Wednesday Fulham Stuff (26/07/17)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Norwood to give up crack at top flight for game time at Fulham

On the move: Ollie Norwood is set for a loan deal with Fulham

Northern Ireland midfielder Ollie Norwood is set to join Fulham on loan from Brighton after the two clubs agreed a deal yesterday.

The 26-year-old was due to get a crack at the Premier League with newly-promoted Brighton, but he will now return to the Championship with London outfit Fulham.

Norwood moved to the Amex Stadium last year from fellow Championship side Reading and made 32 appearances for the Seagulls as they finished second in the league and secured promotion to England's top flight.

However, a lack of goals saw the central midfielder slip down the pecking order at the club, and he will go out on loan to get regular game time instead.

Norwood will join a club in Fulham who are one of the favourites to gain promotion this season, becoming their third signing of the summer after Marcelo Djalo and Ibrahima Cisse's moves to Craven Cottage.
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This move should also help Norwood keep his spot in the national team ahead of Northern Ireland's upcoming World Cup qualifiers, with Michael O'Neill preferring to look at players who are playing regular football.



http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/norwood-to-give-up-crack-at-top-flight-for-game-time-at-fulham-35964420.html

[WhiteJC]

 
TICKETS: FULHAM (H)

Tickets on sale to Members now.

Tickets for our Sky Bet Championship fixture with Fulham on Tuesday 15th August (7:45pm) at Elland Road are now on sale exclusively to Members and Season Ticket Holders.

This match is a 'Category B' fixture with tickets from £26 adults, £21 concessions and £5 juniors.

The two sides last met in March at Craven Cottage, with a late strike from Tom Cairney snatching Fulham a point, after Leeds had taken an early lead.

Our last meeting at Elland Road came in August 2016, when Chris Wood's 93rd minute goal earned Leeds a 1-1 draw.

Tickets will go on general sale on Tuesday 1st August.

With the acquisition of Elland Road and an exciting summer ahead, there has never been a better time to become a Leeds United Season Ticket Holder.

New Adult Season Ticket Holders in the Family Stand can enjoy every home Sky Bet Championship game for as little as £21.04 per match, with Under-11s equating to just £3.00 per game.




https://www.leedsunited.com/news/ticket-news/22107/tickets-fulham-h

[WhiteJC]

 
Are these the Fulham kits for the 2017/18 Championship season?

Unsurprisingly, the club's home kit is a white shirt, with black shorts and white socks

Fulham are set to launch their new home kit this week ahead of their friendly with VfL Wolfsburg; but has the design of their new shirts been leaked?

Whites fan Andrew Melvyn Walden was printing the 2017/18 edition of the EFL handbook, which contained the home, away and third kits.

Unsurprisingly, the club's home kit is a white shirt, with black shorts and white socks.

This season's away kit is set to be a black shirt, with white shorts and black socks while the third kit is all red.

At Craven Cottage, the Whites' goalkeeper will wear red with the change colours being green or yellow.

At the time of the EFL book going to press, the Whites have yet to confirm their kit sponsors.

What do you make of the designs Fulham fans? Let us know using social media or in the comments below.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-kits-201718-championship-season-13380353

[WhiteJC]

 
'Best midfield in the league' – Fulham fans react to news of imminent arrival

Slavisa Jokanovic's Fulham came close to a return to the Premier League last term, and the Craven Cottage faithful will be hoping that their side can go one better next time round.

The West London outfit produced some fine form to secure sixth place in the Championship ahead of Leeds United, thus setting up a play-off semi-final with Jaap Stam's Reading.

But the Cottagers were unable to go any further as the Royals secured a 2-1 aggregate success over Jokanovic's men, yet both sides will indeed be playing second tier football next term anyway as Stam's Reading lost out to Huddersfield in the play-off final.

Nonetheless, Fulham certainly proved their promotion credentials with several impressive victories last season, most notably against Newcastle, Huddersfield, and Reading during the regular season, and they will go into the 2017/18 campaign as one of the favourites to seal promotion to the top tier.

And one man who could be aiding them in that quest is Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Oliver Norwood.

The 26-year-old helped the Seagulls secure second place in the Championship last term and thus achieve promotion to the Premier League, but after having started just one of their final 17 games of the season, his playing prospects at the AMEX Stadium appeared bleak.

And so it has turned out as recent reports suggest that Fulham are set to seal a season-long loan move for the Northern Ireland international, which is news that has stimulated quite the reaction from Cottagers supporters on Twitter.

And it's fair to say that many of them are thrilled at the news of a potential deal for Norwood...



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/best-midfield-in-the-league-fulham-fans-react-to-news-of-imminent-arrival/

[WhiteJC]

 
Stadium Tours

Craven Cottage exudes the character and history befitting of London's oldest professional football club and offers the opportunity to explore a truly unique football stadium. Tours can be added as part of a conference or dinner or alternatively they can be booked on an individual at group basis.

Public tours of Craven Cottage are available on selected days, so to avoid disappointment, please book in advance or please call ahead to check availability before you travel.

We can confirm, that we will now be running tours on the following Wednesday afternoons at 2pm: 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th August.

Prices

Adults - £15.00

Children (U12) - £12.00

Under 5's - Free*

Family Tickets (2 Adults and 2 Children) - £35.00

*All children must be accompanied by a paying adult.

Dates and times

In addition to the above, scheduled tours run on selected dates at 11:15am

Tour guests are advised to arrive and register 30 minutes before the tour commences

Tour includes:

    Johnny Haynes Statue
    The Johnny Haynes Stand*
    Television Studio*
    Pitch Side Dugouts*
    Chairman's Box
    Cottage Balcony*
    Home Team Changing Room*
    Cottage Forecourt and Tunnel Entry*

*Subject to availability

For further information please email [email protected] or call 0203 841 9057.




http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/july/25/stadium-tours

[WhiteJC]

 
Scouting Reports: Oliver Norwood and Sheyi Ojo
Fulham have been linked with three players recently, in this article we take a look at them.


Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images

Fulham have had to look for other options from outside the current squad as multiple players have left the club, and Tom Cairney has gone down injured. Fulham seem to have identified two candidates to be brought in on loan, and today we look at them.

Name: Oliver Norwood

Club: Brighton

Appearances: 33

Goals: 0

Assists: 2

WhoScored.com Rating: 6.65

Transfermarkt.co.uk Value: £ 2.13m

Fulham fans should recognize the clubs latest target Oliver Norwood, as we have played him during both his time at Reading and Brighton. Norwood would provide a much needed fourth central midfielder to the Fulham squad. He can play all three of the midfield roles, and will likely play as the backup to Stefan Johansen and Tom Cairney. With Cairney's rumored injury, Norwood may get a chance to play at the start of the season. With this signing, Cisse will most likely be the back-up exclusively for McDonald, and Edun would be a cover for all midfielders but mainly the back up left back. Norwood would suit our style of a possession based passing game well, and would be able to fulfill the roles of both Cairney and Johansen. With a medical rumored to be done in the next 48 hours, Fulham should have this one done by the Wolfsburg game.


Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

Name: Sheyi Ojo

Club: Liverpool

Appearances: 17 for Wolves 8 for Liverpool

Goals: 2

Assists: 6

WhoScored.com Rating: 6.61

Transfermarkt.co.uk Value: £ 1.70m

Sheyi Ojo should also be a familiar name to most Fulham fans. The young winger possesses great pace, and could act as cover for both wings. While it is hard to imagine him immediately slotting into the team, he could very well be very important coming off the bench. He will provide Aluko, Kebano, and Ayite with much need competition on the wings. He is a good dribbler, and seems to be a decent passer of the ball, which would help him integrate into our style of play. Ojo would cover an area of need for Fulham, and let the board work for Strikers and center backs. After a somewhat successful loan at Wolves, Ojo will be looking to further boost his chances of impressing Jurgen Klopp, and he has identified Fulham as his preferred destination to do just that.


Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Thanks for reading! If you have any suggestions for more episodes of Scouting Reports, or have targets you would suggest for Fulham, leave them in the comments. If you don't have an SBNation account, create one, and make sure you subscribe to our site.

If you are interested in writing for the site, please email me at [email protected]



https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2017/7/25/16020126/scouting-reports-oliver-norwood-cameron-jerome-and-sheyi-ojo

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham waiting on news of Tom Cairney's knee injury as Norwich City season opener looms

Whites captain has returned to Motspur Park after treatment in Barcelona

Fulham are sweating on the fitness of star man Tom Cairney with less than two weeks until the start of the new season.

Captain Cairney went off during the first half of the Whites' pre-season friendly with SV Darmstadt on Saturday with what looked like a knee injury.

And now the Cottagers are waiting on news of the extent of the injury.

Social media was awash with questions on Monday evening after a photo of Cairney, posing with a Fulham fan at Barcelona airport, surfaced.

The club have confirmed that Cairney flew out to Barcelona from the club's training camp in Germany to have treatment on the knee injury, but is back with the rest of his team-mates at their Motspur Park training ground now.

Rumours of a two to three week lay-off have been doing the rounds on social media, which would keep him out of the season opener with Norwich, but the club have not yet given a timescale around the injury.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-waiting-news-tom-cairneys-13382944

[WhiteJC]

 
The Craven Corner: Fulham at the heart of the Rumour Mill!
Fulham Columnist, Adam Brons-Smith reviews the last 2 weeks of Fulham's transfer window.



It's been two weeks since my last article, and it's safe to say there hasn't been a dull moment for Fulham fans in the transfer window to date. Despite not signing anyone just yet, Fulham have certainly been at the centre of the rumour mill.

First of all, it looks like we are having to tighten the purse-strings this summer, with no more parachute payments, and the club haggling more than ever around transfer fees for key targets. This shows that we need to be smart this summer to avoid another FFP sanction and therefore won't be held to ransom by clubs during negotiations. Even in January, Fulham nearly had a deal over the line for Greek striker, Karamonos who even travelled the London, but a deal couldn't be agreed for around £1.5m for the Olympiacos man.

Could that happen again this summer? Yes, it can and it will time after time again.
Last season, Fulham's scouting team worked around the clock and made sure they got their targets from all over the world, and although the squad was overhauled, the quality we managed to attract for the money spent was terrific. This summer, there will be more pressure to repeat that level of success, and with Fulham and Chelsea still unable to reach an agreement over star defender, Tomas Kalas, I have the feeling this could be the last we've seen of our Czech star in a Fulham shirt.

With Hull City boss, Leonid Slutsky, a close friend of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, It is clear we are going to have tough competition to win the race for such a prized asset.

Although, Kalas would prefer to stay in London for personal reasons, Fulham can't afford to drop £6-7m on Kalas this year, and I understand that may be tough to read, but it's the way we have to be while we're still in the Championship. With Slutsky in London this week and spotted at Stamford Bridge, it's clear that Hull will be taking an influx of Chelsea top talent this summer – Kalas sadly being one of them.

But in the last 48 hours, Fulham have seemingly moved on to another defensive target, with Copenhagen captain, Mathias 'Zanka' Jorgensen being linked with a move to the club for 30m Danish Krone, which roughly equates for £3.5m, a fee that is much closer to the budget we have in comparison to Chelsea's price-tag for Kalas.

Zanka would be an interesting buy for a number of reasons. He's now had two spells at Copenhagen, after failing to make an impact with PSV which was the last time he left Denmark. But while he is captain of the Champions league outfit, he does come with a reputation. Speaking to a number of Danish fans and journalists recently, many of them say while he is a talented player and quick across the ground, he has a fiery reputation, and has started a number of fights on the pitch. While, I love a player to have passion, the last thing we want to do is go down to 10 men. But, he's a talented footballer and it would still be a coup should we manage to get this deal over the line. With just 1 more year on his contract, £3.5m seems like a likely fee, but I'd expect to hear about bids from other clubs shortly, as we won't be the only club interested.

But, Zanka isn't the only defender linked with a move to Fulham, with the club continually edging closer to a deal for CD Lugo star, Marcelo Djalo; who in all honesty is a bit of an unknown quality.

What we do know is that he is a powerful presence, standing at 6'4 and while it'd be nice to have another towering presence at the heart of our defence, the difference in quality from Spanish Second Division to the Championship is huge in my opinion. Despite the deal only costing around €1m, I wouldn't be expecting him to be the first-choice defender. Although, should he be a success, it will only be another sign that our scouting network and transfer policy is rapidly improving. Nonetheless, the defender has had experience at being at big clubs, with stints at Juventus and Real Madrid in the earlier stages of his career and a move to Fulham could be the big platform for him to make his name. At just €1m, I'd welcome the move even though none of us would know what to expect, it's another face in the squad and which is threadbare at the moment, and we'll need players to rotate for all competitions.

As I said at the start of the article, it's been a busy fortnight for Fulham and never more so in the rumours linking us with a centre forward. After being heavily linked with Montpeiller forward, Steve Mounie again, I think it's safe to say that he will not be joining us this summer.

While our interest in the Beninese forward is clear for everyone to see, the €13m price tag is something we won't be entertaining. Despite Huddersfield signing Laurent Depoitre from Porto, Nahki Wells is expected to leave the Yorkshire club and therefore I'd expect Mounie to hold talks with David Wagner sooner rather than later. Speaking of which, Nahki Wells would be a striker that I'd love to see at the club and someone I watched very closely during his time at Bradford City. With a rumoured £8m valuation, it could be still be very good value for money, but with the Bermudan linked with a move to Burnley, we couldn't compete with the Premier League opportunities that they could offer.

Nevertheless, Steve Mounie hasn't been the only forward being linked with a move to Fulham this summer, with Bordeaux's Diego Rolan slowly becoming our main transfer target. With Bordeaux reportedly valuing the player around €8-€10m, this is could be more likely to happen. Although, Fulham would want the deal structured around the lower valuation, and heavily off-set with clauses, if the player was keen on a move to England, there's more chance of this signing coming across the line than Mounie. Despite only scoring 9 goals last year for Bordeaux, Diego Rolan is a top talent. Still only 24 years old, the athletic Uruguayan has the ability to score all sorts of goals, and his agility and ability to make runs beyond the final man, will suit Jokanovic's system perfectly. This is a player that excites me and could be the solution to our striker dilemma, but with Schalke now interested in the player, we've got very tough competition for his signature.

Last week, there was also reports linking the club with a move for Braga forward, Rui Fonte, formerly of Arsenal and brother of West Ham defender, Jose Fonte. As I said at the time, the story was a non-starter, and the media quickly denied any suggestion that a move could happen. Even though I expect the club to be scouting heavily in the Portuguese and Belgian leagues, I'd be hoping that our standards were set higher than Rui Fonte, an average player that isn't a traditional forward. Despite his 11 goals last term, he wouldn't have been the player to lead the line, so I'm glad this story is over.

But, to conclude our conversation on Fulham strikers, the club have extended the contract of Cauley Woodrow. The England U21 star, impressed during his loan spell at Burton last season, and I'd be very interested to see what happens to him in the next 12 months. A hard-working forward could suit the way Slav wants to play, but in reality I feel we have extended the contract to add more money to his price-tag, and with Burton keen to make it a permanent deal, don't be surprised if he returned to Burton Albion this summer.

Nevertheless, I don't think that Cauley Woodrow would be our only departure this summer if he was to leave. Richard Stearman and Denis Odoi are also expected to depart this summer and with interest mounting rapidly in George Williams I expect them all to be at their new clubs before the end of July. As for replacing Odoi at right-back, Fulham have been linked with a move for Bastia defender, Alexander Dijiku. Considering Bastia have been relegated this year, any proposed move I would hope to be on the cheap side, especially as we are only gaining around €1m for Odoi's return to Belgium. Although Dijiku's highlight reel consists most of his roulette on Marco Verratti, Odoi was a tremendous servant to club and played an important role, and his boots will be tough to fill.

Finally, as expected this summer was always going to take us fans on a rollercoaster, and so far it has delivered on that. I know it's hard to not get carried away when the likes of Rolan are linked, but let's just take a deep breath for second (I'll try and do the same).

There's still a long way to go until the first game of the season, and I have trust in the club to deliver the same level of quality that they did last year. Plus, Kalas was a surprise announcement last year, so I have complete faith that there are many deals happening that haven't come to the public eye just yet!

I'm quietly confident that this will be a strong summer for the club as we look for promotion next season.



https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2017/7/25/15869850/the-craven-corner-fulham-at-the-heart-of-the-rumour-mill

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham sign Norwood on loan from Brighton

Fulham have completed the signing of midfielder Oliver Norwood on a season-long loan from Brighton.

The 26-year-old Northern Ireland international joined Brighton from Reading last year and started 16 Championship matches in the Seagulls' promotion-winning campaign.

He started his career at Manchester United and had a spell at Huddersfield before moving to Reading.

"I'm just delighted to be here," Norwood told fulhamfctv.

"Having played Fulham the last two seasons, the football they have played, it suits my style, it suits the way I like to play football.

"Once I knew of the interest I was desperate to get it done and I am very happy to be here."

Meanwhile, Fulham are hoping to tie up the loan signing of Sheyi Ojo from Liverpool despite several other clubs being interested in the winger.



http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-sign-norwood-loan-brighton

[WhiteJC]

 
NORWOOD HEADS OUT ON LOAN


Oliver Norwood in action against Crawley Town.

Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Oliver Norwood has joined Championship side Fulham on a season-long loan deal.

The Cottagers welcome Norwich City for the opening game of the season on Saturday 5th August, and Norwood will be available to make his debut at Craven Cottage.

The 26-year old, who joined Albion from Reading in August 2016, made 33 appearances during the club's 2016/17 promotion-winning campaign, and claimed five assists in all competitions.

Norwood featured in both fixtures against Fulham last season, completing 90 minutes in Albion's 2-1 victory at Craven Cottage in January.

The Northern Ireland midfielder will now join up with Slavisa Jokanovic's team ahead of their 2017/18 Championship campaign, and Albion manager Chris Hughton believes it will provide Norwood with a great chance to play regular football.

He said, "Ollie made a key contribution towards last season's success and this is a good move for all three parties involved. It gives Ollie the opportunity to play regular football.

"Fulham are getting an excellent midfield player, and we'll monitor his progress throughout the season."



https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2017/july/norwood-departs-on-loan/

[WhiteJC]

 
Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Oliver Norwood completes loan move to Fulham

Albion boss Chris Hughton believes Oliver Norwood's season-long loan move to Fulham will benefit all parties.

The Northern Ireland international midfielder has completed his switch to Craven Cottage.

Norwood, 26, made 16 starts and 17 substitute appearances in the Seagulls' Championship promotion campaign last season.

Hughton said: "Ollie made a key contribution towards last season's success and this is a good move for all three parties involved. It gives Ollie the opportunity to play regular football.

"Fulham are getting an excellent midfield player and we'll monitor his progress throughout the season."



http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/albion/15433408.Albion_midfielder_Norwood_completes_Fulham_move/

[WhiteJC]

 
Norwood Joins On Loan

The Club is delighted to announce the season-long loan signing of Oliver Norwood from Brighton & Hove Albion.

A central midfielder who can operate in both attacking and more defensive capacities, the 26-year-old played 37 times last season as the Seagulls secured automatic promotion to the Premier League.

Born in Burnley, he joined Manchester United at a young age and went on to progress through their academy.

During his time at Old Trafford he sampled first team football on loan at Carlisle United, Scunthorpe United and Coventry City, before joining Huddersfield Town on a permanent deal in the summer of 2012.

In his two seasons with the Terriers, Norwood made 80 appearances in the Sky Bet Championship, scoring eight times, before going on to join Reading.

While at the Madejski Stadium, he was a regular in the Royals' midfield, starting 85 times in two years, prompting Brighton to bid for his services last summer.

An England youth international up to Under-17 level, Norwood was eligible to represent Northern Ireland and made his senior debut as a 19-year-old in 2010.

He is now closing in on a half century of caps for his country, and started every game as they reached the knock-out stages of the 2016 European Championship.

"I'm just delighted to be here," Norwood told fulhamfctv. "Having played Fulham the last two seasons, the football they have played, it suits my style, it suits the way I like to play football.

"Once I knew of the interest I was desperate to get it done and I am very happy to be here."

Be sure to return to the website on Wednesday for the full interview.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/july/25/norwood-joins-on-loan

[WhiteJC]

 
Norwood completes Fulham loan move
by Dan on July 25, 2017

Fulham have tonight confirmed that they have taken Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Oliver Norwood on a season-long loan deal.

The Northern Ireland midfielder has opted to drop down a division to secure the regular football that should sustain his international career rather than test himself in the Premier League for the first time. The 26 year-old, who featured 37 times as Albion won promotion from the Championship last season, could be integrated into Slavisa Jokanovic's starting line-up sooner than initially envisaged with Fulham captain Tom Cairney expected to be sidelined for at least three weeks with a knee injury.

Norwood, whose versatility means he can operate in defensive and attacking midfield roles as well as the more orthodox central midfield position he has often filled for his country, was a longstanding Fulham target, with the Whites believed to have come close to signing him on a permanent basis last summer when he joined Brighton from Reading. The Manchester United trainee has a considerable Championship pedigree, having played 85 league games for the Royals to follow his 80 appearances in the same division at Huddersfield.

The midfielder, who made his international debut as a nineteen year-old back in 2010 has now earned 46 senior caps for Northern Ireland and came into his own as he started every qualifier as Michael O'Neill's side reached the European Championships in France last summer, told Fulham's official website he jumped at the chance of moving to Craven Cottage:

    I'm just delighted to be here. Having played Fulham [during] the last two seasons, the football they have played, it suits my style, it suits the way In like to play football. Once I knew of the interest I was desperate to get it done and I am very happy to be here.

Norwood is expected to make his first appearance in a Fulham shirt during Saturday's final pre-season friendly against Bundesliga side Wolfsburg at Craven Cottage.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/07/norwood-completes-fulham-loan-move/

[WhiteJC]

 
Oliver Norwood completes move from Brighton to Fulham on loan

Brighton midfielder Oliver Norwood has signed a season-long loan move to Fulham, the club has confirmed.

Norwood played a key role in helping Brighton secure promotion from the Championship last season, featuring in 33 league games for the Seagulls.

The 26-year-old is a product of the Manchester United academy but was unable to force his way into the first-team picture at Old Trafford, eventually joining Huddersfield in 2012.

"I'm just delighted to be here," Norwood told the Fulham's official TV channel. "Having played Fulham the last two seasons, the football they have played, it suits my style, it suits the way I like to play football.

"Once I knew of the interest I was desperate to get it done and I am very happy to be here."

A move to Reading followed two years later before the midfielder joined Brighton on a three-year deal ahead of last season.

Norwood is a Northern Ireland international and has made 43 appearances for his national side.

Fulham have already completed deals this summer for Ibrahima Cisse, Marcelo Djalo while Lucas Piazon has re-signed on loan.




http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/10961548/oliver-norwood-completes-move-from-brighton-to-fulham-on-loan

[WhiteJC]

 
Former Manchester United and Reading man joins Fulham on loan from Brighton

Oliver Norwood joins Whites from Premier League side Brighton

Fulham have confirmed the signing of Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Oliver Norwood on a season-long loan.

The two clubs agreed on a deal yesterday, with the Northern Irishman completing a medical and signing on the dotted line for Slavisa Jokanovic's men today.

Norwood, who plays in midfield, is also a Northern Irish international and is under contract at the Amex Stadium until 2019, but was not first choice under Chris Hughton.

The 26-year-old signed for the Premier League outfit from Reading last summer and made 16 starts for the club in the Championship as they won promotion to the top flight.

Norwood told the club's official website: "I'm just delighted to be here. Having played Fulham the last two seasons, the football they have played, it suits my style, it suits the way I like to play football.

"Once I knew of the interest I was desperate to get it done and I am very happy to be here."

Fulham have already made two signings in this transfer window, with Marcelo Djalo signing from Lugo and Ibrahima Cisse signing from Standard Liege, and are expected to be busy in the coming weeks as they look to build a team capable of winning promotion to the Premier League.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/former-manchester-united-reading-man-13385555

[WhiteJC]

 
Report: Fulham target Peterborough United's Marcus Maddison again after January approach

Marcus Maddison's outstanding performances for Peterborough United have attracted interest from Fulham and Birmingham City.

Marcus Maddison is one of the most exciting players in the football league, a gifted attacker capable of scoring and creating in equal measure with his rabbit-out-of-the-hat unpredictability.

Therefore, he'd be right at home at Craven Cottage in a Fulham side rightly lauded last season for their ability to carve apart opposition backlines with skill, speed and eye-catching impulsiveness.

According to the Birmingham Mail, the 23-year-old is on the radar of Fulham while Harry Redknapp's Birmingham City, who are hoping to swap a relegation battle for a play-off challenge next season, are also in the mix.

Maddison is in the final year of his contract at Peterborough and has been transfer listed by the League One side, as is club policy. And, understandably, manager Chris McCann stated recently that he hopes The Posh talisman will remain at London Road.

"There is interest in Marcus and so there should be as he has been one of the biggest influences in League One in recent seasons," McCann told the Peterborough Telegraph. "But I'm hopeful he will still be with us when the season starts in earnest."

Step up

However, with interest from two of the Championship's most ambitious clubs increasing, McCann may be left disappointed.

Maddison, who began his career with Newcastle United, has shone since swapping non-league Gateshead for Peterborough in 2014. Last season, he scored nine league goals and contributed a remarkable 17 assists, his superb dead-ball delivery coming in handy.

Therefore, the left winger could thrive under Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic, a coach renowned for getting the best out of his attacking players. The possibility of Maddison lining up in a side containing Tom Cairney, Sone Aluko and Ryan Sessegnon could have opponents quaking in their sponsored footwear.

The Daily Mail reported that The Cottagers were leading the chase for his signature in January and appear to be at the front of the queue again.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/07/25/report-fulham-target-peterborough-uniteds-marcus-maddison-aga/

[WhiteJC]

 
The inside view on Ollie Norwood
by Lydia on July 25, 2017

Tonight Fulham have announced the loan signing of Oliver Norwood from Brighton and Hove Albion, meaning that the midfielder joins a long list of fellow Northern Irish men to play for the Whites. The deal will see him stay at the Cottage for the duration of the 2017/18 season in search of first team football after being told that his chances at Brighton may be limited. Norwood played a key part in Albion's promotion winning campaign last season so it is surprising that they have let him go as I think he would have went on to be a consistent performer there. To say that I'm pleased with this addition to the squad would be an understatement as I have been an admirer of the midfielder and his style of play for a long time. Below is an article that I wrote back in March for the match day programme of Northern Ireland based club, Lisburn Distillery. I was focusing on a different member of the Northern Ireland squad in each article so I hope that you can excuse the Northern Irish focus throughout!

Oliver Norwood- written March, 2017

"For my player focus this week I will be looking at solid and dependable midfielder, Oliver Norwood. The Burnley born midfielder has represented both England and Northern Ireland at youth level but committed to Northern Ireland in 2009. Since making his debut in 2010, Norwood has made himself a regular in the Northern Ireland squad and has gained 43 caps to date.

Norwood started his career at Manchester United and made a bit of a name for himself as a free kick specialist during his time at the youth academy there. He eventually made the step up the reserves in 2009 and in the same year was called up to the first team squad for a Champions League fixture against Wolfsburg away but didn't make the final squad of 18. It was still a sure sign of Alex Ferguson's confidence in Norwood and the midfielder was offered a contract extension in 2012, but he decided to reject it in favour of finding regular first team football elsewhere.

His first permanent move away from Old Trafford was to Huddersfield Town where he played consistently for two years before making a further move to fellow Championship side Reading. Again Norwood was a regular feature in a side with their sights set on Premier League Promotion and his performances there and for the National side prompted a move to Brighton and Hove Albion in the summer of 2016.

The move to Brighton shows that as Norwood becomes more experienced he is continually moving on to bigger challenges. When he joined Huddersfield in 2012, they were very much a side aiming for survival after gaining promotion into the Championship the year before. Reading was a step up, a team aiming to finish top half while Brighton, just missing out on promotion last year, are a club with high hopes this season. They are currently battling it out for top spot with Newcastle and I would be very surprised if they weren't playing in the Premier League next season allowing Norwood the opportunity to step up again.

I watched Brighton recently play against Fulham at Craven Cottage and, despite Fulham being the better team on the day, it was Brighton who came away with 3 points with a real 'smash and grab' effort. Norwood played all 90 minutes in a game where the midfield had to be very alert defensively. That, along with other performances this season, proves that Norwood can play successfully in a team that might find themselves under the cosh at times, but that can still gain positive results. Northern Ireland are not going to be a team that dominate a lot of games. Our system under O'Neill has been built on the foundation of a solid defence and a midfield that are going to have to do an awful lot of pressing and Norwood can fit very well into this system.

At only 25, there is a lot more to come from Oliver Norwood. The partnership that he has formed with Davis has been crucial in the national side set up and I believe that if he continues to learn from Davis and gets his chance in the Premier League next season, Norwood could play a pivotal role in our team for many campaigns to come."

Fulham have had a lot of success with players from the Emerald Isle before now with the likes of Aaron Hughes and Chris Baird becoming firm fan favourites, and I am confident that Norwood can continue the trend. His hard-working approach along with his eye for a pass should fit soundly into an already very strong midfield and I fully expect him to be a success at the Cottage.

#COYW



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/07/oliver-norwood-signs/

[WhiteJC]

 
Chelsea's Tomas Kalas set to rejoin Fulham on loan - sources

Chelsea defender Tomas Kalas is set to rejoin Fulham on loan, sources close to both clubs have told ESPN FC.

Meanwhile, Fulham also announced the signing of Brighton midfielder Oliver Norwood on a season-long loan deal on Tuesday.

Kalas is currently away with Chelsea on their preseason tour of Asia, but the defender is expected to go out on loan when they return to England next week.

A number of clubs, including Hull City have enquired about signing Kalas, but Fulham are confident of bringing the Czech Republic defender back to Craven Cottage.

Kalas spent last season on loan at Fulham and was a mainstay in Slavisa Jokanovic's side as they reached the Championship playoffs only to lose to Reading.

Fulham have been keen on re-signing Kalas and they have remained in talks about a possible season-long loan deal since the end of last season.

The 24-year-old has also been open about returning to Fulham and a deal is expected to be sealed as early as next week.

Kalas signed for Chelsea in 2010 but has been sent away on five separate loan deals, and has played just two games for the Blues, and it seems he will again spend next season away from Stamford Bridge.

Norwood, a Northern Ireland international, made 33 appearances as Brighton won promotion to the Premier League last season.

The 26-year-old, also formerly of Huddersfield and Reading, told Fulham's official website: "I'm just delighted to be here. Having played Fulham the last two seasons, the football they have played, it suits my style and suits the way I like to play football. Once I knew of the interest I was desperate to get it done and I am very happy to be here."



http://www.espn.co.uk/football/soccer-transfers/story/3164881/chelseas-tomas-kalas-set-to-rejoin-fulham-on-loan-sources

[WhiteJC]

 
Oliver Norwood: Fulham sign Brighton midfielder on loan

Oliver Norwood has 43 senior international caps for Northern Ireland

Fulham have signed Northern Ireland midfielder Oliver Norwood on a season-long loan from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.

The 26-year-old made 37 appearances for the Seagulls last season, helping the club win promotion to the top flight.

Norwood told fulhamfctv the style of football Fulham play is ideal for him.

"It suits the way I like to play," he said. "Once I knew of the interest I was desperate to get it done and I am very happy to be here."

Norwood has 46 international caps and has played in all of Northern Ireland's last 32 matches, starting 31 of them.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40723105

[WhiteJC]

 
Forget Diego Rolan – Here Are 2 Excellent Alternatives For Fulham To Target

Two Alternatives For Diego Rolan Who Fulham Can Target

Although not my cup of tea, from what little I know of him, Diego Rolan is reportedly being tracked by Newcastle United and has rejected the chance to join Championship side Fulham. The lure of Premier League is proving too attractive maybe?

With that in mind, and as I've written before, Fulham would do well to scrap this deal and ensure that they get somebody else in, to avoid any disappointments. The last thing the boss would want is to go into the start of August not knowing who he will have at his disposal for the rest of the season. So taking this into consideration, here are two others the West Londoners could go for instead of Rolan.

Louis Moult (Motherwell)
Given Rolan's record on paper, there seems to be no necessity to go to Europe to hunt for players, as ones with similar ability are available in the UK, including the highly regarded Moult.

25-years-old now and beginning to reach his peak as a striker, his profile is that of an improving player, having shown precious little output in the opening years of his career until finding his feet at Nuneaton town in the National League in England back in 2013/14. He hit 18 goals that season which earned him a move to Wrexham where another 23 goals followed within a year.

His progress was rapid and from there, he moved on to Motherwell, scoring 18 times in his debut season before going on to match that last term at the same club. The fact that he gradually keeps stepping up but still finds the net, shows his ascension up the ranks and Fulham could benefit from that.

Jordan Hugill (Preston North End)
Reaching a good level now with Preston North End and sure to get better, Hugill has just had his most productive season ever, managing 44 appearances in the league. His 35 starts in that time have yielded 12 goals and you can add a few more to that next season as he continues to improve.

Given better service, which he would definitely get from the likes of Aluko and Cairney, he can be expected to start passing the 20-goal mark which these days is extremely valuable in the Championship. Although Lejeune did alright, Grant Hanley struggled again to cope with Hugill in a pre-season friendly against Newcastle at the weekend and I expect a big season from the front man.



http://soccersouls.com/2017/07/26/forget-diego-rolan-here-are-2-excellent-alternatives-for-fulham-to-target/