal and both sides of Manchester. However he clearly hasn't done enough to remain at the club and will now join Sunderland's youth squad at age 18. Ex-captain of Chelsea U18s, Brady is at a crucial age in his development, needing to bounce back quickly from his Blues rejection.

Another player similar to Brady is Josh McEachran, who has left to Championship club Brentford for £750,000 after a long youth career at Chelsea stretching back to 2001. Again, like so many others, he failed to break through to the first team and is now on his way after being at the club since the age of 7.

http://news.images.itv.com/image/file/716956/stream_img.jpg
Always in the shadow: Valdés played second-fiddle to David De Gea last season

---

Leicester City has confirmed the arrival of Manchester United’s now formally ousted goalkeeper, Víctor Valdés for a fee of £1.8m. Having only made 2 league appearances for United since joining on a free transfer in January, the former Barcelona #1 found himself in the bad books of Louis van Gaal after allegedly refusing to play for United’s under 21 side throughout the season, an allegation Valdés maintains is untrue. The Spaniard joins the Foxes on a 3 year deal worth £9.3m, but may find it difficult to secure first team selection under new manager Claudio Ranieri, with the likes of Kasper Schmeichel and veteran Mark Schwarzer also fighting for selection.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/09/11/1410436527459_wps_28_Atletico_Madrid_s_Falcao_.jpg
Chelsea know all too well the destructive power of Radamel Falcao

---

Jose Mourinho and the Chelsea FC hierachy have made a bold statement, today announcing the loan signing of AS Monaco striker Radamel Falcao on a year-long deal. The 29 year old Colombian is coming off a horror comeback season on loan at Manchester United but Mourinho insists 'El Tigre' can return to his killer best.

"If I can help Falcao reach his level again, I will do it. It hurts me people in England think that the real Falcao is the one we saw at United.” - Jose Mourinho


Chelsea's official announcement on their social media accounts

---

After injuring his knee and missing the 2014 World Cup, Falcao has been far from his best and struggled at Manchester United last season, scoring just 4 times in 26 games and returning to AS Monaco. Chelsea have had prior experience of his best form, being on the receiving end of a hat trick by the 'King of the Europa League' in the 2012 Super Cup Final and Mourinho's willingness to bring him back shows a sense of trust in the Colombian's abilities as a player and his resilience.

With Diego Costa firmly entrenched as the side's striker, Falcao will likely joust with Loic Remy on the bench but a good spell of form, and a return to his scintillating best, could see him finally redeem himself as a footballer and become a first team starter in an elite squad once again.

Great updates guys, this story's amazing

@Radders2109: Glad you're liking it! We're enjoying writing it.

@Murtagh: Thanks a lot mate!

Looking forward to this actually starting... ha

Griffo You're in luck, because the first FM update is on it's way....

---

Chelsea Football Club are proud to announce the signing of Barcelona's centre back Marc Bartra for a fee of £8,500,000. Marc flies into London this morning to join his new teammates and we wish him all the best for his career at Stamford Bridge.

Marc spoke briefly to press this morning about leaving Barcelona.

"Barca have been a wonderful club for me my whole life, and I owe a lot to them, but in the end the love for my club was overtaken by my need to play regular football; Chelsea can give me that.

Jose [Mourinho] is a great manager and it will good to work under him in new surroundings, it will be a great challenge of my game." - Marc Bartra

---

Bartra, 24, played 79 times for Barcelona over the course of his career there, making 6 appearances for Spain as well, but has rarely been in the first team for the Spanish giants. After making 14 league appearances last season, Marc has decided to join Chelsea in a bid to get more gametime.

"I think Marc has the potential to be a wonderful player and he'll bring a new element to our defence; he passes well and isn't your typical English centre half. Signing him for so cheap as well, I think it will be a great purchase." - Jose Mourinho

Has Bartra gotten better this fm as everyone seems to signing the fella up.

A wanted man: who will win the tug-of-war for De Gea?

---

From shaky to sensational, in case anyone had any doubts, David De Gea is now truly world class. Which means, as per usual, Sir Alex Ferguson was right. Through a rough patch at the beginning of his United career which saw the Spaniard struggle with the physically of the English game and the pressure of being #1 at a massive club, Sir Alex and his goalkeeping coaches solved the problem. But now his friend Louis van Gaal has to face the next problem: David De Gea is now so good, Los Blancos want him as their latest Galáctico. The problem is not unfamiliar to Manchester United. David Beckham made the switch in 2003, Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2006, and of course, Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009. Complicating matters for United is the fact that De Gea is a Madrilenian and would understandably want to return home, even if that means unpopularly swapping Atlético for Real, with a stop in Manchester in-between.

Though all is not lost for United. In their favour, should they decide to sell him, are several worthy replacements on the market. Reports suggest Hugo Lloris, Gerónimo Rulli, and Jan Oblak are all being looked at. The move would also surely see Real’s captain and club legend, Iker Casillas being forced out, a move which would surely polarise their fans, made especially daring from a new manager in Rafael Benítez.

---

Cast aside by Mourinho, reinstated by Ancelotti. Benítez’s evaluation of Casillas will play a pivotal role in De Gea’s future

---

Almost all, even the most diehard of United fans, believe De Gea will call the Bernabéu home next season. However, despite all the rumour and speculation, an offer has not been made. It seems as if the deal has been signed, sealed, and delivered without it even having arrived on Louis van Gaal’s desk. Though, where there is smoke there is usually fire. And so, the saga continues.

Mid table clubs getting their players raided again