Monday Fulham Stuff (23/07/18)...

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Report: Crystal Palace, Fulham and Leicester City among clubs keen on Yannick Bolasie

The Everton winger is said to have interest from clubs including Crystal Palace, Fulham and Leicester City.

Crystal Palace, Fulham and Leicester City are among the clubs being credited with interest in Everton's Yannick Bolasie.

The Liverpool Echo reports Palace, Leicester and Fenerbahce want to sign the winger, in whom Fulham have 'lodged their interest'.

Bolasie is said to be facing an uncertain future at Everton, who it is claimed will listen to offers for Bolasie but are not actively looking to sell him.

The Toffees are however being tipped to sign another winger - Watford's Richarlison - imminently, which could have repercussions for the 29-year-old.

Bolasie, who spent five seasons at Crystal Palace before being sold to Everton for £25 million in 2016, moved to London from the French city of Lyon aged seven and could favour a return to the capital if he is to leave Goodison Park.

If so, that is likely to leave Palace or Fulham in the driving seat to sign the DR Congo international.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/07/21/report-crystal-palace-fulham-and-leicester-city-among-clubs-keen/

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Adding outcast Yannick Bolasie would drastically improve Fulham's survival hopes

The Fulham fans cannot wait for the new Premier League season to start as their team got through the play-offs to secure their top flight dream once more.

In what was a rollercoaster season for the London club, their four-year wait for Premier League football will be shortly over when they start their season against Crystal Palace. Already the club have brought two big names to Craven Cottage in the form of Jean Michael Seri and Maxime Le Marchand, which alone could have a decisive say in their survival hopes but if those hopes want to be cemented even more, the Cottagers should look at bringing Yannick Bolasie, (who is valued at £16.2 million on Transfermarkt) to the club.

The Everton man has struggled to make a positive impact at Goodison Park, largely due to injury which is why he was limited to just 11 league starts last season. The 29-year-old should be reaching his peak years and Fulham could massively benefit from just that if the Toffees' new boss Marco Silva deems Bolasie un-needed.

His best football years were played in London with Crystal Palace and Fulham would be hoping that he could recreate that scintillating form in the Premier League once more to boost the likelihood of staying up.

Yannick Bolasie can play on either side and up-front as a forward and that versatility, as well as his explosive pace and trickery, could allow him to find his best form with Fulham next season.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league/fulham/adding-outcast-yannick-bolasie-would-drastically-improve-fulhams-survival-hopes/

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Fulham considering Schürrle move

Fulham are interested in signing Borussia Dortmund winger Andre Schürrle, according to reports from Germany this morning.

German tabloid Bild claims that the Whites are locked in a battle with London rivals Crystal Palace to offer the former Chelsea winger a route back to the Premier League. Dortmund confirmed over the weekend that they have allowed the 2014 World Cup winner to begin talks with interested parties over a potential transfer and reports suggest that he is very keen to return to London after spending two years at Stamford Bridge, where he scored 11 goals in 44 appearances – including a hat-trick for the Blues at Craven Cottage in a 2014 west London derby.

The German international has been linked with a return to England before, with approaches from West Brom and Swansea coming to nothing last season, but he looks set to move on from Dortmund this summer. Bild claims that his current employers would consider a loan move as well as a permanent transfer and that Fulham's stock has risen following their promotion to the top flight and the capture of Nice midfielder Jean-Michael Seri earlier this summer.

The 27 year-old is clearly no longer in the plans of Dortmund coach Lucien Favre and the German side are reportedly interested in signing Palace winger Wilfred Zaha, which could make a swap deal possible. However, the Eagles and Roy Hodgson are eager to retain their Ivory Coast international, despite Zaha reportedly refusing to sign a new contract at Selhurst Park.

Slavisa Jokanovic is known to be keen on strengthening his forward options, especially at right wing, where Fulham are short of natural starters. Schürrle's versatility – he could play in any position in Jokanovic's fluid front line – would make him an attractive proposition and he has a real pedigree in both European and international football, having won the Premier League with Chelsea in 2015 as well as the German Cup with both Wolfsburg and Dortmund. Schürrle scored 23 goals in 83 appearances for his current club and netted 22 times in 57 appearances for the national team as well as famously playing in Mario Götze for the winning goal in the World Cup final against Argentina four years ago.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/07/fulham-considering-schurrle-move/

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Danny Welbeck would be perfectly suited for life at Fulham



The Fulham fans are getting more and more excited by the minute because the new Premier League season is soon to begin.

After four years in the Championship, now the Cottagers are ready once more to take on the top flight. In what will be a highly challenging and competitive season, Fulham are already making inroads to best prepare themselves with the signings of Jean Michael Seri and French centre-back Maxime Le Marchand.

That preparation could be further improved with the signing of Danny Welbeck, Arsenal's striker valued at £13.5 million on Transfermarkt. The 27-year-old forward is facing an uncertain future with Arsenal under new boss Unai Emery and a move away from the Emirates has been mentioned. Fulham would allow Welbeck to remain in London and enjoy regular first-team football, something that could allow Welbeck to show Arsenal exactly what they're missing.

Last season, Danny Welbeck started 12 Premier League games and scored 5 goals in those appearances, a record that would be welcomed for sure with Fulham a goal almost every other game. The Cottagers found a goal-scoring saviour in Aleksandar Mitrovic last season but after returning to Newcastle, his reunion with Craven Cottage isn't for sure.

Danny Welbeck would certainly be a top replacement or partner for the Serbian, with the pair equally unwanted by their parent clubs. At the prime age of 27, Welbeck will be determined to settle down with a club like Fulham and get guaranteed game-time to help his full potential be unlocked.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league/fulham/danny-welbeck-would-be-perfectly-suited-for-life-at-fulham/

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Why Fulham fans shouldn't fret over last night's defeat by Lyon

Much has been made of the manner of Fulham's second half collapse in last night's friendly against Olympique Lyonnais and what it may mean with the start of the Premier League season now under three weeks away. The manner of the defending in the latter stages of the game might well be a cause for concern, but you'd be wise not to read too much into a pre-season friendly.

For a start, Fulham's recruitment for their return to the top flight is clearly far from done. The Whites currently only have seventeen senior professionals on the books, which is nowhere near enough for a Premier League season and Slavisa Jokanovic has used the summer to cast a critical eye over some of the promising talents from the academy. His squad remains short of options in goal, arguably in both full back positions, at centre back, on the wings and up front. There's very little chance that the eleven that lined up in Bourgoin last night will take the field for Fulham's Premier League opener against Crystal Palace on August 11th – and the side that finished the game will bear little comparison with the eleven picked for Roy Hodgson's return to Craven Cottage either.

The pre-season games are all about fitness work in any case. Kevin McDonald, Marcus Bettinelli and Neeskens Kebano have all attested to just how hard the boys have been put through their paces in France this week as part of the preparations for a gruelling nine-month challenge in one of the toughest leagues in the world. By the friendly with Sampdoria at Aldershot in a week and a half's time, Jokanovic will be beginning to offer his first-choice players something closer to a full ninety minutes – and the impact of the second half changes definitely diluted both Fulham's performance and their cohesion last night. It was no coincidence that Lyon's most impressive spell came after seven substitutions, with the likes of Moritz Jenz looking a little off the pace against such top-quality opposition.

There's plenty of precedent to set aside pre-season results as a barometer of a team's performances when the serious stuff starts. Fulham's displays last summer were far from encouraging, with the Whites getting hammered 8-2 by local rivals Chelsea and losing to West Ham in a lethargic display during their tour of Austria, but the strenuous fitness work was all worth it as Jokanovic's side eventually outlasted Aston Villa in the play-off final back in May. The pace of these games is some way off the rather breakneck speed of top flight football and Jokanovic would have learnt an awful lot about the shortcomings of his squad last night.

Although the scoreline hides it rather well, there were some positives to take from a tough test against a strong side who finished third in Ligue 1 last year and went deep into European competition. Fulham held their own comfortably in a first half where they restricted the French to few clear-cut chances and there was an impressive debut for Jean-Michael Seri in the holding role. Once McDonald gets back to match sharpness, I would be intrigued to see what the Ivorian midfielder could do in a more advanced role alongside Tom Cairney. Maxime Le Marchand looked strong at left back in the first 45 mintues, although once again he might well be more suited to the centre half role he clearly prefers.

There are clearly positions that need to strengthened and depth that has to be added to the squad before the big kick-off. Friendlies are an intriguing exercise for the fans who try to plot a club's course long before the start of the season. but when the result in this case was affected by a raft of changes and a couple of more than questionable refereeing decisions, drawing strong conclusions from what is still an early stage in Fulham's summer preparation seems ill-advised.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/07/why-fulham-fans-shouldnt-fret-over-last-nights-defeat-by-lyon/

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Fulham Looking At Spanish Keeper To Replace Button



With David Button having left Craven Cottage, to join Brighton and Hove Albion, Fulham are looking to recruit a goalkeeper who can provide Marcus Bettinelli with some competition for the green jersey.

The good folk of Sky Sports, are reporting that just such an entity has been located.

According to our referenced source, Fulham are close to doing a deal for the Spanish keeper Fabri.

Fabricio Ramirez, to give him his full name, is currently on the books of the Turkish side Besiktas and could be available for a fee in the region of £5 million.

Although Fabri is now 30-years-of-age, in his youth he played for the Spanish U20 side and during his career, he has played for the likes of – Deportivo La Coruna, Valladolid and Real Betis, joining Besiktas in 2016.

Last season, in assisting Besiktas to finish in fourth place in the Turkish League, Fabri kept 12 clean sheets.

To us, here at Vital Fulham, he looks to be the perfect acquisition, he's experienced, he's not too expensive and he appears to be more than capable of not only providing competition for Marcus Bettinelli but also stepping in for our young keeper when the need arises.



https://fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/fulham-looking-at-spanish-keeper-to-replace-button/

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Three reasons Fulham should steer clear of Everton's Yannick Bolasie

The 29-year-old has been attracting interest away from Goodison Park.



Following the news of Richarlison's reported transfer to Goodison Park, Yannick Bolasie looks to be on his way out of Everton.

According to the Liverpool Echo, there are a number of clubs interested in signing the 29-year-old winger, including Leicester City, Crystal Palace, Fenerbahce, and Fulham.

But Fulham should steer clear of acquiring the services of Bolasie, due to his injury record, his age, and their strong options on the left wing.

He has scored just one goal in the last year and a half

Bolasie suffered a terrible knee injury in the 2016/17 season that kept him out for over a year, and since recovering from the ligament damage he has not been his old self.

The Congolese international made 16 league appearances last season, yet struggled to find his old form and scored just one goal and recorded no assists in those matches.

Although he might benefit from a move to a club where he would play more often, it would prove a gamble too far for Fulham to splash the cash on Bolas.

He isn't getting any younger

At 29 years of age, the attacker is probably past his footballing prime and his recent form has illustrated his decline.

Added to Fulham's transfer policy that avoids signing outfield players above the age of 28, and Bolasie does not appear the type of transfer target the Whites would prioritise.

Ryan Sessegnon is the undisputed first choice left winger

The left wing position is undoubtedly Yannick Bolasie's preferred position, as the attacker has played the vast majority of his Premier League matches in that role.

However, 18-year-old phenom Ryan Sessegnon occupies that position for the Cottagers and is one of the first names on the teamsheet.

In order for Bolasie to succeed at Fulham, he would either play out of position on the right wing or displace Sessegnon— two unlikely situations.



https://tbrfootball.com/three-reasons-fulham-bolasie/

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The Deal Of The Summer Moves Closer To Completion



The transfer deal we've all been waiting for news of is, according to one news source, moving closer towards being completed.

According to the popular tabloid publication, the Daily Star, Fulham are close to doing a deal, with Newcastle United, for the signature of Aleksander Mitrovic.

The Serbian international spent a very successful loan spell with Fulham last season.

Joining the club in the January transfer window his skills saw Fulham embark on a club record number of games unbeaten with the player also netting a very respectable 12 goals in 20 games.

There were fears that with the World Cup giving numerous players the chance to put themselves in the showcase Mitrovic might attract the attention of several clubs from mainland Europe.

However, with Serbia cashing out in the group stages, those fears were as far as Mitrovic goes, never quite realised.

The striker is currently on a break following his World Cup exertions but is expected back at Newcastle next week.

Hopefully, the deal we've been waiting for all summer will be completed very soon.



https://fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/the-deal-of-the-summer-moves-closer-to-completion/

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Fulham join Grealish race

Fulham have registered their interest in signing Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish, according to a Daily Mirror report this morning.

Grealish, who has been heavily linked with a move away from Villa Park after Villa failed to gain promotion to the Premier League last season, had been widely tipped to make a summer move to Tottenham. Spurs opened official talks with Aston Villa last week but the report notes that chairman Daniel Levy is unwilling to match Villa's valuation and wants to bring the price down. The Mirror claims that both Fulham and Crystal Palace have moved quickly to notify the Championship club of their interest in Grealish, saying that the Whites have been in regular contact about a possible transfer.

This isn't the first time this summer that Fulham have been linked with a move for one of the Championship's biggest talents. The 22 year-old midfielder starred as Villa reached the play-off and was comfortably the biggest threat to Fulham's ultimate victory at Wembley, nearly scoring one of the greatest individual goals at the national stadium with a brilliant in the second half. Grealish, who has scored fourteen goals in 151 appearances in seven years with his boyhood club, became increasingly influential for Villa once he was switched to a central midfield role by Steve Bruce after overcoming a serious injury in the early part of last season.

The Mirror suggests that Spurs remain in the driving seat to conclude the transfer, but Fulham have proven their pedigree to pull off an ambitious deal after successfully signing Ivorian international midfielder Jean-Michael Seri from Nice last week. Grealish was expected to be one of the first departures from Villa Park in a summer fire sale after their disappointment at Wembley, but no club has tabled a bid that matches Villa's valuation.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/07/fulham-join-grealish-race/

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Crystal Palace and Fulham join Grealish chase

Crystal Palace and Fulham have joined the race to sign Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish this summer.

According to The Mirror, both sides have contacted Villa to ask about a potential move for Grealish.

The report claims that Villa are expected to sell Grealish over the next month as they face Financial Fair Place problems.

Tottenham are still thought to be the favourites to land Grealish, who is reportedly valued at £20m by Villa.

The English midfielder scored three goals for Villa in the Championship last season, as his side reached the play-off final.

Roy Hodgson is eager to add to the attacking talent in his squad and could look to Grealish as a potential replacement for Wilfried Zaha – if the forward leaves Selhurst Park.

The Mirror claim that Grealish is interested in leaving Villa and Palace could tempt him with the promise of regular game time in the Premier League.



https://readastonvilla.com/2018/07/22/crystal-palace-and-fulham-join-grealish-chase/

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Newcastle United to rival Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Fulham for defensive target

The latest transfer news around Ashton Gate with another departure possible

Bristol City are bracing themselves for interest from Newcastle United in defender Joe Bryan.

The Sun reports that Rafa Benitez is preparing a £6million bid for the 24-year-old left-back as he looks to reinforce his back-line with a versatile option.

Benitez is reportedly set to sign a new three-year deal at St James' Park and he will be given a £100m 'war chest' to strengthen his squad with Bryan on the radar.

BristolLive reported earlier this week that the Robins were yet to receive an offer for the Bristol-born defender despite several sides in the running.

Middlesbrough and Leeds United have been strongly linked with a move for Bryan and it's understood they are both interested in the left-sided player.

Fulham have also been in the market for Bryan although they have now recruited Maxime Le Marchand from Nice - a centre-back-cum-left-back - and it's thought their interest has dwindled.

Bryan is entering the final year of his contract at Ashton Gate and he's not been prepared to sign a new deal amid interest from Premier League and Championship clubs.

It's thought that Bristol City have been demanding near £10m for Bryan but could be ready to lower their asking price with the window running out to avoid losing him on the cheap in January.

City have already sold Aden Flint and Bobby Reid this summer and it's seems that Newcastle could be about to make their move for their highly-coveted former team-mate.



https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/newcastle-united-transfer-gossip-rumours-1812225

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Club have three candidates in mind as Fulham close in on latest signing

According to a claim in the Turkish media, Besiktas have three candidates in mind to replace Fulham bound Fabri.

The Spanish goalkeeper has been linked with a move to Fulham in the past two weeks, with claims in recent days the Premier League side have had an offer accepted by Besiktas.

Sabah report Besktias will target either David Ospina (Arsenal), Jose Sa (FC Porto) or Harun Tekin (Bursaspor) once Fabri's move to Fulham has been made official.

With Fabri having just under 12 months left on his contract with Besiktas the Turkish club are under pressure to sell him in this transfer window in order to get a decent fee.

It's been reported Fulham's €6m bid has been accepted by the Istanbul club and now his successor needs to be found.

In recent days it's also been claimed in the Turkish media Fabri will travel to England to complete his move to Fulham and the English club's latest signing looks close to being announced.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/club-three-candidates-mind-fulham-close-latest-signing/

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Fulham contact Dortmund about former Chelsea winger Andre Schurrle and German giants are ready to sell

    Fulham have asked Borussia Dortmund about the availability of Andre Schurrle
    Dortmund are ready to offload the 27-year-old former Chelsea man this summer
    Schurrle has been offered to Everton and Crystal Palace while Lazio are also keen

Fulham have enquired about a deal for Borussia Dortmund forward Andre Schurrle.

The former Chelsea winger is available for sale and has been offered to Everton and Crystal Palace, while Lazio have also showed an interest.

The 27-year-old was released from Dortmund's tour of the USA to conduct talks over his future.


Fulham have asked Borussia Dortmund about the availability of German winger Andre Schurrle

Meanwhile, Dortmund are keen on Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha, who is also wanted by Everton.

Palace are reluctant sellers so would want over £60million for Zaha and could turn to West Ham's Michail Antonio, who will be sold for around £25m, if Schurrle is unattainable.

Dortmund have pushed Schurrle towards English clubs with a deal set to be decided as early as this weekend.

Schurrle scored 11 goals in 44 Premier League appearances for Chelsea before leaving Stamford Bridge in February 2015.



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5980119/Fulham-contact-Dortmund-former-Chelsea-winger-Andre-Schurrle.html

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Fulham contact Aston Villa to check on Jack Grealish's status

Fulham supporters will be hoping that their side can enjoy a successful first season in the top-flight of English football after securing promotion via the Championship play-off final.

The Cottagers have already made great strides on the transfer front this summer as they pipped a number of big clubs to the signing of Jean Michael Seri. And, it appears as if Slavisa Jokanovic is looking to defy expectations once again, as according to the Mirror, Fulham have made repeated contact with Aston Villa about Jack Grealish.

Interestingly, both Fulham and Crystal Palace have contacted Aston Villa in the last couple of days to check on Jack Grealish's status.

Tottenham are very keen to snap up the attacking midfielder to compete with Dele Alli, but they are still yet to agree a fee for the youngster, who is willing to leave his boyhood club for a return to the top-flight.

And, it's believed that Fulham are the keenest after making repeated contact.

THE VERDICT:
Interestingly, Fulham are attempting to pull off yet another incredible swoop by moving for in-demand Villa midfielder Jack Grealish, who has attracted interest from Tottenham and Crystal Palace. Indeed, the Cottagers have already beaten a number of big clubs to the signing of Jean Michael Seri, so there's no reason as to why they can't beat another higher-ranked club to a signing.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league/fulham-contact-aston-villa-to-check-on-jack-grealishs-status/

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Fulham must improve their squad depth by adding the versatile City man Zinchenko



The Fulham fans remain overjoyed to be back playing in the Premier League, a stay they hope will last for a very long time.

After making it through another gruelling Championship season, the Cottagers are hopeful that their four-year absence from the Premier League will be quickly forgotten as they look to make up for lost time in the top flight.

To do just that, players with league experience will be sensible signings and someone who has already experienced just that with the reigning champions Manchester City is Oleksandr Zinchenko, a player valued at £6.3 million on Transfermarkt.

The 21-year-old was utilised in an array of positions for the Citizens last season, from left-back to his favoured midfield role, Zinchenko has the distinct ability to chop and change even at his young age. Fulham could also find a number of spots for him in their side, knowing that he has experience of playing for a top league side.

Zinchenko is regarded as a very exciting young talent and if Fulham continue to surprise in the transfer market, the bigger names they can attract to the club to launch a proper survival bid. The London club could be an attractive move for the youngster to blossom even further and show his parent club Manchester City exactly what he is already capable of doing.

Having already made 17 appearances for Ukraine, that alone presents his talent at such a young age and Fulham have to barge to the front of the queue for the youngster.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league/fulham/fulham-must-improve-their-squad-depth-by-adding-the-versatile-city-man-zinchenko/

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Report: Former Chelsea midfielder Andre Schurrle on Crystal Palace, Fulham radar

Former Chelsea midfielder Andre Schurrle has been linked with a return to the Premier League amid reported interest from Crystal Palace and Fulham.

The 27-year-old spent two years at Stamford Bridge before returning to his native Germany in 2015 with Wolfsburg and current club Borussia Dortmund.

Schurrle has struggled for game time at the Westfalenstadion, however, and the Schwarzgelben have told the Germany international that he is free to join another club.

According to Kicker, the World Cup winner is highly rated by Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic and wants him to bolster the West Londoners' ranks ahead of their Premier League return.

The report also claims that Dortmund hope to land Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, and are considering using Schurrle as a makeweight in a deal with the Eagles.

Chelsea paid Bayer Leverkusen £18m for Schurrle in 2013 but the German was used sparingly by the Blues.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/borussia-dortmund/transfer-talk/news/schurrle-on-palace-fulham-radar_331241.html

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Time for Fulham to move on as reported target David Lopez goes on U.S tour

Fulham have been linked with Espanyol's David Lopez.

According to a recent report in AS, Fulham are keen on signing Espanyol's highly-rated defender David Lopez, although the Spanish club are seemingly unwilling to sell him for anything less than £35 million.

Such a figure for a 28-year-old with no Premier League experience is simply absurd, despite the player's obvious ability, and now Fulham have another reason to move on to other targets.

A fresh report in Mundo Deportivo says the defender has joined Espanyol on their U.S tour amid speculation over a potential transfer - a clear sign that he is focusing on his upcoming campaign with the La Liga club.

Fulham are nearing their Premier League opener with Crystal Palace in 3 weeks, and the club is still short of several players in key positions.

The Cottagers relied heavily on the loan market last season as they won promotion via the Championship playoffs, with Aleksandar Mitrovic, Matt Targett, Lucas Piazon and Tomas Kalas all regulars.

So far Fulham have only managed to really bolster their midfield with the addition of Jean Seri from Nice, while utility man Maxime Le Marchand has also arrived from the French club.

A report in Sky Sports at the beginning of July stated how the west London club were confident of striking permanent deals of Mitrovic and Targett, but rather worrying they have yet to materialise.

Boss Slavisa Jokanovic must add to his ranks if his side wish to preserve their top-flight status, and bringing in another central defender is also a priority ahead of the upcoming transfer deadline.

Fulham would be wise to move on from Lopez, Lthough finding an equally adept defender who is comfortable on the ball and available for transfer could be quite a challenge this far into the summer.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/07/22/tt-time-for-fulham-to-move-on-as-reported-target-david-lopez-goe/

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Fulham Keen To Sign £35m Rated La Liga Defensive Ace: Worth The Outlay?

Fulham were intriguing to watch in the Championship last season and quite justifiably, they got themselves promoted to the Premier League. However, Slavisa Jokanovic isn't unfamiliar with the animosity that the top flight offers and there is no denying that his team needs more fine-tuning in order to stand their ground against the big guns they will be facing from next month.

The Cottagers have already made a couple of shrewd signings in Jean Michael Seri and Maxime Le Marchand. Considering that Fulham splashed £27million to lure the former to the Craven Cottage from OGC Nice, it is evident that Jokanovic isn't afraid to spend on the right players to enhance the quality of his arsenal. According to one of the latest reports by Mail Online, Fulham are currently in negotiations with Espanyol to sign David Lopez.

The La Liga outfit have slapped a price tag of £35million on the collar of Lopez and it goes without saying that the club rates him very highly. Football Espana had reported that Fulham had placed an initial bid of €15million, which they later increased to €20million. However, Espanyol are holding out for €40million for their skipper.

Worryingly for the London based outfit, Everton have also placed him on their radar and it will be intriguing to see which club has the last laugh, in case Lopez's exit from RCDE Stadium eventually materializes. Having emerged through the youth ranks of Espanyol, the 28-year-old was elevated to their senior side. In the summer of 2014, he was signed by Napoli and after a couple of seasons with the Italian giants, he moved back to Espanyol.

Predominantly a centre-back, Lopez is capable of plying his trade as a central defensive midfielder and is a strong tackler. He has garnered plenty of experience under his belt and no wonder Fulham are aspiring for his signature. In 37 La Liga appearances last season, he scored 1 goal. Besides, he mustered 1.8 tackles, 1.8 interceptions, 4.2 clearances and 0.7 blocks per game on an average.

Lopez is generally calm and composed at the back and despite not being accustomed to English football, he has the ingredients to thrive. He will be a valuable addition to Fulham and help them in injecting more resilience at the back. Espanyol have already lost their top scorer of last season in Gerard Moreno, who moved to Villareal, and the Catalan club are justifiably trying to avoid losing Lopez this summer.

Statistics Credits: WhoScored



http://madaboutepl.net/2018/07/fulham-are-keen-to-sign-david-lopez-this-summer/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham enquire over deal for Andre Schurrle

Fulham have reportedly enquired over a deal for Borussia Dortmund attacker Andre Schurrle this summer.

The Whites are looking to accelerate their summer dealings in the near future and it seems, according to the Daily Mail, that they are chasing the signature of Schurrle.

Former Chelsea star Schurrle is being allowed to leave Dortmund this summer as he goes in search of regular first-team football elsewhere.

It's believed that he has been in negotiations with a Premier League club in the recent days, with the Mail claiming that Dortmund have offered the experienced attacker to Everton and Crystal Palace already.

The 27-year-old, according to the report from the Mail, has also emerged as a potential target for Lazio, who are looking to replace Felipe Anderson following his move to West Ham.

The race to sign Schurrle is heating up, and it seems as though Fulham have expressed a genuine interest in securing his signature ahead of the upcoming season.



https://readbundesliga.com/2018/07/22/fulham-enquire-over-deal-for-andre-schurrle/

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This 6ft 1in giant with 12 clean sheets in 34 games last season could be a brilliant signing for Fulham

Why Fabri would be an excellent addition to the Fulham side

As per reports, Fulham are close to agreeing on a deal with Besiktas to sign goalkeeper Fabricio Ramirez, known as Fabri.

Fabri, 30, has spent the past two seasons in the Turkish Super Lig and kept 12 clean sheets in 34 league games last term. The Spaniard is reportedly wanted by the Cottagers to provide competition for Marcus Bettinelli following David Button's move to Brighton and Hove Albion.

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic pulled off a double transfer coup by landing Nice duo Jean-Michael Seri and Maxime Le Marchand earlier this month. The Serb has now turned to add Fabri to his squad as he prepares for the west Londoners' top-flight return.

Following David Button's departure, it was important for Fulham to bring in a new goalkeeper to provide competition for the young Marcus Bettinelli at Craven Cottage.

Bettinelli impressed last season and made the first-choice spot his own after ousting Button between the sticks about halfway through the season.

And Jokanovic has done well to bring competition to Bettinelli as the Cottagers close in on Fabri. The former Spain Under-20 international began his senior career with Deportivo La Coruna. He went on to play for Valladolid, Recreativo and Real Betis before rejoining the Coruna outfit in 2013.

The Spaniard has been playing his football in Istanbul since joining from Spanish club Deportivo La Coruna in 2016.

The 6ft 1in shot-stopper has proven to be an inspirational figure for Besiktas, winning the Super Lig title in 2017 and starring in the Champions League as the Istanbul giants reached the knockout stages last season, only to be harshly beaten by Bayern Munich.

Fulham have shown remarkable ambition this summer for a newly-promoted side and the potential addition of Fabri goes on to speak volumes. The 30-year-old is a quality goalkeeper and would bring a wealth of experience at Craven Cottage.

He would be the ideal man to mentor the 26-year-old Bettinelli as well as provide competition to him. Having played in Spain and Turkey, Fabri could also walk straight into Fulham's starting XI next season.

But getting a goalkeeper who has the experience of playing in the Champions League will be a massive coup for the Cottagers. It is such kind of signings that provide the extra boost that is needed before the start of the season.

A leader at the back and a man always seen barking orders to his defenders, Fabri's addition, indeed, would be a top one.



https://soccersouls.com/2018/07/23/this-6ft-1in-giant-with-12-clean-sheets-in-34-games-last-season-could-be-a-brilliant-signing-for-fulham/