Wednesday Fulham Stuff - 01/07/26...

[WhiteJC]

World Cup 2026: Diop the hero for Morocco

Issa Diop was Morocco's saviour as they secured a dramatic Round of 32 victory over the Netherlands in Monterrey on Monday night.

Morocco were the better team throughout but looked to be heading out after Cody Gakpo's goal, until Diop – now operating as a striker – headed home brilliantly in stoppage time from Chemsdine Taldi's deep cross.

The African side continued to take the game to their opponents in extra-time but could not find a way beyond Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, and so a penalty shootout was required.

Five of the 10 spot-kicks were missed, with Morocco holding their nerve to win 3-2 and book a Round of 16 date with Canada.

"It was just a team performance today," Diop said. "It was the whole team performing very well. We executed the plan very well, and at the end we won it.

"I'm just really exhausted! I just want to recover, and that's it."

That showdown against Canada will kick-off at 6pm (BST) in Houston on Saturday, and could see Diop – who was named Player of the Match – come up against his Fulham teammate Luc De Fougerolles.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/june/30/world-cup-2026-diop-the-hero-for-morocco/

[WhiteJC]

Why the Khans could fire Alistair Mackintosh
Could this dysfunctional chapter in Fulham history finally be coming to a close

The man known as 'Ali Mac' is less powerful than one might think.

Recent filings for Fulham Football Club detail the entity that controls the club - and its board does not include Alistair Mackintosh. This entity is called Cougar Holdco London Limited.



Cougar owns and controls Fulham football club, the stadium, the pier and everything else owned by the Khans.

So, who is on Cougar's board? Just three people - Shad Khan, Mark Lamping (current team president of the Jacksonville Jaguars) and Fulham FC's Chief Operating Officer, Darren Preston (listed on Companies House as Neville Darren Preston).

Shad and Lamping are Cougar's directors. Lamping is the one who signs the documents in the report. Lamping also serves on the board of the Fulham Football Club Limited subsidiary along with Shad Khan, Ali Mac, Preston, Tony Khan and David Daly.

In other words, Lamping is - along with Shad - technically Alistair Mackintosh's boss. This is understandable because Lamping's got a much more impressive and varied bio in sports management than Ali Mac.

The other person who Shad listens to over and above Mackintosh (and over Mark Lamping or anyone else for that matter) is Tony Khan.

Shad has made it clear that he bought Fulham, the Jaguars (and funded AEW) because he wants to work with Tony. TK told Jack Kelly that if his Dad "ever believed I was not the best person for something or if he believed he had somebody better, he would cast me aside very quickly", but that seems really, really unlikely.

Now, Tony Khan is a busy, distracted guy but - it is increasingly clear - the one thing he really wanted (and says his Dad wanted) was to keep on working with Marco Silva. As Tony said in his interview with JK:

    "I have so much respect for Marco and working with Marco the past five years has been one of the highlights of my entire life and I think it will always be one of the highlights of my life. Marco has done so much for the football club and for me personally. It is accurate to say that on Tuesday we all thought Marco would be staying and we were all thrilled about it. I have written a statement and everything I said in that statement is still very much how I feel. I really was hoping that he would be with us for the long haul."

But in the past, it seems unnamed "senior officials" at Fulham did not seem to be as fond of Marco as Tony. This came out in a piece in the Daily Mirror by Ian Ladyman, published on 25 August of last year. Ladyman wrote:

    Fulham manager Marco Silva is unhappy with the fact his club haven't signed the players he wants this summer and has said so. At boardroom level they will not stress too much. Silva is a coach who continues to improve year on year, but he has also a habit of pushing the boundaries and testing the patience of those he works for (emphasis added).

    When he was linked with the Tottenham job last June, Mail Sport spoke to a senior official at the club who just laughed. 'We are used to this with Marco,' he said. 'These stories come and go and strangely enough they usually start in Portugal. But in the end, they settle down and Marco stays here...on what is a very good contract indeed!'

Now, it would be pretty remarkable if this "senior official" who said that Marco "was on a very good contract indeed!" was Tony Khan. That - based on Tony's comments above - seems very, very unlikely.

No, the source would have to be someone else involved in negotiating a contract with Marco. One person who was involved in those negotiations was Alistair Mackintosh.

I would guess that Mackintosh and Silva may have really not liked each other very much, and that maybe it was Mackintosh's patience that Marco was testing.

Back in early May, TalkSport ran a piece claiming that Fulham, in an effort to keep Silva "offered him greater control over transfers." Marco could not easily criticize and push out Tony Khan from his current role, but perhaps he aimed to do so with the other person responsible for Fulham's questionable penchant for waiting to close deals until the end of the window - our highly paid CEO.

Marco Silva may have been a direct threat to the powers that be and someone who some higher ups at the club wanted to move on.

Interestingly, Tony Khan alluded to the responsibility of others for the delays in transfers that so frustrated Marco in his conversation with Jack Kelly:

    "(Marco) wanted to get deals done faster but that doesn't all come down to me. Getting the things done when we identify the player... there's a lot of financial levers and things that need to be pulled."

Now, Shad Khan is notoriously slow to fire his senior executives even when they deserve it. But, boy, does Shad Khan have a lot of reasons to fire Ali Mac:

    The overspending and delays related to the selection and oversight of the development of the new Riverside stand.

    The seeming failure of the club's ticket pricing strategy.

    The apparent alienation of the Fulham Supporter Trust and other fan groups.

    The many failed transfer deals, like the one with Andre where Ali Mac went to Brazil to personally negotiate or the transfer of Justin Kluivert.

It's amazing to me, given this list, that Ali Mac not only still has his job but is one of the highest paid executives in the Premier League. He must be very, very good at accounting and managing up. But, this latest failure - not retaining Marco - might just be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

Lately, there is again a disconnect between what the press says about our efforts to find a new manager and what Tony is saying. TK is insistent that the club is still talking to two candidates and yet we continually get - seemingly sourced by higher ups at the club - stories about how the club is only talking to one candidate (Arbeloa).

It will be interesting to see what happens next. Likely whoever we hire will have done their research about the club and have read about Marco's concerns and frustrations (and maybe even talked to his team in the background) and may well push the Khans to finally make a change as a part of the deal to join.

A new coach demanding better management was exactly how the Khans were persuaded to finally move on from mediocre management at the Jacksonville Jaguars. So, it will be interesting to see what happens with Fulham's management after we hire our next coach.

I for one hope that it will be time for a change.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/p/why-the-khans-could-fire-alistair

[WhiteJC]

Fulham enter bidding war for Arbeloa's request – PL side also keen on another player
Fulham have made advances to appoint Álvaro Arbeloa as their new manager.

Last week, we relayed news that the Premier League side's project convinced him to snub AC Milan.

Fulham are yet to make this appointment official while the incoming manager is already at work. He will arrive in London after working at Real Madrid at various levels, including their first team.

Arbeloa is keeping tabs on Real Madrid youngster Manuel Ángel and he isn't the only one on his radar.

Fulham keen on Real Madrid player
Real Madrid's César Palacios has played under Álvaro Arbeloa, both for the reserves and first team.

Noticias de Navarra cover Fulham's interest in the attacking midfielder when reporting the latest on CA Osasuna.

The London club are close to appointing the Spaniard as Marco Silva's successor and this could spoil the La Liga side's plans.

Osasuna are keen on signing the 21-year-old and now face a 'significant hurdle' because Fulham have entered the bidding war for the Real Madrid youngster at Arbeola's request.

He managed Palacios at Real Madrid and that gives the English club an advantage in the transfer race. This, coupled with Fulham's spending power, gives an edge over Osasuna.

Como are also keen on Palacios and could challenge Fulham for his signature.

Osasuna defender Enzo Boyomo is also of interest to the Premier League side.

Three days ago, Sport Witness covered claims that the London club, Everton and Ipswich Town are battling for the 24-year-old centre-back. He's valued at €25m and is open to a Premier League move.

Noticias de Navarra now back up Fulham's interest in the Cameroon international. His club are calm because they haven't received any offers so far.

Contracts, values and agent info
César Palacios has a contract until 2027, and Enzo Boyomo's contract expires in 2029.

Transfermarkt value the Real Madrid player and CA Osasuna star at €7.5m and €15m respectively.

British agency CAA Stellar manage Palacios and All Iron Sports represent the defender.



https://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-enter-bidding-war-for-signing-at-arbeloas-request-pl-side-also-keen-on-another-player/

[WhiteJC]

2026/27 Matchday Hospitality On Sale
Matchday Hospitality experiences are now available for all of Fulham's 2026/27 Premier League fixtures.

As anticipation starts building for another Premier League campaign, join us in The Riverside next season for our award-winning hospitality experiences.

Be there for the fixtures you want to attend, with Fulham beginning the season against Chelsea on Monday 24th August, kick-off 8pm, before Crystal Palace & Manchester United visit Craven Cottage in September.

Browse experiences and purchase online for any of Fulham's 19 Premier League fixtures today to benefit from the best available choice of matches, experiences, and seats.

BUY ONLINE

A NEW HOME FOR HOSPITALITY SALES

We're pleased to share the new digital home for Matchday Hospitality is available to access through our dedicated website - hospitality.fulhamfc.com.

Designed to improve the supporter experience, hospitality.fulhamfc.com contains all the information you need, including videos and imagery as well as sample menus, providing fans the opportunity to explore and compare all Hospitality experiences.

The new hospitality site is connected to the Club's OneFulham Account single sign on - providing greater flexibility and allowing a more personalised experience. Users can self-manage their matchday, including the ability to manage dietary requirements and send personal invitations to guests.

To take a look around the new website and find the perfect Hospitality experience for you, please click here.

VIEW THE NEW WEBSITE

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/june/30/2026-27-matchday-hospitality-now-on-sale/

[WhiteJC]

Como lead Trevoh Chalobah chase, face Crystal Palace, Fulham threat
Serie A outfit Como have emerged as the front-runners to sign Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah this summer.

Crystal Palace and Fulham also have serious interest in Trevoh Chalobah, and they could yet compete for his signature. According to a report by TEAMtalk, Cesc Fabregas's ambitious side have already opened discussions with Chelsea over a potential transfer as they look to strengthen ahead of their first-ever UEFA Champions League campaign.

The Blues have rejected Como's opening proposal, reportedly worth around £22 million, and are demanding a package closer to £40 million. Chelsea are willing to cash in on the 26-year-old this summer despite his impressive performances during the 2025/26 campaign.

Chalobah featured prominently as injuries disrupted the club's defensive options, making himself an important member of the squad and earning a late call-up to England's World Cup squad. The Cobham academy graduate is understood to be open to a move to Como, where he would reunite with former Chelsea midfielder Fabregas.

The high-flying Serie A club have made rapid progress under the Spaniard's management and are looking to build a squad capable of competing on multiple fronts after securing Champions League qualification.

Crystal Palace and Fulham want Chalobah
Crystal Palace are monitoring Chalobah's situation closely as they assess defensive reinforcements. The centre-back enjoyed a successful loan spell at Selhurst Park previously and remains well regarded by the South London club.

Palace's transfer strategy could shift if they lose key defender Maxence Lacroix to Chelsea, who have targeted the French international as part of new manager Xabi Alonso's defensive rebuild. That loss would increase Palace's motivation to bring Chalobah back to Selhurst Park.

Fulham are also keeping tabs on developments and could enter the race should Chelsea indicate a willingness to negotiate. The Cottagers have admired Chalobah for some time and may look to capitalise if Como fail to meet Chelsea's valuation.

Chelsea's stance appears clear. While the West London club are prepared to sanction Chalobah's departure, they are unwilling to compromise on their asking price. As a homegrown player, any transfer fee would represent pure profit under the Premier League's financial regulations, giving the Blues little incentive to accept a discounted offer.

The race now hinges on whether Como can meet Chelsea's £40 million valuation or if Crystal Palace or Fulham decide to hijack the deal with a bid close to the asking price.




https://thehardtackle.com/transfer-news/2026/06/30/como-lead-trevoh-chalobah-chase-face-crystal-palace-fulham-threat/

[WhiteJC]

Liverpool monitor 74 G/A Premier League star subject of Aston Villa, Fulham enquiries
Aston Villa and Fulham have both made enquiries over the availability of Bournemouth star Marcus Tavernier – a player we can exclusively reveal is now on Liverpool's radar too – with TEAMtalk explaining the Cherries' stance on allowing one of their most consistent stars of recent times to leave this summer.

The 27-year-old attacking midfielder enjoyed arguably the best campaign of his career under Andoni Iraola, reinventing himself in a more central attacking role and finishing the season with 11 goal contributions as Bournemouth secured a historic sixth-placed finish in the Premier League.

His performances, which have yielded 74 goals and assists from 280 senior games, have not gone unnoticed. Sources can reveal that both Aston Villa and Fulham have now made checks on Tavernier's situation as they assess attacking reinforcements ahead of the new season.

Villa are weighing up a number of creative midfield options as uncertainty continues to surround the future of Morgan Rogers.

The England international remains the subject of strong interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and his former club Manchester City, and while Villa remain determined to keep him, they are preparing contingency plans.

Sources have confirmed Tavernier is among the players admired by Villa's recruitment team, with his versatility and Premier League experience viewed as major attractions.

Fulham are also firmly in the picture. The Cottagers are expected to confirm Alvaro Arbeloa as their new head coach this week and preparations for the Spaniard's first transfer window are already well underway.

Replacing the creativity, goals and assists of Harry Wilson – who is leaving on a free transfer to join Leeds – has emerged as one of Fulham's priorities, and we understand that they see Tavernier as a player who could fit that brief and add a creative spark to their squad, which will be badly impacted by Wilson's departure.

Liverpool also among Marcus Tavernier admirers
Despite the growing interest, sources have stressed that Bournemouth have absolutely no intention of allowing one of their key players to leave.

Tavernier still has three years remaining on his current contract, and sources have made it clear that the Cherries are not looking to dismantle Marco Rose's squad before the German has even had the opportunity to begin work on the south coast.

The club have already taken a similarly firm stance over Alex Scott, rejecting approaches and insisting the England midfielder is not for sale.

That position also extends to Tavernier. However, Bournemouth's resolve has done little to cool interest from elsewhere.

TEAMtalk understands Newcastle United continue to monitor Tavernier closely as they assess several attacking options this summer.

Liverpool are also keeping a close eye on developments and have a new admiration owing, in the main, to Iraola's Anfield earlier this summer.

The Spaniard retains a strong appreciation of Tavernier after overseeing the most productive football of his career at Bournemouth.

However, sources are adamant that neither Newcastle nor Liverpool have yet made formal approaches, though both clubs remain firmly informed of the player's situation and are keeping a strong watching brief.

For now, Bournemouth remain relaxed.

The club are determined to give Rose every opportunity to build on the foundations laid in recent seasons and do not want to sanction the departure of another important first-team player.



https://www.teamtalk.com/news/liverpool-aston-villa-hijack-fulham-move-marcus-tavernier-perfect-harry-wilson-heir

[WhiteJC]

Fulham make contact to sign Trevoh Chalobah with Chelsea now open to £34.5m sale
Fulham have now made their first move to sign Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah, and the defender's stance on a Stamford Bridge exit has been revealed.

Chalobah is currently with England at the World Cup, having been called-up by Thomas Tuchel following Tino Livramento's withdrawal from the squad due to injury.

Since then, Tuchel has also lost Reece James and potentially Jarrell Quansah, in what has turned into an injury crisis at right-back.

"A classic ankle twist and he is in pain," the England boss said about Quansah's injury. "He said he had it before and it is a matter of days. He has his leg up high and in ice. Naturally of course [I am worried about the right-back situation] - we have another injury in the position.

"It will be a tight race for Reece James and a tight race for Jarell Quansah but it is our job to find solutions and we will do."

With injuries mounting up, Chalobah could be in line to earn his second cap for the Three Lions, but at club level, his future at Chelsea remains very much up in the air.

Football FanCast's Verdict

Credibility	Fulham are already well-stocked at centre-back, with the likes of Calvin Bassey, Issa Diop, Joachim Andersen and Jorge Cuenca at their disposal. However, the Chelsea defender is also capable of playing at right-back, and Timothy Castagne's contract is set to expire in a year's time.
Finances	The Cottagers may have to shell out £34.5m to sign the one-cap England international, with their west London rivals setting a lofty asking price. The 26-year-old could also be due a pay rise, considering he earns £50,000-a-week at Stamford Bridge, making him one of the lower earners.
Insight	It is perhaps no surprise Tuchel called the Cobham academy graduate up to replace Livramento, given that he described him as "fantastic" during his time at Stamford Bridge. Since then, he has become a key player for the Blues, making 34 Premier League appearances last season.
Impact	It would be strange for Fulham to spend in excess of £30m on a back-up player, so the likes of Bassey, Diop and Andersen may have to fight for their place in the side if Chalobah arrives,

Fulham ramping up pursuit of Chalobah
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Fulham have now made contact regarding a deal for Chalobah, with their rivals willing to cash-in if they receive £34.5m.

The Englishman is open to leaving his boyhood club this summer, with the prospect of joining Como of great appeal, given that the Italian side are set to play in the Champions League next season.

Trevoh Chalobah could be ideal for Alvaro Arbeloa
Fulham are widely reported to be closing in on Albaro Arbeloa as Marco Silva's successor, and analyst Ander Cotorro has explained what style of play the former Real Madrid manager could implement.

Speaking about Arbeloa's Real Madrid Castilla side, Cotorro said: "It was a team that, beyond its aggression and desire to defend high up the pitch, tried to create things through combination play and passing."

The system was likened to Barcelona's, which suggests the Spaniard will need to have players comfortable in possession of the ball at Craven Cottage, and Chalobah averaged 68.7 accurate passes per 90 in the Premier League last season, which was more than any other Chelsea player.

The Fulham target ranked second for clearances per 90 too, averaging 5.8, which suggests he is also solid from a defensive point of view, so it is exciting news they have been making moves to secure his signature.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-make-transfer-contact-trevoh-chalobah-chelsea/

[WhiteJC]

Bournemouth face battle to keep attacker as Aston Villa, Fulham 'enquire' over transfer
Aston Villa and Fulham are reportedly interested in signing Bournemouth attacker Marcus Tavernier.

The 27-year-old has scored 20 goals and provided 17 assists in 125 competitive appearances since joining Bournemouth from Middlesbrough in 2022.

Tavernier featured in 34 Premier League matches in the 2025-26 campaign, registering 11 goal contributions to help Bournemouth secure European qualification for the first time in their history.

However, it remains to be seen whether Tavernier will still be on the south coast for Marco Rose's first season in charge.

Villa, Fulham make Tavernier enquiry
According TEAMtalk, Villa and Fulham are both showing a keen interest in signing the attacking midfielder, who can also play as a winger.

Villa and Fulham have both enquired over Tavernier's availability, with the former considering potential replacements for Morgan Rogers.

Arsenal are believed to be keen to sign the England international, although it could cost an astronomical £130m fee to secure his services.

Fulham, meanwhile, need to replace Wales international Harry Wilson, who opted against signing a new contract with the west London club.

Liverpool are also keeping tabs on Tavernier's situation, although they are yet to make contact over a potential move to reunite with the attacker with Andoni Iraola.

What is Bournemouth's transfer stance?
The Cherries are said to be keen to retain Tavernier's services as they look to retain key players ahead of their foray into European competition.

Tavernier only signed a new contract last September to extend his stay with Bournemouth until the summer of 2029.

As a result, Bournemouth are under no contractual pressure to consider offers for one of their key attackers.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/bournemouth/transfer-talk/news/villa-fulham-enquire-over-move-for-bournemouth-star_600420.html

[Bassey the warrior]

Fulham enter bidding war for Arbeloa's request – PL side also keen on another player
Fulham have made advances to appoint Álvaro Arbeloa as their new manager.

Last week, we relayed news that the Premier League side's project convinced him to snub AC Milan.

Fulham are yet to make this appointment official while the incoming manager is already at work. He will arrive in London after working at Real Madrid at various levels, including their first team.

Arbeloa is keeping tabs on Real Madrid youngster Manuel Ángel and he isn't the only one on his radar.

Fulham keen on Real Madrid player
Real Madrid's César Palacios has played under Álvaro Arbeloa, both for the reserves and first team.

Noticias de Navarra cover Fulham's interest in the attacking midfielder when reporting the latest on CA Osasuna.

The London club are close to appointing the Spaniard as Marco Silva's successor and this could spoil the La Liga side's plans.

Osasuna are keen on signing the 21-year-old and now face a 'significant hurdle' because Fulham have entered the bidding war for the Real Madrid youngster at Arbeola's request.

He managed Palacios at Real Madrid and that gives the English club an advantage in the transfer race. This, coupled with Fulham's spending power, gives an edge over Osasuna.

Como are also keen on Palacios and could challenge Fulham for his signature.

Osasuna defender Enzo Boyomo is also of interest to the Premier League side.

Three days ago, Sport Witness covered claims that the London club, Everton and Ipswich Town are battling for the 24-year-old centre-back. He's valued at €25m and is open to a Premier League move.

Noticias de Navarra now back up Fulham's interest in the Cameroon international. His club are calm because they haven't received any offers so far.

Contracts, values and agent info
César Palacios has a contract until 2027, and Enzo Boyomo's contract expires in 2029.

Transfermarkt value the Real Madrid player and CA Osasuna star at €7.5m and €15m respectively.

British agency CAA Stellar manage Palacios and All Iron Sports represent the defender.



https://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-enter-bidding-war-for-signing-at-arbeloas-request-pl-side-also-keen-on-another-player/

Remains to be seen if there's any substance to these rumours and I've got no idea how good these players are, but according to Google Palacios is an AM. Could this impede King's development?