Tuesday Fulham Stuff (19/06/18)...

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Transfer Rumour Round-Up

With the start of a new season round the corner, the race of silly season is in full flow and transfer rumours abound everywhere. Cameron Ramsey sifts through the nonsense for you and picks out the stories you need to know about regarding all things black and white.

We are Premier League! Now that the privilege of gracing the top-flight is among us once more, it's time to refocus after the 2017-18 campaign and prepare for an ecstatic, yet gruelling, 2018-19 campaign in the domineering company of Manchester City and chums, and though our squad is already the undisputed best in the land, obviously, there's nothing like a few fresh faces to reinvigorate Slavisa Jokanovic's triumphant fold, right?

The summer transfer window is now indeed open and the captivating world of tenuous speculation has arrived with a shoddily wrapped parcel of contentious pish posh for us all to scorn, scoff and sneer at, but given the names that the Whites have been paired with in the past week or so, there's certainly reason to be happy, hopeful and, well, smug as a pig in a blanket, to put it diplomatically.

So pour another pint of craft ale or kale juice if you're that way inclined, sling your feet up wherever you may be, and marvel at the professional personalities which could well become firm fan favourites very, very soon in this bumper transfer supplement. Ah yes, we're glad it's that dizzying time of year again, too.

Fyodor Smolov – FC Krasnodar
A reliable hit-man is required to survive amongst the top brass, and Fulham – as per a report published by Daily Mail – are said to be interested in landing FC Krasnodar's Fyodor Smolov, who will skipper his country, Russia, at the 2018 World Cup in his homeland.

The 28-year-old is a reliable source in front of the target having found the back of the net 15 times last term for his current employers, a presence in the final third which alerted West Ham United to his esteemed services in January, although it's believed that a bid of £11m was subsequently rebuffed by Byki, and rightly so, might I add.

Last season's runaway Championship victors Wolverhampton Wanderers are also said to be a tailing party in the hunt for his signature, and if Smolov is to lead his men to an admirable finish in this summer's international tournament, the two newly promoted contenders certainly won't be the only clubs caught up in a frantic transfer melee for his trusted influence in the dressing room.

Aleksandar Mitrovic – Newcastle United
Newcastle United's Aleksandar Mitrovic, despite only being on our books temporarily, felt, celebrated and "shithoused" like a true Fulham attacker, and it's thought that if the Cottagers were to lure him back down south to the river on a permanent basis – subject to a report published by Evening Standard – they'd have to match the Magpies' valuation of £20m, a steal in the current transfer market, given the Serbian's dogged, prolific nature in the danger area.

A ready-made marksman with a fiery demeanour, 'Mitro' hit the ground running at the turn of the new year under 'Slav's' astute command and reignited his hunger for goals, often to devastating effect. The 23-year-old emphatically dispatched 12 pivotal strikes during his half season loan at the club and was a key component throughout, and as he always wore his heart on his sleeve, accompanied by a flailing limb or two, he even endeared himself to us Fulham faithful in the process.

Curbing his temperament was integral to unearthing his overwhelming potential, and having witnessed Mitrovic's formative growth at Partizan Belgrade, Jokanovic knew how to handle, channel and transform his burdening aggression, taming him into one of the Championship's most feared attackers for all the right reasons on the turf.

Gian Marco Ferrari – U.S. Sassuolo Calcio
No, not the spangly Italian sports car, but Sampdoria News reports that Fulham are allegedly weighing up a swoop for U.S. Sassuolo Calcio's centre-back Gian Marco Ferrari, who had spent the previous campaign on loan at fellow Serie A outfit U.C. Sampdoria.

The 26-year-old became a mainstay in the heart of Sampdoria's rearguard with 30 accomplished appearances in all competitions to his name and also endeavoured hardily at the back to ensure that the blucerchiati claimed scalps from AC Milan and domineering Turin-based titans Juventus en route to an admirable 10th-placed finish.

However it's said that Ferrari, 6'2″, is also on Newcastle's scouring radar, but Rafa Benitez will only pursue the Italian defender if they can offload Congolese enforcer Chancel Mbemba, who is seemingly surplus to requirement at St. James' Park this summer.

Lamine Fomba – AJ Auxerre
French outlet L'Equipe – via GFF – claim that the Cottagers are tailing AJ Auxerre's tireless central midfielder Lamine Fomba, who has been compared and likened to none other than Chelsea's resolute catalyst, N'Golo Kante.

The French U18 international, who is incidentally 20-years-old, has one year left on his standing deal at the Ligue 2 club, and in order to gain more invaluable first-team experience at ‎AJA, he even turned his nose up at the prospect of jumping ship to Tottenham Hotspur, a bold, sensible decision indeed in terms of his career development.

The Whites have supposedly watched and scouted Fomba on numerous occasions, and if he does in fact resemble anything like Kante in the engine room, then it would prove to be a very shrewd, intelligent move if Fulham proceeded to attain his exulted exploits for the foreseeable future.

Aden Flint – Bristol City
With Fulham trying and ultimately failing to lure him to Craven Cottage in January, a report published by Daily Mail suggests that Jokanovic has rekindled his infatuation with Bristol City's hardy centre-half Aden Flint, as the Serbian boss vies to bolster his defensive regiment with new, capable recruits.

The 28-year-old was persuaded by the Robins to pen a contract extension in January which entailed that he would fundamentally stay at Ashton Gate until 2021, an arrangement that has also seen his valuation soar in the transfer market to signify his loyalty to the club and his sturdy, vigorous calibre.

A beloved asset at Bristol, Flint was seemingly on the cusp of a switch to Birmingham City last summer, although his aspiring employers managed to cling on to the ex-Swindon Town stalwart for another calendar year, but all could yet change given the right offer, approach and project, of course.

Andrija Zivkovic – SL Benfica
Dependent on promotion to the Premier League, 'Joka' identified SL Benfica's trailblazing Andrija Zivkovic as a potential summer venture, and now that the Whites are gloriously a top-flight club once again, a report published by Club Call in March has suddenly become relevant again.

The report divulged that Fulham allegedly deployed scouts to gauge the searing 21-year-old's performance against Martimo at the Estadio da Luz, an encounter which saw Benfica blast 5 past their vulnerable Liga NOS opponent without reply, a one-sided meeting where Zivkovic provided an assist and notched his third domestic goal of the campaign, so a glowing summary would have presumably been issued fairly promptly after the tie had run its rampant course.

Being a Serb, Zivkovic began his career at Partizan Belgrade, the club to which Jokanonic shepherded towards two double-winning seasons in 2008 and 2009. 'Slav', as we all know, is also a Serb, so it's assumed that a familiar, natural connection could be formed between the pair in south-west London, a similar chemistry to the bond Jokanovic crafted with Mitrovic, perhaps.

Joe Bennett – Cardiff City
It's thought that Fulham are monitoring the availability of Cardiff City's Joe Bennett, who has a £2m release clause in his contract at the Bluebirds, however a report published by Wales Online suggests that Neil Warnock and company are reluctant to part ways with the 28-year-old left-back.

A reliable component of 'Colin's' City contingent, which snagged second on the final day of the 2017-18 campaign after being prodded all the way by the Whites, evidently value the full-back as an indispensable member of the fold, and will look to retain his services for the coming 2018-19 season in the Premier League.

A rugged tackler – Manchester City's Leroy Sane would reaffirm – Warnock claimed that Bennett supposedly turned down the opportunity to join the Whites last August, an alleged offer which was substantially more than what he was on at his current employers: "I put no pressure on him, it was down to him, he had the option. But he's staying for less money he could have had, on his original contract with two years to go."

Jordan Ayew – Swansea City
In order to reinforce the channels, Sky Sports disclosed that returning Premier League force Fulham allegedly lodged an £8m bid for Jordan Ayew of Swansea City, who were relegated from the top-flight in the previous campaign having languished for the majority of the calendar schedule.

The 26-year-old was the Swans' top-scorer last season with 11 strikes to his name in all competitions, although his effectiveness and prowess in front of the target ultimately couldn't spare him and his stuttering employers from the harsh, deflating drop to England's second-tier.

Having previously been relegated with French outfit FC Sochaux-Montbéliard and Aston Villa, many are wary that Ayew could bring a despairing curse with him if he were to jump to the river from South Wales, but there's no denying the Ghanaian winger's searing, nimble adroitness along the channels, which would undoubtedly fit seamlessly into Slav's tailor-made system at an exceedingly shallow price by today's lofty, inflated standards.

Edmilson Junior – Standard Liege
Subject to a report published by Belgian outlet DH.be, Fulham are thought to be rivalled by fellow Premier League counterparts West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanders in the hunt for Standard Liege Winger Edmilson Junior, who is a shining talisman for the Jupiler Pro League club.

Edmilson, 23, clinically dispatched 11 goals in all competitions from the channels last term and it's believed that the vibrant flanker's manager, Michel Preud'homme, will fight tooth and nail to ensure that the Belgian-born Brazilian remains at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne for at least one more season.

English set-ups are not alone in the quest for his expertise, however, as it's said that sides from the Serie A, including the likes of Fiorentina, Genoa and Sassuolo, are also hot on the industrious attacker's dazzling heels, so if Craven Cottage is not to be for Edmilson, he'll certainly grace a renowned arena somewhere on the continent if he departs his current surroundings, of course.

Gokhan Gonul – Besiktas JK 
With Ryan Fredericks swapping the optimism of Fulham for the obscurity of West Ham recently on a free transfer, Jokanovic will presumably be scouring for a capable replacement, and it's emerged – as per a report published by Turkish outlet Takvim (via Turkish Football) – that Besiktas JK's Gokhan Gonul, a 33-year-old full-back, is supposedly on the club's extensive wishlist.

An accomplished veteran of his profession, Gonul has amassed 65 caps for his nation, Turkey, and also provided 4 assists in 34 appearances last season, a record that proves that despite his age he's still a productive figurehead on the turf.

But, as the Cottagers seemingly have a recruitment policy in place which disables them from signing players over the age of 28, the likelihood of the evergreen defender moving to the capital appear agonisingly slim, and as the Super Lig giants are said to want in excess of €4.5m for the former Fenerbahce SK man, it's time to peruse the market elsewhere for a youthful individual at a more reasonable price.

Lucas Piazon & Tomas Kalas – Chelsea
Without forgetting that Chelsea duo Lucas Piazon and Tomas Kalas were in fact on loan at Fulham for two years, it's still unfathomable to picture a Whites fold without the two Blues players but, in order to claim their respective qualities on a permanent basis, Daily Star understands that our beloved lodgers are ready to set them free for good, and Slav' could land the instrumental double act for a bargain figure of £8m.

Valued and wanted at CC by the vast majority, Chelsea will supposedly hope to cash-in on the discarded pair in order to clear their books, and as stability is vital to a player's development, it's thought that the Brazilian craftsman and the Czech international will leap at the chance of migrating across SW6 for the foreseeable future.

Having been temporarily shipped out year in, year out since signing for Chelsea, Piazon and Kalas have plied their neglected trades across Europe for a roster of debatable forces, but as Fulham coherently tandem ambition and fluidity in their strategic ethos both on and off the pitch, an outright move from Stamford Bridge is undoubtedly conducive for their staggered careers, as the Cottagers exhibit a better brand of total football, obviously.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2018-06-18-transfer-rumour-round-up/

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Fulham hoping to sign Tim Krul on a free transfer



Fulham are looking to sign the Brighton keeper Tim Krul this summer.

The former Newcastle United star is out of contract and the Londoners could sign him on a free transfer.

As per the reports, Krul is prepared to join the newly promoted side and compete for a spot in their starting lineup. Apparently, Krul is ready to sign a deal with the Cottagers soon.

At Brighton, the Dutchman is a back up for Mat Ryan and he believes that a move to Fulham would be ideal for his career.

The 30-year-old shot stopper has already proven himself in the Premier League with Newcastle before and he should prove to be a valuable addition to the Fulham side.

Furthermore, signing him on a free transfer could prove to be a tremendous bargain.

Brighton want him to stay at the club but Krul wants more playing time. It will be interesting to see whether he can hold down a regular starting berth at Fulham next season.



http://sportslens.com/fulham-hoping-to-sign-tim-krul-on-a-free-transfer/236171/

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Academy Director Huw Jennings reveals why Fulham enter U21 side in Checkatrade Trophy

Fulham will once again play in the Checkatrade Trophy in the 2018/19 season and Huw Jennings has revealed why he's a fan of the competition

Fulham have been invited to enter their U21 side into the Checkatrade Trophy for the 2018/19 season, and Academy Director Huw Jennings believes the experiences in the competition will help the Whites youngsters in their future careers

The Craven Cottage outfit entered a side for the first time last season but crashed out of the competition at the group stages, having managed a win against Crawley Town, a draw against Portsmouth and a loss against Charlton.

U21 sides entering the competition has been met with animosity from some sides in the competition, which used to be only open to sides from League One and Two, while some clubs have welcomed the addition of U21 teams with open arms.

Fulham will be in the competition once again this season, along with the likes of Arsenal and Chelsean and Jennings believes that the experiences the competition has afforded the youngsters in the U21 side will help them in their future careers - something that they may not get playing reserve football.

He told Football.London: "Yes, I'm a big fan it has to be said.

"I've worked for a League One club so I know why some clubs will be a bit negative towards it, interestingly enough the three clubs we played, Charlton, Portsmouth and Crawley all had different views about the competition.

"Crawley were really massively in favour of it, Portsmouth were dead against it and Charlton were a bit in between.

"With anything new, it will bring controversy, but what I can say to you is that in their different ways, the three games were all fantastic experiences for our players.


Rob Atkinson of Fulham shows disappointment after the Checkatrade Trophy match between Charlton and Fulham (Image: Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

"They will have learnt a huge amount, we were leading at Charlton, 2-1 in the 89th minute and we've ended up losing the tie 3-2 and I went into the dressing room afterwards and of course, you're all bitterly disappointed and if you like, you're looking for the reasons as to why you've lost out so late in the game.

"But those players will learn so much from that experience because you're in against a league club whose manager, Karl Robinson, was giving his side pelters that we could hear from the dressing room because he knew how close they were to getting beat by an U21 team.


Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson scores for Fulham U21s (Image: Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

"So you've gone from that situation to losing, those players won't forget that, if we hung on and won 2-1 for some would've been saying what is all the fuss about, when actually they will have learnt a huge amount.

"So in adversity, we find a huge amount out about our players and the Checkatrade was a really good experience for us."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/academy-director-huw-jennings-reveals-14797155

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PL2 In Numbers

See who was top for the Under-23s when it came to stats this season.

Pass accuracy

Matt O'Riley led the way for pass accuracy in the Under-23s, picking up an astonishing success rate of 88 per cent from 486 completed passes. He was closely followed by fellow 17-year-old Tyrese Francois, the Australian completing 86.3 per cent of his passes, clocking up 415 from the middle of the park. Both the midfielders played eight matches for Peter Grant's side. Of the players with more than 10 appearances, it was centre back Rob Atkinson who was the most accurate distributor of the ball, with 83.5 per cent, making 981 passes in total throughout the season.

Blocks and interceptions

The most interception by a large margin was Tayo Edun. Edun was deployed as a defensive midfielder this season and was more than effective in front of the defence. He managed to make 30 interceptions within 12 matches, also clocking up the highest rate of 2.5 per match. His closest challenger was German centre-back Moritz Jenz, who made 28 interceptions at a rate of 1.75 per match.

Peter Grant's PL2 captain Aron Davies led the way in terms of blocks. He prevented 29 shots, more than double of any of his teammates. Back-line partner Jenz made the second most throughout the season with 12.

Duels won

The highest number of successful duels was surprisingly not a defender, but winger Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson. The Icelander completer 127 duels throughout the season, with a success rate of 48.8 per cent. However, the player who was most effective when it came to duels was centre-half Rob Atkinson, winning 70 per cent of the duels he competed in. He was closesly followed by Marlon Fossey who won two thirds of his, an impressive 40 duels in only seven matches.

Tackles

Unsurprisingly it was the backline who made the most headway with tackles. Steven Sessegnon had an incredible success rate of 91 per cent, winning 10 out of his 11 tackles. For players who featured 10-plus times for the Whites, Davies completed 79 per cent of his tackles, closely followed by Edun who won 25 tackles in 12 matches, at a rate of 78.1 per cent.

Goals

Crucially, the most goals were scored by forward Elijah Adebayo, who averaged 126 minutes per goal. He put nine away and laid on five assists for his teammates. He finished fifth highest scorer in the division, which is even more remarkable as he missed the second half of the PL2 season on loan at League Two outfit Cheltenham Town. He also scored two goals and grabbed three assists in his three Checkatrade outings. Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson finished joint eighth in the PL2 Division 2 scoring charts with seven goals, and also grabbed three assists. On top of that he scored one and assisted two in the Checkatrade Trophy.

Chances Created

Thorsteinsson made by far the most chances for his teammates. He created 46 opportunities to score in 21 matches, reaching a high of 2.2 per game. The closest was ex-teammate Sean Kavanagh who created 16 chances in his eight appearances for the Whites this season. Kavanagh was closely followed by fellow wing-back Sessegnon, who created 10 in his seven appearances, and forward George Williams who created 1.33 chances per appearance for Peter Grant's side.

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/june/16/pl2-in-numbers

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Transfer gossip: Newcastle reportedly want Ayew

Some of the recent transfer speculation involving Fulham...

Newcastle have expressed an interest in Jordan Ayew, according to GhanaWeb.

West London Sport recently revealed that Fulham have made an offer for the Swansea City forward.

It is claimed that Newcastle are also keen on Ghana international Ayew and that he is rated at £13m. The Whites offered Swansea £8m.

Fulham tipped to move for Krul
Fulham are looking to sign goalkeeper Tim Krul on a free transfer, The Sun say.

The Dutchman's Brighton contract expires at the end of this month and the Whites are said to be ready to snap him up.

It comes amid reports that Brighton are set to sign keeper David Button from Fulham.

Whites linked with Swift
Fulham want Reading midfielder John Swift, it is claimed.

The Reading Chronicle say "sources suggest" promoted Fulham are ready to spend £12m on the former Chelsea youngster.

Swift, who made one first-team appearance for Chelsea and spent a season on loan at Brentford, signed a five-year contract at Reading last summer.

Wilson also linked
Liverpool youngster Harry Wilson has also been linked with Fulham.

The Mirror say the Whites and Huddersfield both want forward Wilson, 21, and could offer Liverpool up to £7m.

The Merseyside club are said to be keen to keep him and would reportedly prefer him to go out on loan.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/football-newcastle-swansea-city-jordan-ayew-180618

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A Message From Our Chairman

Greetings to everyone in the Fulham family!

I understand the celebrations are still going strong in many parts of SW6.  I know for a fact that toasts to your Club continue throughout the world, as I have been privileged to participate in many of them!  So, while the afterglow of our victory and promotion on May 26 continues, I just wanted to say that you have my approval to keep the party going.  There should be no closure to the joy and happiness we all were able to enjoy last month at Wembley Stadium, and I will always be humbled to have been part of something so magical after serving five seasons as your chairman, knowing that many of you waited forever for this moment and, ultimately, the memory of a lifetime.

If the enormity of everything we saw and earned in our 1-0 win over Aston Villa didn't seem real, it certainly must have on Thursday with the release of our 2018-2019 fixtures in the English Premier League.

As I noted the last time I wrote to you, just before the match at Wembley, the Sky Bet Championship was (and is) a fantastic league with great clubs, managers and players, some of the best grounds in England, passionate supporters and a competitive level that didn't permit the luxury of even a brief losing spell. Teams promoted from the Championship to the Premier League earn it, and I commend Aston Villa and their supporters for their effort and showing at Wembley that perhaps on another day would have been enough to send their side through.                     

As the victory at Wembley over a tough Aston Villa squad was extremely emotional to me, and likely you, the release of the fixtures on Thursday was fulfilling and satisfying.  It's wonderful to see Fulham in the same company, again, with recent world football powers like Manchester City and Liverpool.  And the five London derbies at Craven Cottage, starting with the season opener in less than two months against our friend Roy Hodgson and Crystal Palace, are reason alone for high anticipation for the upcoming campaign.

And, I like how our fixtures shake out overall.  After being on the road on Boxing Day the past four seasons we played in the Championship, as well as in my first season as chairman in the Premier League in 2013, I'm very happy that we will finally be home for the holidays against Wolves on Boxing Day and again on December 29 vs. Huddersfield Town, followed by a London derby at Arsenal on New Year's Day.  That's good news for our players, their families and our supporters who can see Fulham play in person throughout the holiday season without having to leave London.

It's also impossible to overlook our immediate return to Wembley Stadium to face Spurs in the second match of the season.  It's an away fixture, but it will feel like home!

I'm just overjoyed for everyone this summer as we look forward to Premier League action again in August.  The Premier League is the most watched football league in the world, broadcast in over 180 countries to around one billion households.  The Premier League counts more than three billion followers globally, ensuring that your club and the values it stands for will be reintroduced to the world.  An added benefit of that is the impressive and excellent work by the Fulham Football Club Foundation will be brought to an increased global audience. The Foundation will deliver an array of Premier League community initiatives, in addition some of their ground-breaking programmes already developed.

We will continue in the months ahead to shape our roster for the Premier League, but in the meantime I hope you'll enjoy the FIFA World Cup with friends and family knowing that it's a fact – we're going up!  I also wish England the very best this evening vs. Tunisia and throughout the tournament, but I do know Fulham has fans everywhere who support other national teams in all corners of the globe.  So, to everyone – good luck in Russia!

Thanks for your kind words over the years and especially over the past three weeks.  Enjoy the summer!  I'll see you at Craven Cottage very soon.

COYW!

Shahid Khan, Chairman

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/june/18/a-message-from-our-chairman

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How Fulham came close to signing Denmark's £17.5million midfield star

Slavisa Jokanovic has revealed that Fulham were monitoring Denmark's Thomas Delaney through the course of last season

Slavisa Jokanovic has revealed that Fulham had been monitoring Thomas Delaney and wanted to sign him before he made the move to Borussia Dortmund.

The Denmark star played at Werder Bremen last season and helped Denmark qualify for the World Cup in Russia before the 26-year-old midfielder impressed in their opening win over Peru.

But that came as no shock to Fulham's head coach or their recruitment team, who had been tracking the Dane throughout last season with the hope of signing him should they get promoted to the Premier League, which they did at Wembley in the Championship play-off final.

Delaney, who was captain at Copenhagen at just 22, seems to have made a mark on Jokanovic, who tipped him as one of his five to watch in his Daily Mail column for the World Cup, and it's easy to see why.

He won the second most amount of challenges in the Bundesliga last season (432), second only behind Augsburg midfielder Caiuby who managed 501, while his tenacity in the middle would've suited to the style Fulham play to a tee.

However, Delaney won't be coming to Craven Cottage having signed for Dortmund in a £17.5million move, but when signing admitted he did have offers from the Premier League, and Fulham could well have been one of those clubs.

When he signed for Dortmund, he said in an official release: "Indeed, it has always been my big wish to play in the Premier League. And I also had offers.

"But when Borussia Dortmund called, I did not have to think for too long. BVB for me are one of the top 10 clubs in Europe, and one of the two top clubs in Germany, and the stadium is just the best in all [of] Europe."

It shows the calibre and mould of player that Fulham's recruitment team are looking for this summer as they prepare for the Premier League, here's what impressed Jokanovic the most about Delaney.

"This guy may not be captain but he is a real leader on the pitch. We followed him last season for Fulham while he was playing for Werder Bremen and we wanted him but he is joining Borussia Dortmund,"Jokanovic said.

"He can play in a number of different positions in the midfield, he can be box to box, he can score you goals and he is very strong in the challenge.

"He could help Denmark to be one of the surprises in the competition. He has a great fighting spirit and moves the team in the right direction."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulham-world-cup-thomas-delaney-14797086

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Press Box Opinion - Goal of the Season

With the Goal of the Season vote still open, read who Fulham's media department believe is most deserving of the accolade.



Jim McGullion, Commentator: "Whilst there were a number of candidates with great goals from the likes of Stef Jo, Sess, Mitro, Floyd, AK, Ollie, KMac, and of course Denis, I don't think you can look beyond TC's winner in the Play-Off Final. Never having seen Fulham score at Wembley, it was a magic moment that will never be forgotten, and due to the importance and significance, that for me has to be the Goal of the Season."



Carmelo Mifsud, Media Relations Manager: "There are a number of great strikes to select from in a season we have been spoilt for choice. Whilst it would make out-and-out sense to choose a goal that has led to a momentous occasion like Tom Cairney's at Wembley or Denis Odoi's in the Semi-Final against Derby, I'm disentangling any emotion and opting for the first of Ryan Sessegnon's three at Sheffield United. Top scorer this term with 16 goals, most of his tally has come from his awareness and anticipation inside the box. This effort at Sheffield however was his sole goal from outside the box, and it was also with his right boot! Ryan received the ball on the left side of midfield 30 yards from goal, and showed great control on his chest to move the ball away from the defender. Floyd Ayité's burst alongside him on the left created space for Ryan to run into and he showed confidence to take on the shot and hit the bottom corner of the net. Ryan went on to score his first hat-trick for the senior team and what a way to start this off with a wonderful goal."



Leah Mylles, Media Relations Executive: "My Goal of the Season is probably an obvious choice but it has to be Denis Odoi against Derby in the Play-Off Semi-Final. The whole stadium seemed to stand still and take a second to react to the ball going in the net. It was such an important goal and I have never seen or heard the crowd erupt like that at the Cottage before."



Geoff Pruce, Web Content Manager: "For what it meant to everyone associated with Fulham Football Club, I don't think this can go to anyone other than Tom Cairney. Although even forgetting its importance, it was a lovely goal in its own right. That through ball from Ryan Sessegnon was exquisite to pick out Tom – who was as surprised as the rest of us to find himself in behind the defence – and the captain showed magnificent composure on the biggest stage of all. To see the White Wall explode in a collective ecstasy was a joy to behold, and it's a goal I will never forget for as long as I live."



Jamie Reid, Co-Commentator: "I will go for two; both stoppage time goals in the same game. Kevin McDonald and Ryan Sessegnon's late efforts at Barnsley proved crucial in our charge to the Play-Offs. For me it was a pivotal match as it gave us the required belief; we took points - despite not playing at our best. Matt Targett made his Fulham debut at Oakwell and Aleksandar Mitrović then arrived for the next game. Those late goals showed that we could still make the season a real special one."



Ed Hutson, Video & Content Executive: "For me I will have to give it to Denis Odoi for his header against Derby in the second leg of the Play-Offs. There are numerous reasons for me choosing this goal and although it may not be the most beautiful one we scored this season, the importance of it and the goal scorer himself made it special as Denis is a great guy. A wide opinion of Fulham is that we don't score from set-pieces and the way the media lauded Curtis Davies and Richard Keogh from the first leg, it was refreshing to see the slight Belgian leap far beyond them to send Fulham to Wembley. Also the celebrations were right in front of the press box which was a nice moment us as a communications team as that never happens – I know it certainly wasn't for our benefit but it was nice to feel involved."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/june/16/press-box-opinion

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Premier League outfit cool interest in Swansea City star

Fulham are cooling their interest in Jordan Ayew, after Swansea City rejected their opening offer of £8m.

Slavisa Jokanovic had been keen to add Ayew to his squad ahead of Fulham's Premier League return, but a report from the Daily Mail has confirmed that interest from London is cooling, with the Cottagers set to prioritise other targets now.

Swansea rejected an initial bid of £8m for Ayew, as the club prepare for their return to the Sky Bet Championship.

Ayew has been with Swansea since January 2017, impressing in Wales, despite his side struggling in the Premier League.

The 26-year-old has made 58 appearances for the Swans, scoring 12 goals.

44 of those appearances came last season, with Ayew scoring 11 goals across all competitions and adding a further two assists.

Seven of those goals came in the Premier League, but Ayew was unable to prevent Swansea suffering relegation to the Championship.

The Swans are now preparing for life back in the second-tier under Graham Potter, who has agreed a three-year deal to takeover at the Liberty Stadium.

The Verdict

Ayew has been very good at Swansea and it is little surprise to hear that clubs are looking to offer the 26-year-old a route back to the Premier League.

However, for Fulham, they can't afford to chase Ayew with silly money, as Jokanovic's squad needs plenty of work ahead of their Premier League return.

When other areas are sorted, Fulham might return, if another club hasn't already swooped.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/premier-league-outfit-cool-interest-in-swansea-city-star/

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Fulham 'tracking Sheffield Wednesday forward Fernando Forestieri'

Fulham are reportedly keeping tabs on Sheffield Wednesday forward Fernando Forestieri.

According to the Daily Mail, the Premier League newcomers are ready to challenge Stoke City and Middlesbrough for the Argentine's signature.

Forestieri was a key figure for the Owls during the latter stages of last season, but spent much of the campaign out with a knee injury.

Wednesday face the possibility of losing several players this summer, with Boro also tipped to swoop for Barry Bannan.

Meanwhile, striker George Hirst has been linked with a move to Everton.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/sheffield-wednesday/transfer-talk/news/fulham-tracking-fernando-forestieri_328613.html

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And Three Makes A Crowd At Fulham

Transfer speculation isn't, courtesy of the ongoing World Cup, as plentiful as we might hope it would be.

However, there is one piece of tittle-tattle doing the rounds that could prove to be interesting.

According to the news source, Sportslens, Fulham are looking towards the south coast too, possibly, add another keeper to the squad.

The keeper in question is Tim Krul, who has had Premier League experience with Newcastle and Brighton and Hove Albion.

Krul is currently out of contract at Brighton and is looking for a move where he'd get the opportunity to play more first team football, something he feels he might get elsewhere.

At Brighton, Krul has had to be content with playing as the understudy to Matt Ryan, who is currently on duty Australia at the World Cup.

Our source indicates that Krul, 30-years-of-age, is ready to sign a deal at Craven Cottage.

However, here at Vital Fulham, we'd have to ask the all-important questions.

Firstly, would Krul be any nearer to playing more first-team football at Craven Cottage with the club already possessing two more than capable keepers in the shape of Marcus Bettinelli and David Button?

Secondly, if, as our source suggests, Krul is set to join Fulham, what are the implications for Bettinelli and Button, could one be heading for the exit?



https://fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/and-three-makes-a-crowd-at-fulham/

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Report: Fulham prepare £10 million bid for Getafe winger Amath Ndiaye Diedhiou

Fulham are reportedly keen on signing the Getafe ace.

According to a report from Spanish media outlet AS, Premier League new-boys Fulham are interested in signing Getafe winger Amath Ndiaye Diedhiou, with Slaviša Jokanović thought to be keen on bolstering his wide attacking options.

The 21-year-old joined Getafe from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2017, and went on to chalk up three goals and three assists in 37 La Liga outings last season.

Spanish publication AS claim that Fulham are prepared to pay £10 million in order to bring the lively winger to Craven Cottage this summer, and in today's day and age, that would actually represent decent value.

Good signing for the Cottagers?

The 21-year-old is obviously still very young, and has plenty of work to do if he is to go on and become a top level player, but he certainly has the potential to do just that.

Diedhiou possesses pace in abundance, and plays with a certain type of directness that would provide Fulham with something entirely different to what they currently have.

He can also play anywhere along the front-line, and that versatility might prove to be crucial to the west London outfit in the Premier League next season.

Bringing the Getafe winger to the Premier League would be risky for Fulham, however, considering the step up in both quality and intensity, but for £10 million, it might just be a risk worth taking for the Cottagers.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/06/18/report-fulham-prepare-10-million-bid-for-getafe-winger-amath-ndi/

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Go for it Jokanovic – Fulham must do everything to sign this versatile left-sided Swedish ace

According to a report by The Mirror, newly-promoted Premier League outfit Fulham are interested in a move for Swedish defender Ludwig Augustinsson. The 24-year-old is currently in Russia for the ongoing World Cup and he plays for Werder Bremen.

But if Fulham play their cards right, a potential transfer could be on the horizon. In order to compete in the Premier League, Slavisa Jokanovic's men are in dire need of reinforcements. But when they have a player as prolific as Ryan Sessegnon in their team, do they need another left-back?

Over the course of the last season, Sessegnon became a household name across England. Despite being a defender, the teenager displayed impressive attacking qualities. He is particularly strong on the left-hand side and can play as a defender, a midfielder and a winger in that area.

The youngster can attack and defend with equal gusto and is the true epitome of a modern-day full-back. In such a situation, it might seem a tad surprising that Fulham are interested in signing Augustinsson.

However, it could be due to two reasons. Given Sessegnon's attacking calibre, Jokanovic could be toying with the idea of deploying him as a left-winger more often next season as the teenager was one of the best wingers in the Championship in the 2017/18 campaign.

And to limit his potential by playing him as a left-back would be unwise for Jokanovic. In that case, it would make sense for Fulham to target Augustinsson to boost their options in the left-back position. On the flipside, it could also be a sign of Fulham trying to prepare for life without Sessegnon.

Every time a youngster performs in such a brilliant manner on a consistent basis, there are always a slew of clubs lurking around to snap him up.

The same has happened with the Fulham sensation as there are several Premier League clubs interested in a move for him. Ideally, Jokanovic would want to hold on to him but it would be tough to reject if a big-money offer comes in for the starlet.

Thus, targeting Augustinsson would make sense only if Fulham are faced with either of the two aforementioned situations. The 24-year-old is definitely more experienced and although his approach is not as attack-oriented, he is an excellent defender.

His interception skills are absolutely top-class and under Jokanovic's guidance, he could go on to work his magic in the Premier League as well. That said, the Cottagers need not make a move for him if Sessegnon continues at left-back.



https://soccersouls.com/2018/06/19/go-for-it-jokanovic-fulham-must-do-everything-to-sign-this-versatile-left-sided-swedish-ace/

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Fulham readying £10m bid for Diedhiou
by Dan on June 18, 2018

Reports from Spain claim that Fulham are showing serious interest in Getafe winger Amath Ndiaye Diedhiou.

Spanish newspaper AS says that the Whites are preparing an offer of around £10m for Getafe's young Senegalese winger, who has only spent a single season at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez. The 21 year-old, who started his career with Vallidolid before joining Atletico Madrid, caught the eye in La Liga last season, scoring three times and adding three assists in his 38 league appearances as Getafe finished eighth, which was the club's best ever finish in their history.

Diedhou's lightning speed and versatility would fit will with Slavisa Jokanovic's requirements for forwards. The Fulham head coach is an avid watcher of the Spanish game having spent much of his playing career in La Liga and would be appraised of Diedhou's talent. The pacey winger is predominantly left sided but can play on the right or as a centre forward – and Fulham are known to be keen to strengthen their attacking options as they prepare for their return to the Premier League in August. The Dakar-born forward has another three years left on his current Getafe contract.

Diedhou, always regarded as a promising youth talent in Atletico's academy, made his breakthrough on the Spanish football scene when he was loaned to second division Tenerife, where he scored twelve goals in 39 appearances as the Canarians narrowly missed out on the promotion to La Liga in the play-offs.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/06/fulham-readying-10m-bid-for-diedhiou/