Summer Silly Season Transfer Thread 2025

[Drewry66]

Let me ask a question to many of those desperate for a new signing now.

1. Would you prefer to sign a player now, who is not our top target or

2. Wait a while until our top target becomes available and sign him say early August.

We can't just demand a player we want is released by his club, but if in negotiation the selling club say, yes we will sell to you but first things have to happen here.

Also, if we want a player, but he is asking too much money that would break our salary structure, would you say ok, we will cough up for you salary and then risk all the knock ons this could cause, or carry on with negotiations whilst looking at other option.

We are not looking at bringing in another Vini, we are looking at brining in another Awobi.  This is not easy given the constraints of PSR and salary is a major part of that. 

It's true that Fulham are a relatively low risk club, largely because we have to be due to our relatively small turnover.

Exactly. 2 all day. You can guarantee it would be the same folk complaining about speed that would be the loudest complaining about quality if we went for option 1 as well. They would also be saying how poorly the club is run when we had no money to sign anymore quality players because we hadn't spent time negotiating on fees and salary.

 

[General]

Let me ask a question to many of those desperate for a new signing now.

1. Would you prefer to sign a player now, who is not our top target or

2. Wait a while until our top target becomes available and sign him say early August.

We can't just demand a player we want is released by his club, but if in negotiation the selling club say, yes we will sell to you but first things have to happen here.

Also, if we want a player, but he is asking too much money that would break our salary structure, would you say ok, we will cough up for you salary and then risk all the knock ons this could cause, or carry on with negotiations whilst looking at other option.

We are not looking at bringing in another Vini, we are looking at brining in another Awobi.  This is not easy given the constraints of PSR and salary is a major part of that. 

It's true that Fulham are a relatively low risk club, largely because we have to be due to our relatively small turnover.

It's not a zero sum game in the way you're trying to imply. People sign their top targets early in the window. We never do. People move fast and pay the amounts they do because they players in question are their top targets, and ones that would significantly improve their squad/first team.. and because it's important to get them assimilated to the existing squad during preseason to influence league games from the start of the season.

[FFC1987]

Let me ask a question to many of those desperate for a new signing now.

1. Would you prefer to sign a player now, who is not our top target or

2. Wait a while until our top target becomes available and sign him say early August.

We can't just demand a player we want is released by his club, but if in negotiation the selling club say, yes we will sell to you but first things have to happen here.

Also, if we want a player, but he is asking too much money that would break our salary structure, would you say ok, we will cough up for you salary and then risk all the knock ons this could cause, or carry on with negotiations whilst looking at other option.

We are not looking at bringing in another Vini, we are looking at brining in another Awobi.  This is not easy given the constraints of PSR and salary is a major part of that. 

It's true that Fulham are a relatively low risk club, largely because we have to be due to our relatively small turnover.

It's not a zero sum game in the way you're trying to imply. People sign their top targets early in the window. We never do. People move fast and pay the amounts they do because they players in question are their top targets, and ones that would significantly improve their squad/first team.. and because it's important to get them assimilated to the existing squad during preseason to influence league games from the start of the season.

Smith Rowe signed on 2nd August.
Palinha signed on 4th July.

I'm sure I could find other examples but here's two biggies from recent memory. The window shuts at the start of September so we've had players, in key positions, sign faster than the last week(s) of a window so the narrative of this is all over the place.

Adding, but I agree that the options aren't exactly apples and apples here. You coudl easily counter option 2 and say, we lose out on 1/2 players waiting on the better option, and failing to get him at the close, then miss out on a handful and end up with option 4/5......

[hopper]

Let me ask a question to many of those desperate for a new signing now.

1. Would you prefer to sign a player now, who is not our top target or

2. Wait a while until our top target becomes available and sign him say early August.

We can't just demand a player we want is released by his club, but if in negotiation the selling club say, yes we will sell to you but first things have to happen here.

Also, if we want a player, but he is asking too much money that would break our salary structure, would you say ok, we will cough up for you salary and then risk all the knock ons this could cause, or carry on with negotiations whilst looking at other option.

We are not looking at bringing in another Vini, we are looking at brining in another Awobi.  This is not easy given the constraints of PSR and salary is a major part of that. 

It's true that Fulham are a relatively low risk club, largely because we have to be due to our relatively small turnover.

It's not a zero sum game in the way you're trying to imply. People sign their top targets early in the window. We never do. People move fast and pay the amounts they do because they players in question are their top targets, and ones that would significantly improve their squad/first team.. and because it's important to get them assimilated to the existing squad during preseason to influence league games from the start of the season.

General put this far better and succinctly than I attempted to before just here.

I think we can all agree that it's better to wait for targets. But the idea that it's not possible to do anything on the same schedule as other clubs is a conclusion I disagree with. I think it's fair to criticise this aspect of our operations, whilst also accepting that the club have had good outcomes in the past by and large.

I stand by the point that doing deals very late in the window is risky and a design flaw as if/when there are hitches it gives you no recourse to correct it and you can go into a season one player down than on what you ideally would have had.

[irish_mike]

Delaying to make a signing toward the end of the window only makes sense if we are able to get a higher quality that was otherwise unavailable.

If we are biding our time to sign Reiss Nelson then something is wrong with our recruitment

[Rightwhite]

Christ almighty. I thought we was back at page 90 or something. Keep going round in circles with the same arguments/points of view.

[Fulham Tup North]

Christ almighty. I thought we was back at page 90 or something. Keep going round in circles with the same arguments/points of view.

Just wait until page 190!!...
  ... it's all part of the dance....

[Whitestone]

Let me ask a question to many of those desperate for a new signing now.

1. Would you prefer to sign a player now, who is not our top target or

2. Wait a while until our top target becomes available and sign him say early August.

We can't just demand a player we want is released by his club, but if in negotiation the selling club say, yes we will sell to you but first things have to happen here.

Also, if we want a player, but he is asking too much money that would break our salary structure, would you say ok, we will cough up for you salary and then risk all the knock ons this could cause, or carry on with negotiations whilst looking at other option.

We are not looking at bringing in another Vini, we are looking at brining in another Awobi.  This is not easy given the constraints of PSR and salary is a major part of that. 

It's true that Fulham are a relatively low risk club, largely because we have to be due to our relatively small turnover.

It's not a zero sum game in the way you're trying to imply. People sign their top targets early in the window. We never do. People move fast and pay the amounts they do because they players in question are their top targets, and ones that would significantly improve their squad/first team.. and because it's important to get them assimilated to the existing squad during preseason to influence league games from the start of the season.

General put this far better and succinctly than I attempted to before just here.

I think we can all agree that it's better to wait for targets. But the idea that it's not possible to do anything on the same schedule as other clubs is a conclusion I disagree with. I think it's fair to criticise this aspect of our operations, whilst also accepting that the club have had good outcomes in the past by and large.

I stand by the point that doing deals very late in the window is risky and a design flaw as if/when there are hitches it gives you no recourse to correct it and you can go into a season one player down than on what you ideally would have had.

Agree with General and Hopper.

If other clubs are able to identify targets at reasonable prices and get them through the door there is no reason in the world that we can't do the same. But we don't and it's reasonable for fans to question this aspect of our transfer dealings.

[Angus Telford]

I wouldn't say that any of the teams around us have gotten meaningfully stronger either, you could argue that Brentford has improved, but they've also lost their manager and have their star players linked going everywhere. Brighton have also invested some of their Joao Pedro money but they lost their talisman striker.

Man Utd have signed Cunha.
Spurs several new players and a new manager.
Both below us last season so have to be included, unless we're starting from an assumption that we're two places lower (13th) before a ball is kicked (not unreasonable in fairness)

[FFC1987]

I wouldn't say that any of the teams around us have gotten meaningfully stronger either, you could argue that Brentford has improved, but they've also lost their manager and have their star players linked going everywhere. Brighton have also invested some of their Joao Pedro money but they lost their talisman striker.

Man Utd have signed Cunha.
Spurs several new players and a new manager.
Both below us last season so have to be included, unless we're starting from an assumption that we're two places lower (13th) before a ball is kicked (not unreasonable in fairness)

I mean, I agree that it's probably unfair to compare us to a global commercial powerhouse like United and a club in the champions league next season considering both Will and should have much higher ambitions when budgets are considered but I do get your point. I think Brighton, Bournemouth, Palace, Brentford, Everton, Westham are more comparable all things considered.

[Drewry66]

Back to transfer rumours. 

FFN on discord said this last night from what he's heard:

"I don't know when it went in but Fulham's latest offer for Rômulo was " borderline what Goztepe wants" 🤞"

He said he is guessing but thinks it is prob between us and Leipzig. If so guessing they are playing us off against each other. Their owner did say nearly done last Wednesday so guessing one of the clubs is close. Let's pray it's us.

[Carborundum]

Reading about the wider transfer rumour mill, I'm getting the impression there are rather a lot of talented players looking for a club that matches their lofty ambitions, more than there are going to be places at the clubs they would like to go to.

Expectations management will come into play and agents, who very often want a deal, any deal, will be at the sharp end.  For Fulham, who are perhaps not everyone's childhood dream and who cannot offer European football this season, the challenge may not be finding great targets whose clubs are happy to sell, it will be about choosing players who don't carry the air of doing us a favour by being here or sour disappointment.

It doesn't help that a club renowned for their profligate wheeling and dealing have only just finished their season. Or was that fever dream of a tournament a collection of glorified pre-season friendlies?  Hard to tell, anyhow there will surely be plenty of comings and goings there that usually crystallise knock-on consequences in the transfer market.

 

[Tabby]

I wouldn't say that any of the teams around us have gotten meaningfully stronger either, you could argue that Brentford has improved, but they've also lost their manager and have their star players linked going everywhere. Brighton have also invested some of their Joao Pedro money but they lost their talisman striker.

Man Utd have signed Cunha.
Spurs several new players and a new manager.
Both below us last season so have to be included, unless we're starting from an assumption that we're two places lower (13th) before a ball is kicked (not unreasonable in fairness)

Curious how I missed them, surely they weren't mentioned in the next paragraph. Anyway, you had already decided that they are bound to finish above us next season about three dozen times just in this thread before they made any signings, so I'm not sure why you're worried about their transfers.

[MickTheBeard]

Let me ask a question to many of those desperate for a new signing now.If we don't get the right players in early and like last season you fail to win anything like fa cup or higher in the league which generates more income not just a deadball coach a director of football who's on ball all the time taking an interest in our academy personally would help produce more and better kids might keep some and make money on them and perhaps keep some it won't happen if you look out your apartments window in USA.

1. Would you prefer to sign a player now, who is not our top target or

2. Wait a while until our top target becomes available and sign him say early August.

We can't just demand a player we want is released by his club, but if in negotiation the selling club say, yes we will sell to you but first things have to happen here.

Also, if we want a player, but he is asking too much money that would break our salary structure, would you say ok, we will cough up for you salary and then risk all the knock ons this could cause, or carry on with negotiations whilst looking at other option.

We are not looking at bringing in another Vini, we are looking at brining in another Awobi.  This is not easy given the constraints of PSR and salary is a major part of that. 

It's true that Fulham are a relatively low risk club, largely because we have to be due to our relatively small turnover.

It's not a zero sum game in the way you're trying to imply. People sign their top targets early in the window. We never do. People move fast and pay the amounts they do because they players in question are their top targets, and ones that would significantly improve their squad/first team.. and because it's important to get them assimilated to the existing squad during preseason to influence league games from the start of the season.

[General]

Reading about the wider transfer rumour mill, I'm getting the impression there are rather a lot of talented players looking for a club that matches their lofty ambitions, more than there are going to be places at the clubs they would like to go to.

Expectations management will come into play and agents, who very often want a deal, any deal, will be at the sharp end.  For Fulham, who are perhaps not everyone's childhood dream and who cannot offer European football this season, the challenge may not be finding great targets whose clubs are happy to sell, it will be about choosing players who don't carry the air of doing us a favour by being here or sour disappointment.

It doesn't help that a club renowned for their profligate wheeling and dealing have only just finished their season. Or was that fever dream of a tournament a collection of glorified pre-season friendlies?  Hard to tell, anyhow there will surely be plenty of comings and goings there that usually crystallise knock-on consequences in the transfer market.

 

Which players out of interest?

[Angus Telford]

I wouldn't say that any of the teams around us have gotten meaningfully stronger either, you could argue that Brentford has improved, but they've also lost their manager and have their star players linked going everywhere. Brighton have also invested some of their Joao Pedro money but they lost their talisman striker.

Man Utd have signed Cunha.
Spurs several new players and a new manager.
Both below us last season so have to be included, unless we're starting from an assumption that we're two places lower (13th) before a ball is kicked (not unreasonable in fairness)

Curious how I missed them, surely they weren't mentioned in the next paragraph. Anyway, you had already decided that they are bound to finish above us next season about three dozen times just in this thread before they made any signings, so I'm not sure why you're worried about their transfers.

Yep just pointing out that these sorts of arguments are all based on a de facto position of 13th by discounting those two

[Coastwalker]

Well that's another day gone by.
What will tomorrow hold,you never know.
Record Signing🤔

[Carborundum]

Reading about the wider transfer rumour mill, I'm getting the impression there are rather a lot of talented players looking for a club that matches their lofty ambitions, more than there are going to be places at the clubs they would like to go to.

Expectations management will come into play and agents, who very often want a deal, any deal, will be at the sharp end.  For Fulham, who are perhaps not everyone's childhood dream and who cannot offer European football this season, the challenge may not be finding great targets whose clubs are happy to sell, it will be about choosing players who don't carry the air of doing us a favour by being here or sour disappointment.

It doesn't help that a club renowned for their profligate wheeling and dealing have only just finished their season. Or was that fever dream of a tournament a collection of glorified pre-season friendlies?  Hard to tell, anyhow there will surely be plenty of comings and goings there that usually crystallise knock-on consequences in the transfer market.

 

Which players out of interest?

Take the winger position as an example.  Seems like there is reason to think any or all of Grealish, Barnes, Madueke, Trossard, Garnacho, Sancho, Son and Fofana are going to spring loose.  That's a lot of very good footballers most of whom would walk into our starting eleven.  Where do they all go?  Time will tell. But if their current clubs need to balance the books they will be encouraged to depart.

[Lighthouse]

Has anyone ever read a book called House of Leaves. It is a meandering story with footnotes and different people writing and side comments but all about a house that changes and has huge rooms one minute and the same rooms vanish the next.

I only mention it because year after year we have the same thing happening in this thread.

[F(f)CUK]

Reading about the wider transfer rumour mill, I'm getting the impression there are rather a lot of talented players looking for a club that matches their lofty ambitions, more than there are going to be places at the clubs they would like to go to.

Expectations management will come into play and agents, who very often want a deal, any deal, will be at the sharp end.  For Fulham, who are perhaps not everyone's childhood dream and who cannot offer European football this season, the challenge may not be finding great targets whose clubs are happy to sell, it will be about choosing players who don't carry the air of doing us a favour by being here or sour disappointment.

It doesn't help that a club renowned for their profligate wheeling and dealing have only just finished their season. Or was that fever dream of a tournament a collection of glorified pre-season friendlies?  Hard to tell, anyhow there will surely be plenty of comings and goings there that usually crystallise knock-on consequences in the transfer market.

 

Which players out of interest?

Take the winger position as an example.  Seems like there is reason to think any or all of Grealish, Barnes, Madueke, Trossard, Garnacho, Sancho, Son and Fofana are going to spring loose.  That's a lot of very good footballers most of whom would walk into our starting eleven.  Where do they all go?  Time will tell. But if their current clubs need to balance the books they will be encouraged to depart.

They could only come to us on loan, as we cannot afford stupid wages.