🌞Summer Silly Season Transfer thread 2026

[Angus Telford]

The Athletic put together a ranking of all PL transfers from this summer (yes, it's terribly clickbaity). They have Garcia at #8 and I couldn't help but chuckle at this: "It is asking a lot for him to replace Raul Jimenez...". Look, I appreciate Raul's efforts and work ethic, but he had 5 non penalty goals last season and looked pretty much spent at the PL level. If Garcia can't even minimally exceed his production we're in trouble.
https://x.com/TheAthleticFC/status/2095054116242243943?s=20

Striker   Era at Club   Total Apps   Total Goals   Notes / Milestones
Aleksandar Mitrović   2018–2023   206   111   Record 43 Championship goals in 21/22.
Louis Saha          2000–2004   141   63   Fired Fulham to the Premier League in 2001.
Barry Hayles          1999–2004   215   57   Integral lower-league to top-flight target man.
Ross McCormack          2014–2016   100   42   Incredibly efficient two-year Championship stint.
Brian McBride          2004–2008   153   40   Club legend, former captain, and fan favourite.
Bobby Zamora          2008–2012   133   37   Main frontman during the 2010 Europa League final run.
Raúl Jiménez          2023–2026   115   31   Most prolific Mexican scorer in PL history.
Dimitar Berbatov   2012–2014   54   20   Top scorer in the 2012–13 Premier League season.

McBride?
McCormack?
Hayles?!?
Better than Raul?
Blimey why don't you add Mick Conroy whilst youre at it.
Your mum needs to confiscate your computer because that is dangerous

[Chi_FFC]

I mean Zamora is stretching it blimey, but anyway, most of those were well out of our reach in their prime, and if Garcia this year hits any of those levels aged 22/23 he will be a £100m player and we will be rubbing ourselves

Well, speak for yourself re that last bit, but yeah, everyone would be very excited if he could produce double digit goals. However this exchange started because I noted my amusement at that piece saying it would "asking a lot" for Garcia to "replace Raul Jimenez" when the fact of the matter is we're not talking about prime Raul Jimenez (the guy who had 27 for Wolves when he was ~28), but a 35 year old Jimenez who was clearly way past his prime and only had 5 npg for us last season. In response to that for some reason you asked me to name 5 better strikers over the past 40 years who'd played for Fulham, which I did easily. And yes, some of those names were well past their prime when they played for us (much like Raul!) but in their season or two with us they were better.

[Angus Telford]

I mean Zamora is stretching it blimey, but anyway, most of those were well out of our reach in their prime, and if Garcia this year hits any of those levels aged 22/23 he will be a £100m player and we will be rubbing ourselves

Well, speak for yourself re that last bit, but yeah, everyone would be very excited if he could produce double digit goals. However this exchange started because I noted my amusement at that piece saying it would "asking a lot" for Garcia to "replace Raul Jimenez" when the fact of the matter is we're not talking about prime Raul Jimenez (the guy who had 27 for Wolves when he was ~28), but a 35 year old Jimenez who was clearly way past his prime and only had 5 npg for us last season. In response to that for some reason you asked me to name 5 better strikers over the past 40 years who'd played for Fulham, which I did easily. And yes, some of those names were well past their prime when they played for us (much like Raul!) but in their season or two with us they were better.

You most definitely did not do it easily - query the metric on which Cole was better - but that's a debate we don't really need to have. Bottom line is even matching Raul's strike rate last season (9 PL goals in 27 starts) would be a solid return for Garcia by our standards and for a player his age.

[demeant0r]

I mean Zamora is stretching it blimey, but anyway, most of those were well out of our reach in their prime, and if Garcia this year hits any of those levels aged 22/23 he will be a £100m player and we will be rubbing ourselves

Is it really stretching it? Zamora actually had a slightly better goal per game stat (all comps) and only 2 of those goals Z scored were pens.

[Chi_FFC]

You most definitely did not do it easily - query the metric on which Cole was better

More npg and more assists in his one season with us than Raul managed in any season with us. Easy.

Bottom line is even matching Raul's strike rate last season (9 PL goals in 27 starts) would be a solid return for Garcia by our standards and for a player his age.

Eh, 7 or 8 PL npg in ~30 starts would minimally exceed Raul's fairly anemic production of 5 npg from last season (but I'd love more). As for penalties, who knows who are designated taker will be this season (may be Garcia, may not be).

[Angus Telford]

Ah, NPG, of course.
How do Cole, Jiminez and your projections for Garcia compare for NLF (non-left-footed) goals and FHE (facing the Hammersmith End) goals?
I'm sure if we arbitrarily exclude some category of goals I can win the argument.

[Chi_FFC]

Not arbitrary at all in the context of this discussion, and you know that.

[SimonDaviesEnjoyer]

Zamora at his best for us was miles better than Raul at his best for us... some of the stuff he pulled off in that Europa season was inexplicable.

[Moussa Dembele the 3rd]

Zamora at his best for us was miles better than Raul at his best for us... some of the stuff he pulled off in that Europa season was inexplicable.

Yeah he was world class the second half of that magical season.

[Angus Telford]

Zamora at his best for us was miles better than Raul at his best for us... some of the stuff he pulled off in that Europa season was inexplicable.

Yeah he was world class the second half of that magical season.

In the Europa League games for which he was fit he was better than any of the other names on this thread, absolutely world class / Balon d'or level. But over a full season he was mostly pony and never scored more than 8 PL goals.

[iansthailand]

Happy we got a centre back and another couple of midfielders which were very much needed. My only concern is our forward line and goals, I'm very interested to see how Zepa is introduced this season.

Did you see him in the U21's game against Newcastle. He has improved out of all recognition. He was devastating in the first half. His spell with the first team has done him no harm at all.

[iansthailand]

Happy we got a centre back and another couple of midfielders which were very much needed. My only concern is our forward line and goals, I'm very interested to see how Zepa is introduced this season.

Did you see him in the U21's game against Newcastle. He has improved out of all recognition. He was devastating in the first half. His spell with the first team has done him no harm at all.

We've done what we could so late in the day. I have a good feeling about Assgrabber and Hugo, think they'll turn out to be very good additions. We will need goals to come from all areas of the pitch, the key thing is going to be chance creation. I wonder if we'll sometimes set up with a low-ish block and look to use the pace of Garcia and Larsson on the counter.

I hope the transfer team are starting to think about strengthening the GK department, perhaps not in January but next summer for certain.

If fit I expect Larsson to get in the starting 11 quite quickly instead of Iwobi, and the Austrian will be gradually put in.

Great nickname.

[iansthailand]

Meanwhile at Spurs:

'Tottenham sign Chelsea pair Mudryk and Tosin'

Two dopes?

[iansthailand]

Why are there people on here constantly having digs at the "moaners". I've followed this thread through its various meanderings over the months and it hasn't seemed all that negative to me? If there is one negative post it gets jumped on by this small happy clappy brigade. Guys there's always going to be positives and negatives, both can be equally justified so get off your fellow fans backs.

Japanese Sumo son with incontinent father: Slap happy Jappy with a crap happy pappy to go with the happy clappy brigade?

[iansthailand]

Why are there people on here constantly having digs at the "moaners". I've followed this thread through its various meanderings over the months and it hasn't seemed all that negative to me? If there is one negative post it gets jumped on by this small happy clappy brigade. Guys there's always going to be positives and negatives, both can be equally justified so get off your fellow fans backs.

Japanese Sumo son with incontinent father: Slap happy Jappy with a crap happy pappy to go with the happy clappy brigade?

It's a tricky one - if you look at the incomings it's pretty good, but we missed out on a lot of targets and left it late again. Given that we needed such a rebuild, time was the one thing you couldn't buy this window.

I covered a bit more about it here if anyone fancies a longer read: Latest Craven Corner

Not getting the RCB position sorted earlier was a big mistake. Hopefully we've lucked out with Assgrabber as Bencher calls him. We do tend to get messed about too easily and retain interest for too long before moving on. The only one i can remember being successful in that regard is Kevin and perhaps Solomon.

[iansthailand]

Can we open the winter transfer thread yet? 

Soon as we get a fresh rumour...it's game on.

Fresh rumour? It won't come from the HE toilets then!

[Twig]

I mean Zamora is stretching it blimey, but anyway, most of those were well out of our reach in their prime, and if Garcia this year hits any of those levels aged 22/23 he will be a £100m player and we will be rubbing ourselves

No way is Zamora "stretching it".

[Twig]

Why are there people on here constantly having digs at the "moaners". I've followed this thread through its various meanderings over the months and it hasn't seemed all that negative to me? If there is one negative post it gets jumped on by this small happy clappy brigade. Guys there's always going to be positives and negatives, both can be equally justified so get off your fellow fans backs.

Japanese Sumo son with incontinent father: Slap happy Jappy with a crap happy pappy to go with the happy clappy brigade?

Lost me there Ian.

[iansthailand]

Why are there people on here constantly having digs at the "moaners". I've followed this thread through its various meanderings over the months and it hasn't seemed all that negative to me? If there is one negative post it gets jumped on by this small happy clappy brigade. Guys there's always going to be positives and negatives, both can be equally justified so get off your fellow fans backs.

Japanese Sumo son with incontinent father: Slap happy Jappy with a crap happy pappy to go with the happy clappy brigade?

Lost me there Ian.

Sorry Twig Happy clappy just reminded me of the old joke which involved happy, Jappy and Pappy. Just the musings of an old fart. Just leave me in the corner and i'll be alright. Too much rain here in Thailand reminding me of England.

[SimonDaviesEnjoyer]

Zamora at his best for us was miles better than Raul at his best for us... some of the stuff he pulled off in that Europa season was inexplicable.

Yeah he was world class the second half of that magical season.

In the Europa League games for which he was fit he was better than any of the other names on this thread, absolutely world class / Balon d'or level. But over a full season he was mostly pony and never scored more than 8 PL goals.

Ok, but that's better than Raul ever achieved for us.

Anyway I loved Raul so I'm not trying to dump on him, that's just how I see it.