Friends of Fulham

 
Do it Jokanovic – Fulham must go on and test Celtic's resolve to land this World Cup star on the cheap

Why Fulham should sign Dedryck Boyata from Celtic

According to reports, Premier League newcomers Fulham are targeting Belgium World Cup star Dedryck Boyata.

Boyata, who plays club football for Celtic, has been in sublime form for Belgium at the World Cup, helping the Red Devils secure victories in their three group games – which saw them pip England to the top spot.

The 27-year-old has 12 months left on his current Celtic contract and his impressive form in Russia have seen him garner attention from across Europe, including Fulham.

Celtic don't want to sell Boyata but could be tempted to cash in on the Belgian this summer if he doesn't extend his stay at Parkhead.

Agreed, Boyata has displayed inconsistent form at Celtic since joining from Manchester City back in 2015 but he has excelled for Belgium at this summer's World Cup in Russia.

(https://soccersouls.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/dedryck-boyata.jpg)
Dedryck Boyata

 
Scott Parker's homecoming adds much-needed Premier League experience to Fulham

The 37-year-old has joined the Cottagers as a First Team Coach.

(https://tbrfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/GettyImages-511413576.jpg)

Just hours after the entire nation was basking in the joy of football coming home, Fulham announced a homecoming of their own on Wednesday.

Former captain Scott Parker rejoined the Whites as First Team Coach, adding much-needed Premier League experience to the club in the form of a true legend.

Parker signed for Fulham from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013, joining the club as soon as their fortunes were about to take a turn for the worse.

The England international developed an impressive partnership with Steve Sidwell in the centre of midfield in 2013/14, but was powerless to stop Fulham's relegation from the Premier League after conceding 85 goals and cycling through three managers.

And, in that dark season, Parker still managed to provide a moment of magic, striking a late Boxing Day winner away at Carrow Road to give the Whites a memorable victory.

Moments such as those would be a feature of Parker's time at Craven Cottage: joyful performances that made some of the worst years in recent Fulham history a little less painful.

After Fulham's relegation, almost all of the club's Premier League-calibre players jumped ship immediately, but Scotty stayed. In the darkest days of Felix Magath's mad reign, Parker stood firm and captained the side.

When he experienced successive relegation battles with Kit Symons and then Slavisa Jokanovic, he put his head down and produced superb performances to keep us up (see Derby in February 2015 and Cardiff in April 2016).

In his final season of playing he assumed the role of mentor perfectly, passing on words of wisdom to prodigy Ryan Sessegnon, as he mentioned in a 2016 interview with The Boot Room.

Parker left to manage Tottenham's U-18 side after his retirement, but returns to Craven Cottage as a member of Slavisa Jokanovic's backroom staff and as a club legend.

In addition, he possesses valuable Premier League experience from his illustrious career— something that is in short supply in the current Fulham set-up.

Tom Cairney is the only player in Fulham's current team that has any Premier League experience, and manager Slavisa Jokanovic has never coached in the English top flight.

Scott Parker's acquisition as First Team Coach is a great piece of business for Fulham, as he offers top-flight knowledge along with club legend status.



https://tbrfootball.com/scott-parker-homecoming-fulham/

Keeping Cairney is Fulham's first statement of intent
by Sarah on July 6, 2018

The news that Tom Cairney had signed a long-term contract extension at Fulham was greeted with unbridled joy amongst the Fulham faithful immediately after the deal was announced last night. Not only does it put to an end the rumours of 'bigger' clubs circling around the Fulham captain – remember the panic about his supposed move to West Ham in January – but it represents conclusive proof that the club's classiest midfielder believes in Fulham's vision and, given the length of the contract, could see him end his playing days at Craven Cottage.

Over the past three years, Cairney has been one of the most consistent performers in the Championship. His ability to dictate the game from midfield has improved markedly since Slavisa Jokanovic took the helm and build his attack-minded 4-3-3 around Cairney's precise passing and vision. He always said he wanted to take Fulham back to the top flight and, given his struggles with injury earlier in the season, it was fitting that his superbly-taken goal at Wembley secured promotion to the Premier League. His emotional television interview after the final whistle – when he talked from the heart about his love for the club and his honesty about the pain that persistent knee problem has put him through – showed just how much it meant to a man, who has publicly said that his time at Fulham has been the best period of his career to date.

It is no surprise that Cairney's excellent form has seen him recalled to the Scotland squad – his absence for so long was mystifying. The midfielder has also matured as a man in his three years at Motspur Park and, although not a conventional leader, you can see that the captaincy, handed to him after the retirement of Scott Parker, has also aided his considerable development. Cairney might not bawl encouragement at his team-mates and there are very histrionics that otherwise seem commonplace in the modern game, but he certainly leads by example on the field.

Fulham fans don't need reminding of his importance to this particular side, which looked pedestrian and lifeless at times when he was absent early in the last campaign. The Whites perked up almost immediately after his return, winning at Ipswich, and his impact as a substitute against Bolton and Preston North End – both home games were Fulham were staring down the barrel of disappointing defeats – was considerable. Cairney now has a platform to showcase his talents in the top flight and, through his loyalty, has only cemented his position as a cult hero at Craven Cottage.

Some fans have voiced their anxiety at the lack of numbers through the door this summer, especially given the slender nature of the first-team squad at present and the enormity of the challenge ahead of the team this term. The Fulham hierarchy prefer to do their business privately and patiently, away from the tabloid headlines and the sensationalism of Sky Sports News, and securing the future of their most important performers seems a perfectly sensible approach. Indeed, given what Cairney has already delivered in his time with the club, it is arguable whether Fulham will do a more impressive piece of business all summer.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/07/keeping-tom-cairney-is-fulhams-first-statement-of-intent/

 
Fulham interested in midfielder Seri

Fulham are interested in Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri.

The Whites have enquired about the 26-year-old, who has a £35m release clause in his contract – although the clause expires on July 15.

A number of Premier League clubs have been linked with the Ivory Coast international, including Chelsea.

Fulham are also keen on Lille's Yves Bissouma as they look for a box-to-box midfielder to compete with Stefan Johansen for a place in the side next season.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/chelsea/fulham-interested-in-midfielder-linked-with-chelsea

 
Fulham join Jean Seri hunt as Chelsea sort managerial situation

Chelsea remain interested in the Nice star Jean Michael Seri but will not make a move for the player until their managerial situation is sorted, Sky Sports News understands.

The Blues are among a number of clubs keen on the midfielder, who almost joined Barcelona last summer when Raul Sanllehi - head of football relations at Arsenal - was in charge of recruitment at the Nou Camp.

But the future of boss Antonio Conte remains uncertain amid interest in Napoli head coach Maurizio Sarri.

Sky Sports News have previously reported the Gunners' interest in Seri and Fulham are also understood to have made inquiries - and his £35m release clause expires on July 15.

The 26-year-old's preference is to join a Premier League club in this window, with one year left on his Nice contract.

Manchester City have also been keeping tabs on Seri but their top target has remained the Napoli midfielder Jorginho - and talks continue over his proposed move to the Etihad.

Fulham, meanwhile, are ambitious in the market and Seri fits the profile of the dynamic box-to-box midfielder they want to compete with Stefan Johansen.

They have been interested in Salzburg's Amadou Haidara but he recently signed a new contract, while they are also keen on Lille midfielder Yves Bissouma.



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11427929/fulham-join-jean-seri-hunt-as-chelsea-sort-managerial-situation

 
Fulham move for AC Milan defender Mateo Musacchio?

AC Milan defender Mateo Musacchio has reportedly emerged as a summer transfer target for Fulham.

Last summer, Musacchio ended his long-term association with Villarreal to move to San Siro but the centre-back made just 12 starts for Milan in Serie A.

The 27-year-old's future at the Italian giants appears to be up in the air - especially given the club's financial troubles - and according to Gianluca Di Marzio, Fulham are ready to make an offer for the player.

The report claims that the newly-promoted Premier League side have already made contact with Milan regarding a potential transfer later in the summer window.

Musacchio still has three years remaining on his contract, but the Argentina international may welcome the opportunity to gain regular first-team football elsewhere.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/transfer-talk/news/fulham-move-for-ac-milan-defender_329961.html

 
Cairney: All I Ever Wanted

Tom Cairney hopes to let his football do the talking now that he has signed a new five-year contract with the Club.

The Whites skipper signalled his intentions on Thursday evening when he put pen to paper on a deal that keeps him at Craven Cottage until 2023, with an option to extend by a further 12 months.

"I'm delighted to get it done in pre-season," he told fulhamfc.com. "I can just concentrate on getting as fit as possible now, and I'm just looking forward to getting the season started with this behind me.


"Five years is an incredibly long time in football. I've committed my future again to Fulham, and it's all I ever wanted to do from the start.

"I did it last summer and I've done it again. I've just got to carry on improving as a player and give back to Fulham after the faith they've shown in me."

When Cairney joined from Blackburn Rovers three years ago, he stated in his welcome interview that Fulham were a top flight side.

While he's clearly delighted to have made that message a reality, he could never have envisaged the magical manner in which it would to fruition.

"When I came to Fulham in 2015 and said that, I did believe that this Club belonged here [in the Premier League], but to do it in the fashion that we did, I never could have dreamt of that," he admitted.

"I couldn't ask for a better way to do it, with better boys, and to do it as Captain is something special."

That sunny Saturday at Wembley will never be forgotten by anyone associated with the Club, but one can only imagine what it must have been like to play in.


And like the rest of us, TC has spent much of his summer reliving it.

When asked how many times he's watched the highlights, he replied: "Oh. My. God. Well, to be fair, they come up on my Twitter notifications nearly every day!

"I've watched that goal from many angles, I like the Spidercam one, that's my favourite. I watched them all countless times – I don't think it will ever get boring.

"Looking back now I wish I could soak more of it up. It kind of feels like a bit of a blur after the game. If I could go back to anything it would be the two minutes after the final whistle.

"I was begging the referee to blow up! I was asking him from about 85 minutes, every minute, how long was left.


"When he finally did blow it was weird. I cleared the ball, I had the last touch and I was the closest one to the ref so I heard it first and just ran to the fans and everyone followed.

"It was just crazy, there was a big pile-on in the corner. Things continued in the dressing room and then we all went out after – it was some night."

On our way down from the press box to the pitch at full-time, fulhamfc.com encountered a beaming Mrs Cairney en route, and from speaking to Tom it's abundantly clear that making his family proud means a hell of a lot.

"She was very emotional when I walked into the players' lounge afterwards, my whole family was," he recalled.

"Having taken your boy to football for years and years and years, and then seeing him score the winning goal at Wembley and lifting the trophy must have been an out of body experience for her. So yeah, it was very emotional."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/july/06/tom-cairney-all-i-ever-wanted

 
Watford Fixture Televised

Fulham's meeting with Watford at Craven Cottage has been chosen for live television coverage on Sky Sports.

The Premier League fixture will now kick-off at the earlier time of 12.30pm, but the date (Saturday 22nd September) remains the same.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/july/06/watford-fixture-televised

Fulham move for Seri
by Dan on July 6, 2018

Fulham have joined the race to sign Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri, according to a Sky Sports report this morning.

The Ivorian star, who almost joined Barcelona last summer, is being courted by a number of leading European clubs and is rumoured to have a £35m release clause that expires on July 15. The Whites face stiff competition to pull off what would be a huge transfer, with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, Napoli, West Ham and Arsenal all heavily interested in signing the 26 year-old, who has recently entered the final year of his current Nice deal. The player himself has reportedly indicated that he would be very interested in moving to England to play in the Premier League after four years in France.

Seri, who was named in the 2017 Ligue 1 team of the year, has made 189 first-team appearances for Nice, scoring fourteen goals. He has won eighteen senior international caps for the Ivory Coast – finding the net on one occasion. Fulham are eager to bring in midfield reinforcements ahead of their return to the Premier League next month, but signing a player of the calibre of Seri would be a massive statement of intent from the Cottagers. He had been expected to be of Chelsea's main summer transfer targets, but the Blues' recruitment is being held up by the uncertainty over who might succeed Antonio Conte at Stamford Bridge.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/07/fulham-move-for-seri/

Strengthening Season – The Midfield
by Lydia on July 6, 2018

It scares me slightly when I look at the players who we currently have in our squad and I realise just how few faces there are. We didn't use a wide range of names last year and that worked for us, but we won't get through a season in Premier League without more players, especially considering that our loanees are now back with their parent clubs.

However, as I have said before, the point of these articles is not to talk about how many players we need or to speculate on the names mentioned in the media, it is purely to assess how many of the players we have can have an impact in the top English league at Fulham.

What we've got-

Tom Cairney

Fresh from signing a brand new five year deal at Fulham, I'll start with Tom Cairney. Our captain has been so important to any success that Fulham have had over the past few seasons. He seems to be the man who makes Fulham tick, and while he sometimes gets stick, Cairney will surely be vital to our game in the Premier League. At times his defensive commitment has come under criticism, but he has far more good days than bad. His range of passing, abiltiy to own the midfield and his knack of scoring goals as a midfield player are all reasons why Cairney could make the difference for us next season.

Kevin McDonald

Behind every good captain there is a very good....Kevin McDonald. I've mentioned it throughout my articles this season, but I'll say it again; our upturn in fortune two seasons ago was when we added Kev Mac to our squad in 2016 and finally had a holding midfielder protected our defence. Dickson Etuhu played in this role for us when he was with the club, but after him I can't think of anyone who did it well consistently before McDonald. It will be interesting to see whether he can be as effective against Premier League opposition, but I certainly think that we should be starting with him there come August. He already has one season of Premier League football under his belt with Burnley back in 2009-10, but he returns to the top league a much more mature and competent player than back then.

Stefan Johansen

Other than a blip in his Fulham career when he was carrying an injury and when Jokanovic seemed to forget that he was actually a midfielder, Johansen's Fulham career has be fairly impressive. He has a real tenaciousness about him that makes supporters love him, but opposition players hate him. He was the wind-up merchant this season, and while I think that players like that have to be careful, there is no doubt that every team needs one. Is he Premier League quality? I hope so. He has won three Scottish Premiership titles with Celtic and also played in Europe during his time up North. This, alongside being name the captain of the Norwegian national team suggests that he should be able to cope with Premier League football.

Ibrahima Cisse

This is where things get slightly more difficult. Cisse has shown glimpses of promise in the handful of times where he has made an appearance for Fulham, but I highly doubt that he would be ale to make it in the Premier League. I'd imagine that Jokanovic would have used him far more last season if he thought that he had a future at the club, but it looks as though he was a 'stats buy' and that he doesn't quite have the talent to cope in the Championship, never mind the Premier League. This is perhaps harsh on the player who we have only seen eight times this season, but I'd imagine there was a reason for this.

PL2 Squad- Tayo Edun, Matt O'Riley and Luca de la Torre

I've only selected these three as they are the ones from last season who appeared at different times through out the season. All three were involved during pre-season, something that is likely to happen again this year. O'Riley played twice last season, playing the majority of the two League Cup games. American de la Torre has been in and around the squad for a few seasons now, and I remember the home game against Derby back in November were he came on and made a big difference to a rather flat Fulham side. He is quite attacking, playing in a play maker role and has lived up to expectations by breaking into the USA National team earlier this year. Tayo Edun is one who has brought a lot of excitement to those in the England ranks. He was part of the same U19 squad that Ryan Sessegnon was when the Young Lions brought home the U19 European Championships trophy last season. He is yet to have his true breakthrough season in Fulham colours, but he is certainly one to watch this year. These are three very talented kids, but I wouldn't want to be resting all our hopes on them this season. Slav has shown that he knows how to deal with youth players through his use of Ryan Sessegnon and with Scott Parker returning to Fulham to take up the First Team Coach role, the right people are in place to ease some of these players in.

All in all, I think it is very certain that we will see incomings at the Cottage, but we have three fairly definite Premier League standard players in Cairney, McDonald and Johansen so far. I'm confident that this will be built on before giving some cameo roles to the youngsters as long as things are going well.

#COYW



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/07/strengthening-season-the-midfield/

 
Fulham & Crystal Palace have made approaches from Yann M'Vila

Premier League duo Fulham and Crystal Palace have made approaches for St Étienne's French midfielder Yann M'Vila, according to our colleagues at Foot Mercato.

The 28-year-old is under contract until 2019, and is also receiving intense interest from Chinese clubs, but is looking for a semblance of stability at this point in his career.



http://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2018/fulham-crystal-palace-have-made-approaches-from-yann-mvila/

 
Fulham have made offer for defender, DoF 'considering' opportunity

On Thursday, a story emerged that Fulham had made an offer for Milan's Mateo Musacchio.

On paper, it makes perfect sense since the Cottagers are currently going around Europe trying to find centre-backs to add to their now Premier League squad, short on personnel in that department.

The story was first reported by Gianluca Di Marzio, who claimed Fulham had made an initial approach to try and sign him on a permanent transfer.

Corriere dello Sport pick it up on Friday, confirming an offer (the amount hasn't been revealed) has arrived on Milan's desk for the defender they spent €18m on a year ago.

Massimiliano Mirabelli, the Serie A club's director of football, is said to be 'considering the opportunity', but would rather 'protect himself with another piece' before accepting Fulham's offer.

By that, we're assuming they mean he'd like to sign a replacement before seeing one of the squad's centre-backs leave.

We'll be keeping an eye on this one in the coming days.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-made-offer-serie-defender-dof-considering-opportunity/

 
Report: Fulham and Palace make enquiries for Yann M'Vila

St.Etienne midfielder and ex-Sunderland star M'Vila is reportedly on Fulham and Crystal Palace's shortlist.

French outlet Foot Mercato have claimed that newly-promoted Fulham are going head-to-head with Crystal Palace for the signing of St. Etienne midfielder Yann M'Vila.

The 28-year-old tough-tackling midfielder only joined Les Verts in the January transfer window from Russian side Rubin Kazan, but is now said to be interesting the Premier League duo.

M'Vila has become renowned as somewhat of a journeyman, failing to live up to his huge potential as a youngster coming through the ranks with Rennes and then Inter Milan.

The 22-time France international's career derailed, and he was forced to try his luck in Russia with Kazan, where he joined Sunderland from on a season-long loan during the 2015-16 campaign.

A star performer at the Stadium of Light, M'Vila failed to earn a permanent deal and returned to Russia. But he has now begun to show that he can live up to his previous potential and that has alerted both Fulham and Palace.

The Premier League duo are not alone in their interest for the French midfielder, though, with the report claiming Chinese Super League clubs are also keen on M'Vila. He has a contract until the end of next season with Les Verts.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/07/06/report-fulham-and-palace-make-enquiries-for-yann-mvila/

 
2017/18 Season Review DVD

Back in the big time following a four year absence, relive Fulham's dramatic return to the Premier League.

Sitting 17th in the Sky Bet Championship back in November, the Whites would go on a fantastic 23 match unbeaten run that catapulted them to the Play-Offs in May.

Guided by Head Coach Slaviša Jokanović  and boosted by January transfer deadline day signing Aleksandar Mitrović, the boys narrowly missed out on automatic promotion.

With all roads leading to Wembley following a Denis Odoi header against Derby County in the Semi-Finals, relive that magical day at the national stadium.

Watch every game and every goal alongside interviews and player features from a sensational season that ended with Fulham Football Club back in the Premier League.

Priced at £17.99, pre-order your copy online today.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/july/06/season-review-dvd

 
Humphrys Out On Loan

The Club can announce that Stephen Humphrys has joined League One outfit Scunthorpe United on loan for the upcoming 2018/19 season.

Last season, the Iron reached the League One Play-Offs only to be knocked out by eventual winners Rotherham United who had Whites 'keeper Marek Rodák in-between the sticks. Scunthorpe will be hoping to go one further this year.

Humphrys has had two previous loan spells, first at Shrewsbury Town and last season at Rochdale.

He was sent to Dale charged with helping keep them in League One, where they overturn a 12-point deficit in the league and managing to stay up by a point.

Humphrys also scored at Wembley in their impressive FA Cup run when they earned a replay against Tottenham Hotspur.

Scunthorpe's first competitive match of the upcoming season is against newly promoted Coventry City, which follows a busy pre-season schedule.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/july/06/humphrys-out-on-loan

Fulham linked with M'Vila deal
by Dan on July 6, 2018

Fulham and Crystal Palace are interested in bringing French midfielder Yann M'Vila back to the Premier League, according to various reports this afternoon.

Reports from France claim that both Palace and Fulham have registered their interest in signing M'Vila with Saint Etienne. The English clubs will apparently face stiff competition from several Chinese Super League sides, who have the financial clout to offer a substantial wage packet, also keen on recruiting the French international. M'Vila, who made 37 appearances for Sunderland during a loan spell at the Stadium of Light in the 2015/2016 season, has been capped 22 times for France and might be considered as a strong competitor for Kevin McDonald's spot at the base of the Fulham midfield.

The 28 year-old midfielder's current contract with Saint Etienne expires next summer and M'Vila is rumoured to be keen to return to England. The French press suggest that Saint Etienne would be willing to allow M'Vila to leave provided they receive 'a good offer' – with the powerful midfielder, who only returned to France from Rubin Kazan in January, valued at around £6m.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/07/fulham-linked-with-mvila-deal/

Humphrys joins Scunthorpe on loan
by Dan on July 6, 2018

Scunthorpe United have signed Fulham striker Steven Humphrys on a season-long loan deal this afternoon.

The 20 year-old, who arrived at Fulham from Bury as a promising teenager in 2013, was rewarded for some prolific goalscoring form at under-23 level with a senior debut as a substitute against Derby County in December 2016. He also featured from the bench against Brighton and Hove Albion a few weeks later, before being loaned out to Shrewbsury Town for the second half of the season. Humphrys scored twice in fourteen appearances for the Shrews and, having sent out on loan to Rochdale last season, managed two goals in thirteen appearances – with one of them being an equaliser in Dale's memorable FA Cup replay against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley.

Humphrys trained with his new Scunthorpe team-mates this morning and could feature in the Iron's pre-season friendly against Winterton Rangers tomorrow.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/07/humphrys-joins-scunthorpe-on-loan/

 
Ream's New Deal

The Club is delighted to confirm that Tim Ream has agreed a new two-year deal with Fulham.

Our Player of the Season has signed a new contract which keeps him at Craven Cottage until the summer of 2020, with an option to extend by a further year.

It follows the news that Captain Tom Cairney has committed his long-term future to the Club.


Ream joined the Whites a few games into the 2015/16 campaign, but it was the following year that the Fulham Faithful began to see the best of him.

Before long he had become an integral part of Slaviša Jokanović's starting XI, with his composure and accuracy on the ball a key component of how our Head Coach likes to play.

He improved even further in 2017/18, winning Man of the Match on six occasions – the joint most alongside Kevin McDonald and Ryan Sessegnon – and ended up being comfortably voted Player of the Season by the fans.

Ream delivered a typically assured performance in the Championship Play-Off Final in May to help secure our return to the Premier League, where he played for Bolton Wanderers back in 2012.

Speaking to fulhamfc.com moments after signing, Ream said: "I wanted to sort it out fairly quickly. It gives you the freedom and the licence to go out and focus on the football, so it's just nice to have it done.

"The goal all along was to be in the Premier League, and now to have the opportunity to play there with this group of guys is something that I think we're all looking forward to, not just myself, and hopefully we can make it special this year."

Tony Khan added: "I'm thrilled to announce that Fulham Football Club has agreed to a contract extension with Tim Ream.

"Since his arrival, Tim has set unparalleled standards for professionalism and dedication, and because of his contributions to our success in the past year he was voted our Player of the Season.

"It's therefore only fitting that Tim will continue his career at Craven Cottage, where his love affair with the Fulham faithful and their exuberant chants of "REAM!" shall continue."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/july/06/tim-ream-new-deal

 
Tim Ream: Fulham defender signs new two-year deal


Fulham defender Tim Ream has signed a new two-year deal with the club to keep him at Craven Cottage until 2020.

Ream - voted the Cottagers' player of the season during their promotion-winning campaign - has scored two goals in 107 league appearances since joining Fulham in 2015.

The club have the option to extend his contract by a further year.

"The goal all along was to be in the Premier League," said the 30-year-old American.

"Now to have the opportunity to play there with this group of guys is something that I think we're all looking forward to.

"I wanted to sort [the contract] out fairly quickly. It gives you the freedom and the licence to go out and focus on the football, so it's just nice to have it done."

Ream's new deal comes just a day after Fulham captain Tom Cairney signed a new five-year contract.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44746506

Cairney raring to 'take a few teams on'
by Dan on July 6, 2018

Tom Cairney says he's delighted to have signed a new long-term contract with Fulham and has called upon his team-mates to stay true to their footballing philosophy and 'take a few teams on'.

The Fulham captain has already seen centre back Tim Ream follow his lead by signing a new contract at Craven Cottage and Cairney told talkSPORT earlier this evening that he hopes teenage starlet Ryan Sessegnon will soon commit his future to the club. Cairney, whose new contract runs until at least 2023, stressed the importance of keeping the squad that Slavisa Jokanovic guided back to the top flight together.

    I'm hoping he [Sessegnon] stays and I'm hoping a lot more of our players stay. I think it's important to keep the squad together in the dressing room that got promoted to the Premier League. I'm delighted to get [my] deal done.

The 28 year-old admitted that Fulham, who begin their pre-season with a behind closed doors friendly against Crawley Town tomorrow afternoon, will need to step up their recruitment ahead of the new campaign but Cairney wants Fulham to stick to the blueprint that proved so successful last term. The Scottish international described the play-off final against Aston Villa, where he scored the winning goal, the best day of his career.

    Last season was a bit of a crazy season. We went on that run and we finished it with what was probably the best day of my career at Wembley. We need to bring in other players because everyone knows just how hard it is to stay in this league.

    I know I'm biased but in my opinion we played the best football over the last two seasons. We played Premier League football in the Championship which is not easy to do. I hope that we turn a few heads and do ourselves justice in the way that we play. Results are the most important thing but I really want us to stick to our philosophy and take a few teams on.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/07/cairney-raring-to-take-a-few-teams-on/

 
Brighton And Hove Set To Rival Fulham For 21 Y/O Midfielder: What Can He Bring To The Table?

(https://the4thofficial.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Yves-Bissouma-1-658x645.jpg)

As per latest reports, Brighton and Hove Albion have entered the fray to sign LOSC Lille's midfielder Yves Bissouma. The 21-year-old Malian international was linked with other Premier League clubs in May, however, now it is believed that only the Seagulls and Fulham are after the signature of the player from the English top fight. Bissouma is a conservative midfielder who keeps things tight and ticking and can be a handy addition to Chris Hughton's squad.

The Seagulls achieved the improbable by staying up in the Premier League with relative comfort in the end. Not many of the pundits gave them a chance but they sure punched above their weights and secured an impressive 15th place finish. However, the manager will be aware that the new season will be more testing and for that he will need to bring in some reinforcements in the summer.

If the reports are to be believed then apart from Brighton, Portuguese giants Porto are also in the race to sign the player, though, the player is likely to prefer a move to the English Premier League as he has dreamt of playing in the English division since his childhood.

Bissouma made 28 appearances for his side last season in all competitions and managed a return of three goals and one assist. His manager would have liked him to contribute more on the creative front, however, he usually ends up playing in a more subdued role in midfield. The 21-year-old possesses an excellent right foot and is generally accurate from distance. He even has good dribbling skills and has the ability to go past defenders.

Brighton can certainly benefit from having such a dynamic midfielder in the middle of the park. He can partner the likes of Davy Propper and Pascal Gross in midfield and can form a formidable partnership with them. With the French side, the Malian has been used in various positions like right back and right midfield so his versatility will also be a huge asset for Chris Hughton.

It is yet not clear how much the player will cost but the reports are suggesting that both the clubs are in positive talks towards the sale of the player. Premier League will certainly be the biggest test of the youngster's career and it remains to be seen how he will tread in the unknown waters of the English top flight.



https://the4thofficial.net/2018/07/brighton-hove-set-rival-fulham-21-yo-midfielder-can-bring-table/

 
USMNT's Tim Ream agrees new Fulham contract ahead of Premier League season

United States defender Tim Ream has agreed a new two-year contract with Fulham them gain promotion to the Premier League.

Ream had been entering the final year of his contract, and his new deal, announced on Friday, ties him to the club until the summer of 2020, with an option for a further season.

""I wanted to sort it out fairly quickly. It gives you the freedom and the licence to go out and focus on the football, so it's just nice to have it done," Ream said.

"The goal all along was to be in the Premier League, and now to have the opportunity to play there with this group of guys is something that I think we're all looking forward to, not just myself, and hopefully we can make it special this year."

The 30-year-old has played in England since leaving the New York Red Bulls in 2011 to sign for Bolton Wanderers.

He started 13 Premier League games in 2012 as Bolton were relegated and has played in the second-tier Championship ever since.

He moved to Fulham in 2015 and has become a fans' favourte, helping the Cottagers return to the Premier League after a four-season absence.

Ream has made 26 appearances for the U.S. national team.



http://www.espn.co.uk/football/fulham/story/3558399/usmnts-tim-ream-agrees-new-fulham-contract-ahead-of-premier-league-season

 
Albion closing in on goalkeeper David Button

ALBION are closing in on the capture of David Button from promoted Fulham to complete their revised goalkeeping group.

The Seagulls are hopeful of sealing Button's signature in time for him to be involved in the pre-season training camp in Austria.

Chris Hughton's squad fly out tomorrow to Schruns for a week's training before crossing the border into Switzerland for next Saturday's opening friendly against St Gallen (2pm).

Button has been a target for some time. The 29-year-old joined Fulham from Brentford two years ago and was their No.1 until losing his place to Marcus Bettinelli midway through last season.

Bristol City have also been interested in the Stevenage-born shot-stopper, who will provide competition and cover for first choice Mathew Ryan together with new signing Jason Steele from Sunderland.

Last season's third choice Niki Maenpaa has left in search of more game time, while second choice Tim Krul is a free agent and his future remains unclear.

Christian Walton will be on the Austrian trip with Steele and potentially Button.

The former England under-21 keeper's loan return to Wigan Athletic for the season commences afterwards.

Meanwhile, Spanish youngster Robert Sanchez left last night to start his season-long loan with Forest Green Rovers.

All of the senior players, including new Brazilian signing Bernardo and Romanian striker Florin Andone, are in the squad for Austria apart from World Cup trio Ryan, Leon Balogun and Jose Izquierdo, who have been given extra-time off.

Shane Duffy, recovering from groin surgery, is in the travelling party along with under-23s defenders Ben White and Ben Barclay, and forward Viktor Gyokeres.

Free-scoring Gyokeres is from Sweden, England's World Cup quarter-final opponents in Russia today.



http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/16339345.albion-closing-in-on-goalkeeper-david-button/

 
Why Fulham have completed the deal of the summer by securing this charismatic midfield master's signature

Why Fulham have completed the deal of the summer by securing Tom Cairney's future

As per reports, Tom Cairney has agreed on a new five-year deal with Fulham, which keeps the midfielder at Craven Cottage until 2023.

Cairney, 27, joined the Cottagers from Blackburn three years ago and played a key role in the club's promotion to the Premier League this past season. In May, he scored the only goal of the Championship play-off final, as Fulham beat Aston Villa to win promotion to the Premier League.

Fulham will be hoping to establish themselves in the Premier League now and they will need their best players in order to do that. So the news of Cairney staying is a massive boost to the whole club.

Cairney has enjoyed a wonderful few years at Craven Cottage, becoming one of the hottest properties in the Championship but those performances led to transfer rumours in January and also after Fulham's promotion to the top-flight. But the Scot has now quashed all rumours of a move to West Ham after deciding to commit his future at Craven Cottage.

The 27-year-old has become Fulham through and through, establishing himself as a fan favourite at Craven Cottage. He joined Fulham from Blackburn Rovers in 2015, particularly at a precarious time of the club's Championship stay.

Cairney was one of the very few shining lights in Fulham's narrow escape from relegation to League One Football in the 2015/16 campaign. And after securing the club's status in the Championship, Cairney could have moved on but he stayed at Fulham, believing in the club's project.

Little did Cairney know Fulham would make giant leaps under Slavisa Jokanovic. Not only was he fantastic throughout the Championship campaign but also led the team from the front by being the skipper, scoring the winning goal in the play-off final and writing his name in Fulham folklore.

One of the top talents in English football, Cairney is an all-action midfielder who dictates the tempo of the game with his crisp passing and crossing abilities. He works hard in retaining possession, finishes off chances in a blink of an eye and never shies away from flying for a tackle.

He is creative and industrious, and is someone who doesn't know to give less than 100% for his team every single time.

Fulham supporters may have been frustrated with the lack of summer signings, particularly after looking at fellow promoted sides Cardiff City and Wolverhampton Wanderers spending freely. The Cottagers generally have the mantra of leaving their business late and extract the best possible deal.

While Jokanovic's side are yet to open their account this summer, Fulham fans have at least got a reason to celebrate following Cairney's long-term commitment to the club. He is working at the peak of his powers and undoubtedly loves Fulham, which makes him such a crucial player going into the new season.

Frustration amongst the Fulham fans is understandable but they must rejoice the fact that their skipper is staying put at the club. Fulham are yet to sign a player in the ongoing transfer market but they have bagged the deal of the summer by securing Cairney's future.



https://soccersouls.com/2018/07/07/why-fulham-have-completed-the-deal-of-the-summer-by-securing-this-charismatic-midfield-masters-signature/