Friends of Fulham

World Cup 2026: Belgium comeback sees them into Last-16


Timothy Castagne played the entirety of Belgium's dramatic comeback victory over Senegal in their Round of 32 tie in Seattle on Wednesday night.

The Red Devils were trailing 2-0 going into the final four minutes of normal time, but forced an extra 30 minutes thanks to goals from Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans.

And the drama continued right until the end, as Belgium were awarded a penalty at the death, with Tielemans cooly dispatching his kick in the 125th minute, making it the latest World Cup goal in history.

Castagne began the game at right-back, before switching over to the left in the 78th minute after Thomas Meunier replaced Maxim De Cuyper.

Belgium will now remain in Seattle where they will face the United States in the early hours of Tuesday morning, a match which could pit Castagne directly against Antonee Robinson.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/july/02/world-cup-2026-belgium-comeback-sees-them-into-last-16/

Everton want this Man City talent – Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Bournemouth, Newcastle and Sunderland also want him
Everton transfer news: Toffees lead chase for Manchester City starlet Rico Lewis as Etihad departure looms

Everton transfer news: Rico Lewis needs to get out of Manchester City. At 21, the versatile defender is simply wasting away on the Etihad bench, and a permanent summer exit is finally on the cards.

The club clearly don't trust him enough for the big occasions anymore. Last season, Matheus Nunes completely locked down the starting spot, leaving Lewis to feed on absolute scraps. We are talking about a player with two Premier League titles and a Champions League medal in his locker, yet he managed just 11 league appearances across the entire 2025/26 campaign. Only four of those were starts. You can't develop a career on those numbers. Now, the City chiefs are ready to sanction a sale if the right offer drops.

Goodison Park looks like the perfect landing spot. Everton are crying out for a right-back after long-serving captain Seamus Coleman wrapped up his time at the club, leaving a massive void on the right side of the defence.

Why David Moyes wants the City academy graduate
David Moyes needs someone who can handle the tough defensive shifts but also drift effortlessly into midfield during transition phases. That is precisely what Lewis does best. He learned it from the best under Guardiola. The Toffees can offer him the one thing City won't: guaranteed, regular first-team minutes every single weekend. It's exactly what the lad needs to jump-start his career and get back into the England Under-21 conversation.

But it will not be a free run for the Merseysiders. Far from it.

The queue is growing by the day. Nottingham Forest, Fulham, and Bournemouth are all sniffing around, actively tracking his situation to see if they can bolster their squads. Even Newcastle United and Sunderland are keeping tabs on his availability. The secret is well and truly out, and a bidding war will only drive the price up.

Everton have to move fast. Lewis wants his future sorted before pre-season training kicks off so he can clear his head and focus entirely on his football. Rival clubs are already putting the finishing touches on their opening proposals, meaning the Toffees cannot afford to dither.



https://vitalfootball.co.uk/everton-want-this-man-city-talent-nottingham-forest-fulham-bournemouth-newcastle-and-sunderland-also-want-him/

The FFC Rumour Mill: Fulham wait on Arbeloa work permit and Liverpool talk about Kevin
Jack Stroudley rounds up another week of Fulham's transfer window.

Another week down and yet another week without a manager.

But there does appear to be movement in both the recruitment of a new gaffer and some players. Let's tuck in.

Incomings
It looks like we are getting closer to answering the question "where the hell is Arbeloa?" It appears the club is waiting on a work permit for the Spaniard, and hope to announce his arrival in the next week, so says Lyall Thomas. Arbeloa is also finalising his backroom staff, so it's all sounding more positive - particularly as it shows Fulham have been decisive in their pursuit of their man.

In terms of player moves, Fulham have completed the signing of 18-year-old forward Jonah Kusi-Asare on a five-year deal with an option of a sixth. I'll spare my thoughts this time around as I wrote something earlier this week highlighting my opinion, but it's good to see at least something is happening.

Elsewhere, TeamTalk have gone heavy this week on Fulham, linking us to three current Premier League players.

I'll start at the back with Fulham reportedly making contact with Chelsea for defender Trevoh Chalobah, who is valued at £34.5m. Italian side Como currently lead the charge for the 26 year old. He's someone whose been linked with the club before, but for nearly £35m? I'm not so sure.

Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest are keeping tabs on Manchester City defender Rico Lewis, with Enzo Maresca's side looking to sell this summer. This is one that peaks my interest. Lewis is a fantastic player whose had a bit of hard luck with the emergence of Nico O'Reilly. With Antonee Robinson seemingly struggling, it could be a good pick-up.

Looking further forward, Fulham and Aston Villa are keeping tabs on Bournemouth midfielder Marcus Tavernier. I'm a bit indifferent on this one, Tavernier has come off the back of a good season for the Cherries, and we will be in the market for another creative player – but I don't think this will go any further than this.

And finally, several Turkish journalists are reporting that Fulham have made a bid for Nigerian centre-back Chibuike Nwaiwu. The 22 year old currently plays for Trabzonspor and the Whites have reported submitted a €22m bid that could rise to €25m. Nwaiwu's stock is rapidly rising and his club are reported to be holding out for €30m. Keep an eye on this one.

Outgoings
In a slightly concerning piece of news that's emerged in the last 12 hours, Liverpool could be set to look at Kevin. Take this one with a pinch of salt as it's come from Anfield Watch, who claim that the club are monitoring our Brazilian to see how he adapts to the Premier League. With Iraola now in the hot seat and bringing his own ideas to the table, anything is possible.

Meanwhile, Harry Wilson to Leeds looks all but done, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that the Welshman has agreed a deal to join Daniel Farke's side on a four-year deal. I spoke about this last week, but I'll double down on my point. This feels purely financial and while Wilson was exceptional for us last season, a four-year deal with an increased wage on someone who is 30 next year. It's a good signing for Leeds but one I'm not overly annoyed about from a Fulham perspective.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/p/the-ffc-rumour-mill-fulham-wait-on

World Cup 2026: Clean sheet for Jedi as 10-man USA advance


Antonee Robinson helped the United States reach the Round of 16 with a deserved 2-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina in San Francisco.

Jedi could have opened the scoring when his positive forward run ended with Bosnia goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj palming a cross onto his forehead, but the Fulham man knew little about it and the ball sailed over.

Folarin Balogun had an eventful match, having a goal disallowed before opening the scoring, and then seeing red following a VAR review after his studs scraped down the calf and ankle of Tarik Muharemovic.

Bosnia offered more attacking threat once they had a man advantage, but it was the States who got the decisive second goal when Malik Tillman fired in a free-kick.

Robinson will now face his club teammate Timothy Castagne when the USA take on Belgium in Seattle at 1am (BST) on Tuesday.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/july/02/world-cup-2026-clean-sheet-for-jedi-as-10-man-usa-advance/

Everton and Fulham keen to sign West Ham striker Taty Castellanos
Everton and Fulham are locked in a battle to bring Argentinian striker Valentin Castellanos back to the Premier League following West Ham United's relegation to the EFL Championship.

Both top-flight clubs are keen to strengthen their attacking options ahead of the new campaign and have identified the 27-year-old as an ideal focal point for their respective front lines.

Castellanos only arrived at the London Stadium in January, completing a €30m move from Serie A side Lazio. Despite West Ham's disastrous season, the 'fantastic' striker was a genuine bright spot, scoring seven goals in 22 appearances across all competitions under Nuno Espirito Santo.

His well-rounded skill set—combining intelligent link-up play, relentless work rate, and the ability to drift into channels—has made him one of the most sought-after players from West Ham's relegated squad.

Everton's interest stems from a pressing need to diversify their frontline. The Toffees have often lacked a dynamic presence up front, with both Beto and Thierno Barry failing to impress.

Meanwhile, Fulham see the Argentina international as a key piece to enhance their attack under incoming manager Alvaro Arbeloa.

However, securing Castellanos' signature will be far from straightforward. Having signed a long-term contract until 2030, West Ham hold significant leverage and have reportedly made the forward "off-limits" as part of Nuno Espirito Santo's rebuild.

While the Hammers expect to part ways with other star players, they are determined to retain Castellanos to spearhead their promotion push.

Unless Everton or Fulham are prepared to table an offer well above his initial valuation, West Ham are expected to fight hard to keep their star man in the capital for at least another twelve months.



https://westhamblog.co.uk/everton-and-fulham-keen-to-sign-west-ham-striker-taty-castellanos/

Everton, Bournemouth and Fulham interested in Reims' Keito Nakamura
Several Premier League clubs, including Everton, Bournemouth and Fulham, are reportedly interested in Stade de Reims' Keito Nakamura (25), according to the BBC.

Although under contract with the Champagne-based club until 2028, the Japanese player is said to have secured a release clause from the club's management in the event of a satisfactory offer this summer. A fee of around €25m could therefore persuade Reims, who finished sixth in last season's Ligue 2 campaign, to part ways with their striker.

Signed by the Red and Whites from LASK for €12m in 2023, Nakamura has established himself as one of the squad's most reliable players. A starter in 29 of the 32 matches he played last season, the Abiko-born player once again made a name for himself, scoring 14 goals and providing three assists across all competitions.

He represented Japan at the World Cup, where he performed well, starting all four of Japan's matches and proving decisive on two occasions – with one goal and one assist.




https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2026/everton-bournemouth-and-fulham-interested-in-reims-keito-nakamura/