Summer Silly Season Transfer Thread 2024

[Free Elvis Hammond]

Luke Harris plays as their 10 there, and is already off the ground running

He's even more talented than I realised

[hopper]

https://x.com/fabrizioromano/status/1829543794540503473?s=46

"Lille will not let Edon Zhegrova leave today, position clear despite links with Manchester United."

Just to repeat - anything by Peter O'Rourke or Graeme Bailey is 99% likely to be absolutely fabricated.

[SerbianLad]

https://twitter.com/FulhamFC/status/1829542092378460248
Mbabu officially gone

[The Cravenette]

The loan window used to stay open longer for outgoings to lower leagues, is that still true does anyone know?

I think it was to avoid youngsters getting stuck with no chance of any playing time (Godo for example).

[jayffc]

Nuamah in on a perm
Vinicius out for £2.5m
Mbabu out with a sell-on

That would be a tidy day's business for me

From what I've read online Nuamah plays on the right so I don't think that signing would make much sense.

Have said this a good 5 times already...

We lost Willian (left sided)
We lost BDR (right sided who can play across the line)

We already bought ESR (most success as a left-sided option who can play across the line)

Now we need to replace the predominantly right-sided player we lost (BDR)
.

LW options:
Iwobi/ESR/Stansfield/Godo/Sess

RW options:
Adama/Wilson - then Stansfield and Godo can do a job there but have been favoured on left so far.

Almost ALL of the players we've been linked with are predominantly RW's who can play across the line and on the other wing if we want. One can summise therefore that pretty clearly that's what we are actively looking and has been identified as our need by Marco and the club.

Ernest is a player who currently plays RW, but who is left-footed and can play LW also.

I disagree.

Iwobi has played his best football for us on the right. He has said he prefers to play as a number 8 before from what I've read online.

Adama and Wilson's best position is also on the right. Also both could play on the left.

ESR is going to play in a midfield 3 this season- by the looks of it anyway. His best position is as a number 10, but yes he can play on the left.

Stansfield's best position is either as a number 10 or a centre forward, he can certainly play on the wing but again it's not his best position- or at least somewhere he has played regularly (last two loans he mainly played as a number 10 or a centre forward- from what I saw anyway). 

Ryan Sess hasn't played as a left sided forward for us since his return and it looks fairly clear to me that he'll compete with Robinson. Of course he can play further forward, but I don't believe it's the position we bought him for on the basis of how Marco Silva has used him so far (he's also listed as a defender on the club website).

Godo is probably going to go out on loan and I highly doubt he starts any games or gets many minutes this season- just my personal opinion.

So when you consider the above you have exactly 0 players whose best or out and out position is as a left sided forward. But you have at least 3 players who arguably's best positions are as right sided forwards. 

So if we bring in a forward player it should be a left sided forward.

Now, I try not to look at rumours, but we'll know within the next few hours

You can disagree with Marco and the club - but that's seemingly what they appear to want and have identified looking at all rumours reliable sources like Rutzler have confirmed. Ernest/Reiss Nelson/Zhegrova/Cherki/Almiron. Every single one of them has played RW more than LW. 4 of those 5 are left or both footed and can play across the line. We have been linked to no LW's by any reputable sources that I can recall since ESR came in.

Players don't have to play in one position, Its irrelevant that they are good in or like other positions too if they can play very well on the left, and they can. This is a far too black and white way of looking at things for this day and age where many clubs have moved away from some of the traditional positional rigidness,.

Iwobi has actually played LW in his career more than he's played RW or CAM and his G/A average is pretty much the same between the 2 wings. So he's perfectly qualified as an LW  - which is where he's played most in his career. That you subjectively prefer him elsewhere or he likes the 8 is neither here nor there when it comes to him being counted as a starting option on the left

Just because he can also be effective across the line doesnt mean we need someone who can only specifically play on the left or favour it. Has he been effective there? Yes. Even if he's been deemed marginally "more effective" on the right (in a a far too small a sample size to make a concrete conclusion tbh) Traores doing well there and Iwobi can stay left

ESR might be starting as a CAM currently - and he might even prefer it there personally - But many arsenal fans will tell you directly his best position was on the left, and indeed his stats suggest that he scores far more regularly when deployed out there. If Iwobi moved central, he'd likely move over to the left - incidentally the area he got in behind and scored from against Leicester.

As for the 3rd 4th and 5th choices who can play LW - we don't need any of them to be an out and out LWs either as long as they play well there, it's a positive that they can play well in multiple positions...We KNOW that Marco likes players who can be fluid and play in multiple positions, and that he likes an inverted winger,  it's been said many times in different interviews, and it's not unusual in 2024 for this to be the case...So again, you can argue with him about it if you wish, but that's what he likes and he's been pretty successful here.

If you think we need a rigid outright Lefty then fair dos, were all entitled to our opinion... But the games evolved IMO and the reality is the club appear to be looking at what they're looking at which so far has been Right sided players who can play left. In this case a young RW who is left footed. Heck he's so young he might end up playing the rest of his career on the left for all we know if he's tried there and plays well. He seems versatile after all.

Where have I disagreed with Marco Silva or the club? I've simply stated that we don't have a player whose best/natural position is on the left and we have plenty of players, two in particular, Adama and Wilson who have nearly exclusively played their entire careers on the right. I'm simply saying I don't believe the rumours. And since the Khan's took over our transfer business can be pretty stealthy.

It wouldn't surprise me if we end signing a right footed centre forward who can also play along the entire front line.

And I agree with your broader point that players can play in different positions. I actually think Iwboi and ESR will alternate in games between the left and the third man in midfield. And that's actually how I like to see football played, interchangeable pass and move football.

It's implied in the assessment of saying "I disagree" to what I said - because it's not a matter of it being my assessment - the club are evidently see it that way if current rumours from reputable sources are to be believed. I've said why I feel your assessment of our left sided options is off anyway so wont circle on that too much again....

but if it comes down to you doubting if the club feel that way because ya don't believe the various rumours, I mean, that's fair enough but at this point there's a ton of smoke around this position...Peter Rutzler has links direct to the club and says were in talks right now for Ernest ,as does Fabrizio Romano and sky news, so all the usual gold standard sources.... plus all the other players mentioned have been from mostly at least established sources in last few weeks (bar maybe almiron). So you can choose to assume they're all wrong but it'd be surprising

Now maybe we pull a random LW out the bag last minute in addition to an RW...or heck, even instead of...its certainly not impossible....but all signs point to us being in conversations with a left footed RW as we speak.

[Nero]

My god i had enough of SSN now, bringing out Tiktokers, time to watch the paralympics

[jayffc]

https://x.com/fabrizioromano/status/1829543794540503473?s=46

"Lille will not let Edon Zhegrova leave today, position clear despite links with Manchester United."

Just to repeat - anything by Peter O'Rourke or Graeme Bailey is 99% likely to be absolutely fabricated.

Tbf, we might have shown interest and been told no. They didn't say he was coming just that we'd shown interest.

But yes, Peter historically not one you'd consider a top standard source by any margin

[Jules]

No rumours for any goalkeepers - bit worried about Steven Benda being backup

I was about to post the same on this thread. If Leno gets injured we are shafted. Benda is a long way from the standard required.  I hope we get someone in with experience as back up, who can play the cup games as well. Benda can go out on loan. 

Is Benda any less a PL keeper than Rodak?

From what I've seen so far he is nowhere near as good as Rodak was.

[LC]

Nuamah in on a perm
Vinicius out for £2.5m
Mbabu out with a sell-on

That would be a tidy day's business for me

From what I've read online Nuamah plays on the right so I don't think that signing would make much sense.

Have said this a good 5 times already...

We lost Willian (left sided)
We lost BDR (right sided who can play across the line)

We already bought ESR (most success as a left-sided option who can play across the line)

Now we need to replace the predominantly right-sided player we lost (BDR)
.

LW options:
Iwobi/ESR/Stansfield/Godo/Sess

RW options:
Adama/Wilson - then Stansfield and Godo can do a job there but have been favoured on left so far.

Almost ALL of the players we've been linked with are predominantly RW's who can play across the line and on the other wing if we want. One can summise therefore that pretty clearly that's what we are actively looking and has been identified as our need by Marco and the club.

Ernest is a player who currently plays RW, but who is left-footed and can play LW also.

I disagree.

Iwobi has played his best football for us on the right. He has said he prefers to play as a number 8 before from what I've read online.

Adama and Wilson's best position is also on the right. Also both could play on the left.

ESR is going to play in a midfield 3 this season- by the looks of it anyway. His best position is as a number 10, but yes he can play on the left.

Stansfield's best position is either as a number 10 or a centre forward, he can certainly play on the wing but again it's not his best position- or at least somewhere he has played regularly (last two loans he mainly played as a number 10 or a centre forward- from what I saw anyway). 

Ryan Sess hasn't played as a left sided forward for us since his return and it looks fairly clear to me that he'll compete with Robinson. Of course he can play further forward, but I don't believe it's the position we bought him for on the basis of how Marco Silva has used him so far (he's also listed as a defender on the club website).

Godo is probably going to go out on loan and I highly doubt he starts any games or gets many minutes this season- just my personal opinion.

So when you consider the above you have exactly 0 players whose best or out and out position is as a left sided forward. But you have at least 3 players who arguably's best positions are as right sided forwards. 

So if we bring in a forward player it should be a left sided forward.

Now, I try not to look at rumours, but we'll know within the next few hours

You can disagree with Marco and the club - but that's seemingly what they appear to want and have identified looking at all rumours reliable sources like Rutzler have confirmed. Ernest/Reiss Nelson/Zhegrova/Cherki/Almiron. Every single one of them has played RW more than LW. 4 of those 5 are left or both footed and can play across the line. We have been linked to no LW's by any reputable sources that I can recall since ESR came in.

Players don't have to play in one position, Its irrelevant that they are good in or like other positions too if they can play very well on the left, and they can. This is a far too black and white way of looking at things for this day and age where many clubs have moved away from some of the traditional positional rigidness,.

Iwobi has actually played LW in his career more than he's played RW or CAM and his G/A average is pretty much the same between the 2 wings. So he's perfectly qualified as an LW  - which is where he's played most in his career. That you subjectively prefer him elsewhere or he likes the 8 is neither here nor there when it comes to him being counted as a starting option on the left

Just because he can also be effective across the line doesnt mean we need someone who can only specifically play on the left or favour it. Has he been effective there? Yes. Even if he's been deemed marginally "more effective" on the right (in a a far too small a sample size to make a concrete conclusion tbh) Traores doing well there and Iwobi can stay left

ESR might be starting as a CAM currently - and he might even prefer it there personally - But many arsenal fans will tell you directly his best position was on the left, and indeed his stats suggest that he scores far more regularly when deployed out there. If Iwobi moved central, he'd likely move over to the left - incidentally the area he got in behind and scored from against Leicester.

As for the 3rd 4th and 5th choices who can play LW - we don't need any of them to be an out and out LWs either as long as they play well there, it's a positive that they can play well in multiple positions...We KNOW that Marco likes players who can be fluid and play in multiple positions, and that he likes an inverted winger,  it's been said many times in different interviews, and it's not unusual in 2024 for this to be the case...So again, you can argue with him about it if you wish, but that's what he likes and he's been pretty successful here.

If you think we need a rigid outright Lefty then fair dos, were all entitled to our opinion... But the games evolved IMO and the reality is the club appear to be looking at what they're looking at which so far has been Right sided players who can play left. In this case a young RW who is left footed. Heck he's so young he might end up playing the rest of his career on the left for all we know if he's tried there and plays well. He seems versatile after all.

Where have I disagreed with Marco Silva or the club? I've simply stated that we don't have a player whose best/natural position is on the left and we have plenty of players, two in particular, Adama and Wilson who have nearly exclusively played their entire careers on the right. I'm simply saying I don't believe the rumours. And since the Khan's took over our transfer business can be pretty stealthy.

It wouldn't surprise me if we end signing a right footed centre forward who can also play along the entire front line.

And I agree with your broader point that players can play in different positions. I actually think Iwboi and ESR will alternate in games between the left and the third man in midfield. And that's actually how I like to see football played, interchangeable pass and move football.

It's implied in the assessment of saying "I disagree" to what I said - because it's not a matter of it being my assessment - the club are evidently see it that way if current rumours from reputable sources are to be believed. I've said why I feel your assessment of our left sided options is off anyway so wont circle on that too much again....

but if it comes down to you doubting if the club feel that way because ya don't believe the various rumours, I mean, that's fair enough but at this point there's a ton of smoke around this position...Peter Rutzler has links direct to the club and says were in talks right now for Ernest ,as does Fabrizio Romano and sky news, so all the usual gold standard sources.... plus all the other players mentioned have been from mostly at least established sources in last few weeks (bar maybe almiron). So you can choose to assume they're all wrong but it'd be surprising

Now maybe we pull a random LW out the bag last minute in addition to an RW...or heck, even instead of...its certainly not impossible....but all signs point to us being in conversations with a left footed RW as we speak.

Okay it sounds like we are starting to get on the same wave length now then.

What I would say is that Tony Khan is fairly notorious for last minute dealing, he loves late deals- I think he's said he finds more value in the last days of the window, something I completely understand and respect. With that in mind, we well could be talking to a number of players including a right and left sided forward.

I just believe that the left sided forward position is our main priority, mainly because Willian left and Marco Silva has spoken very highly of him, so I think it's the obvious place to strengthen.

Let's see what happens.

[Roberty]

No rumours for any goalkeepers - bit worried about Steven Benda being backup

I was about to post the same on this thread. If Leno gets injured we are shafted. Benda is a long way from the standard required.  I hope we get someone in with experience as back up, who can play the cup games as well. Benda can go out on loan. 

Is Benda any less a PL keeper than Rodak?

From what I've seen so far he is nowhere near as good as Rodak was.

What about his bottom - does he sit well on the bench ?
I don't remember Rodak getting off it for a PL game last season.

[SerbianLad]

No rumours for any goalkeepers - bit worried about Steven Benda being backup

I was about to post the same on this thread. If Leno gets injured we are shafted. Benda is a long way from the standard required.  I hope we get someone in with experience as back up, who can play the cup games as well. Benda can go out on loan. 

Is Benda any less a PL keeper than Rodak?

Rodak led us to two promotions from the Championship and has 22 caps for a decent NT.

[bill taylors apprentice]

https://twitter.com/FulhamFC/status/1829542092378460248
Mbabu officially gone

He seemed a decent acquisition at the time but never settled in to the team or looked confident when he got a rare game.

Apart from that one excellent cross for Mitro to score in his first game (I think) he looked like he struggled at PL level.

Oh well! he was never going to be as good as Tete or Castange.

[HobGoblin]

Maybe a slight update
https://www.hitc.com/fulham-beat-everton-in-race-to-sign-24m-sensation-on-deadline-day/

[bill taylors apprentice]

No rumours for any goalkeepers - bit worried about Steven Benda being backup

I was about to post the same on this thread. If Leno gets injured we are shafted. Benda is a long way from the standard required.  I hope we get someone in with experience as back up, who can play the cup games as well. Benda can go out on loan. 

Is Benda any less a PL keeper than Rodak?

Rodak led us to two promotions from the Championship and has 22 caps for a decent NT.

Yes but not proven at PL level.
Rodak was OK but there's a reason he was sidelined on both occasions we were promoted, he wasn't quite at the level a mid table PL team required.

For sure Rodak is a good Championship keeper and has that experience that Benda lacks but he's two years
younger.

I would have been happy for Rodak to stay but he needed to move on and Benda looks his equal at least to me.

[Roberty]

No rumours for any goalkeepers - bit worried about Steven Benda being backup

I was about to post the same on this thread. If Leno gets injured we are shafted. Benda is a long way from the standard required.  I hope we get someone in with experience as back up, who can play the cup games as well. Benda can go out on loan. 

Is Benda any less a PL keeper than Rodak?

Rodak led us to two promotions from the Championship and has 22 caps for a decent NT.

Yes but not proven at PL level.
Rodak was OK but there's a reason he was sidelined on both occasions we were promoted, he wasn't quite at the level a mid table PL team required.

For sure Rodak is a good Championship keeper and has that experience that Benda lacks but he's two years
younger.

I would have been happy for Rodak to stay but he needed to move on and Benda looks his equal at least to me.

So Rodak and Benda have not failed at the PL level ?

[SerbianLad]

Yes but not proven at PL level.
Rodak was OK but there's a reason he was sidelined on both occasions we were promoted, he wasn't quite at the level a mid table PL team required.

For sure Rodak is a good Championship keeper and has that experience that Benda lacks but he's two years
younger.

I would have been happy for Rodak to stay but he needed to move on and Benda looks his equal at least to me.

Agree that it was time for Rodak to go, but my point was that Rodak is at least more proven at a high level, i.e. international competitions and and was a high-level performer in the Championship. Rodak barely played in the PL, but I was much more comfortable with him being the stand-in goalkeeper in the PL and a starter in the cup than I am with Benda.

[bill taylors apprentice]

No rumours for any goalkeepers - bit worried about Steven Benda being backup

I was about to post the same on this thread. If Leno gets injured we are shafted. Benda is a long way from the standard required.  I hope we get someone in with experience as back up, who can play the cup games as well. Benda can go out on loan. 

Is Benda any less a PL keeper than Rodak?

Rodak led us to two promotions from the Championship and has 22 caps for a decent NT.

Yes but not proven at PL level.
Rodak was OK but there's a reason he was sidelined on both occasions we were promoted, he wasn't quite at the level a mid table PL team required.

For sure Rodak is a good Championship keeper and has that experience that Benda lacks but he's two years
younger.

I would have been happy for Rodak to stay but he needed to move on and Benda looks his equal at least to me.

So Rodak and Benda have not failed at the PL level ?

I never used the word "failed", Rodak was a decent back up for occasional PL games, but wasn't getting any better.
Benda at 25 still has time to improve and get to a higher level than he is now.

If we are expecting mid table security with ambitions for higher we need a decent back up keeper, IMO Rodak was not that but Benda may be.

[bill taylors apprentice]

Yes but not proven at PL level.
Rodak was OK but there's a reason he was sidelined on both occasions we were promoted, he wasn't quite at the level a mid table PL team required.

For sure Rodak is a good Championship keeper and has that experience that Benda lacks but he's two years
younger.

I would have been happy for Rodak to stay but he needed to move on and Benda looks his equal at least to me.

Agree that it was time for Rodak to go, but my point was that Rodak is at least more proven at a high level, i.e. international competitions and and was a high-level performer in the Championship. Rodak barely played in the PL, but I was much more comfortable with him being the stand-in goalkeeper in the PL and a starter in the cup than I am with Benda.

Totally agree with your first points but we won't know about Benda until he plays more.
Personally I thought his general game was marginally better on Tuesday than Rodaks last few performances.
I look at all aspects of the performance not just saves and for what its worth I have an FA level 2 GK certificate.

[btffc]

Yes but not proven at PL level.
Rodak was OK but there's a reason he was sidelined on both occasions we were promoted, he wasn't quite at the level a mid table PL team required.

For sure Rodak is a good Championship keeper and has that experience that Benda lacks but he's two years
younger.

I would have been happy for Rodak to stay but he needed to move on and Benda looks his equal at least to me.

Agree that it was time for Rodak to go, but my point was that Rodak is at least more proven at a high level, i.e. international competitions and and was a high-level performer in the Championship. Rodak barely played in the PL, but I was much more comfortable with him being the stand-in goalkeeper in the PL and a starter in the cup than I am with Benda.

Totally agree with your first points but we won't know about Benda until he plays more.
Personally I thought his general game was marginally better on Tuesday than Rodaks last few performances.
I look at all aspects of the performance not just saves and for what its worth I have an FA level 2 GK certificate.

I thought his distribution was appalling but he seems a pretty good shot stopper. Sliced one or two long kicks and even his side volley was well off the mark. Plus he just does not look comfortable with the ball at his feet.

[hovewhite]

BTA your opinion to be respected.