Winter Silly Season Transfer Thread 2025/2026

[I Ronic]

Re Stirling.
Maybe he's had enough of football. He looks to have completely fallen out with Chelsea (Upon returning to Stamford Bridge, Sterling was completely exiled from the squad, being forced to train separately and barred from the main club facilities. Wiki).
Quietly collecting your money and spending your weekends with your partner and kids. Instead of press speculation and criticism  doesnt sound a bad idea to me. 

[FFC1987]

Change of manager at the neighbours will that scupper Stirling?

No. It's clear the club says who they want and who they don't and Sterling is a club decision. Prioritising youth players over old guard irrespective of wages/contracts. It's supposedly partly why Maresca was sacked. That disagreement with the club over starting 11's....

[jayffc]

His two spells at Chelsea and Arsenal is where that comes from. Plus the backend of his spell at City. So largely what, since 2022? Arteta made comments about his need to work harder, Chelsea comments were made by numerous managers then the club itself. If we were signing the Sterling from those videos of 4+ years ago, I'd be all over this (but we wouldn't be an option for him anyway) but we aren't which is really the point.

Sterlings not a pacer, but he has a quick step of pace which sniffs out the space. He showed none of that and if anything, showed his legs in quite serious decline at Arsenal if you actually watched him much? As I did, and that's why I'm concerned in replacing Adama, a known athlete, with Sterling for similar wages (or likely more), with a guy who hasn't trained competitively in over a season. And someone who went from being tipped as one of the best in his positions to a guy who can't train with his first team to now being looked at as a potential squad player for a short while this season.

What you lose as a low risk transfer, I disagree. If we'd be giving him game time over others who are long term committed and on half his wages for low outlay but high cost, and a potential disrupter to the dressing room (people won't be happy seeing a player on his wages playing 15 mins or on the bench ch behind them) then I just don't see the worth. Plus he doesn't suit our style.

Lots of good reasons to disagree with you Jay. Sure you made some points I could play along with but I just don't agree so happy to leave it there. 

yes, the point is indeed that we're talking about rehabilitating a formely very bright career after a run of bad form, something we have history of. And the comparison to Willian is exactly because he was accused of the same things at Arsenal..."legs gone", doesn't care", "lost his pace he relied on" "useless"....as per this article: "The first and most obvious problem is that he can't beat anyone off a dribble. In fact he doesn't even try." http://7amkickoff.com/index.php/2021/01/25/the-complete-collapse-of-willian-borges-da-silva/

Sterling was inconsistant at a poor chelsea team ,but not bad, and more productive than most of our top players in that time.

23/24: 21 G/A in 43 appearances.(Chelsea)
22/23: 13 G/A in 38 appearances (Chelsea)
21/22: 26 G/A in 47 appearances (Man city)

So the idea he's had little to offer since 22 is a bit of a myth to be honest.

For context our highest producing wingers stats from the last 3 prem years:
24/25: Iwobi - 15 G/A in 44
23/24: Wilson - 15 G/A in 44
22/23: Willian - 10 in 31

So, based off Arsenal form, yes, absolutely. He's a risk, obviously, and there's questions about if the issue is Raheem, or that he's just a bad fit at Arsenal as Willian was. But as I say, given it's a loan at basically break even to swap for Adama, it's a pretty low risk one imo.

We got no idea of his attitude coming into such a scenario, but if I'm a premier league professional I would imagine I'd have a pretty comprehensive understanding of the idea that Sterling - former player of the year,4 x premier league winner, champs league and international regular scorer would be on a significant pay packet even on the bench, and if I'm a young winger I'd probably be keen to pick his brains as a senior player with several titles.

No one at the club seemed to have an issue with Willian being on a short term contract because he brought quality and experience. Personally I don't see it as an issue, thats the nature of the game. Now it's absolutely plausible it wouldn't work out as well, but evidentally we see the risks involved as being different, fair enough I guess.

[FFC1987]

My only caveat to Willian again was, I'm sure some people said it but I wasn't one of them. I always thought Willian still looked lively at Arsenal. If anything, trying too hard was his issue so nothing in comparison to what I saw from Sterling. Willian also never was just out of football for large spells either do I really don't think comparing the two is helpful.

But a punt is a punt and if you're excited, more power to you. I just can't share in that.

[@jolslover]

https://x.com/FulhamTransfer/status/2006445713857913196?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Would be a quality move and I suggested it a few months ago - he has been the best player in the Champ this season (better than Hackney IMO) and for technical ability is easily a PL player. Have seen him live a few times this season at Vicarage Road and he's ran every game I've seen him play in

[btffc]

Change of manager at the neighbours will that scupper Stirling?

Not a chance. Him being an outcast there is a board/ownership decision. Maybe it would for George but the managers there almost have zero input into anything. Even player selection in matches is heavily influenced. It's all directed from the top and probably miserable for a manager.

[FFC007]

https://x.com/FulhamTransfer/status/2006740234361516345?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

[FFC007]

https://x.com/FulhamTransfer/status/2006691969398198699?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet


Hernandez is like Cherki who can use both feet on the wing... could be a valuable asset.

[Deeping_white]

https://twitter.com/plettigoal/status/2006817821335179751

I guess he's better than Adama so not the end of the world but if we're paying him more than Adama it's going to hamstring us for SCR so I don't get the point?

[South Coast White]

Well, after that poor performance, we need a couple of new faces that can actually finish ASAP.

[FFC007]

I really don't think Sterling will add anything to the table...

[South Coast White]

I really don't think Sterling will add anything to the table...


[/quote
I'd put a lot of money on him scoring one of our golden misses tonight.

[jayffc]

https://twitter.com/plettigoal/status/2006817821335179751

I guess he's better than Adama so not the end of the world but if we're paying him more than Adama it's going to hamstring us for SCR so I don't get the point?

There is leeway with SCR initially and he'd likely cost us about the same as Adama (around 75k pw), especially considering we'll pocket 2-3 mil. Plus once new rules come into effect, if he's on loan, he wont be contracted to us anyway by that time in the summer....

Unless we of course decide to sign him permanently or extend the loan. But at that point we'll also see various players departing so can address how we rebalance the books

Raul 100k
Cairney 30k
Reed 50k
Castagne if rumours he wants a move are true 65k
Wilson unless he renews 55k

(figures are alleged from online wage sources)

[Bassey the warrior]

Hopefully we can sign someone in the next week or so, optimistic I know.

[jayffc]

Hopefully we can sign someone in the next week or so, optimistic I know.

At least the Intentions clearly there. We're seemingly firmly in talks with Pepi again. Issue we have is it's January and in form players like him mean his club aren't incentivised to sell unless we offer a ton of cash that's too good to turn down. I expect PSV to string us along while they look for a replacement if we get close to their valuation.

Meanwhile with Sterling all reports seem to suggest we're heavily linked with again. Time will tell if it's just a backup option again in case another option doesn't come off like Chuk in the summer but at least that one in theory can be signed off early if we can reach an agreement with Chelsea on what percentage we pay. As someone else suggests, sort of player I'd have liked to be in the box trying to put one away in the 85th minute today.

Anyway, we shall see

[H4usuallysitting]

Sounding like Sterling wants the move to Fulham....makes sense with him living up the road

[Super Mick]

Hopefully we can sign someone in the next week or so, optimistic I know.

Praying for miracles With our sloth recruitment team!!

[ffc73]

Sloth recruitment might be more to do with trying to convince clubs to sell & player/s to come to us rather than any ineptitude on our part.

[howitis]

https://x.com/FulhamTransfer/status/2006691969398198699?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet


Hernandez is like Cherki who can use both feet on the wing... could be a valuable asset.

An exciting talent, best of the names I have heard to date ...

[howitis]

I see that palace have nailed down the transfer of Brendan Johnson within 48 hours of window opening. Here is a player well in contract, rival premier league team and their top scoring player of last season.
For the record it is not a player that I rate but it proves that there are deals available and they can be concluded quickly.
You would have thought we would have had realistic offers tabled  and medicals awaiting for at least a couple of players within the first 5 days of the window.