Monday Fulham Stuff (11/06/18)...

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Stoke City and Fulham join the race for Manchester United goalkeeper

Stoke City and Fulham have joined the race to sign Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson, according to The Sun.

The highly-rated shot stopper is expected to leave Manchester United this summer for more first-team opportunities. Bristol City have been linked with a move for him but will now face competition for his signature.

Henderson has become a man in demand after impressing on loan at League One side Shrewsbury Town. He played 48 games in all competitions for the Shrews and his performances look to be rewarded with a move higher up the football pyramid for the next campaign.

The 21-year-old has never made a senior appearance for Manchester United but has had loan spells at Stockport County, Grimsby Town and Shrewsbury so far in his career.

Henderson is now a target for newly promoted Premier League side Fulham. They are in the hunt for a new goalkeeper as their current number two, David Button, is looking likely to leave them to Brighton and Hove Albion.

Championship side Stoke City are also being credited with an interest in Henderson. Their first-choice goalkeeper, Jack Butland, could leave them this summer with a move back to the Premier League and the Potters see Henderson as an ideal replacement.

Dean Henderson looks set for a big future in the game and he would be a great asset for one of Fulham, Stoke or Bristol City.



http://the72.co.uk/105053/stoke-city-fulham-join-race-manchester-united-goalkeeper/

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Report: Fulham prepare summer swoop for Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson

Fulham are reportedly tracking the Manchester United youngster.

According to a report from the Sun, newly promoted Fulham are interested in signing Manchester United youngster Dean Henderson, as Slaviša Jokanović looks to add further strength in depth to his goalkeeping options.

The Cottagers were mightily impressive in the Championship last season, but there is undoubtedly plenty of work to do this summer, if they are to enjoy a successful campaign in the Premier League this term.

With David Button's future at Fulham uncertain to say the least, the addition of an able bodied replacement who can act as Marcus Bettinelli's understudy will be an absolute must.

The Sun claims that Jokanović is a big fan of the 21-year-old United stopper, and is lining up a £1 million move for him, after he rejected terms on a new contract at Old Trafford.

Henderson spent last season on loan with League One side Shrewsbury Town, and really impressed with his agility and shot stopping ability.

The United youngster also plays with a certain kind of maturity that defies his tender years.

He would be a useful addition to the Fulham squad, and for the price of just £1 million, the west London outfit can't go wrong.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/06/10/report-fulham-prepare-summer-swoop-for-manchester-united-goalkee/

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The Premier League Paradox: More Money, Less Quality

Aston Villa's one-nil defeat to Fulham in the Play-Off Final has left the club facing yet another arduous season in the Championship. For a club with the history and tradition of Villa, this reality will hurt as they once again find themselves locked out of English football's elite league. Villa, which is now facing a near-existential financial crisis, will be hoping for another competitive season next year, as their parachute payments begin to dry up.

The playoff final result also means that the Premier League has gained yet another small club in its ranks. Fulham now add to a growing trend which has crept forward in the shadow of the big money flooding into the English game.

For years it was the big four, now it is the top six. But whichever terminology is used, we all know who we're referring to. If you are not lucky enough to be part of the elite band, then chances are you don't have the elite players. If a club does have a lucky ace up it's sleeve, you can be sure they will struggle to keep hold of said player for a lengthy period of time. As decent-sized clubs have fallen into this trap, they have entered an cycle of decline. Some have to yet to recover as the tentacles of relegation entangled them.

Fair-to-middling, not the place to be
Since the inaugural Premier League season, one-by-one we have seen England's former fair-to-middling sized clubs fall by the wayside. Even clubs that can reasonably be considered "big" have suffered. From Nottingham Forrest in 1993 to Villa in 2016, and a lot in between, these clubs have been sucked into a whirlpool of poor results, lacking the quality players capable of saving them from demotion, and the inevitable wilderness that follows.

For years, clubs like Aston Villa, Coventry City, Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton and Leeds seemed like solid oaks in the forest of the elite league in England. Good-sized fan bases from big towns and cities, decent stadia, a smattering of reasonably gifted players, and, crucially, not such a gulf between them and the rest, all contributed to their relative safety. Even if results turned, a manager would be given time to turn things around as the spectre of relegation wasn't seen as the commercial catastrophe it is today.

In the nine seasons between 1992/93 and 2000-01 there were on average seven managerial casualties a season, and you also have to factor in that for three of those seasons, there were actually twenty-two Premier League clubs. The point is, things were more stable as the Premier League was yet to mature into the financial maelstrom it is today.

As the twentieth century became the twenty first, the Premier League television money really began to swell. With the breaking of the billion pound barrier for 2001-04, football clubs also began to slowly change and evolve. Analysts and marketing gurus must have anticipated the growth, and, with this, Premier League clubs got ever more twitchy and keen to keep their slice of the wealth. As the fear grew of missing out on this money, so too did the frequency of managerial sackings, and previously stable clubs like Villa, Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland fell into disrepair.

The elite drift away as smaller clubs fill the void
As these mid-sized clubs fall by the wayside, a new and interesting phenomenon has emerged of smaller clubs hitting the big time and holding their own. Fulham, Bolton and Blackburn all survived in 2002, as clubs like Nottingham Forrest and Sheffield Wednesday bit the dust in the preceding years. Neither returned, but the former three survived for a decade each in the top flight, despite their smaller gates and modest incomes.

Small sides reaching the Premier League is nothing new, as Swindon, Barnsley and Bradford fans can testify. However few had the capacity to survive in the big time. As the money was distributed though, this changed. Clubs felt emboldened to take a risk or two if they survived their first season, better plays could be signed, enticed by good wages and an exciting league.

The trend has continued and going into next season, the Premier League now has eight clubs that could be branded as "smaller" in comparison to their predecessors in the league. Burnley, Huddersfield, Watford, Bournemouth, Fulham, Brighton, Cardiff and Palace are all clubs with smaller grounds, less history and from comparatively smaller catchment areas. They now make up almost half of the teams in the league.

Consequences
To brand these clubs as small runs the risk of being horribly patronising and dismissive. Their achievements of not only reaching the Premier League, but staying and building a base of decent players is staggering, but not without consequences.

Outside the elite, the standard has dipped off quite dramatically. 17/18 saw Newcastle, once title challengers, gratefully reach 10th place with just forty-four points. Despite mid-table safety, they were only eleven points clear of relegated Swansea. Has the number of smaller, less competitive clubs gradually brought the standard down? The evidence is there: Southampton stayed up with just seven wins, whilst Huddersfield survived off twenty-eight goals.

Would larger clubs, with more financial clout and appeal to better players, be able to bring an improved standard to the Premier League outside the top six?

Expectation and freedom
The Championship is littered with former stalwarts of the top division. Moreover, the fan bases of these clubs have likely grown up or had their parents grow up, watching their beloved teams play the big boys and sometimes even challenge them. Their fans will want the good times back regardless of the financial limitations or restrictions of their playing staff. Some of these fair-sized clubs do, from time-to-time, hit the jackpot and secure a return to the Premier League.

Wolves' brief spell between 2009 and 2012 is a cautionary tale of this bloated expectation. They did twice achieve survival under Mick McCarthy. This was not used as the platform it should have been though, as the fans demanded more, despite their modest achievements. The board once again got twitchy as results turned, leading to McCarthy's sacking and no realistic options to replace him as relegation beckoned. There is an argument to suggest that this overbearing and unrealistic expectation has hindered these mid-sized clubs whether in or out of the Premier League.

There is a flip side to this though, as some clubs have been pinching themselves as they touch down in the Premier League. Bournemouth are a great example of this. A small club and veteran of the hand-to-mouth existence of the lower leagues, their survival in the Premier League is remarkable. Furthermore, they have never once flirted with sacking Eddie Howe, even after a poor start last season which left them in the bottom three. The club have an ethos of playing good football and are uncompromising in their approach. Surviving on gates of barely eleven thousand has also been a unique experience in the modern Premier League era.

The Bournemouth lesson is one that clearly shows a club operating without the burden of expectation. There is some freedom in this, and granted, a lot less pressure. All the same, it's a great success story as far bigger clubs have floundered while they have survived. Perhaps some of these other clubs should unburden themselves and focus on football rather than pragmatism and desperation for a slice of the TV revenue.

Still an elite division?
Outside the top six clubs, the quality has bled away. With fewer quality sides able to challenge, a widening gulf has opened up between the big clubs and the rest. Moreover, competition has dipped as the focus of most clubs becomes survival.

Interestingly, if we were to compare the seventh to twentieth placed sides in the 1992-93 season to the sides finishing in those places last season, we see a massive shift in the distribution of honours and success. Clubs finishing between 7th and 20thin 1993 had won eighty-five major trophies between them, this season the number is down to forty-eight, and twenty-three if you took out Everton and Newcastle.

The big difference between now and then, has been the seismic shift of the elite clubs and their seemingly cemented places in the top spots. Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and Manchester City were all adrift in 1992-93, but have slowly pulled away from the rest, joining Liverpool and Manchester United at the top.

With the rest of the league now adrift and smattered with traditionally smaller clubs, is it even right the call the Premier League an elite division? Monetarily yes, it still is and the top six clubs provide wonderful quality with the added bonus of the unpredictability of certain results. Leicester City surprised us all in 2016 and Burnley have somehow projected themselves into 7th place this season. In reality, they just chunks of light in an otherwise dim room for competition.

As the traditionally bigger clubs have been eroded out of the Premier League, they have fallen behind financially. We now have clubs like Leeds losing their best players to Burnley and Watford. Great as it is for these sides to have their moments, the paradox, remains for the Premier League, as the money has gone in, the talented few have been sealed off. True competition, where a decent and honest bunch of players can regularly make a challenge at the top, is sadly a mere impossibility.



https://onsideview.com/football/premier-league/premier-league-paradox-more-money-less-quality/

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West Ham give up Cairney hunt

West Ham United have called an end to their hunt for Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney after the newly-promoted club refused to discuss an exit, according to Claret and Hugh.

The Hammers news website, which is a reliable source for insider information, report that the club made solid enquiries about the Fulham captain but were met with a 'flat no.'

Claret and Hugh claim that Manuel Pellegrini gave quick-fire approval to a move for Cairney immediately after his appointment, with predecessor David Moyes putting the wheels in motion for a swoop.

A club insider is quoted as saying: "We tried but there was absolutely no movement on the issue at all – they refuse to sell the player."

This is a major development in a chase that has lasted several months, with Moyes eyeing Cairney during his time at the helm.

OPINION

It is hardly surprising that Fulham played hard ball over captain Cairney, who is their best and highest-paid player. A West Ham move to secure his services was never going to be easy, and it looks like the club have taken the decision to focus their efforts elsewhere. In truth that looks like a sensible decision as they look to revamp the first-team squad this summer, with the injury to Manu Lanzini causing Pellegrini an unwanted headache. There is no doubt that Cairney would have been a good addition, but an inflated price tag and worries over a dodgy knee made it a risky move, and it is probably for the best that the hunt has ended. In terms of options for the club to bring in for Lanzini, loan star Joao Mario is most certainly one, with Inter Milan looking to sell around the £25million mark this summer. Pellegrini was not thought to be keen on such a move, but Lanzini's injury may end up forcing his hand.



https://foreverwestham.com/2018/06/blog-topics/west-ham-give-up-cairney-hunt/

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Why Ryan Fredericks' transfer to West Ham United is a sideways move at best

Fulham fans will understandably be disappointed at the 25-year-old's departure.

Earlier this week, full-back Ryan Fredericks left Fulham following the expiration of his contract and joined fellow London club West Ham United.

Now that the dust has settled on the long-rumoured transfer, it is clear the 25-year-old's decision was ultimately motivated by a thirst for higher wages and represents a sideways move at best.

After refusing to sign a new contract with Fulham due to a failure to agree wages, according to Football.London, Fredericks moved across the capital for tens of thousands of pounds more a week.

But one question dominated the minds of many Fulham supporters and outside observers:

Why leave Fulham, a club that is undoubtedly on the rise and where Fredericks had found his best form, for the unfamiliar setting of West Ham, a club that narrowly avoided relegation last season and is perhaps the definition of dysfunction?

Sadly, the most convincing answer to the dilemma is a desire to make more money.

Clearly, there is nothing wrong with such a request from a player. Professionals deserve to be rewarded for their work and a pay rise is in order after impressive performances.

Yet Fredericks' demands to become the highest-paid player at Craven Cottage were a step too far. No matter how well a player performs, no individual is bigger than the club.

As Fulham Vice President Tony Khan noted in the comments section of Kevin McDonald's latest Instagram post, Fredericks should not be harassed for his decision, which Khan claimed ultimately came down to business concerns.

Khan is right; although Cottagers supporters feel disappointed that the defender jumped ship so quickly, there is no tolerance for abuse of Fredericks.

And yet, the Fulham faithful is more than entitled to feel baffled by Fredericks' decision to leave the Premier League club for the Hammers. West Ham certainly have more resources than Fulham, but perhaps that's the lone field where Fulham are bested.

The stark contrast in the atmospheres of the two teams is best exemplified by a comparison of pitch invasions.

Fulham fans stormed the Craven Cottage pitch in glee after securing a spot in the play-off final in May; West Ham supporters ran on to the London Stadium pitch and grappled with their own team's players in ugly protests in March.

This juxtaposition reveals Fredericks' ultimate mistake, as dysfunction, uncertainty, protests, and crowd troubles are constant features of life at West Ham.

New manager Manuel Pellegrini has never managed at a bottom half of the table English club before, bringing more uncertainty to an already precarious situation in east London.

Unfortunately for Fulham, Ryan Fredericks decided an uptick in salary was worth a move to a hostile and erratic work environment; in the end, his transfer to West Ham is a misguided action.



https://tbrfootball.com/ryan-fredericks-west-ham-sideways-move/

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Fulham fans comments – Believe Aleksandar Mitrovic form and stunning goals see them priced out of deal

Comments from Fulham fans as Aleksandar Mitrovic excellent hat-trick adds to worries that Mike Asley could price them out of deal.

Rafa Benitez challenged Aleksandar Mitrovic to go out and score 20 goals or more when leaving on loan at the end of February.

Well, in these past four months he has now scored 17 goals for club and country, despite only starting 22 games.

The latest goalscoring exploits saw Mitro score his first ever hat-trick on Saturday night, a 5-1 friendly win over Bolivia as the Newcastle striker scored three and made one in the 70 minutes he spent on the pitch.

Mike Ashley was reported to be demanding over £15m for Aleksandar Mitrovic last summer, with Rafa Benitez having no interest in playing him.

After only four goals and eleven starts in the Championship season, little wonder there were no takers.

What would have been a realistic price for the Serbian striker in January after not a single league start all season?

That is the past though and now Fulham fans are really panicking as to whether they have any chance now of landing him on a permanent deal.

Newcastle fans may also be worrying because if money from selling players is key to Rafa's budget for recruiting those signings he wants to make, what astronomic price will Mike Ashley put on Mitro now.

Then just imagine if he does well at the World Cup...

Comments from Fulham fans via various message boards:

'That hat-trick puts another few million on the price.

If we did have an option to get him we should have paid £20m before the World Cup and £80k per week wages....cheap at that price.

However, I think the deal is complicated by Jokanovic failure to commit his future to us....Mitrovic will only want to come to Fulham if Jokanovic stays, which is understandable.

The Jokanovic situation is hampering our progress in the transfer market and this market is difficult ....World Cup, shorter window, stepping up a level etc.'

'What a goal, hat-trick.'

'Yes its against Bolivia but that shouldn't matter. 

He has passion, skills and the ability to hold up the ball.  Just hope the price doesn't go crazy silly.'
Geordie Father's Day Cards - shop.themag.co.uk

'He's a player that just wants to be loved.'

'Agree, and the more he feels loved the more he gives on the pitch.'

'Really were 3 good goals with the last a curler top corner from outside the penalty area.

Will we keep him at this rate?'

'Imagine his fee be even bigger after The World Cup.'

'We'll never be able to afford him now. What a #9!'

'I suspect there will be two 'large' signings in terms of transfer fee amongst a number of relatively modest ones. Mitro should be one of them.'

'CALM DOWN MITRO ..........That third goal will have the scouts from all over the world wetting themselves.

Newcastle must be rubbing their hands...from selling reject at 11 million to have frenzied bidding at 25 million.'

'Mitro just added 5 million to his value I am afraid, just watch (watch Mitro's hat-trick HERE) his third goal from his hat trick today.'



https://www.themag.co.uk/2018/06/fulham-fans-comments-believe-aleksandar-mitrovic-form-stunning-goals-see-priced-deal-newcastle-united/

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Fulham Linked With A £40 Million Midfielder

With Fulham having regained their Premier League status, it remains to be seen how ambitious those who run the club are.

Primarily, survival has to be the prime objective in our first season back in the top-tier of English football.

But, will the Fulham hierarchy strive to make an impression now that promotion has been achieved?

Here at Vital Fulham, we'd like to hope so, we'd like to see the club at least aim for a top-ten finish.

However, if that is to be the case then significant funds may have to be spent.

Today, we've awoken to a piece of speculation that suggests that may very well be the case.

According to the news source, HITC, Fulham are one of several Premier League clubs, the others being Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Arsenal, who are interested in signing the midfielder, Jack Grealish.

Grealish is currently on the books of the Championship side Aston Villa, however, Villa are having to make financial cut-backs after failing to beat Fulham in the play-off final and seeing a dramatic reduction in the parachute payments they've been receiving since being relegated from the Premier League.

But, Grealish doesn't come cheap, the Birmingham based club are asking for a fee of £40 million for the 22-year-old who is able to play as a winger or an attacking midfielder.

It is, in all honesty, a huge fee, but it could indicate that the Fulham board are keen to make an instant impression in the Premier League.

But, what are the chances of a deal being done?

Vital Fulham Verdict – Grealish showed, against Fulham at Wembley, he is a good player, his willingness to run with the ball troubled Fulham on more than one occasion. The trouble is, although we'd like to think otherwise, the likes of Tottenham and Arsenal probably appeal to the youngster more than Fulham. Therefore, unless Slavisa Jokanovic can convince the player otherwise, I can't see him playing regularly at Craven Cottage, can you?



https://fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/fulham-linked-with-a-40-million-midfielder/

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Fulham eyeing Bryan offer
by Dan on June 10, 2018

Fulham are keen on signing Bristol City defender Joe Bryan, according to a Daily Mirror report this afternoon.

In a story suggesting that another rumoured Fulham target, James Maddison, is wanted by the likes of Everton and Leicester City, the paper suggests that Slavisa Jokanovic is eager to bring the City left-back to Craven Cottage. Bristol City are braced for bids from Premier League suitors for their academy graduate, who made 41 first-team appearances last season, scoring three goals.

Bryan is entering the final year of his current Ashton Gate contract and Burnley have already made their interest in signing the 24 year-old, who can also operate as a wing-back or on the left of midfield, abundantly clear. Last season owner Steve Landsdown slapped a £10m price on the full-back and Bristol City would not have significantly lowered their valuation of a player who has been pivotal to the club's success under Lee Johnson. Bryan has made more than 200 league appearances for the Robins and scored in their famous League Cup win over Manchester United last term.

Fulham are known to be seeking reinforcements as they prepare for life in the Premier League, having won promotion by beating Aston Villa in the Wembley play-off final last month. It is thought that the Whites would be keen on another deal for Southampton's Matt Targett, but the Londoners have been linked with a number of other left backs including longstanding target Joe Bennett.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/06/fulham-eyeing-bryan-offer/

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Chris Coleman lands new job in China

The Welshman left Sunderland in April.

Former Wales boss Chris Coleman has been appointed the new manager of Chinese Super League club Hebei China Fortune.

The Chinese outfit confirmed Coleman's appointment on social media on Sunday, with the ex-Sunderland boss succeeding Manuel Pellegrini at the helm.

Pellegrini left China for West Ham, while Coleman was released from his Sunderland contract at the end of the season after the Black Cats dropped into League One.

"The board has decided that the club will employ Chris Coleman as head coach of Hebei China Fortune," the Chinese club posted on micro blogging site Weibo.

Coleman won 32 caps for Wales in a 16-year career comprising stints at Swansea, Crystal Palace, Blackburn and Fulham, before moving into management at Craven Cottage.

The 48-year-old guided Wales to the semi-finals of Euro 2016, before moving on to take charge at Sunderland in November 2017.



http://sport.bt.com/football/chris-coleman-lands-new-job-in-china-S11364277160940

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West Ham linked with a move for Edmilson Junior

West Ham and Fulham are reportedly battling to sign Standard Liege star Edmilson Junior.

According to claims from Belgian news outlet DH, a whole host of teams across Europe are looking to recruit the winger following his impressive Pro League campaign last term.

West Ham are keen to recruit further quality in the attacking areas this summer and it seems they have established an interest in signing the 23-year-old.

It's claimed that Junior is held in high esteem at Standard Liege, with the club's manager desperate to see the talented winger reject interest from elsewhere and stay put in Belgium.

However, interest in the player is seemingly growing, with the likes of West Ham, Fulham and Wolves said to be the interested Premier League parties.

Interest from top-flight clubs in Italy has also built, according to DH. The likes of Sassuolo, Fiorentina and Genoa are all claimed to have expressed an interest in recruiting Junior this summer.



https://readwestham.com/2018/06/10/west-ham-linked-with-a-move-for-edmilson-junior/

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Fulham Want 20 Y/O Manchester United Defensive Star: Why He Needs To Be Cautious With His Decision!

Dean Henderson is reportedly wanted by Stoke City, Fulham and Bristol City. The Manchester United goalkeeper was out on loan at Shrewsbury Town last season where he impressed aplenty. His strong performances at Shrewsbury Town helped him get recognition and now he is being chased by multiple English clubs including newly promoted side Fulham.

It is being believed that the player is already in talks with Bristol City who want to sign him. However, they are set to face competition from Championship's latest residents Stoke City and playoff winners Fulham. The England youth player will now have a choice to make this summer and must assess every situation with caution.

The first option for Henderson is to stay back at Manchester United, his parent club. The player is a youth academy product of the United team. The England U-21 keeper was a part of England's U-20 World Cup winning squad during last summer as well.

His current contract expires at the club at the end of the current season and he will now have to choose whether he wants to renew it or not. His dilemma will not be helped by the fact that the 20-year old has attracted a great amount of interest from various clubs in England.

His second option will be a move to Bristol City. The Championship club were impressive this season but failed to land a playoff spot. They will look to have a go again next season and adding Henderson to the squad will definitely be a good signing.

His third choice happens to be Stoke City. The Potters were relegated from the English Premier League this season after a hapless performance throughout the campaign. Only a few players were actually impressive for them, Jack Butland being one such.

The custodian has been picked for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, 2018 edition and he will be playing as a backup to Jordan Pickford. However, that has not hampered the pack of suitors who are chasing him and he might end up playing for one of them, reportedly Wolves. This will mean that the Potters will need a new keeper and Henderson could be a good option.   

The last option for him is Fulham. The Cottagers just won the league and will now be looking to add further stability to their backline this summer by getting Henderson. The player will now have a choice to make and we think the best option could be Fulham. They are the only interested party who are playing in the Premier League, something that Henderson needs to do to further develop the prospects of his career.



http://the4thofficial.net/2018/06/fulham-want-manchester-united-defensive-star-make-switch/

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Fulham join the the race to sign Bristol City ace Joe Bryan - reports

West London side looking for reinforcements from the Championship

Fulham could be set to spend some of those Premier League millions they've acquired from promotion in the next few weeks - and some of it might be earmarked for the way of the Robins.

The Cottagers are reportedly the latest club to be interested in Bristol City's Joe Bryan.

The left-back/left winger had been thought to be seriously interesting Burnley but sources in Lancashire have cast doubt on Bryan making the move to Turf Moor.

And now the Mirror report that Bryan is wanted in West London, as Slavisa Jokanovic looks to reinforce his Fulham side to be able to compete well in England's top tier.


Joe Bryan of Bristol City in action with Kieron Freeman of Sheffield United

The Cottagers are said to want Bryan to play at left-back with Ryan Sessegnon in front of him to create one of the best left flanks in English football.

The team from Craven Cottage are also reportedly chasing Norwich City's James Maddison as they look to blow the TV money from making it to the Premier League on the best players in the Championship.

Leicester and Everton are however also said to want Maddison.

Bryan, 24, is believed to only have one year left on his deal and the Robins will be hoping to secure his future at Ashton Gate less the club decide to cash in with Bristol City unable to convince the Bristolian to stay in the West Country for longer.

Steve Lansdown put a £10m price tag on Joe Bryan last summer, but it remains to be seen what valuation is given to the versatile defender in this window.



https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/fulham-joe-bryan-bristol-city-1660417

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Portuguese Giants Push Hard To Land West Ham, Fulham and Wolves Linked Belgium-Based Winger

FC Porto are pressing hard to land Standard Liege star Edmilson Junior, who has also been linked with West Ham, Fulham and Wolves.

The Belgian-Brazilian winger has turned heads with his performances in Belgium with Standard Liege and was a major force in the club's Jupiler Pro League championship playoffs, scoring seven goals in ten games and providing three assists.

The 23-year-old is now a wanted man and the jury is out on whether Standard Liege can keep hold of him.

From England, Edmilson has interest from West Ham, Fulham and Wolves, while Italian trio Sassuolo, Genoa and Fiorentina are also keen.

But according to Belgian outlet Voetbal Krant, it is Portuguese giants Porto who are presently leading the race and pushing hard to sign Edmilson; there is also interest from Benfica.

Edmilson came through the youth ranks at Standard Liege, but made his way in senior football with Sint-Truiden.

Born in Belgium, Edmilson's father turned out for Standard Liege in the 1990s.

He has so far made 90 appearances for Standard Liege, scoring 22 goals.



Read more: http://www.insidefutbol.com/2018/06/10/portuguese-giants-push-hard-to-land-west-ham-fulham-and-wolves-linked-belgium-based-winger/378427/#ixzz5I6FwRIaM