Five Premier League Clubs Told To Make Move To Sign Folarin Balogun This Summer
Folarin Balogun found himself in the headlines at the World Cup for all the right and wrong reasons.
Leading the line for the United States on home soil, the former Arsenal man scored three goals in four games prior to Mauricio Pochettino's side exiting the competition at the round of 16.
Leading up to their final clash against Belgium, the 25-year-old, through no fault of his own, was involved in a major talking point after his one-game ban for a red card against Bosnia-Herzegovina was suspended by FIFA following an intervention by US President Donald Trump.
While it was a huge boost for the United States going into a game with a place in the final eight at stake, Balogun had no influence on proceedings as Belgium ran out 4-1 winners in Seattle.
The frontman looks set to find himself in the headlines once again this summer with speculation regarding a transfer away from AS Monaco set to do the rounds after a successful spell in Ligue 1.
So could a return to the Premier league be on the agenda?
Possible Premier League destinations for Balogun
Balogun will certainly not be short of suitors if a move away from Monaco comes to fruition.
Reports have so far suggested that clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Tottenham are interested in the striker.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT in an exclusive interview, former USMNT goalkeeper Brad Friedel spoke about Balogun and named the Premier League clubs that should move for the Monaco star if he is to return to England after three years away.
"I think if he went back to the Premier League he would suit clubs like a Fulham, like a Brighton, like a Brentford, like a Bournemouth and Newcastle," said Friedel. "I think in those clubs that are fighting for European places and that are growing, I think he would fit in very, very well with any of those clubs."
Balogun has already talked about his future
Speaking on the eve of Monaco's final game of the Ligue 1 season, Balogun was asked about his future amid talk of a summer exit.
At the time of speaking, the Brooklyn-born player stated that he had no information about his future, but he said: "we'll see what happens after the World Cup".
"I think the most important thing for me is just to focus on the game against Strasbourg," he said, as reported by Get French Football News. "And then, after, of course, as you said, I have the World Cup, and then we'll see what happens after the World Cup.
"But I don't have any information or any news on that now. I just try to stay focused for the rest of the season."
https://www.givemesport.com/folarin-balogun-premier-league-clubs-newcastle-summer-transfer-deal/
Fulham holding out for €40 million to sell Rodrigo Muniz, Flamengo move at risk
Flamengo have suffered a massive blow in their pursuit of Rodrigo Muniz, as Fulham have set a massive asking price of €40 million.
Fulham are holding firm on a €40 million asking price for Rodrigo Muniz that could derail any prospect of the Brazilian returning to his boyhood club, Flamengo, this summer.
According to Somos Fanaticos, the Rio de Janeiro club is aware that Muniz would command a substantial fee. Fulham's valuation exceeds €40 million, a figure regarded as extremely high by Brazilian standards, even for one of the country's wealthiest clubs.
Injuries disrupted his 2025/26 campaign, restricting him to just 25 appearances in all competitions and a single goal, yet the Cottagers remain convinced he can rediscover his best form under new boss Alvaro Arbeloa.
While Flamengo previously spent heavily to bring Lucas Paqueta back to Brazil, matching Fulham's asking price for Muniz would represent a significant financial challenge. The 25-year-old will surely be a massive upgrade on the current attacking options at the club, but they can't really afford to land him at this point.
Flamengo are yet to make any moves for Muniz
At this stage, the Brazilian giants have not submitted a formal offer or opened negotiations with the Premier League side. Interest remains exploratory, with the Brazilian club carefully assessing whether such a deal is financially realistic.
Despite the underwhelming numbers, Fulham continue to value Muniz highly. He is under contract until 2030, putting the club in a strong negotiating position. Arbeloa is understood to have confidence in the former Flamengo academy graduate and believes a full pre-season could help him move past last year's injury setbacks.
Following Raul Jimenez's departure, Muniz is expected to play a much bigger role in the squad next season, even if Fulham sign another striker before the window closes.
For now, Muniz is focused on pre-season preparations with the Cottagers rather than transfer speculation. Without a formal offer or softened demands from Fulham, a return to the Maracana appears increasingly distant for the 25-year-old, who left Brazil to make the move to England back in 2021.
https://thehardtackle.com/transfer-news/2026/07/19/fulham-holding-out-for-e40-million-to-sell-rodrigo-muniz-flamengo-move-at-risk/
Fulham and Coventry in talks to sign Ross Barkley amid Aston Villa future updateFulham and Coventry City have been in talks to sign Ross Barkley, following an update on his future at Aston Villa.
Barkley has just one year remaining on his Villa contract, and it remains to be seen whether he will agree to a new deal, having only played a bit-part role over the past two Premier League seasons.
In the 2025-26 campaign, the 33-cap England international appeared for just 852 minutes across 21 appearances, after only receiving 567 minutes worth of game time in the season prior.
Given a lack of game time, the Liverpool-born maestro was unable to make a major impact last season, scoring only three goals and grabbing one assist.
However, he has previously earned major plaudits from Unai Emery, with the Villa boss saying after a victory against Leicester City in 2024: "Today I am also very happy with Ross Barkley. He was fantastic in the minutes he played."
Injuries have been a major problem for the Englishman throughout his career, missing 14 games for Villa due to a knee injury last season, while two issues caused him to be absent for 21 matches during the 2024-25 campaign.
As such, the 32-year-old could perhaps be viewed as a risky signing for either Fulham or Coventry, but that hasn't stopped them entering discussions.
Fulham and Coventry in talks to sign Ross Barkley That is according to reporter Alan Nixon (via Coventry Telegraph), who reveals the two Premier League sides have been in negotiations to sign Barkley, but it remains possible he will remain at Villa Park.
The Villans had been willing to let the midfielder leave, but they are now considering keeping hold of him, with Emery now 'ready' to convince him to extend his stay in the Midlands.
However, the former Everton man wants more game time, so it remains unclear whether he will be willing to agree a contract extension.
What's the state of play on Ross Barkley leaving Aston Villa?| Villa considering keeping hold of him | With the central midfielder only receiving limited game time last season, it perhaps would've made sense to sanction a summer departure. However, Villa are considering performing a U-turn and keeping hold of him beyond the summer. |
| Barkley wants more game time | That said, it remains to be seen whether Barkley will be willing to stay. Although Emery wants to keep him, and the allure of playing in the Champions League could be persuasive, he needs to be playing regular football at this stage of his career. |
| Fulham and Coventry City keen | Should the Villa midfielder decide to move on, he should have the option to remain in the Premier League. That is because both Coventry and Fulham have been in talks. On the face of it, a move to Craven Cottage could be more appealing, considering Alvaro Arbeloa's side are more established as a Premier League club. |
https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-and-coventry-in-transfer-talks-ross-barkley-aston-villa/
Fulham and Benfica fight to sign Tottenham Europa League winner as a free agent
A former Tottenham midfielder is now attracting interest from both Benfica and Fulham after leaving Spurs on a free transfer this summer.
Tottenham Hotspur are one of the few sides to have taken advantage of the free agent market so far this summer.
The likes of Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and Martin Dubravka are among the players Spurs have signed on free transfers.
At the same time, Tottenham have not been afraid to let some of their own players leave on a free, with Yves Bissouma and six Under-21 stars among those to have departed earlier this summer.
Benfica join Fulham in race for former Tottenham man Yves Bissouma
Bissouma's search for a new club continues following his Tottenham departure, but he is not short of suitors.
According to Mais Futebol, Benfica have now entered the race for the Mali international.
This comes after interest from Fulham, who are also keen on the former Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder.
It is explained that Marco Silva, the new boss of the Portuguese side, is one of those pushing for Bissouma's signing, having come up against him several times during his time in England.
In fact, Benfica have already made an initial approach for the 29-year-old, with negotiations between the parties having continued since those first contacts.
Bissouma still has plenty to offer at the top level of football
Fulham remain firmly in the mix in the race for Bissouma during the summer transfer window as they are also keen to bolster their midfield ranks.
However, the competition they face from the Portuguese side stems from Benfica's failed attempts to land former Tottenham midfielder Joao Palhinha, who spent last season on loan in north London.
Palhinha is on the verge of sealing a move to Aston Villa, who appear to have beaten Benfica to his signature.
With the Portuguese outfit searching for experience in the middle of the park, they have now turned their attention to the free signing of Bissouma.
Bissouma spent eight seasons in the English top flight and, across 202 Premier League appearances, registered five goals and two assists. At just 29, he still has a lot to offer at the highest level.
https://www.spurs-web.com/spurs-news/fulham-and-benfica-fight-to-sign-tottenham-europa-league-winner-as-a-free-agent/
Fulham preparing for next chapter as historic rise continues following season double
Fulham Women are making history. As the curtain came down on the 2025/26 season, Steve Jaye's side ended with a domestic double, winning Division One South East – in the fourth tier of the pyramid – and the Capital Cup.
A second league title in as many seasons means Fulham have now secured back-to-back promotions. The team's 47-game unbeaten league streak stretches over three seasons.
Despite Fulham's dominance, not all supporters imagined the Tier 4 title would come so soon. Sarah Keig, Chair of the Fulham Lillies Supporters' Group, describes the title win as a 'shock'.
"While we've had an amazing season, the priority was to consolidate and stay in this league. Not going up to come back down. It's all credit to the team, Steve Jaye, and the
staff they've got around them," she said.
The pace of progression may also have taken Jaye by surprise. The Fulham boss was managing his team in Tier 5 last season but will now be planning for life in Tier 3.
"From a club perspective, we had a slightly different target to what we had with the players," he says. "The players drove us to be competitive to win promotion."
Jaye has been with the women's first team since 2018. Promotion from the London and South East Regional Division – the fifth-tier league – was initially hard to come by. Fulham
amassed a series of mid-table finishes between 2018 and 2021, before three consecutive seasons finishing third. In 2024/25, promotion finally arrived and, at the first time of asking,
Fulham won the fourth-tier division this campaign.
"Promotion is huge for us, because I think from the club's point of view, we want to move through the pyramid. The speed of that will be dictated by a lot of factors. So to do it back-to-back means a lot because we've put a lot of work in to get to this place and that's been showcased."
'Confidence' key to early-season form
Striker Ellie Olds, who joined the club in 2021, has been a crucial part of the season's success. The 30-year-old scored 23 goals, including a strike that sealed the title versus MK
Dons and another that won Fulham the Capital Cup in their 1-0 win over AFC Wimbledon. The prolific forward registered a series of 'big game goals', scoring a 90th-minute winner in
the opener against Cambridge, a brace against third-place Chatham Town, and a crucial away goal versus title rivals Norwich.
"I'm a player that depends on confidence. If I'm confident and playing with a smile, I always play a lot better. I went on a run where I kept scoring so I went into every game knowing I
could," she said.
Confidence, more broadly, became the mood in the squad after games early in the season.
"Winning the first few games was massive [because] the division, for most of us, was completely unknown," Olds continued. "Particularly that Norwich game [a 4-2 win]. They were our
closest opposition and they were fighting for the title as favourites. So to get that win and the way we did it filled the team with so much confidence knowing we could compete.
"Having gone unbeaten last season, we all had the mentality to continue and take it one game at a time. That hasn't stopped at all this season."
Fulham search for a return to the glory days
For longer-standing fans, Fulham's recent rise harks back to the club's past. Fulham set the standards in women's football for both ambition and success, becoming England's first
professional outfit in 2000.
The club romped to titles, winning four between 2000 and 2006 and securing a domestic treble in the 2002/03 season. Establishing an era of dominance with players including Rachel
Yankey, Katie Chapman, Permi Jhooti and Marianne Petersen.
However, after the FA failed to deliver on a promise to set up a professional top-flight league in England, Fulham's ownership withdrew financial backing. First making the team
semi-professional, then disbanding it altogether in 2006. It was only in 2014 that the club reformed.
Recent successes are slowly returning the club to its former glory, with a professional model incrementally being scaled up.
"Everything we do is so different to when we started," Jaye said. "We started out with one training night a week, an hour and a half on the pitch, we now train three times a week. We started off with three staff members but now have a team of 15 to 20. Depending on how many different people you include. So even from that side there's been growth."
Olds added: "Obviously there's been investment. Which allows us to have a lot of support in different aspects. That's allowed us to have that sense of professionalism on and off the
pitch which goes into our performances.
"I had a serious knee injury a few seasons ago and to be able to get that care and have access to physios three or four times a week helped me massively to get me back playing. But also strength and conditioning, psychology, nutrition. All of those mechanisms help us perform better on the pitch."
Bridging the gap between divisions
The challenge Fulham now face is continuing their growth in Tier 3. The team faced Tier 3 opposition on three occasions last season, losing 4-2 to Exeter City and 5-0 to Bournemouth.
But Jaye insists the gap between the divisions is not too big to bridge.
"Results haven't gone the way we wanted against Tier 3 teams, but we've been pleased with some of the performances we put in against those sides. On another day, if some of the players in the squad were available, we may or may not have been able to get a different result."
On the other occasion that Fulham played Tier 3 opposition, it was against Wimbledon in the Capital Cup final. The fact that Fulham won exemplifies Jaye's point, suggesting the
team's improvement over the season has narrowed the gap. Even so, Jaye recognises Fulham will need time to adapt and is yet to firm up targets for next season.
"It starts with what we think is realistic to achieve. Last year, we weren't arrogant to think we'd win the league and have that as the objective. But we felt we could compete in the top
two or three positions.
"The discussion will be ongoing across multiple groups. We've got to have everyone bought in so we know what direction we're headed in at the start of the season."
Fulham aim for the WSL – but professionalisation must come first. For supporters, the vision going forward is not just about growth on the pitch but also professionalisation off it.
"It's really only this season where the women's team has had a social media presence, somebody who's dedicated to the operations," Keig says. "We played our first game at The
Cottage [this season], we had our first night game. So it's slowly getting there and slowly building."
Keig says the Fulham Lillies are in dialogue with the club and points out fan suggestions are acted upon where possible. But the club has not communicated its long-term vision and
staff members 'dedicated to the women's team' are not in place across all areas.
"I'm really hopeful, now we're in Tier 3, this is the season where things change and we get more from the club in terms of, 'What are the plans?' It's hard to say [the board] doesn't
invest [in the women's team], because financially they have invested in the club, and the women get to use the facilities at Motspur Park where the men train.
"But the operational side [could improve] – for example, providing food and beverages at home games. There hasn't been an announcer at home games. We now need to see it become a more professional model."
The professionalisation of the club remains part of a longer-term goal, and Jaye is not afraid to say Fulham are aiming for the top flight.
"To get to the WSL is incredibly difficult and so many clubs are doing similar things in terms of investment and offering players and staff the best chance for promotion. But I'm pretty confident we wouldn't be doing what we're doing now without that longer term vision of wanting to compete with the top teams in the country."
Judging on this season, Olds looks set to be a part of that journey: "It's an exciting time to be in women's football, and to be part of Fulham because we're on such a good trajectory.
Having those longer-term plans for all the players, whether that's past or present, to see the club succeed will be amazing."
https://herfootballhub.com/fulham-preparing-for-next-chapter-as-historic-rise-continues-following-season-double/
Barkley a good player but 32 don't see it personally. It would probably see the exit of TC.
Quote from: AJW48361 on July 20, 2026, 09:09:39 AMBarkley a good player but 32 don't see it personally. It would probably see the exit of TC.
Stick with recruiting 20-21-22 year olds.......
Quote from: WindyCity on July 20, 2026, 02:58:50 PMQuote from: AJW48361 on July 20, 2026, 09:09:39 AMBarkley a good player but 32 don't see it personally. It would probably see the exit of TC.
Stick with recruiting 20-21-22 year olds.......
a non starter as no sell on.
No to Barkley, no resale value and another that will be on high wages. Go for younger resale players with lower wages. Added to it that he is injury prone now