Monday Fulham Stuff (28/05/18)...

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(Image): Chelsea's Brazilian sends end of season love letter to West London rivals

Lucas Piazon has had two really enjoyable years at Fulham on loan.

You can tell from the sweet caption he wrote on his Instagram under an image of him celebrating yesterday's playoff win.

As he points out, he's come back from a broken leg at the crucial moment of his spell with the Whites to help bring them up.

Surely staying at Craven Cottage, either still on loan or after a permanent move, is the best move for Piazon now, and by the looks of things, he'll be very much up for that.

See the image, and read its heartfelt caption, here:

lpiazon What a club! What a team! It is been a real pleasure boys these 2 seasons we spent together has been unreal.. When we failed last year I knew I had to come back and get it done and we did on the best way! Got so much love for everyone involved... from the boys to the staff to the fans I could not be happier for all of us! Definitely one day I will never forget! I am so thankful for you guys and THANK YOU LORD to get me from a broken leg to Wembley



http://www.chelsea-news.co/2018/05/image-chelseas-brazilian-sends-end-season-love-letter-west-london-rivals/

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Fulham aim to retain crucial pair of Ryan Sessegnon and Aleksandar Mitrovic for Premier League return


Fulham will hope to secure the service of Aleksandar Mitrovic for their Premier League return Credit: OFFSIDE

Fulham now start building for the Premier League after their £160 million return to the top flight but their biggest victory could be keeping the players they have.

Ensuring Ryan Sessegnon stays is imperative, with the youngster involved in all three goals the West Londoners scored during the play-off games, including a delightful pass to set up Tom Cairney's winner against Aston Villa.

Fulham coach Slavisa Jokanovic insists the 18-year-old has no intention of leaving. "He is really happy where he is right now," said Jokanovic. "The player wants to stay and we will see what happens."


18-year-old sensation Ryan Sessegnon has no shortage of Premier League suitors Credit: ACTION IMAGE

Midfielder Cairney is confident the side will not be broken up. "People are coming to the end of contracts but this team is in the Premier League, based in London,'' he said. ''It's an attractive club."

One player whose future is in serious limbo is Aleksandar Mitrovic. The on-loan Newcastle United striker wants a permanent switch to Craven Cottage. "I want to thank the staff and players at Fulham," he said. "They gave me support and love. I would like to stay of course – but I'm still a Newcastle player."

Fulham's Premier League survival guide
Ensure Slavisa Jokanovic signs new contract
This is the second time the Serbian has taken a side into the Premier League, having won promotion with Watford in 2015. But he failed to agree a new deal at Vicarage Road and was replaced by Quique Sanchez Flores. Jokanovic has been inspirational in west London but only has one year remaining on his deal and has been linked with the job a few miles away at Chelsea.
Sign Aleksandar Mitrovic on permanent deal
The striker, on loan from Newcastle United, did not make a direct impression in terms of goals in the play-offs. However, it was his impact since his arrival in January that must make him the signing of the transfer window. He scored 12 goals in 13 games, offers an aerial threat and is a nightmare for even proven defenders, such as John Terry and James Chester, to face.
Do all they possibly can to keep Ryan Sessegnon
In his first game since turning 18, Sessegnon provided a momentum of genuine class, setting up Tom Cairney in the first half with a delightful pass. After 16 goals this season, he has proven himself good enough to compete at the top of English football. His love for Fulham should mean he stays now that Premier League football has been achieved, but Jokanovic's side may still be tempted to sell if they receive bids they just cannot afford to turn down.
Improve their overall squad
Fulham's first XI is more than capable of competing against the top sides. Ryan Fredericks, Sessegnon, Cairney and Mitrovic, if he signs permanently, are all supremely-talented players who belong in the Premier League. Fulham have been fortunate with injuries throughout the season, but do not have many options in reserve, meaning new players are needed all over the field.


Villa will now spend a third season outside the Premier League and with it more difficulty in meeting financial fair play requirements.

Permanent signings of goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, wingers Robert Snodgrass and Josh Onomah along with striker Lewis Grabban, all of whom were on loan, now seem out of the equation. John Terry is likely to leave and they face difficulty keeping Jack Grealish.



https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/05/27/fulham-aim-retain-crucial-pair-ryan-sessegnon-aleksandar-mitrovic/

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Aleksandar Mitrovic Deserves Chance To Prove Himself Again At Newcastle

In January, Aleksandar Mitrovic headed out of Newcastle United believing he was going back in time; Anderlecht, his former club, had agreed a deal to take him on loan, virtually ending his mixed career at St James' Park. But, on Transfer Deadline Day, his world was to be turned upside down; the deal fell through, and before he could even contemplate returning to Tyneside, he headed for West London and Fulham, hoping to aid their promotion push.

Mitrovic is a player who divides opinion; his propensity for playing on the edge means taking the rough with the smooth. Rafa Benitez, the Newcastle manager, has never really trusted him, and he rarely built up a head of steam at St James' Park.

Benitez is the kind of man who remains professional at all times and expects the same from all of his players, so it is no surprise that he didn't have total faith in someone who started his first full season with a four-match ban, before receiving another three-match suspension at the start of this term.

Controversial characters need to be managed in a way specifically tailored to their needs, and the presence of fellow Serbian Slavisa Jokanovic meant Fulham was a decent alternative for Mitrovic. He hit the ground running at Craven Cottage, scoring 12 goals in 17 Championship games and helping them into the playoffs, which they won to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2014 on Saturday.

Prior to the 1-0 victory over Aston Villa, Mitrovic had spoken many times about Jokanovic's influence on his game, suggesting his style suits him and allows him to express himself. It would be easy to suggest that Benitez does not rate Mitrovic, and the striker does not see eye to eye with the boss at his parent club, but that is not the complete truth; Benitez gave Mitrovic his blessing when he left, setting him a target of 20 Championship goals and admitting they will look at his future upon his return.

That tally may have been a little beyond him, but everything that Benitez will have wanted to happen has; he performed consistently, kept himself in check and, most importantly, found the confidence that he'd so clearly been lacking in the first few months of the season.

Benitez may be the main reason for Newcastle's recovery from relegation in 2016, but the Mitrovic situation has still attracted criticism from some sections of the fanbase.

One of the major disappointments for the manager last summer was the club's failure to bring in a proven goalscorer to supplement Mitrovic and Dwight Gayle; as time went on, both were linked with moves away as a sell to buy policy became apparent. In the end, neither departed, and Benitez used what little money was available to bring in Joselu from Stoke City.

When the Spaniard struggled to score goals after a bright start, fans soon called for Mitrovic, but they weren't heeded. Some accused Benitez of ignoring him to the detriment of the team, but while Mitrovic is a better striker than Joselu, he puts faith above talent, and he has always been able to rely on the latter to put his instructions into practice.

Fulham fans have taken to Mitrovic superbly, too; and they want him to sign permanently.

Benitez may be open to a sale, especially if he can add significantly to his summer budget in the process, but the least Mitrovic deserves, after proving himself in English football over the past few months, is a fresh start; he could be an asset to Newcastle, and almost certainly would be if he were able to replicate his form back in the top flight.

He didn't score in the playoffs, against Derby in the semi finals or Villa on Saturday, but the impact he has had on Fulham was still in evidence in the way he held the ball up and set the tone in attack.

When asked about his future, Mitrovic has only spoken about the World Cup, during which he will lead the line against the likes of Brazil for Serbia, and that anything beyond will be discussed afterwards; despite never hiding his affection for Newcastle, it does feel as though he will be a Fulham player next season, now that they have secured promotion.

But Newcastle made an investment of £13million when they signed him in 2015; he is just 23 years of age, so if he does leave, there will be a real sense of disappointment and failed potential. He has done everything Benitez required and deserves the chance to win back the trust of a man who has never denied his ability; he will score goals in the Premier League, whether it for Newcastle, Fulham or somebody else.

If he is to go, though, it is easy to see why; Benitez wants a certain type of player and Mitrovic has not fit that mould yet. He wanted to sign Feyenoord striker Nicolai Jorgensen in the winter, so may view a Mitrovic sale as a way of funding that.

Once he returns to pre-season training this summer, he deserves the chance to showcase the form he has found at Fulham. Brighton and West Ham were keen on him in the winter, but Benitez didn't want to aid a direct rival; he needs to be certain it is worth doing that this time before he sanctions a deal this summer.



https://www.thesportsman.com/articles/aleksandar-mitrovic-deserves-chance-to-prove-himself-again-at-newcastle

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Fulham promotion opens up £15m exit for Aleksandar Mitrovic

The Newcastle United star is likely to move away from the club this summer.

Fulham won promotion to the Premier League yesterday with a 1-0 win over Aston Villa in the Championship play-off final. The Cottagers scored in the first-half through Tom Cairney to rightfully take their place back in the top-flight of English football.

It was a tremendous performance and in the summer Fulham will be looking to bring in some new faces to help them stay in the top-flight. One of those faces, will not be necessarily new. Aleksandar Mitrovic has been brilliant for Fulham since joining on loan in January.

The Serbian striker has scored 12 goals since his arrival at Craven Cottage and will no doubt be wanted permanently at the club.

Is this good news for Newcastle United?

There has been plenty of talk regarding the Serbian's exit from St James' Park in the winter. Many fans on Tyneside are wondering whether the club should have kept him at Newcastle, considering his goal record in London.

However, it is clear that Rafa Benitez is not a fan of the player and the Spaniard certainly made things work without him.

The best thing for Newcastle right now is to sell him and ensure they bring in enough money to cover the cost of his original signing.

Fulham represent their best option to do so. Newcastle want about £15 million for the player, according to the London Evening Standard, which is the fee they paid for the Serbian in 2015.

Fulham will no doubt want to bring him to the club this summer, but would not have been able to bring him to the club had they failed to secure promotion to the Premier League.

The Cottagers can now afford the player and Mitrovic's price-tag is unlikely to be a problem with the bonus they will receive for heading into the top-flight. Newcastle must be pleased that Fulham earned promotion, as it will allow them the best opportunity to move Mitrovic on without a major loss.



https://tbrfootball.com/fulham-promotion-opens-15m-exit-aleksandar-mitrovic/

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Fulham: Slavisa Jokanovic to stick with passing game in Premier League

Slavisa Jokanovic is the first manager from outside the British Isles to win two promotions to the Premier League

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic believes his side can keep playing their passing game in the Premier League next season, but is aware he will need to bolster his squad this summer.

The Whites sealed promotion by beating Aston Villa 1-0 in the Championship play-off final at Wembley on Saturday.

"We believe we can play this way," he said. "We must show ambition but we must know that next season we will probably not win as many games as at this level.

"In general, we must try to dominate the teams we believe we can dominate against."

Recruitment will be key for the Whites, who had five loanees in their matchday squad against Villa - while right-back Ryan Fredericks has yet to agree a new contract at Craven Cottage.

"Credit to my players, because many of them will be Premier League players next year," added Serb Jokanovic.

"We must be brave and strong to build something a little bit different. To show ambition, we're going to need to show the money too."

After masterminding Fulham's rise up the table and eventual promotion following his appointment in December 2015, Jokanovic will know Fulham will have to adapt back into life in the Premier League following a four-year absence from the England's top flight.

Players praise Jokanovic
Fulham have won admirers for their style of play over the past two seasons, and 49-year-old Jokanovic has become the first manager from outside the British Isles to win two promotions to the Premier League, adding to his success with Watford in 2014-15.

The Cottagers finished third in the table this season after their 23-match unbeaten run came to an end on the final day of the campaign - and Serbia striker Aleksandar Mitrovic paid tribute to his compatriot after their success under the arch in north London.

"He made a system that every player enjoys and feels comfortable playing in," the on-loan Newcastle man told BBC Sport.

"We have played unbelievable football this season and Slavisa and his staff did an unbelievable job."

Mitrovic was an integral part of Fulham's bid for automatic promotion after joining in January

Fredericks, who says his future is "up to people behind the scenes", added: "We were saying before the game that we only knew how to play one way.

"If we bottled it and tried to play a different way we would have lost the game. To play our style on the highest occasion is credit to the manager.

"The way he sets us up gives us the freedom to play and the lads that are out there are brave on the ball."

Holding on to players
Promotion means Fulham are far more likely to keep hold of their crown jewels, captain Tom Cairney and winger Ryan Sessegnon, who may have been prised away from south west London if the Whites had missed out on promotion.

Both have attracted interest from Premier League sides but Scotland international Cairney, who scored the winner at Wembley, has decided to stay with the Cottagers, while 18-year-old Sessegnon has previously stated his desire to play for the Whites in the top flight.

Fulham will certainly be interested in a permanent move for Mitrovic, after the 23-year-old provided a focal point to their attack and contributed 12 goals in 20 appearances following his January switch.

Teenager Sessegnon and Cairney were both nominated for the EFL's Championship Player of the Year award, which Sessegnon won

"I came to a team who played the football that is really good for me and my ability," he said.

"Credit to my team-mates, the staff and the club because they gave me a lot of support from the first minute I came here. They trusted me and I feel like I have been here a few years, not a few months."

Centre-back Tim Ream told BBC Radio London: "We know there will be changes as that happens every season.

"But this team wanted to at least give ourselves a chance to play together in the Premier League."

Odoi's relief as Whites hold on
Centre-back Denis Odoi was probably the most thankful man inside Wembley at the full-time whistle on Saturday, as his sending-off with 20 minutes remaining meant the Cottagers had to soak up pressure in the closing stages.

"It was so unfortunate but I am so relieved," the 30-year-old Belgian told BBC Radio London.

"I think anybody in my place would worry about a negative outcome. Getting sent off sucked."

Tomas Kalas, who has spent the past two seasons on loan at Fulham from Chelsea, was thrown on for the final 13 minutes as they sought to see the game out.

"It wasn't much about football, it was about the team spirit and the way we handled it towards the end was superb," said the Czech defender.

"All together the quality, team spirit and everything came at the right time and that is why we won."

Belgian defender Odoi got a great view of Fulham's post-match celebrations by climbing onto a crossbar at Wembley

Goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli was in the thick of the celebrations at the end of the game, picking up a smoke bomb and celebrating in front of the Fulham fans with it while his team-mates streaked across the pitch and enjoyed a pile-on by the goalline.

"We went into the second half and said it would be tough as Villa would throw the whole kitchen sink at us," said the 26-year-old.

"We had another mountain to climb when Denis got sent off but we have had loads of those this season.

"We stayed strong, resolute and determined and got there in the end.

"We had one aim this season and Slavisa has taken us back to the Premier League - where we belong."



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44271986

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Fulham facing decisions over crucial loanees ahead of Premier League return

LONDON (Reuters) - After sealing their Premier League return with a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa in the Championship playoff final on Saturday, Fulham's attention will already be turning to next season, with the future of several loanees uncertain.

All three of the clubs promoted in 2017 survived relegation this past season for only the third time in Premier League history.

While Brighton & Hove Albion, Huddersfield Town and Newcastle United did so by strengthening their squads in the transfer market, they still preserved a core group of players who had served them so well the previous season.

Brighton, for example, kept faith with veteran striker Glenn Murray after his 23 goals played a major part in their elevation to the Premier League for the first time, before then firing 12 goals in the top flight to steer them to safety.

Fulham's attacking figurehead as they finished this season in such stunning form — losing just two league games in 2018 — was Aleksandar Mitrovic, who is on loan from Newcastle.

Mitrovic fell out of favour there, but has rejuvenated himself at Fulham and certainly did not rule out a stay at Craven Cottage in the aftermath of Saturday's win.

"I am really happy here," Mitrovic told Sky Sports. "I had the best three and a half, four months of my career. We will see what happens."

The Serbia international is not the only key figure on loan at the club. Southampton full-back Matt Targett has been an ever-present in the Fulham side since joining on loan in January.

There are also Chelsea duo Tomas Kalas and Lucas Piazon, who have been on loan at Fulham for two seasons, making more than 120 appearances between them in that time, while Liverpool's Sheyi Ojo and Brighton's Oliver Norwood have made telling contributions this past campaign.

Targett is another who has expressed a desire to stay, while the fact Chelsea cannot loan more than one player to the same Premier League club means Kalas and Piazon would have to be signed permanently.

Fulham were the top goalscorers from open play in the Championship this past season, playing an exciting brand of football.

"We believe we can play this way," manager Slavisa Jokanovic said after the Wembley win.

Employing similar adventurousness in the Premier League will require additional talent, but adopting the lesson of the clubs from 2017 and sticking with a nucleus of the promotion team could be the most sensible approach.

(This version of the story was corrected to add Jokanovic's first name)



https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-england-ful-loanees/fulham-facing-decisions-over-crucial-loanees-ahead-of-premier-league-return-idUKKCN1IS0QK?rpc=401&;

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Fulham Looking To Make A Move For 20 Y/O French Midfield Ace: Contingency Plan For Jokanovic?

Fulham, once an admirable English force, had years of struggle before being demoted to the second tier back in 2014. There they had a couple of dreadful campaigns as well. However, the appointment of Slavisa Jokanovic as their new boss did the trick who sensationally uplifted them to grab the final promotional playoff spot in his very first season in charge.

Although they failed to earn a promotion that term, the Cottagers looked like a rejuvenated force with promises of a better 2017-18 season. And they did not disappoint – the London outfit made it to the playoffs once again and defeated Derby County in the semis (over two legs) followed by a 1-0 win against Aston Villa in the Wembley final which saw them returning to the Premier League after four years.

Fulham, meanwhile, will have a busy summer to enhance the quality of the squad to cope up with Premier League challenge and as per reports from French outlet L'Equipe, they are keen on Auxerre youngster Lamine Fomba who will be entering the final year of his contract next month. The 20-year-old former French U18 international made six senior appearances this term for the Ligue 2 outfit and made two assists in due course.

Jokanovic, who has developed so many youngsters during his managerial tenure, seems to have scouted a new name to strengthen his midfield and Fomba, the young central midfielder, is likely to experience Premier League football in the upcoming campaign. He was previously linked to a move to Tottenham Hotspur but opted to sign his first professional contract for the French outfit.

The Cottagers have an array of central midfield options like Tom Cairney, Kevin McDonald and Stefan Johansen who were massive in their promotion. But Ibrahima Cisse, the summer signing from Standard Liege failed to earn a place in Fulham midfield. Oliver Norwood is set to return to his parent club Brighton & Hove Albion upon completion of his season-long loan spell, therefore, leaving the midfield quite shallow for Premier League football.

Fomba holds a strong physical presence and loves to operate in a 'number six' role as a deep-lying playmaker. He shields the defence, blocks opponent's moves and tries to build the game up from a deeper role in the middle of the park.

He is not expected to start games if a move takes place, however, his presence will indeed add values to the bench which lack enough options for a long season ahead. Jokanovic is tipped to add more established names in midfield later this window but a promising prodigy like Fomba holds a glaring future if groomed properly and handed senior minutes to exhibit his quality.



http://the4thofficial.net/2018/05/fulham-looking-make-move-20-yo-french-midfield-ace-contingency-plan-jokanovic/

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Ryan Sessegnon wants to stay at Fulham after Premier League promotion, says Slavisa Jokanovic


Target | Ryan Sessegnon is reportedly of interest to a number of teams, including Tottenham (Action Images via Reuters)

Ryan Sessegnon wants to stay at Fulham after earning promotion to the Premier League, according to his manager Slavisa Jokanovic.

Sessegnon is the target of interest from a host of Europe's top sides, with Tottenham at the front of a queue that includes Manchester United, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

The 18-year-old, who was named the Championship player of the season after scoring 15 goals and providing six assists for Fulham, has made no secret of his desire to play in the top flight but ensured he can do so with the side he joined at eight years of age by laying on Tom Cairney's winner as the Cottagers beat Aston Villa 1-0 in Saturday's play-off final.

Promotion may not be enough to quell speculation around Sessegnon's future but it has certainly put his manager's mind to rest.

"What I know about him is he's really happy where he is now," Jokanovic said. "I'm satisfied and happy with him.

"I cannot give you a complete guarantee. What I prefer to say is I know he wants to stay with us."

Victory over Villa was the culmination of a remarkable second half of the season for Fulham. Having begun the campaign among the favourites for promotion they struggled to overcome the hangover from a play-off semi-final defeat to Reading and, coupled with a knee injury to Cairney, found themselves marooned in 17th position in late November.

A decisive January transfer window helped draw them back into contention, with the recruitment of Newcastle loanee Aleksandar Mitrovic, who scored 12 goals in 19 games, and left-back Matt Targett particularly important components in the Cottagers' promotion march.

Jokanovic wants to see a similarly ambitious approach to Fulham's summer business and the addition of more players with experience of the top flight to establish a secure berth for his side.

He told Standard Sport: "Can we do more than just fight against relegation? It depends on what kind of ambition we show.

"This is simple. Next year in the Premier League we need to be brave, to make investment and spend money to survive or to make more important steps. It's not complicated.

"It's a different level and we must push ourselves. These players deserve credit, they've done a fantastic job. Many of these players will be Premier League players next season because they deserve it.

"But we must be serious enough to know we must be more aggressive and show more desire. [We need] players who know what it's like to play at Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge."



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/ryan-sessegnon-wants-to-stay-at-fulham-after-premier-league-promotion-says-slavisa-jokanovic-a3849246.html

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Slavisa Jokanovic in prime position to enhance Fulham's playing options

Craven Cottage in need of more variations as club prepare for top-flight football after four years in the Championship

Slavisa Jokanovic opted for some sporting cross‑pollination when asked whether, after two and a half years of battles won and lost, Fulham's promotion from the Championship felt especially sweet. "Like in tennis, we lost one match point," he said. "But today we smashed the second match point. We are a Premier League team."

They are, and Jokanovic could feel welcome to all the emphatic language he liked. A double-fault would have been crushing for Fulham, whose charge towards automatic promotion blew up against Birmingham on a hard, well‑grown pitch that perplexed their players and seemed to have laid bare a soft underbelly. Instead their manager can reflect on deserved victory over forces that had at one stage cast his tenure into doubt and could sense that, having so successfully got his own way once, he has enough credit built up to get it again.

"I prefer not so much to think about bad things, about problems," Jokanovic, palpably in celebration mode as a beery, bubbly, bouncing Fulham dressing room cavorted a few metres away, said after it was suggested that victory at Wembley against Aston Villa may have brought a sense of vindication.

Relations within Fulham were strained while Jokanovic was under the leash of Craig Kline's algorithm‑based transfer policy, a situation that ended with Kline's departure in October. The Serb was duly allowed to sign Matt Targett and Aleksandar Mitrovic on loan during the January transfer window and it is doubtful, particularly given the latter's 12-goal return, whether he would be disposed to quite such sanguine thinking now if those deals had not been completed.

Further internal power struggles would be a damaging distraction before a top-flight season in which, given calm waters, there is little reason to expect Fulham should struggle. Their owner, Shahid Khan, strode jauntily – it would be too easy to say "proprietorially" – out of the stadium he fancies buying but the serious business will soon start again and Jokanovic should start talks over transfer strategy from a commanding position.

"It depends what kind of ambition we are going to show, this is simple," he said of Fulham's prospects for 2018-19. "Next year we're going to be in the Premier League, not competing in the Championship. We need to be brave, we need to make investment, we need to spend money to survive or to make a more important step. It's not so complicated to understand."

Khan will, presumably, hear that at closer quarters soon and Jokanovic's cause may be strengthened given that his own capabilities have not gone unnoticed elsewhere. An earlier link with Chelsea may have been dismissed but the idea was not completely outrageous and it would be folly to risk things coming apart at the seams now.

"It's probably the best football of my career," Mitrovic said before leaving Wembley. "Of course I will be happy to stay at Fulham but we will see what happens and we will speak to my agent and other clubs."

Jokanovic will expect to agree a permanent deal with Newcastle for his countryman for starters and will also hope Ryan Sessegnon – "I prefer to stay with him and what I know is that the kid wants to stay too," he said – is induced to stay another year before his inevitable progression to a Champions League club.

For Villa these must seem first‑world problems now. Steve Bruce, ashen-faced afterwards and clearly ready for a break after a traumatic six months, will almost certainly have to rebuild in their third and final year of parachute payments. Jack Grealish, the best player on the pitch against Fulham despite seeing the artist‑artisan balance tilted firmly against his side, asked Villa's press officer to shield him from the media as he walked through the mixed zone and it would be a leap of faith to predict him talking as their player again.

John Terry is out of contract and the outstanding loan goalkeeper Sam Johnstone will surely find a top‑tier club to sign him permanently from Manchester United while Alan Hutton, Mile Jedinak and James Chester are all creaking. From Championship big guns upon their relegation in 2016 they face a battle to avoid flailing among the many also-rans who have fading memories of glories past.

"You have to get together and go again next season," their left-back Ahmed Elmohamady said. Exactly how many of them do remains to be seen; the same question may be asked of Fulham but, when his next test of wills comes around, Jokanovic should have a crashing overhead volley up his sleeve.



https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/may/27/slavisa-jokanovic-fulham-options-craven-cottage-promotion-premier-league

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Mitrovic happy to stay at Fulham after promotion to the Premier League

The loan star helped kick start his side's surge to the top flight of English football and he is keen to stay in west London

Aleksandar Mitrovic has admitted that he would happily leave Newcastle United to move to Fulham permanently after helping his side get promoted to the Premier League in the Championship play-off final.

The Serbia international joined the Cottagers on loan in January and his 12 league goals in 16 starts were instrumental to helping his side to a 23-match unbeaten run.

Mitrovic, whose loan deal expires at the end of June, was delighted with his side's 1-0 victory over Aston Villa, and hinted that he would be interested in a long-term move to west London after triumphing in 2017-18.



http://www.goal.com/en/news/mitrovic-happy-to-stay-at-fulham-after-promotion-to-the/14qw689kuz5qp1unnd1m7432ut

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Ryan Fredericks: 'I can achieve my ambitions with Fulham'

Out-of-contract Fulham full-back Ryan Fredericks has suggested that he wants to stay at the club following their promotion to the Premier League.

The 25-year-old, named in the Championship Team of the Year, is reportedly on the radar of a number of top-flight clubs after allowing his contract to run down at Craven Cottage.

Victory against Aston Villa in Saturday's playoff final appears to have tempted Fredericks into agreeing fresh terms, however, as he believes that he can achieve his ambitions at Craven Cottage.

"It's up to the people behind the scenes but I'm sure everyone will want to stay and play at the highest level with Fulham and see what we can achieve," he told reporters.

"Can this club allow me to fulfil my ambitions? Of course. You look at the players we're attracting, like Aleksandar Mitrovic, we've already got Premier League players in the Championship so I'm sure we're going to build again and have many years in the Premier League.

"We can achieve a lot. We're not just going to go there and be one-season wonder. We want to keep the club in the Premier League as long as possible. It's a Premier League team.

"We didn't want to come out here and have a good day at Wembley. We wanted to come out and show what we're about. That's what we did. We did ourselves proud."

Crystal Palace, Arsenal and West Ham United are among the sides that could still pounce for Fredericks.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/transfer-talk/news/ryan-fredericks-hints-at-fulham-stay_326985.html

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Now splash the cash: Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic calls on Shahid Khan to show ambition in top flight

    Slavisa Jokanovic wasted no time in telling Shahid Khan he'll need to spend
    Jokanovic told press Fulham will only survive in the Premier League if they buy
    He's earned the right to make demands after incredible two and a half seasons
    They will also need to ensure Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon stay

After the romance of promotion came the dance of club politics. Slavisa Jokanovic walked into a Wembley corridor on Saturday night smelling of a champagne crossfire and he left having sprayed a message of his own.

It was whispered in its delivery, but in its proximity to the final whistle it was as quick as a Ryan Sessegnon run and about as precise as the teenager's pass to set up Tom Cairney's £170million winner as well. Investment, he said. Show me the money and give us a fighting chance next season.

Funny thing is, the conversation at that moment wasn't even about spending plans. In the first instance, this impressive Serbian manager was asked if Fulham could surprise a few folk in the Premier League, just as they had in the Championship.


Slavisa Jokanovic has urged Fulham owner Shahid Khan to spend on transfers this summer

'It depends what kind of ambition we are going to show, this is simple,' he said.

Stall set, now for the sell to the club's owner, Shahid Khan.

'Next year we're going to be in the Premier League,' he continued. 'We need to be brave, we need to make investment, we need to spend money to survive. It's not so complicated to understand.'

At that point there was an attempt among his questioners to steer back to on-field matters, to the subject of whether Fulham will be brave enough to play such an entertaining style in the top flight. But Jokanovic was on a mission.

'We've showed we can play in the Championship this way and different clubs have shown they can play that way in the Premier League too,' he said.

'We're going to try, but it depends what kind of ambition we're going to show. It's the choice of the board.'

Not much hanging around these days between getting it done and getting it lined up. But that is the manager-owner tango. And in Jokanovic, it really must be stressed, Fulham have a manager who has earned the right to get what he wants this summer.

Use an eight-month slice of 2015 as a starting point on that thought — he ensured in the April that Watford would be promoted to the Premier League, left in June when he felt he was being offered half of the lowest manager wage in the top flight, took Maccabi Tel Aviv into the group stages of the Champions League for the first time in 11 years and then arrived that December at Fulham, 18th in the Championship.

The plan was to stay up and grow; the reality is that in his two-and-a-half seasons, they have survived a relegation fight and twice reached the play-offs, with this one landing them the loot.

Whereas one Khan manager in Felix Magath rubbed cheese on injured players, now he has one who has his club back among the cream of British football.

They have done it playing in a way that saw Neil Warnock label Fulham 'the Manchester City of the Championship', and using a squad built on a net spend of just £3m this season.


Fulham will need to spend more than they did on their £3m net spend squad to survive

All that despite a long-running ruckus between Jokanovic and a now-departed statistics obsessive in the recruitment department that culminated in police coming to Fulham's Motspur Park base last November. It has been an adventure, really.

The hope now is that they will have the courage to retain their toe-to-toe identity and stick with it, irrespective of thrashings that inevitably happen to all newly promoted sides.

Swansea and Bournemouth have proved in the past seven years that there is still merit in the thought that a smaller club can go up and pass their way out of trouble, and in truth they do not have time to reinvent their wheel.

What Fulham have in their favour are two inventive players in Sessegnon and Cairney who, by any measure, are Premier League ready. But part of Jokanovic's work this summer will involve ensuring they stay.

Cairney most likely will and of Sessegnon, a Tottenham target, Jokanovic said: 'What I know about him is that he is really happy. He wants to stay.'


It will be just as much about keeping stars like Ryan Sessegnon as it will be signing new faces

From there, he will need money to improve the contracts and then more money to thicken a thin squad, with a figure of six or seven players mentioned privately, preferably with Premier League experience.

As a point of priority, they should make Aleksandar Mitrovic's loan from Newcastle permanent. His 12 goals since January were a massive part of their recovery from a bad start to the season and the striker is clearly open to staying.

'It's been an unbelievable four months for me,' Mitrovic said. 'Of course I will be happy to stay but we will see what happens.'

So, over to Khan and his wallet. He has work to do and a blunt request ringing in his ears.

But he also has another point of business, which was glossed over on Saturday night. And that is the subject of Jokanovic's own future — he has a year left on his contract.

It really would be bonkers if a second promoted club took him for granted.



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Tom Cairney expects promotion to help Fulham keep their best players

Tom Cairney says he cannot wait to lead Fulham into the Premier League following a play-off final win and the captain believes the club will keep the team together.

Cairney, 27, had attracted interest from West Ham in January, while the likes of 18-year-old Ryan Sessegnon and attacking full-back Ryan Fredericks have also been linked with moves away from Craven Cottage.

The Fulham skipper believes promotion to the top flight, via a 1-0 win over Aston Villa in the play-off final, strengthens the Whites' position in the transfer market and hopes of retaining some loan players, too.

"I signed a contract extension last summer - I believed in what we're doing here," said Cairney.

"I believed in the way we play, and the manager has put a lot of faith in me. I've tried to repay him the best I can, and I think I did that today.

"I think people were coming to the end of their contracts and stuff.

"But I think this team being in the Premier League, based in London, I think it's an attractive club and I think it keeps the team together.

"I think that's why I said we needed to win today."

Cairney, unsurprisingly, called Saturday's win the highlight of a career he expects to continue for some time yet.

"I am 27 years old," he continued. "I want to play football.

"Yeah, the next few years are probably going to be my prime and whatever.

"To be honest, I feel like I will get better as I get older. I am not exactly going to lose pace - do you know what I mean?

"I am getting more and more experiences the more I play. I understand my position.

"I have got a lot of responsibly in this team and I try and make us play."



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11387831/tom-cairney-expects-promotion-to-help-fulham-keep-their-best-players

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Fulham's scintillating football set to invigorate Premier League
Victory for Jokanovic's side could be worth up to £280m if they stay up next season

The deafening sound as Fulham celebrated promotion under the Wembley arch gave a whole new meaning to white noise, for Slavisa Jokanovic's slow-burning, swaggering side had finally got over the line.

A couple of months ago, Jokanovic had insisted that dreams were to be had in the bedroom but he woke with his team triumphant and many topless at the end of Fulham's first game at the national stadium since 1975.

His players, showered in gold confetti, guzzled champagne as they bounced on a hastily erected stage still feeling the effects of the mass pile-on at full-time.

The often ice-cool Jokanovic erupted with joy, thumped the air with both fists, later hoisting the trophy airborne while Shahid Khan, the Fulham owner intent on buying Wembley for £900m, puffed his cheeks.

Victory was theirs, Wembley possibly his. Khan, who is worth around £7bn, moved from Pakistan to the United States with $500 in his pocket and here Fulham exited with a jackpot that could be worth £280m if they stay up next season.

For now, as Jokanovic said when asked about the future of Ryan Sessegnon and retaining on-loan striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, it is all about enjoying what his attacking team have achieved.

This fearless, rip-roaring Fulham team, along with the champions Wolverhampton Wanderers, will reinvigorate a Premier League that has grown a little tired and musty. Promotion is vindication for the glorious front-foot manner in which Fulham have flummoxed countless teams this season. They will do the same next season but they are not naive.

"We must try to dominate against teams we think we can but we must be realistic in the future," Jokanovic said.

The risk, as typified by Denis Odoi's wild kick on Jack Grealish to pick up his second yellow card, is that they can sometimes overindulge but they are mightily good fun. Tom Cairney, the twinkling Fulham captain, just about held back the tears in interviews pitch-side.

"After we missed out on promotion last season, a lot of people wrote us off," he said. "We got a lot of stick. But football won today. Football won."

Ryan Sessegnon set up Tom Cairney for the only goal of the Championship play-off final with a brilliant assist.

Cairney harnessed his role not only as the team's protagonist but its artist too – probing, prowling, twirling away from challenges, stroking passes across the canvas and, ultimately, adding that all-important finishing touch.

Before Cairney slotted home, time appeared to stand still as he readied himself to meet Sessegnon's cute, weighted ball. For a team that froze on the final day of the regular Championship season, in turn forcing them into the play-offs, they displayed enormous steel, fight, and plenty of personality here.

Soft underbelly
Much of the talk in the build¨ up to this match had revolved around Villa's big-game experience yet Fulham showed they have anything but a soft underbelly.

They were perfectly capable of time-wasting and utilising other dark arts, just like the rest of them. Mitrovic, one of three key January signings, put in another classy performance too, summed up by a sublime touch to control Tim Ream's pass.

How other clubs must wish they had pushed the boat out as Fulham, then languishing in mid-table, did to land Mitrovic from Newcastle United, as well as Matt Targett from Southampton.

Any worry that Fulham would buckle at the thought of the occasion or wilt under pressure evaporated.

"We must adapt ourselves and know what is ahead; we must know it is the Premier League, the best and most competitive league," Jokanovic said. "We must adapt and be clever, we must not make one step back. To show ambition we are going to need to show the money too."

Sessegnon, who turned 18 this month, has been rightly lavished with praise all season. Yet on the opposite flank, Ryan Fredericks was again mightily impressive, with both occasionally helping out the other to double up on Albert Adomah and Robert Snodgrass. Between them, they gladly hoovered up danger and it was only Grealish, the dancing Villa playmaker who Fulham failed to mute. His bewitching second-half surge upfield did deserve to finish with the ball rippling the net.

Other than that, Villa asked few questions, by which point Fulham had answered all those thrown at them. The exciting thing is the project Jokanovic referenced in his post-match comments is just beginning for this Fulham side.

- Guardian



https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/english-soccer/fulham-s-scintillating-football-set-to-invigorate-premier-league-1.3510581