Friday Fulham Stuff (27/07/18)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham table offer for highly rated midfielder, approach for 19 year old being considered

After signing Fabri from Besiktas earlier in the week, Hurriyet claim Fulham are again looking to Turkey and are targeting Fenerbahce's 19 year old midfielder Oguz Kaan Guctekin.

Hurriyet say an offer has come in from Fulham and that Fenerbahce's board are currently considering this bid from the Premier League club.

According to Hurriyet, the offer was around £3m and the Fenerbahce board are reluctantly discussing this between themselves due to their poor financial situation.

It's reported that Fenerbahce sporting director Damien Comolli and manager Phillip Cocu will also discuss the offer and then a final decision will be made after this meeting.

There's a possibility of Fenerbahce accepting the offer from Fulham and the player may follow Fabri to Craven Cottage.

Oguz Kagan was also linked with a move to Manchester City last summer after former Fenerbahce president Aziz Yildirim confirmed the Premier League champions had tabled an offer of €5m for the youngster.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-table-offer-highly-rated-midfielder-linked-man-city-last-summer/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham should take a risk and bring Adnan Januzaj back to England



Fulham fans are surely happy with the club's business so far but they know that to stay in the Premier League, two signings won't be enough, no matter how good they turn out to be.

Jean Michael Seri and Maxime Le Marchand have been the only signings so far and although Fulham fans are thrilled with the former Nice duo, they want other new faces in order to feel ready for their Premier League return. Despite not exactly setting the Premier League alight, Adnan Januzaj could thrive in the top flight now having been absent from England for a few seasons now.

The Belgian international has been playing for Real Sociedad and last season scored 4 goals and provided 6 assists for his team-mates. As well as this impressive league form, his call-up to Belgian's World Cup squad was justified when the winger scored a beauty against England in his countries 1-0 victory. Januzaj is still only 23-years-old and could well prove to Manchester United that they were premature in selling him because he does have a lot of talent to offer a side like Fulham.

Adnan Januzaj can play on either wing, providing the defence with confusion as to whether he cuts in or goes wide to provide his team-mates with crosses. Considering his reasonable valuation of £13.5 million on Transfermarkt, Fulham would be crazy not to think about a bid for the former United youth prodigy just because he couldn't make it at Old Trafford.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/ticker/fulham-should-take-a-risk-and-bring-adnan-januzaj-back-to-england/

[WhiteJC]

 
Ryan Sessegnon is 'a mix of Marcelo and Gareth Bale', says Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic

Wing wonder | Sessegnon ( Getty Images )

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic has labelled his widely-coveted wide man Ryan Sessegnon as "a mix between Marcelo and Gareth Bale" and is convinced the youngster will stay for at least another season.

Sessegnon, 18, is among the brightest young prospects in world football and has drawn admiring glances from all of the Premier League top six as well as European giants including Real Madrid.

However he is expected to stay with Fulham, for whom he has already played 82 games since breaking into Jokanovic's side as a 16-year-old, at least for the time being.

Sessegnon has already made remarkable strides in his brief career, establishing himself as an attacking menace as Fulham won promotion to the Premier League last season having begun as a swashbuckling left-back.

Jokanovic is convinced that the youngster could still play both roles and has what it takes to be a left-back with "a big team".

"There is a lot of interest in him, but I think he's going to stay," Jokanovic told Marca. "The club is not going to put him on the market. He is happy to stay another season with us and I think it's good that he's not in a hurry.

"He has just turned 18 and has already played almost 100 games in the second division... If he stays and plays with Fulham in Premier League he will be even better prepared to make the jump to one of the best teams in Europe.

"He is an incredible player project, with a fantastic physical capacity. People compare him to Bale, for me it's a mix between Marcelo and Bale. I've used him lately in a more offensive role, but he's ready to be left-back of a big team that constantly attacks. He still has a lot of room for improvement."



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/ryan-sessegnon-is-a-mix-of-marcelo-and-gareth-bale-says-fulham-boss-slavisa-jokanovic-a3896421.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham make £3m offer for Guctekin

Fulham have tabled a £3m offer for Fenerbahce's promising midfielder Oguz Kaan Guctekin, according to reports from Turkey this morning.

Turkish newspaper Hurriyet says that Fenerbache's board are now reluctantly considering the offer for one of their brightest young prospects due to the club's poor financial standing. Fulham have tracking Guctekin, a highly-rated defensive midfielder, since the European Under 19 Championships, where he put in a string of impressive displays as the Turkish captain.

Fulham representatives met with the player's agent during that tournament and after scouting the teenager thoroughly have submitted an offer. It is not the first time that Guctekin has been linked with a move to England, with Manchester City having previously had two bids for the midfielder rejected last summer.

Guctekin is considered to be one of the brightest talents in Turkish youth football and, having progressed through the Fenerbache academy, enjoyed a breakthrough year this season with the senior side. He made his professional debut as a substitute in a 4-1 win over Sivasspor last November and went on to make 13 first-team appearances as Fenerbache finished second in the Super Lig and reached the final of the Turkish Cup.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/07/fulham-make-3m-offer-for-guctekin/

[WhiteJC]

 
Crystal Palace Tickets

Season Ticket Holders and Members can now purchase up to four tickets each for Fulham's opening game of the 2018/19 Premier League season against Crystal Palace.

Watch Slaviša Jokanović's side kick-off their new campaign in SW6 on Saturday 11th August, with the priority ticket access for Season Ticket Holders and Members available until 2pm today, Thursday 26th July.

After this time, supporters with a Booking History will be available to purchase up to four tickets each for this game.

Prices start from £25 juniors and £45 adults, with Members still able take advantage of up to £5 off* their match ticket!

Secure your seats today online, by phone on 0203 871 0810 (opt 1) or in person from the Fulham Ticket Office.

Buy Online

Fulham v Crystal Palace, Saturday 11th August, kick-off 3pm. All tickets are subject to availability. Maximum four tickets per person.

*Adult Members receive a £5 discount on their match ticket, with a discount of up to £5 available for over 65s and 18-21 year olds. Discounts only apply to one ticket per member per match. Supporters will need to login to their ticketing account and select their membership category when purchasing tickets.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/july/26/crystal-palace-tickets

[WhiteJC]

 
Looking at how Fulham have fared in this transfer window

We are going up!!

Fulham football club is the oldest established football club in London to have played the Premier League. Better known as the Cottagers, they play their home matches at Craven Cottage.

Fulham is owned by the Pakistani-American Billionaire businessman Shahid 'Shad' Khan after he bought over the club in the month of July'13. After a poor start during the 2013-2014 EPL campaign, a loss to Stoke City on the final day of the 2013-2014 season saw them finally relegated to the Championship.

The Cottagers struggled the following two seasons and finished 17th and 20th respectively. Once a Europa League finalist in 2010, it was hard for the East Londoners to see one of their favourite clubs reeling in the EFL Championship for the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 season.

After yet another overhaul in the year 2016, the club saw improvement both in terms of performances and results in the 2016-2017 season. It was unfortunate to see them losing to a controversial penalty against Reading in the playoffs.

The 2017-2018 season was not different but the final outcome was. They once again had to play the playoffs to qualify to the top tier of English football for two consecutive years.

This time, Fulham won the EFL Championship playoff against Aston Villa and marked their return to the Premier League on 26 May 2018, after securing their first win at Wembley in their 139 year history. A Tom Cairney first-half strike was enough for the Cottagers fan to sing 'We are going Up! Say, We are going up!'. Indeed they are!

With the Premier League 2018-2019 season about to undergo in a fortnight's time and the transfer window to close on the 9th of August, Fulham has already had the signatures of midfielder Jean Michael Seri, defender Maxime Le Marchand, goalkeeper Fabri and forward Andre Schurrle.

Fulham will definitely not start the season as a favourite to be relegated. With Fulham required to rope in a striker before the start of the season, it is important to see where Aleksandar Mitrovic ends up playing.

Talks are understood to be continuing over a deal to bring the striker back to Craven Cottage on a permanent deal this summer. I see that happening before the start of the season with Rafa Benitez not in favour of the striker.

The Cottagers are required to put £18m on the table to grab the signature of Mitrovic. Mitrovic scored 12 goals in 20 matches while on loan at Fulham last season.

However, the first double signing of Seri and Maxime for Fulham showed the intent Slavisa Jokanovic had in the transfer market.

Jean Michael Seri had been instrumental for Nice in their midfield. A box-to-box midfielder, Seri brings in the dynamism in midfield to favour the counter-attacking football Jokanovic would expect his team to showcase against bigger opponents.

Whether Jokanovic plays a 3-5-2 formation or a 4-2-3-1 formation, Seri would be the pivotal cog in their midfield. His stats definitely say so.

With 0.8 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 2.1 key passes and 90.4% passing accuracy per game for Nice last season, Seri has also scored two goals and assisted for five goals. I expect Seri to play beside their club captain Tom Cairney in front of their deep-lying defensive midfielder Kevin McDonald.

Maxime Le Marchand - The French international has joined by his Nice teammate Seri in Fulham. Maxime can play both in a centre back and left back position. Expect Maxime to pair up Ream as a Fulham's centre-back pair when the Premier League begins.

Fabricio Agosto Ramirez 'Fabri' was the third summer signing for Fulham. Bought at a price of around $6.57m, the two time Super Lig goalkeeper of the season will bring in assurance at the back and experience of playing at the top flight of club football.

Fulham has signed the former Borussia Dortmund forward on a two-season loan. He has the experience of playing in the Premier League with Chelsea. A World Cup winner, Andre has scored 22 goals in 57 games for Germany and claimed the assist for Mario Gotze's extra-time goal that won the 2014 World Cup final.

With the Mitrovic deal to be finalized before the transfer window closes, Slavisa Jokanovic has given a statement of intent to all the Fulham fans and all the reasons to be optimistic going into their season opener against Crystal Palace. Here is the predicted line up for their season opener against Crystal Palace:

https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/looking-at-how-fulham-have-fared-in-this-transfer-window?key=newsnow

[WhiteJC]

Former Chelsea fan favorite André Schürrle returns to West London with Fulham
Once a Blue, always a Blue

Former Chelsea fan favorite / cult hero André Schürrle is back in London and the Premier League, three and a half years after leaving Chelsea.

He signed with Fulham yesterday, joining the Cottagers' bid to stay up after gaining promotion through the playoffs last season from the Championship. Another (probable) smart signing by them, alongside Nice duo Jean Michaël Seri and Maxime Le Marchand as well as former Besiktas goalkeeper Fabri.

Why do we care?

We don't, really. But I adored André Schürrle as a Chelsea player and I know I wasn't alone. I am happy to see him happy, especially as things haven't quite worked out for him as well as he might have imagined since leaving Stamford Bridge.

André Schürrle was (is?) part of a new breed of footballer. Not because of his style, a semi-unique speedy, lanky wing-forward as he might have been (and could still be), but because he was the first senior player to sign with Chelsea who basically had only lived in a world where Chelsea were a world football power and then talked about that being a major factor in his decision-making. He was a Chelsea fan, and he was proud of it.

    "My decision [to join Chelsea] was right, I win minutes on the pitch. I am living my dream at my dream club."

    -André Schürrle; March 2014

Schürrle was born in 1990, just a couple years before the creation of the Premier League and the start of the influx of European players to the English game. Chelsea were at the forefront of that movement all along, even before Abramovich swooped in with his millions to change things forever. Schürrle was just 12 when The Roman Era began, and ready for a formative experience. A few years later, Michael Ballack joined, and that sealed the deal for young André.

    "It was my dream to come here. I always wanted to play in another country, especially in the Premier League, because I watched so many matches when Michael Ballack came to Chelsea. He and Lampard were my idols at that time, so it was a dream — and now it's come true. As a kid, I had a Chelsea shirt with Lampard's name on it."

    -André Schürrle; August 2013

Few players were so obviously and outwardly happy to be at and play for Chelsea; it seemed like a match made in footballing heaven. And for a while, it was. The fans responded and he quickly before a favorite and a cult hero. That first season saw him feature 43 times despite battling the likes of Hazard, Willian, Oscar, Mata, De Bruyne for playing time. He survived the latter two in fact by 12 months before being shipped out in January 2015 ... though not before scoring Chelsea's best goal of the title-winning campaign, against Burnley (subsequently ignored for the official award thanks to his mid-season transfer).

Schürrle would later express regret about the decision to leave, in part because he couldn't quite settle at Wolfsburg. But the Chelsea exit itself remains somewhat shrouded in mystery, too, with hints about an unspecified underlying medical condition playing a part as well. Schürrle's 2014, which even saw him win the World Cup with Germany by providing the assist for Mario Götze's winner in the final (and scoring a brace against Brazil in the 7-1), turned into a rather sour 2015. Outside of a good full season at Wolfsburg, he's been mostly struggling for relevancy since, and has spent the last two years playing bit parts for Borussia Dortmund, featuring in barely half the games.

Now, the 27-year-old tries his luck once again in the fresh West London air, this time with Fulham rather than Chelsea, and on a two-year loan rather than a permanent transfer (at least at this point).

    "I'm so happy to be here, I can't wait to get started. Fulham were the first club that showed interest in me - that was something that I appreciated a lot, and one of the reasons I wanted to come here.

    "I love ball possession, I love attacking, and I love making runs, so I think it could be perfect. I have to fight for my place and I have to show my quality so that I can be a member who really helps the team."

    -André Schürrle; source: Fulham FC

Aww.

It's a good thing this is more or less a "friendly" rivalry, and we/I can wish André Schürrle all the joy and happiness and goals at Craven Cottage as he can manage (except against Chelsea).

That said, here's his lovely hat-trick against Fulham in 2013-14.



https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2018/7/26/17616128/former-chelsea-fan-favorite-andre-schurrle-returns-to-west-london-with-fulham

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham pressing to finalise Aleksandar Mitrovic transfer after agreeing terms with striker

Fulham are pressing to finalise the signing of Aleksandar Mitrovic from Newcastle after they secured a loan deal for Andre Schurrle.

Schurrle joined Fulham last night on a two-year loan from Borussia Dortmund and boss Slavisa Jokanovic is keen to complete Mitrovic's move.

Fulham have agreed terms with the Serbia striker, who scored 12 goals on loan at the club last season, but they are yet to reach an agreement with Newcastle, who are holding out for close to £20million.

Mitrovic, 23, was due to return to Newcastle yesterday following a break after the World Cup and is frustrated a deal has still not been finalised.

Schurrle has returned to the Premier League three-and-a-half years after leaving Chelsea. The 27-year-old forward is Fulham's fourth summer signing, following the arrivals of Jean Michael Seri, Maxime Le Marchand and goalkeeper Fabri.

He said: "When I left Chelsea I always wanted to come back to the Premier League. The style of play here can be perfect for me. I love ball possession, attacking and intensity."



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-pressing-to-finalise-aleksandar-mitrovic-transfer-after-agreeing-terms-with-striker-a3896951.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham offer to player remains higher than what current club will pay, waiting for decision

On July 25th, Mundo Deportivo reported Espanyol have already offered a new contract to David Lopez. His agent Albert Valles will study the proposal received and respond to them in the coming days.

Catalan newspaper Sport claim the club are now waiting for the player's response after offering him a new deal. The figures offered by the Spanish club are less than what the newly promoted Premier League club are willing to pay if he joins them.

Rubi wants to retain Lopez, who is key for the club, both on and off the pitch. If he accepts his current employer's proposal, then the talks about a move to England will disappear.

If the answer from the player is negative and if the Cottagers 'improve their offer' to sign the Spaniard and he joins them, Espanyol will be forced to enter the market to find a replacement.

At Espanyol, they speak of a major offer, but in reality, it is way below what the newly promoted Premier League club are ready to pay. There is no mention of the fee in the report.

Rubi's side wants Lopez to make a decision and if he decides to leave, they are hopeful he can influence Slaviša Jokanović's side to improve their offer to sign him.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-offer-player-remains-higher-current-club-will-pay-waiting-decision/

[WhiteJC]

 
PL2 Fixture Annoucement

The fixtures for this year's Premier League 2 Division 2 have been released. Have a look to see who the Whites will be facing this season.

Last season the Whites finished 8th in the Premier League 2 Division 2, four points off the play-offs. There were highlights throughout the season including a nine match unbeaten run of which they won seven.

Their biggest victory was a 4-1 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson scored a hat-trick for the Whites.

Fulham's first match for this coming season is against recently relegated Manchester United on the Friday 10th August, 7pm at Motspur Park. The season lasts 22 matches in the league, with a possible two more for play-offs. Fulham will also compete is they year's edition of the Checkatrade Trophy.

The Whites will play at least three of their home matches at Craven Cottage, this season those fixtures will be against Southampton, Sunderland and Stoke City.

Fulham also have trips to other major grounds including Villa Park, Carrow Road and others.



Have a look at the fixtures below.

10/08/18 - Manchester United, Motspur Park

17/08/18 - Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough Training Centre

27/08/18 - Aston Villa, Villa Park (TBC)

01/09/18 - Southampton,  Craven Cottage

14/09/18 - Wolverhampton Wanderers, Motspur Park

24/09/18 - Stoke City, TBC

01/10/18 - Newcastle United, Northumberland FA

19/10/18 - West Bromwich Albion, Motspur Park

29/10/18 - Norwich City, Carrow Road

02/11/18 - Sunderland, Craven Cottage

26/11/18 - Reading, Adams Park

08/12/18 - Stoke City, Craven Cottage

14/12/18 - Wolverhampton Wanderers, AFC Telford

04/01/19 - Middlesbrough, Motspur Park

11/01/19 - Manchester United, Leigh Sports Village

01/02/19 - Aston Villa, Motspur Park

15/02/19 - Southampton, Staplewood Training Ground

01/03/19 - Newcastle United, Motspur Park

11/03/19 - West Bromwich Albion, Kidderminster Harriers FC

05/04/19 - Reading, Motspur Park

15/04/19 - Sunderland, Eppleton Colliery Welfare FC

26/04/19 -  Norwich City, Motspur Park



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/july/26/pl2-fixtures-announced

[WhiteJC]

 
Does Wolves' reported Traore interest gives Fulham fresh Ivan Cavaleiro hope?

Fulham reportedly had a bid rejected from Wolverhampton Wanderers for Ivan Cavaleiro in June.

It could be a case of one in, one out for Wolverhampton Wanderers.

According to the Sun, they are set to win the race to sign Middlesbrough's jet-heeled winger Adama Traore, having triggered the £18 million buyout clause in his contract.

The former Barcelona youngster has been linked with a whole host of clubs on the back of a fine season in the Championship, where he produced 10 assists alongside his five goals.

But newly promoted Premier League side Wolves appear to have won the race. And, according to the Sun, Traore's impending move to Molineux will open the door for Nuno Espirito Santo to sell one or two.

And this could be the news that Fulham have been waiting for.

According to Sky Sports in June, Fulham had a £12 million bid for Ivan Cavaleiro rejected, but the Portuguese U23 star is set to fall down the pecking order once Traore arrives. Wolves already have Diogo Jota and Helder Costa in wide areas, too.

And, although Cavaleiro was superb en route to the Championship title last season, scoring nine and setting up 12 more, Nuno has shown that he is willing to part company with players he believes he can upgrade.

Benik Afobe was sold to Stoke while Barry Douglas appears to be heading to Leeds. Could Cavaleiro be on his way, too, with Fulham waiting in the wings?



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/07/26/do-wolves-reported-adama-traore-deal-gives-fulham-fresh-ivan-cav/

[WhiteJC]

 
Andre Schurrle was a national hero after laying on the World Cup-winning goal for Germany four years ago... but poor form and missed opportunities mean he must rebuild his reputation at Premier League new boys Fulham

    Andre Schurrle helped Germany win 2014 World Cup, but has struggled since
    The winger joined Fulham on loan from Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday
    Schurrle previously spent 18 months at Chelsea before moving to Wolfsburg

Four years ago, Andre Schurrle provided the assist that won the World Cup Final. On Wednesday, he was undergoing a medical at Fulham.

The 27-year-old, who joined Fulham from Borussia Dortmund on a two-year loan deal this week, has endured a turbulent few years since his heroics in Rio de Janeiro.

Having come off the bench against Argentina in the 2014 Final, Schurrle's cross in the 113th minute found fellow substitute Mario Gotze, who prodded the ball home to send Germany into rapture and make national heroes of both men.


Four years after helping Germany win the World Cup, Andre Schurrle joins Fulham on loan

Yet it has been anything but plain sailing for either Schurrle or Gotze since then. There was no place for either of them in Joachim Low's World Cup squad this summer and, in Schurrle's case at least, there has been no more joy to be had in club football.

Under new coach Lucien Favre, there is simply no place for Schurrle at Dortmund anymore. Favre has a host of problems to deal with at his new club, but a dearth of wide players is certainly not one of them.

The cruel reality for Schurrle is that he is behind the likes of Christian Pulisic, Jadon Sancho, Marco Reus and Maximilian Philipp in the pecking order.

After several high profile transfers, the German winger's career has stalled. The hope, for both Schurrle and Dortmund, is that he can reboot it at Craven Cottage.

This is not the first reboot of Schurrle's career. It is nearly a decade since he emerged at Mainz alongside Lewis Holtby, another promising young talent who would end up at Fulham.

Schurrle initially enjoyed more success than Holtby, going on to impress at Bayer Leverkusen before earning a move to Chelsea in 2013.

After a promising start at Stamford Bridge, Schurrle eventually ended up a bench warmer under Jose Mourinho, and left the Blues for Wolfsburg after just 18 months.

There, he hoped to pick up more game time and rekindle the promise of his early career, but he would later tell SportBild that it had been a mistake to move in the January transfer window.

'I came into a team which was already working well and enjoying success, and I wasn't in the best condition,' said Schurrle.

Alongside Kevin De Bruyne, Julian Draxler and Nicklas Bendtner, Schurrle played a role in one of the most successful periods of Wolfsburg's history, winning the German Cup and almost knocking Real Madrid out of the Champions League.

Yet Schurrle's form remained erratic, and a sense that he was still not living up to his potential endured. When Borussia Dortmund signed him for a club record £27m in 2016, it was seen as a risk, but also an opportunity.

The move to Dortmund saw Schurrle reunited with Thomas Tuchel, under whom he had made his breakthrough at Mainz. It was also a reunion with fellow World Cup hero Gotze, who was also hoping to restart his career after becoming surplus to requirements at Dortmund.

It seemed that, after years of frustration, the stars had aligned at just the right time for Schurrle. Yet Dortmund, too, would not live up to expectations.

In his first season, Schurrle was plagued by injuries, as a knee injury and an achilles tear kept him out for weeks at a time.


The ex-Chelsea winger had been forced down the pecking order at Borussia Dortmund

By the time his second season came around, the club itself was in crisis. Tuchel's acrimonious departure in the summer of 2017 was followed by the brief success and dramatic collapse of Peter Bosz's reign.

In the resulting rubble, Schurrle enjoyed what was arguably his most successful period in a Dortmund shirt. During the winter of last season, as Dortmund desperately tried to regain some stability under Peter Stoeger, Schurrle was an invaluable presence.

A measured, calm personality at the best of times, his quiet leadership arguably kept Dortmund afloat at a time when, with Marco Reus injured and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang agitating for a move, senior players were in short supply.

Schurrle also delivered strong performances, picking up four assists in six games in February and March.

That brief period aside, however, Schurrle has proven a disappointment at Dortmund. With just three goals in 33 league games, and only nine assists in 51 appearances, his stock has fallen even further over the last two years.

Dortmund are on the brink of a full scale overhaul under Favre, and youngsters such as Pulisic and Sancho were always bound to be further up the pecking order from the beginning of this season.

Schurrle is now simply an insurance policy. There is no option-to-buy for Fulham, so if he does blossom at Craven Cottage, Dortmund may still yet recall him if the likes of Sancho or Pulisic move on.

Perhaps, for someone in his position and of his character, the relative quietness of Craven Cottage will be the perfect environment in which to finally blossom.

Or perhaps this is it for Schurrle, doomed to be a journeyman, and to never quite live up to expectations. Perhaps, after so much promise, his career will ultimately boil down to one glorious moment in Rio de Janeiro.



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5995063/Andre-Schurrle-set-World-Cup-winning-goal-Germany-four-years-later-joined-Fulham.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Crystal Palace can breathe sigh of relief following Schurrle's move to Fulham

Crystal Palace have potentially received a big boost in their attempts to keep hold of Wilfried Zaha following Fulham's capture of Andre Schurrle.

What's the word?

On Wednesday evening, Fulham announced the arrival of former Chelsea winger Schurrle on loan from Borussia Dortmund.

The German World Cup winner, who won the Premier League title at Stamford Bridge, has agreed to play for the Cottagers for the next two years.

Last week, it was reported by Bild that Dortmund were considering a deal with Palace for Schurrle – valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt – that would see Zaha move the other way.

The Ivory Coast international has been linked with an exit from Selhurst Park this summer, but it seems that one potential move has been scuppered.

Will Zaha stay?

Palace fans can breathe a sigh of relief following Schurrle's switch to Craven Cottage, but Zaha's position remains uncertain.

According to the London Evening Standard, the 25-year-old has expressed a desire to leave the Eagles.

It is believed that Zaha wants to play Champions League football, which opens the door for a potential switch to long-time admirers Tottenham Hotspur.

Losing the winger would be a huge blow to Palace given that the team did not pick up a single point last season when he didn't play.

Right now, fans can be relaxed about a possible swoop from Dortmund, but Zaha's future is far from resolved.



https://www.footballfancast.com/premier-league/crystal-palace/crystal-palace-can-breathe-sigh-of-relief-following-schurrles-move-to-fulham

[WhiteJC]

 
U19 Aesch International Tournament

Fulham's Under-19s have travelled to Aesch in Switzerland. Fulham were participants in last year's tournament, only losing out in the final to FC Basel.

Last season Fulham beat Juventus in the opening fixture, and to ensure their place in the final they beat Steven Gerrard's Liverpool side.

The Young Whites travel out on Thursday 26th July with their first match against Hamburger SV on Friday at 4pm.

On Saturday they play FK Red Star Belgrade at 10.30 am and a rematch of last year's final against FC Basel at 3pm.

The Sunday fixtures are dependant on where the Young Whites finish in their group.

The matches are being live streamed on YouTube, the first one against Hamburger SV can be watched here.

The Fulham team that has travelled is:

Drameh, Carvalho, Jasper, Trialist A, Armsworth, Asare, Abraham, Hilton, O'Riley, Tahir, Francois, Davis, Harris, Mundle-Smith, Stahl, Thompson, T. Ashby-Hammond, Jenz.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/july/26/u19-aesch-international-tournament

[WhiteJC]

 
Aleksandar Mitrovic makes awaited return to Newcastle training

Newcastle United striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has asked for clarification surrounding his future with the club after arriving back to training, according to The Chronicle.

The newspaper claimed on their website that no deal has been agreed with Fulham as Newcastle are demanding £20m for the 23-year-old striker if he is to make a permanent move to the West London club.

The Serbia international was not part of Rafael Benitez's plans last season, moving to Fulham in January as he played a major role in helping the Cottagers claim promotion to the Premier League.

With the arrival of striker Yoshinori Muto from Mainz and targeting West Brom forward Salomon Rondon, Mitrovic's sale would contribute towards the deals going ahead.

OPINION

With the signing of Yoshinori Muto, it looks like Aleksandar Mitrovic's time at Newcastle could be over. The Serbian does not seem to fit in Benitez's plans and the forward has expressed his desire to leave Tyneside for Fulham, a club where he excelled at in the latter stages of the Championship, scoring 12 goals in just 17 games, and becoming a key figure in Fulham's promotion to the top flight last season. Nevertheless, Mitrovic is only 23 years old and has been given enough time to develop and has, to the frustration of Newcastle fans, shown for Serbia and Fulham that he can be a menace for any defender to handle. On the other hand, Mitrovic signed three years and has not made the impact that supporters were expecting after paying £12 million back in 2015. The profit from Mitrovic's sale would be go a long way and Newcastle, who have little quality in the striking department, can bring a fresh new face through the gates and try something different that can benefit the club.



https://thisisfutbol.com/2018/07/blogs/aleksandar-mitrovic-makes-awaited-return-to-newcastle-training/

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Report: Fulham make £3m bid for Fenerbahce starlet Oguz Kagan Guctekin

Premier League newcomers Fulham reportedly want to bring the Turkish U19 captain to Craven Cottage.

When Pep Guardiola is a fan, you know you've got talent.

The Sun reported in August of last year that Guardiola's Manchester City had made a £4.5 million bid to sign Fenerbahce youngster Oguz Kagan Guctekin, even before the midfielder had made his senior debut.

Fener rejected the bid however and, despite fellow interest from Tottenham and Arsenal, Guctekin remained in Turkey.

So with Guardiola, Mauricio Pochettino and Arsene Wenger all admirers, fans of newly promoted Premier League outfit Fulham should be excited by reports that they are now trying to sign one of the most promising talents in Turkish football.

Hurriyet is reporting that the Cottagers have made a £3 million bid for the 19-year-old, which is now being considered by Fenerbahce.

This comes a day after The Mail stated that Fulham had sent their scouts to speak with the Turkey U19 captain's representatives at the U19 European Championships in Finland.

Guctekin made eight Super Lig appearances for Fenerbahce last season as they finished second, three points behind Istanbul rivals Galatasaray.

Fulham have shown plenty of ambition in the transfer market this summer, breaking their transfer record to sign Jean-Michel Seri while bringing in German World Cup winner Andre Schurrle on a two-year loan from Borussia Dortmund.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/07/26/do-report-fulham-make-3m-bid-for-fenerbahce-starlet-oguz-kagan-g/

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Argentine midfielder offered to Fulham, currently a free agent

Argentine midfielder Rodrigo Battaglia has been offered to Fulham, according to claims from the Portuguese press today.

As written by newspaper Record, the player is currently negotiating with a couple of clubs as he's a free agent.

Battaglia is one of the many players who rescinded their contracts with Sporting at the end of the last season due to the attacks on players at the club's Alcochete Training Center.

Now he's currently negotiating a new contract with the club, partly because the former president Bruno de Carvalho has been voted out.

But Sporting are not very confident they can get to a deal, and that's why they are already working on a replacement, who would be Braga's Nikola Vukcevic.

Speaking of his possible destinations, only Fulham are named, as it's said he's been offered to the club.

Although Battaglia is a technicaly a free agent, Fulham will probably have to agree a fee with Sporting, otherwise they will be reported to FIFA by the Lisbon side. That's what happened with Wolves and Atletico Madrid for the transfers of Rui Patrício and Gelson Martins.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/argentine-midfielder-offered-fulham-currently-free-agent/

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Aleksandar Mitrovic returns to Newcastle training as uncertainty over his future rumbles on

Talks continue between Fulham and Newcastle over a potential transfer, although no fee has been agreed yet

Aleksandar Mitrovic has returned to training with Newcastle United as uncertainty over the striker's future continues.

The 23-year-old had been on holiday after the World Cup but has returned to the north east to report for pre-season training, despite hoping a move to Fulham would have gone through by now.

However, a fee has yet to be agreed between the west London side and Newcastle despite Mitrovic wanting the move and Fulham wanting to bring him in permanent, with the north east side holding out for £20million, although personal terms have been discussed between the striker and the Whites.

And our sister site, The Chronicle, have reported that the forward has asked for clarification on his future after finding himself caught up in Newcastle's transfer plans.

Aleksandar Mitrovic has returned to training with Newcastle United as uncertainty over the striker's future continues.

The 23-year-old had been on holiday after the World Cup but has returned to the north east to report for pre-season training, despite hoping a move to Fulham would have gone through by now.

However, a fee has yet to be agreed between the west London side and Newcastle despite Mitrovic wanting the move and Fulham wanting to bring him in permanent, with the north east side holding out for £20million, although personal terms have been discussed between the striker and the Whites.

And our sister site, The Chronicle, have reported that the forward has asked for clarification on his future after finding himself caught up in Newcastle's transfer plans.

Those goals helped fire Slavisa Jokanovic's to the Championship play-offs where a single Tom Cairney goal secured promotion to the Premier League - and now Fulham want him to lead their line in the top flight this season.

Speaking about Mitrovic's future after their pre-season game with Hull City, Rafa Benitez said: "He [Mitrovic] has to come back. He has to come back, and he is due to come back on Wednesday.

"We need to check on how he is, and then we will decide if he will go to Portugal. It is a day off for the rest of the squad (on Wednesday), so we have some time to see how things are.

"Tomorrow [Wednesday] is the future for him."

The Chronicle report he is highly unlikely to go to Portugal for Newcastle's pre-season games, meaning he'll be left with the reserves at Newcastle, while Fulham are still confident of getting a deal done for the striker.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/aleksandar-mitrovic-returns-newcastle-training-14956996

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Hijack: Fulham should complete their midfield makeover with Klaassen capture



According to the Liverpool Echo, Everton's out of favour Davy Klaassen is set to hold talks with Werder Bremen this summer.

Klaassen only joined the Toffees last summer, in a deal worth £24 million. Yet, despite the hefty price tag, Klaassen never looked close to establishing himself in the starting XI at Goodison Park and only managed a measly 7 Premier League outings last season.

Part of the problem for the Dutchman was the excess of similar payers between him and the first team. Klaassen, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Wayne Rooney and Nikola Vlasic were all vying for the same central attacking midfielder berth.

Now, Klaassen's time on Merseyside looks to be up, and a move to the Bundesliga likely.

However, there is still time for another Premier League side to offer the 25-year-old the opportunity to stay in England and prove that he has what it takes to make an impact here.

Fulham should be amongst those clubs willing to give Klaassen a fresh start on these shores.

The Breakdown
Following their promotion to the Premier League, Fulham have quickly got to work in the transfer market and have already pulled off some very impressive deals.

The arrivals of Jean Michael Seri and Andre Schurrle stand out as being particularly excellent bits of business that already look to have taken the Cottagers' midfield contingent up several levels.

A final addition in this area of the pitch, in the form of Klaassen, would see Slavisa Jokanovic's side ready to take the top flight by storm. Klaassen's vision and creativity could prove vital in getting the best out of the likes of Schurrle and Ryan Sessegnon.

Transfermarkt value the ex-Ajax man at £13.5 million. A deal in the region of that figure would represent an excellent investment on Fulham's part and would signal a continuation of the exciting ambition that is currently being shown at Craven Cottage.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league/hijack-fulham-should-complete-their-midfield-makeover-with-klaassen-capture/

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How Will Andre Schürrle fit at Fulham?
The 2014 World Cup winner has agreed to a two-year loan deal


Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images

As yesterday came to a close, Fulham made the announcement that Andre Schürrle was returning to Southwest London on a two-year loan agreement from Borussia Dortmund. But instead of wearing Chelsea Blue, he'll be wearing Fulham White and playing nearby the River Thames on Saturdays. Just don't mention the hat trick he got there while with the other club in 2014.

Speaking of that time period, that was when we last saw Schürrle at the peak of his powers as his market value was as high as £27 million at one point. Now it's considered cut in half according to transfermarket.co.uk. Plenty of that has had to do with the lost momentum he had when he was tearing through the Bundesliga while at Bayer Leverkusen. As a 23-year old, Schürrle racked up 14 goals and 43 apparances for Die Werkself as well as scoring 5 goals in 10 appearances for Germany. That was why Chelsea came knocking and the multi-dimensional forward played such a pivotal role in the peak of Jose's Mourinho's second spell as manager.

However, the other part of Schürrle's decline in value is the injury history has started to look daunting since being a part of his country's 2014 World Cup winning squad. Among the highlights of such a long list has even included a "muscle fiber" injury that made him miss two months of football this past season.

But here's the thing, Fulham supporters. Mr. Schürrle did not cost a dime for the club! With him not turning 28 until November, he is a low-risk, high-reward addition to the senior squad that still needs all the veteran depth it needs to survive in the Premier League, especially in attack. If Schürrle is a success, he'll join the ranks of Damien Duff and Danny Murphy that found the fountain of youth at Craven Cottage after successful spells earlier in their careers at the best clubs in England. If not, he simply can be surplus to requirements that won't affect the Fulham boardroom towards finding his replacement right away in the transfer market.

All data from whoscored.com

With him mainly playing on the left or as a supporting striker, the now 27-year-old will still be a key man to having the squad play in different formations or give cover in case of needed rest for Ryan Sessegnon and "insert a center forward that may or may not be Aleksander Mitrovic here". What was Schürrle's strength was the heavy shot volume for a player that wasn't the most direct in top flight football. However, almost all of his skill set has seemed to drop as a result of the wear and tear he has had to go through.

That being said, Schürrle still has quite a strong ability to not have anyone take the ball away from him while on the dribble and, in spite of a mediocre chance creation rate, can still be a valuable enough passer in attack. If anything, his radar and current profile remind me of what Fulham supporters demand of Neeskans Kebano and that is the role I expect Schurrle to take.

In other words, I expect Schürrle to be almost the first name coming off the bench to put a spark the front three or shape-shift Fulham into having two center forwards up front. The data proves that that is where his future lies for the rest of his footballing career, let alone while at Fulham. According to his understat.com profile, his shot rate was 4.96 per 90 minutes while coming off the bench and 3.11 per 90 minutes while starting since 2014/15.

So while he may not be as potent of an attacking player as he was when he was younger, elements of his game still exist to make him an impact player at Fulham. The question now will be what the rest of the pieces will be to make the Starting XI and 25-man playing squad be sufficient enough for success in England's top flight for 2018/19.

Willkommen Andre!



https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2018/7/26/17616402/how-will-andre-schurrle-fit-at-fulham