Surely we could of given him an extension on his contract, such a solid midfielder, so gutted to hear he's moving on
Maybe not a starter but a top squad player, prob why he moved as he wants to play
We cant keep giving out 1 year extensions to players, too many times we do that rather than looking for better longer term options.
Seems AA has a better long term view than MS in this regard
Something has to give if the squad is going to evolve. We aren't financially able to stockpile players so moving on Lukic and Diop for fees is sensible IMO. Particularly given the age and length of contracts. I guess the club didn't want to find themselves in a position where these guys walked for free. Lukic didn't exactly pull up any trees. He's an average Premier League player and it's just possible that those coming in might actually improve the squad.
Quote from: perry geyton on August 07, 2026, 04:31:46 PMSurely we could of given him an extension on his contract, such a solid midfielder, so gutted to hear he's moving on
Maybe not a starter but a top squad player, prob why he moved as he wants to play
We had an option to extend,
evidently not seen as part of Arbeloas plans,
turning 30 and we can get £9m, more than we paid for him and his value continues to drop from here realistically. We get to replace him with Pitarch and Charles with his fee contributing to their amortisation this summer. Makes sense for me
He's always been a decent but not spectacular player. We want to get younger - this is how you do it.
£9m in the bank
Midfield has been crying out for a rebuild for two seasons. Few assists, fewer goals with the only one I can remember at the Cottage deflecting someone else's shot off his thigh (to be fair he'd got himself in the box). Safe passes and early yellow cards aplenty. He looked best when he played in the role Berge has been playing in, but he was no Palhinha.
The harsh reality is that such players have to be replaced with likely better ones...just to stand still.
Regrettably it's the name of the game - 29/30 years old with one year left - we need to get a fee and bring the average age of the squad down. This is the flip side for players where the clubs use them as part of their trading to comply with the financial rules. Unedifying but that's the reality now.
Quote from: Carborundum on August 07, 2026, 05:20:41 PMMidfield has been crying out for a rebuild for two seasons.
This is absolutely true, and our reluctance to deal with it is why we are now doing major squad surgery on both our midfield and forward line at the same time.
I'm not sure Lukic is the player I'd move on (especially if there is genuine interest in the much more valuable Berge), but at least we seem to finally be engaging in squad management.
Quote from: perry geyton on August 07, 2026, 04:31:46 PMSurely we could of given him an extension on his contract, such a solid midfielder, so gutted to hear he's moving on
Maybe not a starter but a top squad player, prob why he moved as he wants to play
You answered your own question
Quote from: perry geyton on August 07, 2026, 04:31:46 PMSurely we could of given him an extension on his contract, such a solid midfielder, so gutted to hear he's moving on
Maybe not a starter but a top squad player, prob why he moved as he wants to play
He apparently was not interested in discussing a new deal.
Good business for a solid but unspectacular player. Would've preferred to keep him over Reed but Reed wouldn't have brought in £9m.
Actually properly distraught lukic is leaving!
Feel like he is a proper good egg with a big heart.
He's played the most honest minutes out of anyone for a long time at the club, you can see how much it means to him and how much he wanted to succeed for us and himself.
He was a class act too, a really good, reliable midfielder.
I will be missing a face from our squad for the next couple of years and that face will be his. Hopefully it'll just be cosmetic and when the football gets kicked and the game starts, I hope I'm not asking 'where's Lukic?'
A CM who has more yellow cards than goal involvements when he was tasked with playing as a #8 and is about to turn 30 is not the sort of player who will make us better as a team and should be sold while he still retains some financial value that can be invested into a younger and better prospect
Quote from: Deeping_white on August 07, 2026, 10:21:09 PMA CM who has more yellow cards than goal involvements when he was tasked with playing as a #8 and is about to turn 30 is not the sort of player who will make us better as a team and should be sold while he still retains some financial value that can be invested into a younger and better prospect
Simply this in my opinion - a very average midfielder at Premier League level and not someone who I am remotely bothered about losing, honestly
Lukic committed a stupid foul on the edge of our box almost every game. Maybe if he played for Arsenal or Chelsea he wouldn't be so penalised but for Fulham we never get away with anything. I agree with the comment above, he was average and I didn't like how Marco Silva relied on him so much.
Quote from: Nick Bateman on August 08, 2026, 02:41:53 AMLukic committed a stupid foul on the edge of our box almost every game. Maybe if he played for Arsenal or Chelsea he wouldn't be so penalised but for Fulham we never get away with anything. I agree with the comment above, he was average and I didn't like how Marco Silva relied on him so much.
it did appear that he would often pick up a booking for his first foul when opposition players had made the same foul or worse sometimes multiple times and got away with it, I always liked him as a player but don't think he ever quite reached his full potential for us.
Quote from: Willham on August 07, 2026, 06:23:20 PMActually properly distraught lukic is leaving!
Feel like he is a proper good egg with a big heart.
He's played the most honest minutes out of anyone for a long time at the club, you can see how much it means to him and how much he wanted to succeed for us and himself.
He was a class act too, a really good, reliable midfielder.
I will be missing a face from our squad for the next couple of years and that face will be his. Hopefully it'll just be cosmetic and when the football gets kicked and the game starts, I hope I'm not asking 'where's Lukic?'
That's what I'm saying, he grew on me over time, a no BS type of player
I like Lukic as well, but the club would have been mad to turn down a profit on him at this stage.
Quote from: alfie on August 07, 2026, 06:03:03 PMQuote from: perry geyton on August 07, 2026, 04:31:46 PMSurely we could of given him an extension on his contract, such a solid midfielder, so gutted to hear he's moving on
Maybe not a starter but a top squad player, prob why he moved as he wants to play
He apparently was not interested in discussing a new deal.
I can believe that!
Fans too often think a player wants to remain with their team unless they are recruited by a bigger or better club.
Moving side ways or even down for many players is often about securing extra years on their contracts plus a signing fee, bonus etc.
He was reportedly on £63 grand a week with us and maybe we offered 1 more year and no pay rise (Cairney and Reed for example are on much less) so if Ipswich offered a 3 year contract (even with a relegation clause) and regular playing time its a win, win.
Now confirmed on the offal.
Sad to see him go - be happy and I wish you every success Lucik!
https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/august/08/lukic-joins-ipswich/
However don't fancy playing Ipswich with him and Diop in defence
How come Ipswich get their deals done in 1/10th of the time it takes us?
Please discuss and moan
All the best SL.
Hopefully this unlocks another new signing on our part.
I do think if you sell someone you should have someone ready to sign to take their place at the moment replacements don't want to come,it won't be long before our Dof will be found out for a fraud which will get us relegated.And our so called youth still playing non league and our star boy king still can't score and ex youth coach who does 1st team set pieces should be released of his duty's
Quote from: MickTheBeard on August 08, 2026, 11:55:43 AMI do think if you sell someone you should have someone ready to sign to take their place at the moment replacements don't want to come,it won't be long before our Dof will be found out for a fraud which will get us relegated.And our so called youth still playing non league and our star boy king still can't score and ex youth coach who does 1st team set pieces should be released of his duty's
"at the moment replacements don't want to come" - well done on making something up ::thumb::
I remember not disimilar types of comments being made about Andreas Periera but it turned out we missed him quite a lot.
I think it's a mistake and we're looking lightweight and non combatitive in midfield.
Think this is a mistake and the rumoured 9m is a poor price in this market. Not normally one to criticise but we had an option of an additional year which could have been exercised and probably let Reed go on a free. Fear we might miss his cover this season but clearly AA approved
Quote from: Lovely park walk on August 08, 2026, 12:28:43 PMThink this is a mistake and the rumoured 9m is a poor price in this market. Not normally one to criticise but we had an option of an additional year which could have been exercised and probably let Reed go on a free. Fear we might miss his cover this season but clearly AA approved
Apparently he wasn't interested in staying, so I understand.
Quote from: The Old Count on August 08, 2026, 12:07:31 PMI remember not disimilar types of comments being made about Andreas Periera but it turned out we missed him quite a lot.
I think it's a mistake and we're looking lightweight and non combatitive in midfield.
Maybe let's wait and see who we bring in as a replacement before writing off our midfield as lightweight 😉
He's left a nice farewell to the club and the fans on his insta account.
Hope he does well at Ipswich.
Quote from: Deeping_white on August 08, 2026, 11:59:19 AMQuote from: MickTheBeard on August 08, 2026, 11:55:43 AMI do think if you sell someone you should have someone ready to sign to take their place at the moment replacements don't want to come,it won't be long before our Dof will be found out for a fraud which will get us relegated.And our so called youth still playing non league and our star boy king still can't score and ex youth coach who does 1st team set pieces should be released of his duty's
"at the moment replacements don't want to come" - well done on making something up ::thumb::
I think the gist of this is that we've sold Diop and Lukic to Ipswich without replacing them to date. Now I know the club are trying to resolve that from the online rumours but the point is they haven't yet, so I think Mick makes a fair point in a roundabout way. In an ideal world those transfers would have only been sanctioned once we had nailed on replacements.
Quote from: Whitestone on August 08, 2026, 01:10:02 PMQuote from: Deeping_white on August 08, 2026, 11:59:19 AMQuote from: MickTheBeard on August 08, 2026, 11:55:43 AMI do think if you sell someone you should have someone ready to sign to take their place at the moment replacements don't want to come,it won't be long before our Dof will be found out for a fraud which will get us relegated.And our so called youth still playing non league and our star boy king still can't score and ex youth coach who does 1st team set pieces should be released of his duty's
"at the moment replacements don't want to come" - well done on making something up ::thumb::
I think the gist of this is that we've sold Diop and Lukic to Ipswich without replacing them to date. Now I know the club are trying to resolve that from the online rumours but the point is they haven't yet, so I think Mick makes a fair point in a roundabout way. In an ideal world those transfers would have only been sanctioned once we had nailed on replacements.
Where does this "replacements don't want to come", come from ?
Quote from: alfie on August 08, 2026, 01:20:44 PMQuote from: Whitestone on August 08, 2026, 01:10:02 PMQuote from: Deeping_white on August 08, 2026, 11:59:19 AMQuote from: MickTheBeard on August 08, 2026, 11:55:43 AMI do think if you sell someone you should have someone ready to sign to take their place at the moment replacements don't want to come,it won't be long before our Dof will be found out for a fraud which will get us relegated.And our so called youth still playing non league and our star boy king still can't score and ex youth coach who does 1st team set pieces should be released of his duty's
"at the moment replacements don't want to come" - well done on making something up ::thumb::
I think the gist of this is that we've sold Diop and Lukic to Ipswich without replacing them to date. Now I know the club are trying to resolve that from the online rumours but the point is they haven't yet, so I think Mick makes a fair point in a roundabout way. In an ideal world those transfers would have only been sanctioned once we had nailed on replacements.
Where does this "replacements don't want to come", come from ?
There is nothing to support that theory as far as I'm aware which is why I phrased my response as I did.
I wish him well
personally I thought he was not the required quality and was suprised we ever got him.
he did his best and I cannot complain about his attitude but not good enough in my opinion. However we do need some new blood in the centre of our midfield and have done for a very long time.
No end Product where Lukic is concerned. We all like an trier and he was that.
His been a tad unlucky playing the double pivot under Silva instructions rather than his own. Was it three goals? Over four seasons ? Very poor return but could be bettered by Berge the way things are going?
To many modern footballers especially midfielders look for the safe option as opposed to looking forward. It's there default play?
All I can say is that the reason we are selling him must mean we absolutely have plans on signing a new probably younger holding midfielder otherwise Theres no way we'd of let him go
9 mill to me sounds just a little bit cheap in this day and age, I'd of thought 12 - 15 for a player of his quality
Quote from: The Old Count on August 08, 2026, 12:07:31 PMI remember not disimilar types of comments being made about Andreas Periera but it turned out we missed him quite a lot.
I think it's a mistake and we're looking lightweight and non combatitive in midfield.
The reason why we missed Pereira was because we didn't replace him properly.
Lukic always looked like he was towing a caravan and is much to slow for this league. That's the reason he was a red card waiting to happen every game.
Good luck sasa , thought he was ok for us
Always did his best.
Quote from: Luka on August 08, 2026, 04:20:50 PMLukic always looked like he was towing a caravan and is much to slow for this league. That's the reason he was a red card waiting to happen every game.
Agree, When Lukic tackles, the player is usually goal side, when Palhinha tackled, the player was facing Palhinha. Lukic was half a yard and subsequently 24 yellow cards too slow.
Does it mean we'll also lose Serbian Lad from the forum, I liked his posts.
Quote from: Dodger53 on August 09, 2026, 01:14:58 PMDoes it mean we'll also lose Serbian Lad from the forum, I liked his posts.
Nope! I've started posting less long before Lukic rumours came about. I've explained everything in the transfer window thread.
I became a fan because of Jokanovic and I'm a Fulham fan for life now!
A whole hearted player for us.
But 2 goals in 90 odd games.29 years old
and a regular ban a season for yellow cards.
Need our midfield to chip in with goals .
Especially as Berge does'nt score either.
Sad to see him go but a good bit of buisness
Quote from: sunburywhite on August 08, 2026, 11:43:53 AMHow come Ipswich get their deals done in 1/10th of the time it takes us?
Please discuss and moan
Maybe they have set their sights lower than AA has for us.
Jokanovic, loved his time here one of my favourite Managers/Coaches.