Friends of Fulham

Fulham to host Stuttgart at Craven Cottage


Fulham will host VfB Stuttgart in a pre-season friendly at Craven Cottage next month.

The German outfit – who secured Champions League football courtesy of a fourth place Bundesliga finish last season – will take on the Whites on Saturday 15th August, kicking off at 4pm.

A first chance to witness Álvaro Arbeloa lead his Fulham team at the Cottage, Season Ticket Holders can secure your tickets from Thursday 16th July, with the fixture going on General Sale on Monday 20th July.

Price Band	Price Class	Johnny Haynes Stand & Hammersmith End
Season Ticket Holders	Adult	£15
	Concession	£10
	Junior	£10
General Sale	Adult	£20
	Concession	£10
	Junior	£10

Riverside Hospitality

With The Riverside open exclusively for hospitality guests, it will be the only way to experience the matchday from Fulham's newest stand.

Those looking to experience award-winning hospitality can purchase directly via our website: Fulham FC Hospitality.

Fulham FC Season Ticket Holders can also take advantage of an exclusive discounted price, starting from £69 + VAT. To secure your place, please contact our hospitality team at [email protected] or call +44 208 336 7555.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/july/11/fulham-to-host-stuttgart-at-craven-cottage/

World Cup 2026: Fine Timo assist in vain as Belgium bow out


Timothy Castagne registered a lovely assist in Belgium's World Cup Quarter-Final in Los Angeles on Friday night, but a late goal condemned them to a 2-1 defeat by Spain to bring their campaign to a close.

Trailing to Fabian Ruiz's opener on the half hour mark, the Red Devils responded well and ensured they went into the break level when Charles de Ketelaere headed in a gorgeous Castagne cross from the right.

It was the first goal Spain had conceded at the tournament.

The Spanish had more of the play in the second half but a resolute display from the Red Devils looked set to force extra-time, until Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens – on for the injured Thibaut Courtois – spilled an effort in the 88th minute, allowing Mikel Merino to lash home the rebound and break Belgian hearts.

A disappointing end, but Castagne can be proud of his performances, building on his strong end to the season with Fulham by playing the vast majority of minutes at the World Cup for his country.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/july/11/world-cup-2026-fine-timo-assist-in-vain-as-belgium-bow-out/

Barcelona changed Joan Gamper Trophy plans after Alvaro Arbeloa's appointment at Fulham – report
Barcelona's search for an opponent for this year's Joan Gamper Trophy took an unexpected turn after the club decided against inviting Fulham following the appointment of former Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Catalan club had been exploring several options for the traditional pre-season fixture, with Fulham viewed as one of the leading candidates.

A meeting with an English club was considered an attractive option given the competitive level of the Premier League and the opportunity to present Hansi Flick's squad against high-quality opposition.

However, Fulham's managerial change prompted Barcelona to reassess their plans, ultimately paving the way for Egyptian giants Al Ahly to be selected as this year's Gamper Trophy opponents.

Fulham dropped from Barcelona's shortlist
Barcelona intended to organise a fixture that would generate excitement while providing meaningful preparation before the competitive season begins.

Barcelona intended to organise a fixture that would generate excitement while providing meaningful preparation before the competitive season begins.



https://barcauniversal.com/barcelona-changed-joan-gamper-trophy-plans-after-alvaro-arbeloas-appointment-at-fulham-report/

Agent in England to negotiate with Fulham and Sunderland – Club pushing for transfer
Matías Soulé's agent is currently in England to hold negotiations with Fulham and Sunderland about a potential move from Roma.

Corriere dello Sport report on the 23-year-old today and Roma's efforts to move him on to secure a big capital gain and aid their finances.

Fulham and Sunderland talks
The newspaper explains that Roma are looking to raise funds this summer by selling the former Juventus player. While their summer business will likely be fuelled by Champions League revenue, director of football Tony D'Amico is also working on sales.

Matías Soulé would be a 'significant sacrifice' in terms of quality, but he would provide immediate funds for the transfer market and to help comply with Financial Fair Play.

That's because he's the player in Roma's squad who can generate the most profit this summer. His residual value on the balance sheet stands at €15.5m. So, a transfer fee of around €35m would allow the Italians to record a capital gain of between €20-21m.

His agent, Martin Guastadisegno, is helping to push the potential transfer along. He is currently in England to negotiate a move with both Sunderland and Fulham. The Premier League duo have expressed an interest in the forward.

Sunderland's growing interest
Sport Witness have reported on Sunderland's interest in particular. The first of those reports explained the Black Cats' interest was being driven by director of football Florent Ghisolfi.

A follow up report explained that Sunderland had already started making moves. However, their first approach was only a timid one for now.

But they were given encouragement as a report this week explained that the Argentine had already turned down offers and would seriously consider a move to the Stadium of Light this summer.

The question is whether they want to spend the €35m that Roma are clearly looking for. That's something to be worked out, with his agent in England for talks with Fulham and Sunderland over the potential deal.



https://sportwitness.co.uk/agent-in-england-to-negotiate-with-fulham-and-sunderland-club-pushing-for-transfer/

Jose Mourinho can't repeat Real Madrid's fatal Kylian Mbappe mistake
Kylian Mbappe became a polarizing figure at Real Madrid by the end of the 2025/26 season, with tensions boiling over during the Real Oviedo game in which the striker had a meltdown after the match, bashing the club and throwing Alvaro Arbeloa under the bus.

That was only two months ago, but it feels like an eternity, with Mbappe's sensational, record breaking performances for the French national team at the 2026 World Cup leaving all that drama at the Santiago Bernabeu a mere distant memory.

Mbappe is cementing his status as the greatest ever World Cup player with France in a third straight World Cup semifinal, and the man himself is looking in full command, cool and in control as a real leader who is even making sure his teammates eat at the table. For example, he boosted up Ousmane Dembele and fed him assists against Norway, and he made great plays off the ball in several matches, including another assist for Dembele to put Morocco away in the quarterfinals.

Kylian Mbappe needs to be free
Real Madrid still believe in Mbappe 100 percent as the face of the team and that he, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Junior can not only coexist together, but can even excel with another Galactico, as Perez is obsessed with the idea of poaching Mbappe's French national teammate Michael Olise from Bayern Munich.

Florentino Perez hired Jose Mourinho with the full intention of making sure this project works with Mbappe, and Mou has stood by all the stars, emphatically stating time and time again that he relishes managing the biggest stars in the world.

And if he wants to be even more successful than he was the first time around at the Santiago Bernabeu, Mourinho is going to have to do what Alvaro Arbeloa and Xabi Alonso could not but what Didier Deschamps has been consistently able to do. He needs to give Mbappe the keys.

Now, that does not mean taking the shine away from Vinicius Junior. That does not mean relegating Jude Bellingham, who might actually be the best of all of these players, to second fiddle. What it means is letting Mbappe do what he does with Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, and Bradley Barcola.

Mbappe plays at his best when he can roam around the pitch, drop deep, and do the things other great strikers like Harry Kane and Karim Benzema have been able to do without much criticism. Now, Mbappe is nowhere near them all around as a creator, but as a scorer and weapon, he is in his own category, as the World Cup stats show.

High performance athletes with reputations like Kylian Mbappe's are decliate, in a way. They need to be nurtured, made to feel important, and be free. Real Madrid got it all wrong. Mbappe can be tamed and disciplined, but when he drifts, he needs people to move up into the box, like Jude, for him, and when he stays up, he needs Vinicius close by to play off of like Olise.




https://therealchamps.com/jose-mourinho-can-t-repeat-real-madrid-s-fatal-kylian-mbappe-mistake-01kx98j4a5r9

Fulham agree deal to sign Erskine Rennie from Celtic
Alvaro Arbeloa's Fulham have agreed a deal to sign Celtic attacking sensation Erskine Rennie ahead of next season.

Fulham have an agreement in place to sign 16-year-old Scottish winger Erskine Rennie from Celtic. The move comes after the prospect chose the West London club despite having multiple offers across England and Europe.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Fulham have reached a full agreement with Celtic for Rennie's transfer, with the teenager expected to sign a long-term contract after completing the necessary formalities. The move represents another significant piece of Fulham's long-term recruitment strategy as the club continues to target some of the brightest emerging talents across Europe.

Fulham have won the race for the Scottish gem
Rennie reportedly had multiple options available but ultimately opted for Fulham, believing the club's proven track record in developing young talent offered him the best pathway to senior football. The Cottagers have earned a strong reputation for developing young players, and that appears to have played a major role in convincing Rennie to make the switch from Celtic's academy.

The teenager was part of Celtic's B team and quickly caught the eye with his performances. Despite making only four appearances in the Lowland League, Rennie found the back of the net once while consistently showcasing his pace, dribbling ability and attacking flair.

The highly-rated youngster has also represented Scotland at the Under-15 level, scoring once in three appearances and further underlining why he is regarded as one of the country's brightest emerging talents.

His qualities and massive potential have not gone unnoticed, with scouts from several clubs closely monitoring his development before Fulham won the race for his signature.

For Fulham, the signing is another indication that they are planning well beyond the immediate future. Bringing in one of Scotland's most promising young attackers aligns with the club's growing emphasis on recruiting elite teenage talent capable of developing into first-team players.

Rennie is unlikely to be fast-tracked into senior football immediately. The expectation is that he will initially continue his development within Fulham's academy while gradually adapting to English football. If his progress continues at the same rate, he could soon emerge as a first-team prospect.



https://thehardtackle.com/transfer-news/2026/07/12/fulham-agree-deal-to-sign-erskine-rennie-from-celtic/