Monday Fulham Stuff (04/06/18)...

[WhiteJC]

Fulham keen on Wilshere
by Dan on June 3, 2018

Fulham are interested in signing England midfielder Jack Wilshere on a free transfer should he decided to leave Arsenal, according to a report in the Daily Star.

The 26 year-old's contract expires at the end of the month and it remains to be seen whether new Arsenal boss Unai Emery will be keen to keep Wilshere at the Emirates. The creative midfielder has made 197 first-team appearances in his decade with the Gunners, but has been troubled by a succession of injuries lately that scuppered his bid to make Gareth Southgate's England squad for the World Cup in Russia.

Fulham would face stiff competition to land Wilshere with the new West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini eager to bring the midfielder to east London. Pellegrini has been a long-term admirer of Wilshere's ability, having previously tried to sign him for Manchester City during the Chilean's previous spell in English football, and the Hammers would have the resources to put together an attractive wage package.

There are no shortage of suitors for the talented midfielder, however, and the Star suggests that Fulham would be joined in the hunt for the free agent by the likes of Everton, Crystal Palace, Newcastle and Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Whites might old a trump card by virtue of their London location, but the possibility of any deal rests on whether Wilshere ultimately looks for pastures new at the end of the month.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/06/fulham-keen-on-wilshere/

[WhiteJC]

 
Man Utd transfer news: Ryan Sessegnon move plotted but he prefers Liverpool switch
MANCHESTER UNITED are plotting a £50million move for Fulham wonderkid Ryan Sessegnon.

United are ready to test Fulham's resolve despite the play-off winners' insistence their star man is going nowhere, according to The Sun.

But Express Sport understands Sessegnon would prefer to move to Liverpool - if he does quit Fulham this summer.

Sources close to the 18-year-old say he is not desperate to leave Fulham but grew up supporting Liverpool and he remains a big fan.

Sessegnon, who has also interested Tottenham, scored 16 goals and made seven assists to win the Championship Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season awards at the EFL awards.


Man Utd transfer news: United are plotting a move for Ryan Sessegnon

Fulham owner Shahid Khan has vowed not to sell Sessegnon this summer after winning promotion to the Premier League.

"We don't want Sessegnon leaving," Khan told The Times.

"I don't think he wants to go. He's going to be at Fulham for the coming year, leading us into the Premier League.

"Frankly, if we had not been promoted, well, we have a responsibility to our players. He's been there since he was eight.

"We want to do the right thing for him and he is Fulham through and through."

"If a club pays a ridiculous fee [for Sessegnon] he's not going to be breaking into their starting XI so he will be at Fulham next year; what the terms are I don't know."



https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/968721/Man-Utd-transfer-news-Ryan-Sessegnon-Liverpool

[WhiteJC]

 
Report: Chelsea holding talks with Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic

Chelsea have reportedly been holding talks with Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic over the prospect of taking the reins at Stamford Bridge.

Current Blues boss Antonio Conte has been tipped to leave the club this summer following a mediocre Premier League season and failure to secure Champions League football.

Jokanovic, meanwhile, earned his second promotion to the top flight last month when his Cottagers beat Aston Villa in the playoff final, having previously gone up with Watford in 2015.

Fulham went from 12th in the table to a third-place finish via a 23-game unbeaten run in the second half of the 2017-18 season, which has reportedly impressed the Chelsea hierarchy.

According to respected Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Chelsea have already met with Jokanovic following his exploits with Fulham last term.

The report goes on to claim that Blues owner Roman Abramovich is fond of the 49-year-old and the fact that he also speaks Russian is seen as a bonus.

However, Di Marzio adds that at least one more meeting will be held with Jokanovic as some concerns remain over his experience.

The Serb also spent two seasons at Chelsea as a player, making a total of 46 appearances.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/chelsea/news/chelsea-holding-talks-with-jokanovic_327446.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Major blow for Man Utd: Liverpool twist claimed over £50m summer target

Man Utd have reportedly been dealt a blow as it's been claimed that £50m transfer target Ryan Sessegnon would prefer a move to Liverpool.

The 18-year-old earned rave reviews this past season after scoring 16 goals and providing eight assists in 52 appearances in all competitions for Fulham.

In turn, he was integral to their promotion back to the Premier League, as they saw off Aston Villa in the playoff final at Wembley last weekend.

The Cottagers will undoubtedly be desperate to avoid losing him as he still has his entire career ahead of him having impressed so early on, but as reported by The Express, Man Utd are being linked with a £50m move for the teenager this summer.

Such a move would make perfect sense for the Red Devils, as with Luke Shaw failing to make the left-back position his own this year, Ashley Young has continued to play in an unnatural role to fill in.

While he's done a commendable job, he surely can't be considered a long-term solution and so given Sessegnon's quality and age, he could be the ideal signing for Man Utd.

Nevertheless, the Express add that the Fulham ace would prefer a move to Liverpool, the team he grew up supporting, and so if accurate, that could be a real blow for Jose Mourinho and the Man Utd hierarchy.

From Liverpool's perspective, they've arguably found their solution in that department already after Andy Robertson impressed through the second half of last season, with Alberto Moreno still available as depth for Jurgen Klopp.

It remains to be seen if the German tactician and the Reds are alerted and interested by this reported development, but United will arguably remain confident that they are still front runners given it's suggested that they're already primed to make a bid.



http://www.caughtoffside.com/2018/06/03/major-blow-for-man-utd-liverpool-twist-claimed-over-50m-summer-target/

[WhiteJC]

 
Newcastle must swoop for Johansen

OPINION

Newcastle United must poach Stefan Johansen from Fulham in this transfer window as the 27-year-old midfielder is exactly what Rafa Benitez needs.

The managerial genius, as stated by the Chronicle on May 31, is thought to want to welcome a new central midfielder to St James Park in the current window.

While no candidates for the position are listed Benitez should be looking at the recently promoted Fulham for the perfect option to take.
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Johansen, who played 49 times for the Cottagers in the 2017/18 season, would tick Benitez's box when it comes to finding a midfielder worthy of playing in the heart of his team.

Benitez reportedly was looking at raiding the Premier League new boys for Ryan Fredericks, as reported by the Chronicle,but should focus his attention on getting the speed demon's teammate instead.

While it isn't revealed what kind of central midfielder the Magpies boss is after, Johansen can do it all so there's no way that he wouldn't be able to see out Benitez's vision.

The 27-year-old scored eight goals while registering nine assists in his outings during his latest campaign, and aside from having a positive effect on a side's attack, he does the dirty work needed to succeed as well.

When the attacking Fulham were caught out it was Johansen who was there to put out the fire, calm down his teammates and get his side back on the front foot once again.

The central midfielder is strong in the tackle while also having the creative vision needed to unleash his more clinical teammates.

Johansen also, as seen in an in depth interview about his teammates and himself with The Times in May, would bring the right character traits to St James Park as well.

"I say what I think, I'm an honest guy," said the midfielder when talking about himself.

"If I think someone can play better I will tell them but if I play badly I can't say others have too, I have to lead by example. Maybe I speak too much but I don't think it's too bad a habit."

The Magpies need players who want to stand up and be counted as that will help them propel up the league, so based on his remarks in his interview it seems he fits the bill perfectly.

Johansen also has a winning mentality established from his time at Celtic where he lifted two league titles and his experience of winning silverware could prove vital to Benitez's grand vision for the Magpies.

Even though the 27-year-old chipped in with goals and assists as his main attribute seems him quietly getting on with the dirty work, he find himself wrongly overshadowed at Craven Cottage currently due to his headline-stealing teammates such as Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon.

All this means is that the Magpies should look to sign Johansen from Fulham, as the price shouldn't be too steep, as he would beautifully meet Benitez's need for a new central midfielder.



https://nothingbutnewcastle.com/2018/06/blogs/newcastle-must-swoop-for-johansen/

[WhiteJC]

 
Stats that tell you why Aleksandar Mitrovic and Newcastle United must part company

Aleksandar Mitrovic may not fit in with Rafa's ideas but these stats suggest NUFC definitely don't make a good fit for Mitro.

Aleksandar Mitrovic concluded a very successful loan spell at Fulham last weekend.

His 20 appearances for Fulham bringing 15 wins and just two defeats, with three draws.

The 20th game was the 1-0 win over Aston Villa that confirmed promotion to the Premier League.

Despite the success of this loan spell, there is little expectation, even from his biggest fans, that Mitro will stay at Newcastle.

Seemingly the only chance of that happening is if Mike Ashley puts a prohibitive price tag on the striker.

With it being 13 months since Rafa Benitez gave Aleksandar Mitrovic a league start, the Serbian international clearly doesn't fit into his plans.

Rafa has regularly indicated that it simply comes down to the former Anderlecht forward not suiting his style of play.

With these stats below, probably more to the point is the fact that Newcastle's style of play doesn't suit Mitro.

These are the stats from the official Premier League site, showing how many crosses each PL side put in last (2017/18) season:

As you can see, only two clubs put in fewer crosses than Newcastle last season.

Arsenal because it just isn't their style, whilst Stoke were just hopeless, plus Shaqiri much prefers coming inside.

At Fulham, Aleksandar Mitrovic had a constant supply from the wings, with the attacking full-backs contributing to that. The number and quality of the crosses a big factor in those 12 goals for the Newcastle loan striker.

At NUFC, Matt Ritchie often comes inside on his stronger left foot rather than going on the outside and trying to cross, on the left Dummett rarely gets forward, whilst neither Atsu or Kenedy really put in a load of crosses. DeAndre Yedlin is probably the one to most regularly try but the quality of his crossing is very up and down.

I struggle to remember many headed goals last season for Newcastle in open play, with most of the once we did see, coming at set-pieces.

Not sure whether having better quality players to put in crosses would necessarily change Rafa's mind about the striker but certainly without them, Mitro clearly isn't suited by this NUFC style of play.



https://www.themag.co.uk/2018/06/stats-tell-aleksandar-mitrovic-newcastle-united-must-part-company/

[WhiteJC]

 
Arsenal host Brighton, Chelsea face Wolves as 2018/2019 Premier League fixture list is 'leaked'

London clubs will learn their opponents on June 14 - but that hasn't stopped early speculation

It must be that time of year again.

We're just 11 days away from the Premier League's fixture list being revealed – and the supposed opening weekend fixtures have been "leaked" on social media, as reported by the Chronicle.

A formal looking sheet with the August 11 matches has Arsenal kicking off the new chapter under Unai Emery with the visit of Brighton and Hove Albion to the Emirates Stadium.

The other matches are Leicester hosting Watford, Wolves at home to Chelsea, Burnley hosting Tottenham, Liverpool at home to West Ham United, Fulham against Newcastle United and Huddersfield Town against Crystal Palace.

Although those matches would make sense in the context of the top six all avoiding each other – it was revealed earlier in the year that the Premier League ensures that none of the big games are on the opening weekend for broadcasters' purposes – it's worth taking with a humongous pinch of salt.


Image: @501FootballNews

They are totally unverified and the Premier League wouldn't comment on any supposed fixture leaks, but it certainly looks as if its the work of someone with too much time on their hands after a football-free few weeks.

Indeed the fixtures are a pretty closely guarded secret and are embargoed until the morning of June 14 – when broadcasters and media can reveal who teams have got for their opening matches. With only a few people currently in possession of them, tracing back a leak wouldn't be hard.



https://www.football.london/premier-league/2018-2019-premier-league-fixtures-14739175

[WhiteJC]

 
In Demand Fulham Ace Prefers Move To Liverpool Over Man United: Should Klopp Make A Move For Him?

English wonderkid Ryan Sessegnon is set to have a busy summer. The young left back who is just 18 years old already has a host of suitors who are interested in him. It is being reported that Jose Mourinho's Manchester United want to kick-off their summer shopping by bringing in Sessegnon and are reportedly ready to pay Fulham a staggering £50million for the teenager.

However, it is believed that Sessegnon himself would prefer a move to Merseyside giants, Liverpool instead as he has been a lifelong fan of the Reds. The player whose natural position is at left-back is one of the most exciting players in England at the moment and has a huge array of potential waiting to be unlocked.

He played 52 games for the Cottagers last season scoring 16 times and adding 8 assists despite being a defender. He has excellent ball control, brilliant crossing abilities and is a man for the big occasion as was evident in the second leg of the playoff against Derby County when he scored one and assisted the other one to complete Fulham's comeback in the match.

The youngster won the Championship Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season awards at the EFL awards and Fulham owner Shahid Khan is in no mood to lose his star player.

"We don't want Sessegnon leaving," Khan told The Times. "I don't think he wants to go. He's going to be at Fulham for the coming year, leading us into the Premier League.

"Frankly, if we had not been promoted, well, we have a responsibility to our players. He's been there since he was eight. We want to do the right thing for him and he is Fulham through and through. If a club pays a ridiculous fee [for Sessegnon] he's not going to be breaking into their starting XI so he will be at Fulham next year; what the terms are I don't know."

However, an interest from Liverpool could really turn the teenager's head and a chance to work with Jurgen Klopp might be too hard to refuse. The player is fast, tenacious, athletic and has a soft spot for the outrageous; all the characteristics needed to play under Klopp.

He will be the perfect backup to Andrew Robertson as Alberto Moreno has failed to impress. However, the only problem that will remain is that Fulham will be unwilling to sell their star player on the cheap and Klopp will be unwilling to bring in a teenager for £50million odd if he does show any interest at all.



http://the4thofficial.net/2018/06/fulham-wonderkid-prefers-liverpool-move-klopp-bring/

[WhiteJC]

 
Exclusive: Why Ryan Fredericks has rejected Fulham's contract offer and is set for West Ham move

The full-back is on the cusp of completing a move to West Ham after Fulham failed to meet his demands.

Ryan Fredericks looks set to secure a move to West Ham United after failing to agree terms on a new deal at Fulham.

According to reports in The Mirror, the full-back is set to move to the London Stadium on a long-term deal.

However, Football.London understands that the right-back rejected the offer of a new deal at Craven Cottage due to his demands of being the highest paid player at the club.

Fulham's Ryan Fredericks 'agrees deal' to join West Ham following Newcastle interest

The 25-year-old had been in discussions with Fulham since October over a new deal at the club, with his current contract expiring next month.

It was thought that Fredericks would sign a deal if the club secured promotion to the Premier League, something which they did in Saturday's Play-Off final victory over Aston Villa at Wednesday.

Speaking to the London Evening Standard, the full-back implied that a new contract could be the horizon.


Ryan Fredericks in action against Reading (Image: Harry Hubbard/Getty Images)

He said: "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.

"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."

The delay in signing a deal alerted West Ham, Newcastle and Crystal Palace to his situation, and it seems that the former has got their wish of snapping up the defender.

While the news will no doubt be a bitter blow for Fulham, they will be boosted by the strength in depth of the defensive department after signing Cyrus Christie in January.

The Republic of Ireland full-back joined from Middlesbrough, and despite struggling for first team opportunities is highly regarded by those at the club as a ready-made replacement for the seemingly outgoing Fredericks.

When approached by Football.London the football club refused to comment on the claims.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fredericks-fulham-transfers-west-ham-14729391

[WhiteJC]

 
Arsenal Midfield Star May Bid Farewell After 17 Years: Does Fulham Have A Chance To Sign Him?

Jack Wilshere joined Arsenal seventeen years ago back in 2001. He was only 9 years old when he was picked up by the Gunners scouts as a possible star for the future. While the judgment is still reserved, the player has certainly enjoyed his drama-filled career so far which has taken a new turn now this month.

Wilshere's current contract runs out at the end of this month which will make him a free agent to be scooped up by other clubs without paying a penny to Arsenal. The midfielder reportedly has a new three year deal on the table but is unwilling to sign it as it involves certain clauses that are to his disliking.

The player's contract states a term that will see him get paid based on the number of games he plays. The midfielder has had a long history with injuries that makes the clause a logical inclusion in his contract.

Wilshere broke into the first team at the age of 16 and in the last decade, he has spent a cumulative time period of four and a half years on the sidelines. While his injuries were not freak accidents and came while on duty for the club, Arsenal have had to carry a player's wages and medical expenses for ten years now without any sizable return.



The player was earmarked for greatness and that is perhaps the only reason Wilshere's career at Arsenal has been indulged for so long. To be fair to Jack, on his day, he has shown that he is a world-beater and a die-hard Gunner. He leaves everything out on the pitch and ironically, is perhaps the only Gunner you do not want to pick a fight with.

However, these days have been few in number and Wilshere might finally see an end to his Arsenal days this summer. As expected, it is being reported that he is being chased by a host of English clubs including newly promoted side Fulham, should his contract at Arsenal expire.

The Cottagers have a well-balanced side with youth and experience both available in their ranks. Their captain Tom Cairney is a class act and the central midfielder was excellent last season for Fulham. Should the London club sign Jack Wilshere, he and Cairney will form a formidable partnership in the middle of the park. However, such hopes remain fragile as Fulham may find it tough to afford Wilshere's wages or even beat the other more prominent clubs to his signature in the first place.



http://the4thofficial.net/2018/06/arsenal-midfield-star-may-bid-farewell-17-years-fulham-chance-sign/

[WhiteJC]

 
'Announce relegation!' - Chelsea fans angry as club reportedly open talks with Slavisa Jokanovic

Chelsea news takes a look a fan reaction to reports Slavisa Jokanovic has reportedly entered talks about replacing Antonio Conte

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic has reportedly entered talks about becoming Chelsea's next manager.

The former Blues player has done a fantastic job at Craven Cottage and guided the club back into the Premier League for the first time since 2014 with victory over Aston Villa in the Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium last month thanks to Tom Cairney's first-half strike.

And his accomplishment hasn't gone unnoticed.

The Cottagers' west London rivals are set for yet another managerial change this summer with Antonio Conte expected to be making way Jokanovic's name has been linked as a possible replacement.

Prior to the play-off clash, the 49-year-old played down speculation of a move to Stamford Bridge: "I have enough of an important job with this moment to think about this kind of situation," he said. "It is my only commitment and I am only thinking about the final and I don't have time to be thinking about different things."


Slavisa Jokanovic (Image: Clive Mason/Getty Images)

However, according to Goal, the former Blues midfielder is now in talks over a surprise return.

It's understood that Chelsea have turned their attentions to the Fulham boss after talks with Maurizio Sarri broke down due to contractual issues with Napoli.

The Italian tactician departed the Stadio San Paolo at the end of the 2017-18 season - and has since been replaced by Carlo Ancelotti - but is still tied contractually to the Serie A runners-up.

Furthermore, the report states that the Jokanovic is one of the leading candidates to replace Conte, with former Paris Saint-Germain manager Laurent Blanc having also entered preliminary talks.

As expected this news has garnered a strong reaction from fans on social media.



https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/jokanovic-next-chelsea-manager-sarri-14739318

[WhiteJC]

 
Wilfried Zaha should be an example to wonderkid Sessegnon

Fulham will worry over losing Ryan Sessegnon this summer but the teenager should look at Crystal Palace man before making his big decision.

At just 18-years-old, Ryan Sessegnon finds himself as one of the most in-demand players in the country this summer after his incredible breakthrough for Fulham.

16 goals and eight assists from someone who only reached adulthood last month is undeniably spectacular and his performances earned him five awards at the EFL awards, including Championship Player of the Year.

And so it's perfectly understandable that the likes of Tottenham are interested in Sessegnon - even if their hopes were dented by Fulham's promotion to the Premier League.

Sessegnon will surely be tempted by the links - even Paris Saint-Germain were reported to show interest, according to The Times last month - but one look at the career of Wilfried Zaha should make him think twice about jumping too soon.

Zaha enjoyed a fantastic 'final' season with Crystal Palace in 2012/13. The winger was named in the Championship Team of the Season and won the Young Player of the Year award before securing Premier League promotion via the Play-Offs, much like Sessegnon.

It earned him a move to Manchester United but he was never given the platform to progress, playing just a couple of Premier League matches there before getting on the first train back to Palace a year later.

The move halted his career and Zaha went from being in the England side at the time of his move to only playing international football again when he committed to Ivory Coast in 2016.

Years of steady progress back at Palace, however, have seen Zaha develop into one of the most exciting players in the Premier League and rumours of a big move to a top six side seem a lot safer for the 26-year-old.

It's something to think about for Sessegnon. He's developing sensationally well at Fulham - leaving an environment like that is a far bigger risk than it seems, and often not a necessary one.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/06/03/ac-wilfried-zaha-should-be-an-example-to-wonderkid-sessegnon/

[WhiteJC]

 
3 Replacements For Sensational Defensive Ace At Fulham Including This Out Of Favour Chelsea Ace!

Fulham might finally have to let up on their fight to keep Ryan Sessegnon as Manchester United readies up a massive £50m bid. The teenager has been wooed by a number of Premier League outfits but the Red Devils now have the upper hand with their war chest of a transfer budget.

Plenty of sides from all over Europe have boarded the hype train but demand for the player started rising significantly since he got named the 2017/18 EFL Championship Player Of The Season and the Young Player Of The Season.

The Whites might have earned themselves a place in the English top-flight but will find it hard to hold on to their wonderkid for too long. The 18-year-old prodigy played a key role in their fight for promotion last term, contributing with 16 goals and 8 assists.

He is versatile on the left flank and already has the composure and maturity of seasoned professional. Not sure how Fulham will go around trying to replace the 30-cap England youth international but they will have to try if they plan on staying in the Premier League beyond just one season.

It is not a question of if, it certainly is a question of when Sessegnon will make his way out of Craven Cottage. If he leaves as soon as this very summer, here are a few candidates the Lillywhites should look into as a possible replacement.

Charly Musonda

A flop at Chelsea and at Celtic but not by any means short of talent. The Belgian has faced an unfortunate season. First on the benches at Stamford Bridge then a stressful period with the Scottish outfit.



The Blues are ready to recall him from Glasgow and send him out somewhere else. They might not mind selling him, given the right price. Musonda is still only 21 and has bags of skill under his boots.

He is willing to prove his worth and has a solid shot at doing so with the Cottagers. The 5 feet 8-inch man can take on the left wing and deliver if given the freedom to express himself.

Josha Vagnoman

Another teenage sensation to hail from the Bundesliga ranks of Hamburger SV who fits the similar role as Sessegnon. He can play on either side of the pitch and has the technical abilities to be impactful in the attack.

Faitout Maouassa

Like Sessegnon, he too can appear from the left-back position but is much better suited to the offensive end of the pitch. The 19-year-old played in 22 games for Rennes the last term and delivered 3 assists.



http://the4thofficial.net/2018/06/3-replacements-sensational-defensive-ace-fulham-including-favour-chelsea-ace/

[WhiteJC]

Chelsea 'in talks' with Fulham head coach Slaviša Jokanović — report
Plan B from the neighborhood

As often as the idea of a former player coming back to manage Chelsea is bandied about, it very rarely involves a certain Slaviša Jokanović, he of two years, 53 appearances, and zero goals in total for the club. In fact, when Jokanović was released in 2002, just three months before his eventual retirement, Chelsea felt it necessary to point out in the official announcement that he was a valuable member of the team, almost like a player-coach, despite fan reaction to the contrary.

    "He wasn't the most popular player with the fans but his input was always appreciated by the staff and players."

    -source: BBC, July 2002

He may not have been Lampard, Terry, Zola, Drogba, or Ballack in terms of accomplishments or fan rapport during his days at Stamford Bridge, but Jokanović has since turned those valuable "inputs" into actual success as a football manager. In his brief, barely a decade-old career, he's already won titles in his native Serbia (the Double with Partizan Belgrade, launching Stevan Jovetić's career) and Thailand (going undefeated) and promotion from the Championship to the Premier League with two different teams (Watford and, just now, Fulham). It's not Conte-levels of winning, but he's not quite had the same opportunities as yet.

Could Chelsea provide him with his first such big opportunity? He would certainly fit the profile of someone outside the tried and true big names whom Chelsea may be avoiding this time around.

Yesterday, Gianluca Di Marzio reported that Chelsea had met with Jokanović once already and were due for "more talks" this weekend. A similar report now comes from Goal's man on the Chelsea beat, Nizaar Kinsella, saying that the Blues are "in talks" with the 49-year-old. So that fits into a coherent rumor.

Kinsella's report does run contrary to the other story that surfaced this weekend, that Luis Enrique is back in the picture as well, saying that the former Barcelona head coach actually isn't interested in a return to management yet. Perhaps that has something to do with his outrageous wage demands that scared off both Chelsea and Arsenal. Kinsella also mentions Laurent Blanc, and again confirms that the Sarri option is looking less likely even as the former Napoli coach steps back from the brink of a legal showdown with Aurelio De Laurentiis.

In any case, Jokanović is starting to sound an actual option. And while — obligatory mention — I'd still much rather just keep Conte and concentrate on improving the squad, Jokanović is probably not the worst choice we could make this summer. But we really need to start figuring all this out, and soon.



https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/chelsea-fc-transfer-rumours-news/2018/6/3/17422942/chelsea-in-talks-with-fulham-head-coach-slavi-a-jokanovi-report

[filham]

Could Fulham afford to say no to a 50 million pound offer for Sess., surely not.

[cmg]

Could Fulham afford to say no to a 50 million pound offer for Sess., surely not.

Peanuts for our "Sensational Defensive Ace". These boys really give you confidence that they know what they are taking about.

[HatterDon]

Fulham keen on Wilshere
by Dan on June 3, 2018

Fulham are interested in signing England midfielder Jack Wilshere on a free transfer should he decided to leave Arsenal, according to a report in the Daily Star.

The 26 year-old's contract expires at the end of the month and it remains to be seen whether new Arsenal boss Unai Emery will be keen to keep Wilshere at the Emirates. The creative midfielder has made 197 first-team appearances in his decade with the Gunners, but has been troubled by a succession of injuries lately that scuppered his bid to make Gareth Southgate's England squad for the World Cup in Russia.

Fulham would face stiff competition to land Wilshere with the new West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini eager to bring the midfielder to east London. Pellegrini has been a long-term admirer of Wilshere's ability, having previously tried to sign him for Manchester City during the Chilean's previous spell in English football, and the Hammers would have the resources to put together an attractive wage package.

There are no shortage of suitors for the talented midfielder, however, and the Star suggests that Fulham would be joined in the hunt for the free agent by the likes of Everton, Crystal Palace, Newcastle and Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Whites might old a trump card by virtue of their London location, but the possibility of any deal rests on whether Wilshere ultimately looks for pastures new at the end of the month.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/06/fulham-keen-on-wilshere/

Oh Gawd no! Overpriced, overrated and only with "a big club" because he's English.

Every time he came on the pitch the last two or so seasons, Arsenal looked poorer.