Monday Fulham Stuff (06/08/18)...

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Fulham make £9m bid for Boyata

Fulham have tabled a £9m bid for Celtic defender Deydrick Boyata, according to the Times.

The Belgian defender, who spent six years with Manchester City, has been heavily linked with a move to Craven Cottage all summer. Fulham scouts watched Boyata closely during the World Cup, where he filled in impressively for the injured Vincent Kompany in the early stages of the tournament, and the club consider him as a potential addition to ease their worries in central defence.

The 27 year-old has failed to commit his long-term future to Celtic, despite overtures from Brendan Rodgers, after becoming a crucial part of the Hoops defence during his three seasons in Glasgow. Boyata, who made just twelve league starts for City, is believed to be attracted by the opportunity of another crack at the Premier League after making 92 appearances for the Scottish giants and winning three successive league titles.

Fulham head coach Slavisa Jokanovic has identified central defence as an area of his squad where reinforcements are urgently necessary before the end of the transfer window on Thursday. The Londoners are expected to sign Calum Chambers on loan from Arsenal, with the England international due to have a medical at Motspur Park on Monday, but are keen to add further defensive depth before the start of the new season. It remains to be seen whether Celtic, who signed Boyata for just £1.5m back in 2014, would entertain Fulham's offer for one of their key players.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/08/fulham-make-9m-bid-for-boyata/

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Arsenal: Calum Chambers to Fulham first mistake of summer

Arsenal looked all set on the defensive side of things, but now Calum Chambers is on his way to a season-long loan and, just like that – mistake.

I knew it couldn't be perfect. I knew Arsenal couldn't go an entire summer without make some kind of a mistake. Everything had gone so swimmingly this transfer window, with the right moves being made and the right players being maintained.

But now we are hearing that Calum Chambers is to be sent on a season-long loan to Fulham. And all I can think to ask is 'why the hell is this a good idea?'

Chambers is, as it stands, our best defender from last year. Shkodran Mustafi was a mental mishap waiting to happen and Laurent Koscielny made tons of errors too, plus he's hurt for the long-term.

Meaning that Sokratis and Chambers were the two that made the most sense to see paired up for the first match of the season.

Not to mention how rough Rob Holding has looked in the preseason and how little we've still seen of Konstantinos Mavropanos.

There were other links that popped up that were never followed up – Soyuncu and Pavard – who would have been slick additions if this was the plan, but those additions were never made. Presumably, that was because there was faith in Chambers.

The guy signed a new long-term deal to stay at the club. He and Unai Emery were jiving, they were a fit. And now he is reportedly set to leave on another loan move that would see Mustafi and Sokratis rocking out with the two starting roles and, what, Holding and Mavropanos in behind them?



https://paininthearsenal.com/2018/08/06/arsenal-calum-chambers-fulham-mistake/

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Recovering Mawson out of Fulham's first three league matches

(Reuters) - Fulham's new signing Alfie Mawson will miss the start of the new Premier League season as the centre back recovers from a knee injury, the promoted club's manager Slavisa Jokanovic said.

The highly-rated Mawson joined Fulham from Swansea City this month in a deal that the British media said was worth 20 million pounds ($25.98 million).

The 24-year-old has been ruled out of at least three league matches as he battles for fitness after having surgery in May.

"He won't be ready. We will be waiting between two and three weeks for him to start working with us," Jokanovic told the London Standard.

"I don't expect he can help us before September."

Apart from Fulham's opening league match against Crystal Palace on Aug. 11, Mawson will also be absent for the games against Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley.

Fulham are back in the top flight for the first time since the 2013-14 season.



https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-england-ful-mawson/recovering-mawson-out-of-fulhams-first-three-league-matches-idUKKBN1KR0GL?rpc=401&;

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'No indication' how Ben Davis will help Singapore football if deferred from NS: Ng Eng Hen


Singaporean footballer Benjamin Davis. (File photo: Football Association of Singapore)

SINGAPORE: The reasons for the rejection of the application to defer Benjamin Davis' National Service were spelled out in Parliament on Monday (Aug 6), with Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen highlighting it has not been shown how such a move would benefit football.

"There has been no indication, commitment or plans as to how Mr Ben Davis would help football standards in Singapore if deferred," Dr Ng said.

Dr Ng was responding to questions from Members of Parliament, who had asked about the criteria that determine if an athlete can be deferred from NS.

Davis, 17, had signed a two-year contract with newly promoted English Premier League (EPL) side Fulham, the club announced on Jul 13.

After news broke that his NS deferment application had been rejected, his father Mr Harvey Davis said it would have allowed his son to pursue his dream of playing in the EPL and "make Singapore proud by being the first Singaporean to play in the EPL".

While the father had said that his son would serve as an inspiration for the 1,000 students – half of which are local – at his youth football academy JSSL Singapore, Dr Ng said JSSL is a business which advertises itself as having links with Fulham FC.

Dr Ng reiterated that athletes are deferred only if it serves Singapore's interests, stating that Davis' father has been "quite open" with what has been deemed as contrasting priorities.

"The application by Mr Harvey Davis for his son's deferment is to further his son's professional career first and to the longest extent possible," Dr Ng added. "Singapore and her interests, including his son's NS obligations, are secondary considerations, if at all.

"There is no commitment to serve Singapore or our national interests."

REASONS FOR REJECTION

Dr Ng gave three reasons why Davis' application was rejected.

The first is that Davis is playing for Fulham as an English national, not a Singapore citizen, Dr Ng said, referring to information published on the club's website. It has been reported that in addition to his Singapore citizenship, Davis holds UK and Thai passports due to his parents' lineage.

"MINDEF (Ministry of Defence) is not privy to the contract signed between them, but we assume this published information is correct and that the father must have his reasons for doing so," Dr Ng added.

Second, Dr Ng said Davis' father has "consistently refused" to indicate when his son would return to serve NS, pointing to a reply he gave authorities stating that he was "unable to commit to a date" due to the possibility that his son would be offered a new contract or sent out on loan.

"If Mr Ben Davis will not give up his senior contract, which provides for an allowance of a few hundred pounds a week, to serve his NS, it is even more unlikely that he will return to serve NS if he subsequently gets offered a contract worth many times more," Dr Ng added.

"And if he is not given a further contract with Fulham FC, the father has said that he may find other clubs which his son can be loaned to."

Third, Dr Ng said Mr Davis has indicated that his son would still proceed to sign the contract if not granted deferment, something which he has already done.

"The reason given by the father was that his son would only return to fulfil his NS commitment if he is unsuccessful in his professional career," Dr Ng added.

"In fact, Mr Harvey Davis went further after MINDEF rejected the application – that he would consider the option for his son to renounce his Singapore citizenship in order to pursue his career."

Still, Davis would only be able to renounce his citizenship at the age of 21, after completing his NS. MINDEF had said in a 2011 news report that for male Singapore citizens, "the acquisition of foreign citizenship or any claim of dual citizenship does not exempt them from their NS obligations".

NS PRINCIPLES

To that end, Dr Ng stressed that NS obligations are "crucial to our nation's survival", as he referred to a 2017 written judgement by the Appellate High Court during an appeal on the sentencing of NS defaulters.

The judges said that every male Singaporean must serve NS at the time he is required to under the Enlistment Act, "without regard to his personal convenience and considerations".

"When a person refuses to serve NS at the time that he is required to and instead returns to serve at a time of his own choosing, or worse, at an age when he can no longer serve, his actions strike at the very core of the principles of national security, universality and equity," they wrote.

After a new sentencing framework was established last year, Dr Ng said 13 NS defaulters were prosecuted in court.

"Some wanted to complete their university degree first before NS. Others said they had to support their families," Dr Ng said, pointing out that the courts dismissed these personal reasons and convicted and sentenced them to jail terms.

"The Enlistment Act is blind to 'personal convenience and considerations', no matter how talented the individual or exceptional his circumstances."

Continuing on that theme, Dr Ng said deferment is granted to individuals very selectively, "if their deferment serves Singapore's interest first and foremost, never their own".

Athletes who have deferred have clear expectations on the standards required for their training, Dr Ng said. This includes swimmers Joseph Schooling and Quah Zheng Wen, and sailor Maximilian Soh, all of whom were given this chance to train and compete in the Olympics.

"Neither was deferment open-ended or unconditional," he said. "They will have to return to serve NS, and if they do not meet the standards agreed upon, deferment will be curtailed."

As for disruption for individuals after they are enlisted for NS, including those granted to medical students, Dr Ng said this follows the same principles and is also given only for "national reasons".

"We disrupt medical students to complete their medical studies because we need them to serve as medical officers during their NS to take care of their fellow soldiers," he explained. "It's not an entitlement and once the reasons are no longer valid, the disruption will end."

Going back to the court's written judgement, Dr Ng noted that everyone has to do his "fair share", including "every citizen who is required to serve NS making sacrifices or postponing individual goals to serve the nation when the nation needs his service".

"These arguments spell out in unequivocal terms the NS obligations for every Singaporean male," Dr Ng added.

"Deferment therefore cannot be for that individual, no matter how talented, to pursue his own interests or career, even if it vicariously brings credit or fame to Singapore.

"This would be fundamentally wrong and goes against the core principle of equity."

Source: CNA/hz



Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/ben-davis-national-service-deferment-parliament-ng-eng-hen-10592728

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New Fulham signing Alfie Mawson set to miss opening three Premier League games as £15m defender recovers from knee surgery

    Fulham signing Alfie Mawson will miss the start of the Premier League season
    Mawson joined from Swansea City this month in a four-year deal worth £15m
    But manager Slavisa Jokanovic says the defender is recovering from knee injury

Fulham's new signing Alfie Mawson will miss the start of the Premier League season as the centre back recovers from a knee injury, manager Slavisa Jokanovic has said.

The highly-rated Mawson joined from Swansea City this month in a four-year deal worth £15million.

However the 24-year-old has been ruled out of at least three league matches as he battles for fitness after having surgery in May.


Fulham's new signing Alfie Mawson will miss the start of the new Premier League season

'He won't be ready. We will be waiting between two and three weeks for him to start working with us,' Jokanovic told the Evening Standard.'I don't expect he can help us before September.'

After Fulham's opening league match against Crystal Palace on August 11, Mawson will also be absent for the games against Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley.

Jokanovic has looked to add extra cover in defence by making a move to sign Arsenal's Calum Chambers on loan.

Fulham are back in the top flight for the first time since the 2013-14 season, after beating Aston Villa in last season's Championship play-off final.


Fulham have moved to add defensive cover with a loan offer for Arsenal's Calum Chambers



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6030433/Alfie-Mawson-set-miss-opening-three-Fulham-league-games-injury.html

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Report: Calum Chambers to undergo Fulham medical as Jokanovic fails to land Yerry Mina

Fulham are reportedly set to snap up Arsenal's Calum Cambers on loan.

According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal defender Calum Chambers is set to undergo a medical with Fulham ahead of completing a season-long loan move to Craven Cottage.

The Cottagers have enjoyed a strong summer so far, with boss Slavisa Jokanovic landing a host of exciting signings such as Fabricio, Alfie Mawson, Maxime Le Marchand, Jean Seri, Andre Schurrle and Aleksandar Mitrovic.

However, Jokanovic remains in the market for another centre back, most likely to partner Mawson in the long-term, but also to come in immediately given that the former Swansea City man is recovering from injury.

The Daily Mail now report that Fulham are closing in on Arsenal's Calum Chambers, and he will undergo a medical with the club ahead of arriving on a season-long loan deal.

It's claimed that Fulham did make a move for Barcelona's Yerry Mina but ultimately couldn't get a deal done, and have now turned to Chambers in order to boost Jokanovic's options.

The 23-year-old emerged as a top young talent with Southampton before earning a 2014 move to Arsenal, and his early displays saw him earn three caps for England, showing the potential to become one of the country's top defenders.

However, injuries and a lack of playing time have seen Chambers slip out of the England reckoning of late, and he made just 12 Premier League appearances last season.

A loan spell with Middlesbrough in the 2016-17 season did see Chambers impress, and Arsenal will hope for similar results once Chambers heads to Fulham and hopefully plays on a regular basis.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/08/06/report-calum-chambers-to-undergo-fulham-medical-as-jokanovic-fai/