Saturday Fulham Stuff (16/06/18)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Any Delay Could See Fulham Lose Prime Striking Target

If the last we were to see of Aleksandar Mitrovic, in a Fulham shirt, were to be in the Championship Play Off Final, it would be a huge disappointment.

As we've mentioned before, the Serbian made such a difference to our play when he arrived at Craven Cottage in the January transfer window, albeit on loan.

His goals help the club go on what was to turn out to be a record number of games undefeated and laid the foundations on which our promotion hopes were realised.

Fulham have indicated that they'd like to sign Mitrovic on a permanent deal, however, the news source, Sky Sports, are reporting that Newcastle United are asking £20 million for his services.

Now to us, that is a bargain, especially when you consider Mitrovic has scored 17 goals in his last 22 competitive games, but it remains to be seen whether the Fulham board concur with our view.

As for the Fulham support, their views on Twitter are all pretty positive, also urging the board to sign the player on a permanent deal:

    £20m come on @TonyKhan cough up he deserves to be with us permanently #FFC #Mitrovic #SummerTransferWindow https://t.co/lOtKM3L2f1

    — Michael Jon Bowden (@Michael_Bowden9) June 14, 2018

And there's also support for the club to sign the player from one of our own:

    #Cairney calls on #Fulham to sign #Mitrovic: https://t.co/AxhKanpHwO #ffc #coyw #nufc pic.twitter.com/adZFMgK7o9

    — HammyEnd.com (@HammyEnd) May 30, 2018

Here at Vital Fulham, our fears are that any dalliance could open the door for another club to snap up the prolific goal-scorer, don't let that happen Fulham!



https://fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/any-delay-could-see-fulham-lose-prime-striking-target/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham homecoming for Mousa Dembele would suit both parties this summer

This week, Sky Italy, as reported by Sky Sports, have suggested that Napoli, Juventus, and Inter Milan were all exploring signing Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mousa Dembele.

Although interest from some of Serie A's biggest clubs will undoubtedly tempt the Belgian, Dembele should instead choose to remain in the Premier League and sign for his former club Fulham.

Unfortunately for Tottenham supporters, it appears as if Mauricio Pochettino is willing to listen to offers for the 30-year-old central midfielder, even following one of the Belgian's brightest seasons to date.

But if Dembele is to leave north London, he should stay in the capital and maintain his status in the world's best domestic league, where he can be the star of the show at Craven Cottage.

The Belgian's first foray into English football came at Fulham, when the southwest London club signed Dembele from AZ Alkmaar back in 2010.

Manager Mark Hughes initially utilised him as a striker, but Dembele truly found success when played in a defensive midfield role under Martin Jole in the 2011/12 season.

His remarkable performances that season caught the eye of Tottenham, who bought Dembele along with fellow Fulham player Clint Dempsey on the summer transfer deadline day in 2012.

Dembele has a proud history at Craven Cottage where he is still a firm fan favourite, and a move back to his former stomping ground would suit both parties.

Newly-promoted Fulham are eager to make a splash in their first season in the top-flight since 2013/14, and are searching for a world-class acquisition in the centre of midfield.

Dembele also seems to be on the way out at White Hart Lane, as recent reports on Wednesday from French outlets France Football and RMC even linked the Belgian with a big-money move to a Chinese club.

If he returned to Fulham, the experienced midfielder would be guaranteed first-team football week-in, week-out by the banks of the Thames – a prospect that would be hard to come by at the Italian giants.

Slavisa Jokanovic's team is known for its attacking, possession-based style, but also requires a steely presence in midfield to complement more forward-thinking players.

Dembele offers the perfect mix of defensive resoluteness as well as driving, attacking runs, a combination that would be welcomed by Fulham.

Mousa Dembele would do well to stay in the Premier League and return to Fulham, boosting the Cottagers' ambitions while becoming the main talent at the top-flight club.



https://tbrfootball.com/mousa-dembele-fulham-homecoming/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham lining up move for in-demand Championship star

Newly-promoted Fulham are seriously considering a move for Bristol City left-back Joe Bryan who had a fine campaign for the Robins last season.

Slavisa Jokanovic will be on the lookout for a new left-back after Matt Targett returned to Southampton following a successful loan spell at Craven Cottage.

And, whilst the London outfit are still interested in the Saints defender, Bristol Live have revealed that they are also looking at Bryan.

The 24-year old, who can also play left-midfield, is the sort of attacking full-back that would suit the style that Jokanovic demands from his team.

Bryan has really risen to prominence in the past 12 months, establishing himself as one of the best left-sided players in the division.

Given that, Burnley may consider a move for the player too, as they were heavily linked with him in the past month as they look to build a squad for their Europa League campaign.

As for Lee Johnson and Bristol City, Bryan is the latest player that is attracting interest from elsewhere, with Bobby Reid and Aden Flint also linked with moves from Ashton Gate.

The Verdict

This would be a very good signing for Fulham as Bryan has proven himself to be a top player in the Championship and is ready for the step up.

He is decent defensively and has good pace and energy that means he is always a threat going the other way too.

The Robins will be desperate to keep hold of their key men but the reality is it will be very tough and Bryan could be one of several departures from Ashton Gate this summer.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-lining-up-move-for-in-demand-championship-star/

[WhiteJC]

 
Club make offer for Fulham and QPR target, player to make decision

According to claim in the Dutch media, Malatyaspor have made an offer to sign PEC Zwolle attacker Youness Mukhtar.

The player will become a free agent at the end of this month and he's also been linked with Fulham and Queens Park Rangers.

Voetbal International report Malatysport are interested in signing Mokhtar this summer and now the forward is thinking over the offer from the Turkish club.

The 26 year old's agent Cankut Ercan has been quizzed about Malatyaspor's interest and said: "The style and profile of Youness is good for clubs in Turkey. He is open to this league, just like the Italian. It is important that he can continue to grow."

Earlier this month we covered comments made by Ercan, who stated Fulham are interested in Mokhtar. Fulham will be looking to bolster their squad in this transfer window and the forward was presented as an option for the club.

Fulham's West London rivals QPR have also been linked with Mokhtar, with claims in the Netherlands they were monitoring the situation.

It's now a case of clubs making offers to the player and him choosing which suits best.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/club-make-offer-fulham-qpr-target-player-make-decision/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham ready to mount £12m Swift bid
by Dan on June 15, 2018

Fulham are preparing a £12m move for Reading midfielder John Swift, according to a report in the Reading Chronicle.

The Whites could offer the talented playmaker a move back to west London, with Swift having been a leading member of the Chelsea academy before signing for the Royals in July 2016. Swift, who also had a spell on loan with Brentford, enjoyed an excellent first season at the Madjeski Stadium as Reading narrowly missed on promotion to the Premier League after losing the play-off final to Huddersfield, having beaten Fulham in the semi-finals. He scored nine goals in 42 appearances for the Royals and was nominated as one of the contenders for the EFL's Young Player of the Year Award.

Swift, who has scored eleven times in 68 appearances for Reading, signed a five-year contract at the Madjeski Stadium last summer and it would take a substantial bid to convince the club to part with their most creative midfielder. He has a significant pedigree in youth football, having helped England under-21 side win the prestigious Toulon Tournament back in 2016. Swift may fit Slavisa Jokanovic's mould of a progressive ball-player midfielder and the Whites are known to be seeking understudies for the likes of Tom Cairney and Stefan Johansen ahead of their return to the top flight, but Fulham would certainly face stiff competition for Swift's signature should they chose to pursue this move.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/06/fulham-ready-to-mount-12m-swift-bid/

[WhiteJC]

 
An update on Rotherham's pursuit of Marek Rodak

Rotherham are making headway in their attempt to bring goalkeeper Marek Rodak back to the club.

The Slovakian spent last season on loan at the Millers from Fulham and played a vital role in helping secure an instant return to the Championship.

Boss Paul Warne said he was keen on getting Rodak back and a return to the AESSEAL New York Stadium and is understood to be looking positive.

Rodak's parent club Fulham also won promotion, winning at Wembley 24 hours before the Millers, which has strengthened Rotherham's case.

The Cottagers have Marcus Bettinelli and David Button vying for the number one shirt, with rookie Magnus Norman also in the ranks.

The 21-year-old, who signed a new contract at Craven Cottage in February, has been on holiday having had an even more extended season than the rest of his Millers team-mates.

Rodak was called up into the senior Slovakia squad for the recent friendlies against Holland and Morocco, but was an unused substitute in both matches, the last of which was on June 4.

He played 35 times for Warne's side in League One, with three cup appearances, having won the battle for the starting spot with Richard O'Donnell.

He overcame some early doubters, who took exception to his punching policy, and was an important player as the Millers went on to win promotion.



http://itsmillerstime.co.uk/an-update-on-rotherhams-pursuit-of-marek-rodak/

[WhiteJC]

 
Don't Sell Mitrovic Now, Wait Until After the World Cup

Newcastle have come out today and said that if Fulham want to buy forward Aleksandar Mitrović then they will have to meet their asking price of £20million.

Why wouldn't they?

After all, since joining on loan at the end of the January transfer window, Mitrovic almost single handily fired the Cottagers to the Premier League with a whopping 12 goals in just 17 league appearances.

At £20 million that could prove a bargain as it is clear that Fulham manager Slaviša Jokanović managed to turn the Serbian into the player magpies boss Benitez wanted, but couldn't quite manage.

After the financial windfall comes that comes with promotion to the Premier League, £20m is almost a drop in the ocean, and if the Fulham hierarchy have any sense, they will snap him up now before the World Cup gets into full flow.



http://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2018/06/15/dont-sell-mitrovic-now-wait-until-after-the-world-cup/

[WhiteJC]

 
Go for it Jokanovic – Completing this £8m double deal could be fantastic business for Fulham


Tomas Kalas

Jokanovic signing Chelsea duo Lucas Piazon and Tomas Kalas could be great for the club

According to reports, Chelsea's Lucas Piazon and Tomas Kalas are close to joining newly-promoted Premier League outfit Fulham in a £8m double deal.

The pair, who both spent the past two seasons on loan at Craven Cottage, played a vital part in Fulham's Premier League promotion through play-offs. Both Kalas and Piazon failed to make their mark at Stamford Bridge, with the former making just two league appearances in his eight years at the club and the latter only one in a seven-season spell.

However, Kalas and Piazon were the pillars of Fulham in the 2017/18 campaign, making a combined 61 appearances in all competitions for the Cottagers. And Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic has wasted little in showing his desire to make the duo's deals permanent ahead of the new season.

Jokanovic faces a massive summer transfer window in which he has to sort out his squad before the start of the 2018/19 campaign. He should build a team durable enough to sustain in the Premier League and compete at the highest level. In that case, Jokanovic moving towards making deals permanent for Kalas and Piazon augurs well for the west London club.

Kalas was one of the first names on the team sheet week for Fulham week in and week out last term. He was an indispensable figure until he got injured in March. Kalas' injury saw Denis Odoi deputise as Fulham went on an unbeaten run. That made Jokanovic continue with the same winning team and Kalas never won his spot back in the starting XI.

As far as Piazon is concerned, he became a fan-favourite in his two-year spell at Fulham. The Brazilian contributed with plenty of goals and assists in Fulham's 2017/18 campaign and succeeded in taking his game to another level under Jokanovic. After a myriad of loan spells, Piazon finally found some stability at Craven Cottage and became a vital cog of the team's engine this past season.


Lucas Piazon

It is crucial for Jokanovic to retain players he worked with at Fulham this season. Piazon and Kalas were instrumental in helping the Cottagers earn promotion back to the Premier League, and it is logical for Jokanovic for wanting to sign them on a permanent basis this summer.

Fulham must splash good amount of money to reinforce their current squad if they want to retain their Premier League status beyond the upcoming season. But after four years in the Championship, the Cottagers need to shell pennies wisely and shrewdly in the summer.



https://soccersouls.com/2018/06/16/go-for-it-jokanovic-completing-this-8m-double-deal-could-be-fantastic-business-for-fulham/