Saturday Fulham Stuff - 20/06/26...

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Our 2026/27 #PL fixtures!

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A huge win in an emotional game for Luc De Fougerolles and Canada. 💪🍁

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World Cup 2026: Luc's Canada record huge win
Luc De Fougerolles and Canada recorded a first ever World Cup win with a comprehensive 6-0 victory over Qatar.

With 31 shots and nearly 80 per cent possession, Canada were relentless in a dominant performance, although their task was made easier by Julen Lopetegui's side picking up two red cards.

Cyle Larin's poacher's goal was quickly followed up by a thumping volley from Juventus striker Jonathan David.

De Fougerolles nearly registered his first World Cup assist when his incisive pass found David in the box, but the striker's effort looped over the crossbar via a deflection.

Qatar's evening went from bad to worse when Homam Ahmed was sent off for pulling back Tajon Buchanan, and David added his second before the half was out.

The second half was overshadowed by an injury to Ismaël Koné, which led to the Canada midfielder being stretchered off and another red card for Qatar.

Nathan Saliba's delightful free-kick made it four, and De Fougerolles was substituted soon after following another accomplished performance. An own goal from Mohamed Manai and David's hat-trick finish completed the rout.

The win takes Canada top of the group, and the motivation to stay there will be high, as Jesse Marsch's side would play their Round of 32 and Round of 16 games in Canada should they finish at the summit of Group B. They face Switzerland on Wednesday 24th June, kick-off 8pm BST.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/june/19/world-cup-2026-lucs--canada-record-huge-win/

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Fulham prepare fresh bid for youngster after Bayern reject opening offer
Fulham are reportedly preparing a second offer to make Jonah Kusi-Asare's loan move permanent after Bayern Munich rejected their opening bid.

Bayern Munich have rejected an initial €3 million offer from Fulham for 18-year-old forward Jonas Kusi-Asare, according to Bild podcast Bayern Insider.

Nevertheless, Fulham remain interested in signing the youngster permanently after his one-year loan spell in London, with the report suggesting the Premier League side are preparing a second bid.

Kusi-Asare made just 10 first-team appearances for Fulham's first team last season without scoring.

Bayern signed the striker from Swedish side AIK for €3.5 million in 2024, and he now has one year left on his contract.



https://bulinews.com/fulham-prepare-fresh-bid-for-youngster-after-bayern-reject-opening-offer

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Fulham and Sunderland 'ready to invest' in centre-back – Around €30m will prove convincing
Attention around Parma's Mariano Troilo is growing, with Fulham and Sunderland battling for his signature.

The centre-back joined the Italian club from Belgrano in 2025. After a slow start, the Argentine grew in stature and played 21 times in Serie A. He started each of the club's last seven league games, helping them swerve relegation.

The defender made sure that Parma never felt Giovanni Leoni's absence. He replicated the Italian's impact, after he departed for Liverpool last summer.

Sport Witness have covered how Troilo himself is attracting attention from clubs, with Brentford appearing keen. There are signs a move to Fulham or Sunderland can go through this summer.

Parma's valuation clear
ParmaLive note Troilo's second half of the season specifically attracted interest from multiple clubs.

Fulham and Sunderland are 'ready to invest' in his signing and have been left impressed by his skillset. They are leading the race for the 22-year-old, with Parma said to be confident about the player's potential.

Ideally, they wouldn't be keen on selling him. However, the realities of Italian football mean that they's accept €30m, which could potentially come down further.



https://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-and-sunderland-ready-to-invest-in-centre-back-around-e30m-will-prove-convincing/

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USMNT star Ricardo Pepi facing 'tricky' transfer conundrum as Fulham & striker-needy Premier League teams monitor 19-goal PSV forward
Ricardo Pepi is on World Cup duty with the USMNT, putting him in the global shop window, but Kasey Keller has told GOAL why the PSV striker faces a "tricky" decision when it comes to his future and mounting Premier League transfer speculation. The 23-year-old frontman attracted interest from Fulham during the winter, with more approaches from England expected to be made with the summer market of 2026 now open for business.

Fulham backed out of deal for Pepi but need a striker
Pepi was prevented from leaving the Netherlands before the last deadline passed, but was said to have seen a deal worth upwards of £30 million ($40m) agreed after undergoing a medical in west London.

Fulham have reportedly backed away from said agreement, as they wanted an opt-out clause to be included ahead of the summer window, but talks could resume - particularly if the highly-rated frontman impresses for his country on the grandest of international stages.

The Cottagers have lost experienced Mexican forward Raul Jimenez, after seeing him reach the end of his contract and return to Wolves as a free agent, meaning that more firepower needs to be acquired ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

Does Fulham move make sense for player & club?
A swoop for Pepi would appear to make sense for club and player, with ex-USMNT keeper Keller - speaking in association with William Hill - Final One Standing - telling GOAL when asked about potential benefits for all concerned: "The one tricky part for me is with Ricardo - the same thing with Gio Reyna - at PSV, he was playing more coming off the bench because of the personnel that were in front of him there.

"There's a part of me that says, 'stay at PSV until you establish yourself as the starter and then make the move'. But then there's also a part of me that's like, if Fulham think he's the right guy and he thinks he's the right guy and is ready for that opportunity, then go and see if it's the right move for you.

"It's a little tricky, but if you get that opportunity to play in the Premier League, improve yourself, go for it."

Is USMNT striker Pepi Premier League-ready?
Pepi has made impressive progress since stepping out of his MLS comfort zone at FC Dallas in January 2022 and linking up with German outfit Augsburg. He was given little opportunity to catch the eye there, but plundered 13 goals during a loan spell at Groningen in 2022-23.

Those exploits secured a switch to PSV, with the target being found on 45 occasions in Eindhoven through 102 appearances - becoming a three-time Eredivisie title winner in the process.

His output has been increasingly year on year, with a personal-best return of 19 goals being posted last season. Pressed on whether Pepi is now Premier League-ready, former Leicester, Tottenham and Fulham shot-stopper Keller added: "Now that's the tricky part. And we've seen that before with the transition for goal scorers from the Eredivisie to that next step. It's not been consistent for a lot of players when they've made that move.

"I saw Ricardo in the friendly the other day [against Senegal], start the match. And the one thing that I really liked about it, you have strikers that if they don't score a goal for you, they don't give you anything. And then you have other strikers that are linking up, they're there, they're the first line of defense, they're pressing, they're good defensively on corners. There's other attributes they give you besides scoring goals.

"Yes, of course, strikers have to score goals, but sometimes when they offer you more, and I think that's sometimes even more important at a club like Fulham where mid-table is great - anything above that's a bonus and if you're not looking over your shoulder come March, then fantastic.

"So sometimes it's not about finding a 30-goal-a-season scorer. It's about a guy that's going to give you 10, 12, if you get more than that, bonus, but he gives you other things as well. I think Ricardo can do that."



https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/usmnt-ricardo-pepi-tricky-transfer-fulham-premier-league-psv/blte0b254dcd9805e0d?utm_id=fa3iys5y8hyz9ezk&utm_source_platform=newsnow

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Ex-Preston North End and Fulham man announces retirement and lands head coach role
The winger has called time on his playing career

Ex-Preston North End man Ben Pringle has retired and landed a head coach role in the UAE Second Division.

The winger had tormented the Lilywhites during the 2013/14 League One play-offs, while at Rotherham United. He joined PNE two summers later, for an undisclosed fee from Fulham, but only made 10 appearances in three years.

Pringle had loan spells at Oldham, Grimsby and Tranmere while on Preston's books and went on to later represent Gillingham, Morecambe and Altrincham. He then moved out to Dubai and played for Fleetwood United, before finishing at Precision FC.

The 37-year-old has now been appointed as head coach of the club, having been there for the last couple of years. They were founded three years ago by Sonny Cobbs and play in the United Arab Emirates' third tier of football.

Posting on Instagram, Pringle wrote: 'It's a wrap. From working in All Saints and playing part-time... to 22 years in the maddest game on the planet, it's now time to retire from playing.

'This game has given me an unbelievable life and memories on and off the pitch that I will take to the grave and forever be grateful for.

'To my family - thank you for the love, backing and support from day 1 to the very last kick and being with me every step of the way. It would not have been possible without you all ❤️

'Last slide (🤣) 15 years old and just signed for WBA, wish I could go back and tell him to enjoy it even more, after all, he lived out his dream as a professional footballer... The best job in the world ❤️❤️❤️'

Pringle on PNE spell
Speaking to BBC Lancashire in 2024, the former Ipswich Town man said: "There were a couple of things. At Fulham we had four managers in five months, which wasn't great, especially as I'd just moved.

"Preston, I'd say partly was my fault. To stay at Preston for three years and play only 10 games was probably the start of it all, to be honest.

"But there were things I could've done which would've helped my situation. My attitude back then wasn't the best, so it was probably a bit of both. But, I'd say that was certainly the start of the time when I just fell out of love with the game."



https://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/preston-north-end/preston-north-end-news-ben-pringle-fulham-morecambe-fc-tranmere-gillingham-grimsby-oldham-athletic-8750900

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Five players Chelsea could sign to replace Marc Cucurella – including Newcastle & Fulham stars
A look at the players Chelsea have been linked with as they search for a replacement for Marc Cucurella.

Chelsea didn't have any say in the matter when Real Madrid swooped in to take Marc Cucurella away from them – a release clause was activated, and the Spaniard was gone in the blink of an eye. It's a move which leaves the Blues with both a headache and £52m burning a hole in their pocket.

The club have Jorrel Hato on the books but the young Dutchman struggled to find consistent form, and while Levi Colwill can fill in at left-back he's generally at his best when playing through the middle. That means that Chelsea will almost certainly need to find a new left-back – and we've looked at the shortlist they've put together, according to the rumours and reports already swirling around Stamford Bridge.

Alejandro Grimaldo – Bayer Leverkusen
Grimaldo was a hugely important part of new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso's invincible Bayer Leverkusen team of the 2023/24 season – and was just as impressive over the course of the last year, when he scored 14 goals and provided 12 assists in the Bundesliga.

As that statline suggests, Grimaldo is at least as much of a winger as he is a wing-back, and he would represent an attacking and aggressive signing – and one that Alonso knows very well. TEAMtalk are among a handful of gossip outlets to suggest that the head coach has been pushing Grimaldo's case. The 30-year-old is currently with Spain's squad at the World Cup, which could slow any negotiations down.

The 3AM Verdict: Chelsea's transfer policy is based around signing younger players, and Grimaldo would be the oldest player that Chelsea have signed since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – but if Alonso really has been given greater influence over transfers, that could change. Grimaldo also has just one year left on his contract at Leverkusen, which would make a deal both cheaper and easier to get done. The rumours are plausible.

Lewis Hall – Newcastle United
Another name doing the gossip column rounds, Hall came up through the Chelsea academy ranks before joining Newcastle in a deal worth up to £35m. Now, it's suggested, his former employers could make a bid to bring him back.

Sports Boom are among the rumourmongers who reckon that Chelsea are keen on Hall, who's also of interest to Manchester United. Newcastle, for their part, will only part with one of their best players for a very significant sum, and even then would think twice, but Hall ticks Chelsea's boxes – young, dynamic, with plenty of room to grow and develop resale value.

The 3AM Verdict: We suspect the rumours linking Chelsea with Hall are smoke without fire for now, and more reliable media outlets suggest that Newcastle intend to keep hold of the 21-year-old. The scale of the outlay involved doesn't help to add a veneer of plausibility to the story, either. Chelsea may well want Hall, but that doesn't mean they're all that likely to get their wish.

Antonee Robinson – Fulham
The same string of stories connecting Chelsea with Hall also mentioned Robinson, the 28-year-old Fulham full-back who is currently playing for the United States in the 2026 World Cup.

His last season was somewhat curtailed by injury he remains among the most reliable overlapping full-backs in the Premier League and racked up 10 assists in the 2024/25 campaign. Robinson has two years left on his contract, suggesting that we may be entering a period in which Fulham might consider a sale for a fair price.

The 3AM Verdict: Robinson's name feels like it's being tacked on to stories about Hall and others, and he doesn't make much sense as a target – if Chelsea are willing to go for an older target, then a player like Grimaldo, who would likely be cheaper and who has history with Alonso, makes more sense. Robinson is also coming off something of a down year in terms of both fitness and form.

Andrea Cambiaso – Juventus
Italy international Cambiaso is a versatile player who can operate as a full-back or as a winger on either side and has long been admired by several Premier League sides, not least Manchester City and Liverpool – which means there could be competition if Chelsea do make a move for the Juventus star.

The good news is that Cambiaso is almost certainly available. Their failure to reach the 2026/27 Champions League means that Juventus are expected to sanction the sale of Cambiaso to cover the financial shortfall, and Italian outlet Gazetta dello Sport report that Chelsea are hoping to engineer a part-exchange deal involving Nicolas Jackson.

The 3AM Verdict: A perfectly plausible story, even if there is some risk of a bidding war. Cambiaso is almost certainly available, the price would be substantial but not outrageous, and he's a proven performer at the top level. We wouldn't be at all surprised if he ended up at Stamford Bridge, although whether or not a deal involves Jackson is another matter entirely.

Honest Ahanor – Atalanta
Another Serie A player who may be on Chelsea's radar, Ahanor is only 21 but already has two caps for Italy and is starting to draw plenty of interest from elite sides – including the Blues, according to reports from a handful of outlets including Caught Offside.

Able to play either as a centre-back or a left-back, a bid for Ahanor would represent a continuation of the club's youth-first transfer philosophy but wouldn't come cheap. Atalanta seldom sell their brightest prospects for below market value, and would apparently want at least £50m – as much as Chelsea earned from the sale of Cucurella.

The 3AM Verdict: We doubt that a deal for Ahanor is a serious possibility. Atalanta don't usually sell players they don't want to, and the sources for this story aren't very strong at all. If Chelsea wanted to break the bank, they'd be far more likely to take a tilt at Hall first.



https://www.3addedminutes.com/sport/football/chelsea-fc/five-players-chelsea-replace-cucurella-8749080

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Manchester United Are Keeping Tabs On This Fulham Left-Back: What Will He Add To Carrick's Side?
In a recent report, Sky Sports revealed that Manchester United are keeping tabs on Fulham left-back Antonee Robinson. It has been mentioned that the Red Devils have identified the United States defender as a target for this transfer window.

Robinson's Decent Season In The Premier League
Robinson had a solid campaign at Fulham recently as he was responsible for putting in a few impressive displays for them in the Premier League. The United States talent netted one goal and grabbed one assist in 26 matches for the Cottagers last season across all competitions.

The 28-year-old is currently among the most talented full-backs in the Premier League. Therefore, Man United would do well to lure him to the Theatre of Dreams this off-season.

His current contract at Craven Cottage will run out in the summer of 2028, which could make it difficult for the Red Devils to land him on a cut-price deal in this transfer window.

What Will Robinson Add To Manchester United Boss Michael Carrick's Side?
Robinson is a good tackler of the ball and can read the danger well to make some important interceptions for his side inside his half. He doesn't mind clearing his lines when required and is a tidy passer as well.

The United States international is primarily a left-back but can also serve as a left-sided wide player if told to do so by his manager. Robinson can also chip in by scoring and creating the odd goal for his team from the left flank. He has got some experience in the Premier League and won't take much time to settle into life at Old Trafford.

We can expect Robinson to bring more quality and depth to Man United's defence. He has what it takes to compete for a regular starting role at the Mancunian club in the coming seasons.

At 28, Robinson has his best years ahead of him, which makes him a good choice for the Red Devils to consider in this transfer window. He will also help Man United compete across all fronts in the future. Hence, Carrick would be wise to move in for him this summer but only if they can get him on board for a reasonable fee.



https://the4thofficial.net/2026/06/manchester-united-are-keeping-tabs-on-this-fulham-left-back-what-will-he-add-to-carricks-side/