Summer Silly Season Transfer Thread 2025

[General]

When does preseason start?

The only reasons I can think of why we're so slow with this is a) the board and transfer team are inept and it simply takes them this long to sort out.. despite having targets in mind from January..

B) they think they're being strategic by running the window down to get a bargain or two..

I get both, but I wish they'd just realise what other clubs have, which is that you can get players you want in, early and for a price that's still good.

[Neutral Zone Ultra]

Fulham just posted this on Twitter - doesn't suggest AP is in imminent danger of being sold: https://twitter.com/FulhamFC/status/1943300431049892068

[Deuce]

Didnt Forest post a video of Elangas goals and assists just about a week ago or something.

[Twig]

Silva's thoughts are clear. Get the players he wants.

Also They like Harvey, just not that Harvey.

What Harvey the Rabbit? What a load of nonsense.

[Deuce]

I don't think there's any justification for us being last every window other than unprofessionalism from the club. While I accept that the outcomes have been fine, and that's the most important thing - it does nothing to help the manager who would love to have new players in at the start of pre-season. Some signings can arrive late and do well, but we so often see a player progress after a full pre-season.

I know there's PSR arguments etc; but we're last on just about everything - season ticket, pre season dates, kits. That combined with the diminishing relationship between fans and the clubs just gives the impression of a pretty dysfunctional operation. Supposedly the Jags also have this reputation.

While yes it's more important to get the right players in than get them soon, I really don't see why it's not possible to be able to do both - even if some deals are done later in the window.

Loads of clubs do both, I think its mainly some supporters that imagine us being immensely clever and that things are taking so long has nothing to do with us but are simply circumstances beyond our grasp...

I think waiting is our strategy. Trying to get good deals, maybe signing someone whos contract expired in the summer, waiting out what other clubs do and dont do and so on.

Im sure if push comes to shove, and we are forced to act quickly on one of our main targets, then im sure we would. But generally, I just think we are being very patient.

I have a belief that people in their respective jobs actually are qualified and know more of this stuff than myself, and this summer I might perhaps be less bother about this than before due to our stability -  but its really hard sometimes when we constantly play the waiting game. But as you say, the most important thing is what weve got by september and not mid July, even though the benefits of getting players in early has its advantages

[cookieg]

I don't think there's any justification for us being last every window other than unprofessionalism from the club. While I accept that the outcomes have been fine, and that's the most important thing - it does nothing to help the manager who would love to have new players in at the start of pre-season. Some signings can arrive late and do well, but we so often see a player progress after a full pre-season.

I know there's PSR arguments etc; but we're last on just about everything - season ticket, pre season dates, kits. That combined with the diminishing relationship between fans and the clubs just gives the impression of a pretty dysfunctional operation. Supposedly the Jags also have this reputation.

While yes it's more important to get the right players in than get them soon, I really don't see why it's not possible to be able to do both - even if some deals are done later in the window.

We could easily sign a couple of over age journeymen at the start of the window which I'm sure would surely satisfy everyone? If the players Silva wants aren't available what is the club supposed to do? I'm sure Silva knows who he wants and as he has more say on recruitment then he knows exactly what is going on.

No decent player is going to sign for Fulham on the first day of the window. We aren't in Europe, Silva has a year left on his contract and he may well still leave. If players are being sold a project then they need to know the manager is committed too.

I have no doubt we will sign the players we want when they are available and at the right price.

[hopper]

I don't think there's any justification for us being last every window other than unprofessionalism from the club. While I accept that the outcomes have been fine, and that's the most important thing - it does nothing to help the manager who would love to have new players in at the start of pre-season. Some signings can arrive late and do well, but we so often see a player progress after a full pre-season.

I know there's PSR arguments etc; but we're last on just about everything - season ticket, pre season dates, kits. That combined with the diminishing relationship between fans and the clubs just gives the impression of a pretty dysfunctional operation. Supposedly the Jags also have this reputation.

While yes it's more important to get the right players in than get them soon, I really don't see why it's not possible to be able to do both - even if some deals are done later in the window.

We could easily sign a couple of over age journeymen at the start of the window which I'm sure would surely satisfy everyone? If the players Silva wants aren't available what is the club supposed to do? I'm sure Silva knows who he wants and as he has more say on recruitment then he knows exactly what is going on.

No decent player is going to sign for Fulham on the first day of the window. We aren't in Europe, Silva has a year left on his contract and he may well still leave. If players are being sold a project then they need to know the manager is committed too.

I have no doubt we will sign the players we want when they are available and at the right price.

This does nothing to answer why we would be last every window, and somehow only we need to wait this long to find an acceptable deal with one of our targets.

As for the claim we could easily sign a couple of over age journeymen; of course no one is asking for that - and I even said in my post it's more important to wait for the right players than get them soon if you read it.

I think @Deuce nails it that it is part of our strategy to wait. But this has frustrated every single manager we've had during the Khans tenure.

[FFC1987]

I don't think there's any justification for us being last every window other than unprofessionalism from the club. While I accept that the outcomes have been fine, and that's the most important thing - it does nothing to help the manager who would love to have new players in at the start of pre-season. Some signings can arrive late and do well, but we so often see a player progress after a full pre-season.

I know there's PSR arguments etc; but we're last on just about everything - season ticket, pre season dates, kits. That combined with the diminishing relationship between fans and the clubs just gives the impression of a pretty dysfunctional operation. Supposedly the Jags also have this reputation.

While yes it's more important to get the right players in than get them soon, I really don't see why it's not possible to be able to do both - even if some deals are done later in the window.

We could easily sign a couple of over age journeymen at the start of the window which I'm sure would surely satisfy everyone? If the players Silva wants aren't available what is the club supposed to do? I'm sure Silva knows who he wants and as he has more say on recruitment then he knows exactly what is going on.

No decent player is going to sign for Fulham on the first day of the window. We aren't in Europe, Silva has a year left on his contract and he may well still leave. If players are being sold a project then they need to know the manager is committed too.

I have no doubt we will sign the players we want when they are available and at the right price.

This does nothing to answer why we would be last every window, and somehow only we need to wait this long to find an acceptable deal with one of our targets.

As for the claim we could easily sign a couple of over age journeymen; of course no one is asking for that - and I even said in my post it's more important to wait for the right players than get them soon if you read it.

I think @Deuce nails it that it is part of our strategy to wait. But this has frustrated every single manager we've had during the Khans tenure.

I answered it though. Khan, again, openly saying, you get the most value at the end of the window from both price, and options. I can't recall his exact quote, but one was on Anderson when we loaned him saying the loan fee dropped by a large margin from initial stages of the window, to the closing days. he also said, they have a list of options, often, the top players aren't available, due to the dominos in the market, which often move late anyway, so we could go in and pay a bit of a premium for a player who we have as 3rd-5th in our list, or wait, and perhaps get our no.1/2 target. Whereas, if you go early, and opt for 3-5, you'd miss out on 1/2 which could be a real coup.

The obvious anomaly to this rule is when players are much coveted and we go in early and get them, at a premium, off the market, ie like Smith Rowe last year or Palinha a few years before that.

[hopper]

I answered it though. Khan, again, openly saying, you get the most value at the end of the window from both price, and options. I can't recall his exact quote, but one was on Anderson when we loaned him saying the loan fee dropped by a large margin from initial stages of the window, to the closing days. he also said, they have a list of options, often, the top players aren't available, due to the dominos in the market, which often move late anyway, so we could go in and pay a bit of a premium for a player who we have as 3rd-5th in our list, or wait, and perhaps get our no.1/2 target. Whereas, if you go early, and opt for 3-5, you'd miss out on 1/2 which could be a real coup.

The obvious anomaly to this rule is when players are much coveted and we go in early and get them, at a premium, off the market, ie like Smith Rowe last year or Palinha a few years before that.

I remember that interview, but I think that being our entire strategy is bonkers, it's got a lot of risk attached to it and means players don't get a full pre-season.

I still think it reeks of unprofessionalism. Plenty of examples of it, Solomon saga; Willian circus two summers ago; scrambling around for any DM we could buy after Bayern deal agreed; Justin Kluivert deal falling through at the 11th hour; Ernest Nuamah saga on deadline day last summer.

[hovewhite]

I don't think there's any justification for us being last every window other than unprofessionalism from the club. While I accept that the outcomes have been fine, and that's the most important thing - it does nothing to help the manager who would love to have new players in at the start of pre-season. Some signings can arrive late and do well, but we so often see a player progress after a full pre-season.

I know there's PSR arguments etc; but we're last on just about everything - season ticket, pre season dates, kits. That combined with the diminishing relationship between fans and the clubs just gives the impression of a pretty dysfunctional operation. Supposedly the Jags also have this reputation.

While yes it's more important to get the right players in than get them soon, I really don't see why it's not possible to be able to do both - even if some deals are done later in the window.

The club under Alistair Macintosh has always treated the fans with disdain in terms of information.

Very reclusive. You can see what he thinks of "legacy" fans with the way he treats the supporters trust.

Not a nice man, despite winning "CEO of the year" lol

CEO of the year,they can't be serious!

[Sting of the North]

I answered it though. Khan, again, openly saying, you get the most value at the end of the window from both price, and options. I can't recall his exact quote, but one was on Anderson when we loaned him saying the loan fee dropped by a large margin from initial stages of the window, to the closing days. he also said, they have a list of options, often, the top players aren't available, due to the dominos in the market, which often move late anyway, so we could go in and pay a bit of a premium for a player who we have as 3rd-5th in our list, or wait, and perhaps get our no.1/2 target. Whereas, if you go early, and opt for 3-5, you'd miss out on 1/2 which could be a real coup.

The obvious anomaly to this rule is when players are much coveted and we go in early and get them, at a premium, off the market, ie like Smith Rowe last year or Palinha a few years before that.

I remember that interview, but I think that being our entire strategy is bonkers, it's got a lot of risk attached to it and means players don't get a full pre-season.

I still think it reeks of unprofessionalism. Plenty of examples of it, Solomon saga; Willian circus two summers ago; scrambling around for any DM we could buy after Bayern deal agreed; Justin Kluivert deal falling through at the 11th hour; Ernest Nuamah saga on deadline day last summer.

Some of your examples seem to be a bit off. Bayern came in really late for Palhinha, and before that we didn't have to buy a DM. In the end we couldn't get it done, and therefore we didn't sell Palhinha. Doesn't seem to have anything to do with the strategy you are referring to.

For Kluivert, it fell through not because we procrastinated, but because there was a clear flaw in the work permit system that messed everything up. Maybe the club should have been aware, but as I remembered it the rules in place that happened to apply because Kluivert had been loaned out the previous season resulted in such a stupid and illogical outcome so that maybe it was actually hard to believe it would come to that.

[hovewhite]

I mean, they're just opinions Hove. Not sure why it's triggering a handful of posters because they rate Jackson and others don't 😂

1987 it just seems there's so much stuff about lowering of squad which I understand the reasons but when we get them in everyone on here is not happy and critical of them now Jackson ok I have not watched a lot of him I doubt Chelsea fans haven't but if silva wants him I will back him to get it right .Thats my psiftion on a democratic MB

[hopper]

I answered it though. Khan, again, openly saying, you get the most value at the end of the window from both price, and options. I can't recall his exact quote, but one was on Anderson when we loaned him saying the loan fee dropped by a large margin from initial stages of the window, to the closing days. he also said, they have a list of options, often, the top players aren't available, due to the dominos in the market, which often move late anyway, so we could go in and pay a bit of a premium for a player who we have as 3rd-5th in our list, or wait, and perhaps get our no.1/2 target. Whereas, if you go early, and opt for 3-5, you'd miss out on 1/2 which could be a real coup.

The obvious anomaly to this rule is when players are much coveted and we go in early and get them, at a premium, off the market, ie like Smith Rowe last year or Palinha a few years before that.

I remember that interview, but I think that being our entire strategy is bonkers, it's got a lot of risk attached to it and means players don't get a full pre-season.

I still think it reeks of unprofessionalism. Plenty of examples of it, Solomon saga; Willian circus two summers ago; scrambling around for any DM we could buy after Bayern deal agreed; Justin Kluivert deal falling through at the 11th hour; Ernest Nuamah saga on deadline day last summer.

Some of your examples seem to be a bit off. Bayern came in really late for Palhinha, and before that we didn't have to buy a DM. In the end we couldn't get it done, and therefore we didn't sell Palhinha. Doesn't seem to have anything to do with the strategy you are referring to.

For Kluivert, it fell through not because we procrastinated, but because there was a clear flaw in the work permit system that messed everything up. Maybe the club should have been aware, but as I remembered it the rules in place that happened to apply because Kluivert had been loaned out the previous season resulted in such a stupid and illogical outcome so that maybe it was actually hard to believe it would come to that.

Scrambling through as many targets in the space of a day to replace our most important player seemed scattergun in the example of Palhinha in my opinion. We did pull the deal, but only after a player had gone to Munich, completed a medical, posed for their pictures and came back absolutely gutted. It was a circus.

Regarding Kluivert, clubs should A - know all the rules and B - not try and leave signings to the last minute as if there are bureaucratic issues we are unable to resolve them and one player less than we hoped to be.

Happy for people to have a difference of opinion, but able to give so many examples of reasons to think the club off the pitch are unprofessional.

[DM]

The club are not incompetent, they are not slow, they are not lazy or focused on other things. They are waiting for the market to come to them which is what they do every summer window.

Deals will get done & they will be on Marco's ambitious list of targets.

[Nero]

Didnt Forest post a video of Elangas goals and assists just about a week ago or something.

Driving up the price, Bit worried after 3 years you can show all APs goals and assist in a 2 min video

[KJS]

If I was Silva i would be feeling very unsupported.

Last year of his contract. Same old tardiness in the market that will hamstring him for the first few games of the season.

Penny for his thoughts although I think we can accurately picture

Stupid post considering you haven't got a clue what the club are doing about transfers in this window🙄

[KJS]

I don't think there's any justification for us being last every window other than unprofessionalism from the club. While I accept that the outcomes have been fine, and that's the most important thing - it does nothing to help the manager who would love to have new players in at the start of pre-season. Some signings can arrive late and do well, but we so often see a player progress after a full pre-season.

I know there's PSR arguments etc; but we're last on just about everything - season ticket, pre season dates, kits. That combined with the diminishing relationship between fans and the clubs just gives the impression of a pretty dysfunctional operation. Supposedly the Jags also have this reputation.

While yes it's more important to get the right players in than get them soon, I really don't see why it's not possible to be able to do both - even if some deals are done later in the window.

The club under Alistair Macintosh has always treated the fans with disdain in terms of information.

Very reclusive. You can see what he thinks of "legacy" fans with the way he treats the supporters trust.

Not a nice man, despite winning "CEO of the year" lol

Hace you actually had a conversation with AM??

[cookieg]

I don't think there's any justification for us being last every window other than unprofessionalism from the club. While I accept that the outcomes have been fine, and that's the most important thing - it does nothing to help the manager who would love to have new players in at the start of pre-season. Some signings can arrive late and do well, but we so often see a player progress after a full pre-season.

I know there's PSR arguments etc; but we're last on just about everything - season ticket, pre season dates, kits. That combined with the diminishing relationship between fans and the clubs just gives the impression of a pretty dysfunctional operation. Supposedly the Jags also have this reputation.

While yes it's more important to get the right players in than get them soon, I really don't see why it's not possible to be able to do both - even if some deals are done later in the window.

We could easily sign a couple of over age journeymen at the start of the window which I'm sure would surely satisfy everyone? If the players Silva wants aren't available what is the club supposed to do? I'm sure Silva knows who he wants and as he has more say on recruitment then he knows exactly what is going on.

No decent player is going to sign for Fulham on the first day of the window. We aren't in Europe, Silva has a year left on his contract and he may well still leave. If players are being sold a project then they need to know the manager is committed too.

I have no doubt we will sign the players we want when they are available and at the right price.

This does nothing to answer why we would be last every window, and somehow only we need to wait this long to find an acceptable deal with one of our targets.

As for the claim we could easily sign a couple of over age journeymen; of course no one is asking for that - and I even said in my post it's more important to wait for the right players than get them soon if you read it.

I think @Deuce nails it that it is part of our strategy to wait. But this has frustrated every single manager we've had during the Khans tenure.

Exactly, we wait until the right players are available. The right players are far more important than just signing numbers and if they aren't available until the of July then so be it. We aren't a big attraction as a club so have to play a waiting game. I'd much rather this than under MAF towards the end when we were signing older players on free transfers.

[FFC1987]

I don't think there's any justification for us being last every window other than unprofessionalism from the club. While I accept that the outcomes have been fine, and that's the most important thing - it does nothing to help the manager who would love to have new players in at the start of pre-season. Some signings can arrive late and do well, but we so often see a player progress after a full pre-season.

I know there's PSR arguments etc; but we're last on just about everything - season ticket, pre season dates, kits. That combined with the diminishing relationship between fans and the clubs just gives the impression of a pretty dysfunctional operation. Supposedly the Jags also have this reputation.

While yes it's more important to get the right players in than get them soon, I really don't see why it's not possible to be able to do both - even if some deals are done later in the window.

The club under Alistair Macintosh has always treated the fans with disdain in terms of information.

Very reclusive. You can see what he thinks of "legacy" fans with the way he treats the supporters trust.

Not a nice man, despite winning "CEO of the year" lol

Hace you actually had a conversation with AM??

I have actually. He told me to come back on 31st August to get the most value from the conversation.......

I'll grab my coat.

[Tabby]

Scrambling through as many targets in the space of a day to replace our most important player seemed scattergun in the example of Palhinha in my opinion. We did pull the deal, but only after a player had gone to Munich, completed a medical, posed for their pictures and came back absolutely gutted. It was a circus.

Do you think Palhinha would have been less gutted if the club actively stood in his way rather than attempting to sort out a solution?