Saturday Fulham Stuff (21/07/18)...

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Fulham Launch Second Bid For 22 Y/O Southampton Fullback: Can Jokanovic Get His Man?



Fulham reportedly have offered Southampton £8m for Matt Targett after seeing their initial offer of £5m get rejected. The Lillywhites are looking to bolster the club ranks following their promotion to the Premier League and the Saints fullback is at the very top of their summer shortlist. The 22-year-old spent the previous season on loan with the Cottagers and saw them through to a successful playoff battle.

Slavisa Jokanovic has already lost three of his starting XI players in Ryan Fredericks, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Targett himself. While Fredericks have left on a free transfer to West Ham United, bringing back the latter duo permanently is a pressing matter for the Serbian boss.

Targett could not really break into the Southampton first team squad under Mauricio Pellegrino and had to be loaned out for his own good. The Saints have a highly rated starter in Ryan Bertrand and youngster Sam McQueen as a backup. Instead, Targett managed to find a lucrative escape in the English capital and got to resume his development into a quality professional.

He arrived in January and ended the 2017/18 campaign with 18 Championship appearances, a goal and two assists to his name. His Fulham introduction allowed Ryan Sessegnon to move forward into a more attacking position and make full use of his remarkable footballing abilities. Targett proved himself to be effective at the back while also surging ahead to help in the attack. He played a crucial part in seeing the club go through five months without registering a defeat.



The 22-year-old is a product of the highly rated Southampton youth academy, having joined the side when he was just 8. He made his senior team debut against Millwall in the Carabao Cup second-round game. With 56 appearances for the club's U23 side, Targett did manage to carve out a sporadic role behind Bertrand to rack up 42 appearances for the senior squad.

Just last summer he signed a new five-year contract but could not really find minutes on the pitch as the Saints struggle to put a winning run together. Targett has 24 caps for England at various youth levels and does have the potential to break out in the Premier League if he makes the switch to Fulham.

The Cottagers have more than a decent shot at signing the left-back this very summer with their refurbished bid. Now it is up to Mark Hughes to either keep him on for another season or to reinvest the transfer money in more necessary additions.



https://the4thofficial.net/2018/07/fulham-launch-second-bid-for-22-y-o-southampton-fullback-can-jokanovic-get-his-man/

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Goalkeeper Fabri confirms he's leaving Besiktas for Fulham


Fabri of Besiktas. EPA/SEBASTIEN NOGIER

First-choice Besiktas goalkeeper Fabri Agosto Ramirez confirmed he's set to join Premier League side Fulham.

The Spanish keeper played his final game for Besiktas on Friday evening during the Turkish Super Lig side's 3-1 friendly win over Krasnador.

"As you know the Premier League is a major league and one I am interested in joining," Fabri said after the game.

"Negotiations between the two clubs are ongoing but there is a verbal agreement with Fulham. I want to thank Besiktas for my time here."

Sources close to the deal confirmed to ESPN FC that Fabri has agreed personal terms with Fulham, who are expected to pay Besiktas a fee of around €6 million (£5.3m) once the transfer is completed.

The Spanish keeper will be joining goalkeeper coach Jose Sambade for the third time in his career after enjoying spells together at Deportivo la Coruna and Besiktas.

Sambada is a keen admirer of Fabri and played an important role in convincing the keeper to join Besiktas in 2016.

Besiktas president Fikret Orman revealed on Thursday that Fulham had made an offer for the 30-year-old keeper.

"There are offers for Fabri, he is training now but I don't know where he will end up," Orman told reporters at Besiktas' training camp in Austria.

Besiktas manager Senol Gunes also hinted on Thursday that Fabri could be on his way out.

"If Fabri leaves we are going to have to sign someone else with the money," Gunes said. "But if we receive a good offer and he wants to leave well there is nothing I can do. Every player has a price."

Fabri joined the Super Lig outfit free transfer in 2016 and went onto lift the Turkish Super League title and compete in two Champions League campaigns.

As ESPN reported on Thursday, the sale of Fabri could result in Besiktas pursuing a move for Arsenal keeper David Ospina.



http://www.espn.co.uk/football/soccer-transfers/story/3570525/goalkeeper-fabri-confirms-hes-leaving-besiktas-for-fulham

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Fabri set for Fulham move

Spanish goalkeeper Fabri is poised to become Fulham's third summer signing after reaching 'a verbal agreement' with the club to complete his move from Besiktas.

The 30 year-old goalkeeper said a public goodbye to the Besiktas fans following the Turkish club's 3-1 pre-season friendly win over Krasnador this afternoon. Fabri told reporters:

As you know the Premier League is a major league and one I am interested in joining. Negotiations between the two clubs are ongoing but there is a verbal agreement with Fulham. I want to thank Be?ikta? for my time here.

Fulham have agreed a fee believed to be in the region of £5.4m for Fabri after having two earlier offers rejected by Besiktas. The experienced goalkeeper has been recommended to Fulham by Slavisa Jokanovic's goalkeeping coach Jose Sambede, who worked at Besiktas when they won their first domestic title in thirteen years in Fabri's first season in Istanbul.

He comes to London with a significant European pedigree, having represented Spain at under-20 level earlier in his career, and starred as Besiktas topped their Champions' League group unbeaten last season. He has kept 27 clean sheets in 87 appearances for Beskitas, conceding 94 goals. Fabri will contest the number spot with Marcus Bettinelli at Fulham after David Button left to join Brighton and Hove Albion at the start of the week.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/07/fabri-set-for-fulham-move/

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Fulham close to signing Fabricio Ramirez

Accomplished keeper

Ramirez began his career with Spanish side Deportivo de La Coruña for whom he played 51 games, in which he kept 16 clean sheets.

The Spaniard would then join Real Valladolid CF on a free transfer but he would make just three appearances for them before signing for Recreativo Huelva on loan.

Ramirez made 41 appearances for Rec reativo Huelva, in which he kept a total of 15 clean sheets.

Ramirez then joined Real Betis on another free transfer and would make 19 appearances for the Spanish side, keeping three clean sheets in that time.

The 30-year-old then rejoined Deportivo de La Coruña in 2013 on yet another free transfer before eventually moving to Besiktas in 2016 for once again, free.

Ramirez has made 87 appearances for Besiktas, keeping 27 clean sheets in that time but he now looks set for a move to the Premier League this summer.

Play-off winners

Fulham enjoyed a very impressive 2017/18 Championship campaign. They finished 3rd in the Championship and scored a superb 79 goals in 46 league games. Only league winners Wolves managed more.

As a result of finishing 3rd Fulham earned themselves a playoff spot. They would beat Derby County 2-1 over two legs of the semi-final and they would go on to beat Aston Villa 1-0 in the final.

Now that Fulham have returned to the top flight of English football for the first time in four years, they are looking to improve upon their squad in order to survive the upcoming season and signing Fabricio Ramirez would go some way to doing that.



https://www.101greatgoals.com/news/fulham-close-to-signing-fabricio-ramirez/

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2018 Fulham Players Profiles: Tom Cairney
Yep, it's time to talk about the captain and club legend


Photo by Alex Morton/Getty Images

Basic Stats: 37 appearances | 33 starts | 4 substitutions | 3,066 minutes | 6 goals | 5 assists

Economics: £3.78 million Transfer Fee | Signed: 2015 | Contract Ends in Summer 2023 plus a 1-year option

Stats by Seven-Game sequences

WhoScored Rating Chart

Radar

All data from whoscored.com

Transfermarket Value Chart

From transfermarket.co.uk

CC Thoughts: Countless stories have already been written about Tom Cairney and his impact to Fulham's rise back to the Premier League. His lone goal in the playoff final sealed his legendary status with the club. Like the club's standing in English football during his tenure, Tom Cairney's 2017/18 got off to a rocky start before finishing strong.

Before the campaign even kicked off, the Fulham captain had to be substituted early due to a knee injury in a preseason friendly against Wolfsburg. What ensued was months of uncertainty with regards to how much his health impacted his form. Either way, Fulham started off poorly as a result of Cairney not being able to provide the same attacking spark like he did when he posted 13 goals and 10 assists in 2016/17.

That particular season cemented himself as the best midfielder in the Championship and people wanted to know what he could do for an encore. Sadly, it was a hint of a step back for Cairney, but by the time March came around, he was back to his very best. During that period, the former Blackburn and Hull man scored five of his six goals and 32 of his 65 shots in just 14 games. Who knows what might have been for 2017/18 if Cairney were to maintain that level of form throughout a much longer period of the season.

Either way, his value in football hasn't wavered and will now be coming into 2018/19 as THE one man that will carry Fulham towards long-term stability in the Premier League. The club certainly know this by giving him a five-year contract extension that will see him at Craven Cottage until 2023. The question now will be if at 27, and with so many Championship minutes on his odometer, Cairney can be able to do the exact same things he did in the Premier League.

After signing Jean Michael Seri, there is no denying that the midfield will still be Fulham's strength coming into next season and Cairney is a massive part in it. Have that unit become one of the best in England and a top ten finish is imminent. Anything worse could be nervous times to all the supporters hoping that this won't be just a one-year cameo appearance in the top flight. But no matter what happens, everyone will be looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

Key Stat: 2.47 successful dribbles per 90 minutes. Despite all the nagging knee injuries this season, 2017/18 surprisingly became Cairney's best season when showing off his mobility. We all know what he can do with the ball and how well he can spray passes to, but never did we envision him being that much of a marauding midfield while gathering the ball from Fulham's defense. His 84 total dribbles were tops in the club ahead of Ryan Fredericks' 73 while Kevin McDonald's 1.01 successful dribbles per 90 minutes is the next best rate among mainstay Fulham midfielders. Yeah, Cairney still finds a way to be among the most dominant midfielders in England even when he is not at his best.

Your thoughts: So we finally get to see Tom Cairney in his rightful place: attempting to boss a midfield in England's top flight. Do you see him being able to go toe-to-toe with the best in the world? Or are there holes in Cairney's game that he has to fix for him to last in the Premier League? Is he even good enough to carry Fulham through in the next handful of seasons or do you think someone else will have to step up or come in and take the mantle from him? Let us know what you think of the midfield maestro in the comment section below.



https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2018/7/20/17594808/2018-fulham-players-profiles-tom-cairney

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Debate sparked as first Singaporean to sign for a Premier League club faces two-year military conscription

    Benjamin Davis, 17, signed a two-year contract with Premier League club Fulham
    He will be due to undergo two years of military service
    No Singaporean had previously been signed to a Premier League side
    Nearly 20,000 have signed a petition calling for military service deferment

Singapore's refusal to allow its first footballer signed to the English Premier League to defer compulsory military service has sparked a debate whether the rigidity of the country's laws on conscription was stifling its youth from pursuing their dreams.

Benjamin Davis, who is 17, has signed a two-year contract with newly promoted Fulham.

In doing so he became the first player from the Southeast Asian nation, who are 169th in FIFA's world rankings, to join an English top-flight club.

Nearly 20,000 have signed an online petition, as of Friday, backing military service deferment for Davis so he can develop his talent.

On social media, there was ridicule of a Facebook post by Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam that congratulated France's win at the World Cup as a victory for a football system where 'every young person is encouraged and supported in developing his or her strengths'.

'I feel Ben Davis is exactly that young person that we should be encouraging and supporting,' Facebook user Olivia Choong, a Singaporean entrepreneur, said in reply.

'It's a crying shame for time sensitive opportunities to be lost. And it sets a precedent for other athletes, sending a message that sporting dreams and athletic ambitions are not worth fighting for,' Choong said.

The row between the Davis family and the Singapore government turned bitter when the Defence Ministry accused Davis of selfish intentions for seeking deferment from service.

'Mr Davis' actions are meant to further his own professional career, not national interest,' the ministry said.

His father went ahead and signed with Fulham despite the rejection for deferment, it said.

'As his father openly admitted, he is looking out for his son's future, not Singapore's,' said the ministry.

Harvey Davis, the footballer's father, said that impression by the ministry was 'unfortunate' and it was not his son's intention to give up his Singaporean citizenship to pursue his football career.



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5976089/Debate-sparked-Singaporean-sign-Premier-League-club.html

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3 Replacements For €35m Rated La Liga Ace Fulham Can Go After Including This Aston Villa Ace!

Fulham would have thought that they lost the opportunity to qualify for the Premier League as they lost on the final day of the league campaign where a win would have seen them through by leapfrogging Cardiff City for a direct qualification spot. However, they lost against Birmingham City and had to be content with a playoff spot. Slavisa Jokanovic was able to pick up his men from that slump as they won the playoffs and gained qualification to the Premier League the tough way.

The manager will be aware that his real challenge will be keeping the team in the top flight and for that the Cottagers will need to add reinforcements to their squad. Fulham recently tabled a bid for Espanyol's defender Diego Lopez, however, it fell significantly short of the Spanish club's valuation of the player. The versatile defender can also play in the role of a defensive midfielder as he is comfortable and composed on the ball.

The player has a release clause in excess of €35m and the Spanish club is only set to listen to offers above the prescribed mark. The Lilywhites' initial bid fell short of that mark and it remains to be seen whether they will again come up with an improved offer for the defender.

The former Napoli defender was a stalwart for his side in the heart of defence as he made 43 appearances in all competitions. In a situation where Jokanovic fails to land him, we look at three possible alternatives he can go after.

Alvaro Gonzalez

The Villareal defender could be decent like for like replacement at the back as he is defensively strong and has good positional sense. The 28-year-old is technically sound on the ball, therefore, he will suit well for Jokanovic as he often encourages his team to build from the back.

James Chester

Aston Villa are in need of money and that is no secret. The Cottagers will be aware of that and they can make a massive coup by adding Chester to their squad as he was instrumental for the Villans last season as they came perilously close to qualifying for the Premier League.

Winston Reid

The Hammers have taken some massive steps in the transfer market, especially in the defensive area. Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena are the two centre-backs they have acquired which is likely to put Reid down the pecking order at the Olympic Stadium. The New Zealand international has a decent amount of experience in the Premier League and he can be a decent bet for the Cottagers.



https://the4thofficial.net/2018/07/3-replacements-for-e35m-rated-la-liga-ace-fulham-can-go-after-including-this-aston-villa-ace/

[WhiteJC]

 
Newcastle's Dwight Gayle reacts to speculation linking him with Stoke and Fulham

Dwight Gayle says he's happy to stay at fight for his place at Newcastle United – after being linked with a move away from the club.

Fulham and Stoke City are interested in Gayle, who scored six Premier League goals last season.

United manager Rafa Benitez is not interested in selling Gayle – and the striker's keen to stay at st James's Park.

Asked about speculation over his future, Gayle said: "I'm loving it here. My family's all set. For the time being, if the gaffer's happy with me, I'm happy at to stay."

Benitez wants to bring in another striker to compete with Gayle and Joselu.

"Of course, we want to improve the team, and I understand that we're going to bring in other players to improve the team," said Gayle.

"It's all part of football. It happens, and you have to prove to the gaffer that you're the right person to start." Gayle – who netted in the club's 3-0 win over Chelsea on the final day of last season – wants to make a bigger contribution up front this coming season.

"It's important that we kick on now, stay focused and start the season on the front foot," said the 28-year-old. "Personally, I want as much gametime as I can get, and I want to improve on my scoring. "The gaffer obviously has confidence in me to do a job, and hopefully I can continue that.

"The opportunity's there for me. The gaffer's given me every opportunity to prove myself. Last season, perhaps I didn't get as many goals (as I wanted), but I was getting opportunities. "If I continue to get those opportunities, I will score goals. Hopefully, I get the chance to prove myself again this season and I do myself proud."

Gayle won the penalty converted by Christian Atsu in Tuesday night's 2-0 win over Dublin side St Patrick's Athletic. "The fact that the boys are finding me in the positions I want to be to score goals is important for me," said Gayle. "I just need to improve on my touch and finishing, and hopefully I can continue that through pre-season."



Read more at: https://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/newcastle-s-dwight-gayle-reacts-to-speculation-linking-him-with-stoke-and-fulham-1-9261601