Wednesday Fulham Stuff - 04/02/26...

[WhiteJC]

Ikpeba reveals possible reason Fulham coach benched Super Eagles CB Bassey in thriller against Man Utd
Former Super Eagles forward Victor Ikpeba has offered insight into why Fulham manager Marco Silva left Calvin Bassey on the bench against Manchester United, suggesting fatigue may have influenced the decision.

Bassey, who had been a regular starter for Fulham, is yet to start a Premier League match since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The former Ajax defender was introduced late in Fulham's 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford on Sunday, coming on in the 86th minute to replace Jorge Cuenca as the Cottagers looked to stay solid and push for a late comeback.

Speaking on Bassey's absence from the first team, Ikpeba said the congested fixture schedule could have influenced Silva's call.

He stressed that the physical demands of modern football make squad rotation unavoidable, noting that players sometimes need rest to cope with the intensity of successive matches.

"Maybe fatigue, I don't know. Maybe, he had some issues. It happens sometimes. These players are not machines," Ikpeba said on SuperSport's Monday Night Football, monitored by allnigeriasoccer.com.

"Maybe, the manager feels that Calvin needs a little bit of a breather because the games are coming simultaneously. Sometimes the players need some breaks."

The Nigerian international has been a key figure for the Cottagers this season, featuring in every Premier League match before departing to represent Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Ahead of Fulham's clash against Everton, Bassey will be hoping to reclaim his place in the starting lineup and play a key role in helping the side return to winning ways.

Adeyemi Adewale



https://allnigeriasoccer.com/ikpeba-reveals-possible-reason-fulham-coach-benched-super-eagles-cb-bassey-in-thriller-against-man-utd

[WhiteJC]

Why the January window should leave us excited for the summer
As the window closes, Drew Heatley says January might represent a change in tack for the Whites.

It appears the tide may be changing on the banks of the Thames.

Yes, one swallow doesn't make a summer, and one Oscar Bobb doesn't make a shift in transfer strategy, but I'm left feeling optimistic about our future activity as the window slams shut (TM) on the January transfer window.

When it was all said and done, we brought one player - the aforementioned Bobb, Man City's highly-rated grad. And while, on the face of it, that's not a huge amount of activity, it's a far cry from our traditional January movements.

Typically, our January movements are about fighting fires; plugging the gaps in our squad to get us closer to our short-term objectives - often with little thought given. The running gag is "break glass for Willian", and rightly so. But you can add ineffective stop-gaps like Armando Broja and Cedric Soares to that list, among a litany of others.

Before Bobb, we spent actual money just once in January in more than a decade - a reported £8m on Sasa Lukic. That was shrewd in the sense that the writing was on the wall regarding Joao Palhinha's stay in SW6 - and that writing was German. So, getting the Serb through the door, perhaps earlier than planned, made sense. Before that, it was Kostas Mitroglou - but that was a different time.

The signing of Oscar Bobb was framed as a replacement for Adama Traore by Marco Silva, and what an upgrade. What it also says (to me at least) is that we're finally looking closer at the market for opportunities. Not just to raise the floor of this squad, but to uncover deals and secure prospects faster than our rivals - and for a better price.

The deal that never was, of course, was Ricardo Pepi. Yes, he had a broken arm, and yes PSV were clearly reticent to do business in January, but we were steadfast in our interest in the USMNT international and saw that through, with the clear ambition to return to the deal in the summer.

Old Fulham might have switched in a panic to a second-choice target, which would've been a harder sell and possibly less of a fit. Pepi is clearly earmarked as the replacement for soon-to-be out-of-contract Raul Jimenez. I expect him to arrive in the summer - and with a longer runway to do a deal, plus less time on Pepi's contract, perhaps we could save a few quid, too.

Elizabeth spoke on Saturday about the elephants in the room: Harry Wilson and Marco Silva, and more specifically, their futures. Our January strategy says to me that Silva's verbally agreed something with the club.

"Backing the manager" doesn't just mean splashing as much cash on as many players as possible. It means working with him to identify quality, and securing that early. That's what it looks like we've done. That would address some of Marco's biggest complaints in recent windows, which could be enough to get him to commit. Perhaps he already has.

Look, this optimistic outlook is, frankly, uncomfortable for me - and presents the very real possibility of leaving egg on my face. But during a window where, traditionally, there is little-to-no value, we have gone about our business quietly, confidently, and - largely - successfully.

Perhaps naively, that leaves me excited. The proof is in the pudding, and that comes out of the oven in the summer. To torture that metaphor further: how sweet would that pudding taste if I'm right? You Whites.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/p/why-the-january-window-should-leave

[WhiteJC]

Exclusive: Fulham offered multiple formulas to get Ricardo Pepi deal over the line
PSV Eindhoven rejected multiple late attempts from Fulham to get a deadline-day deal for Ricardo Pepi over the line, sources have told Football Insider.

The Premier League club offered £33million for the forward, 23, as well as multiple formulas to secure an agreement.

These included a buy-to-loan deal that would have seen Pepi remain at PSV until the summer.

But the Dutch Eredivisie club knocked back Fulham's concerted effort to land the USA international, mainly because they ran out of time to secure a replacement.

PSV also regard Pepi as a prized asset, and his value could increase by the summer if he has a strong second half of the season.

Fulham move for Ricardo Pepi derailed by Troy Parrott enquiry
Football Insider revealed on deadline day that Fulham's move for Ricardo Pepi had hit the rocks after PSV had seen an enquiry for Troy Parrott rejected.

The Irishman has seen his stock rise significantly in recent months amid a campaign that has already seen him hit 11 goals from just 16 Eredivisie games, but AZ Alkmaar were not willing to sell him.

Parrott had been subject to Premier League interest throughout the January window, but AZ Alkmaar remained strong in their stance that he was not for sale, and that persisted right up until the deadline.

As a result, Fulham saw the rug pulled from underneath them as they chased a move to add Pepi to their attacking ranks, with PSV unwilling to cash in on him without first securing a replacement.

In the end, the two parties both ran out of time to conclude their respective deals, and that has resulted in Pepi staying put in the Netherlands.

The Cottagers ultimately made it through deadline day without adding a new face to their squad, leaving Oscar Bobb as their only new arrival of the window.

Fulham in race for Raheem Sterling
Football Insider recently revealed that Fulham have registered their interest in Raheem Sterling after his contract was terminated at Chelsea last week.

West Ham and Crystal Palace are also keen on the idea of signing the 31-year-old, and are prepared to offer him the chance to join up with their squads outside the transfer window, given that he is now a free agent.

Marco Silva's Fulham have their eyes on bringing the former England international to Craven Cottage, but they are also set to face competition from abroad, with the likes of Napoli and Union Berlin being linked.

Sterling has also been tipped to attract interest from clubs in both the MLS and Saudi Arabia, as it has quickly become clear that he will have no shortage of potential suitors.

Fulham will need to ensure that they table an attractive offer if they want to win the race for his signature, given the wealth of options that the wideman has in front of him.



https://www.footballinsider247.com/exclusive-fulham-offered-multiple-formulas-to-get-ricardo-pepi-deal-over-the-line/

[WhiteJC]

Club needed 'Prince on a white horse' to sanction Fulham deal – No fairytales on deadline day
PSV Eindhoven needed a "prince on a white horse" to arrive on deadline day to sanction Ricardo Pepi joining Fulham.

That's according to journalist Rik Elfrink. Voetbal Zone cover comments from him today made to Eindhovens Dagblad.

The newspaper reports that PSV rejected Fulham's multi million offer for Pepi, which eventually reached €35m. They decided, despite being tempted by the money, that they didn't want the striker to leave in the January window.

That came after weeks of efforts from Fulham, who were unperturbed by the fact Pepi is currently out with a broken arm.

Instead, they continued upping their bids for the striker, believing a deal was possible. PSV were resistant at first but soon started to waver as Fulham's bids got higher. They eventually reached €35m before PSV made a definite decision. Pepi was not for sale.

For them to sanction a departure they would have needed a "prince on a white horse" to arrive according to Elfrink. In other words, the Dutch side needed an immediate replacement to arrive. That was extremely slim on the final day of the window, so they blocked it.

"Bringing someone in now is often incredibly expensive," the journalist explained about last-minute deals.

Now, the focus turns to the summer. PSV are open to a sale but want as much as €45m for their man. The hope at the club is that Pepi performs at the World Cup and ramps up his price. In the meantime, they can look for a ready-made replacement Prince Charming in peace.



https://sportwitness.co.uk/club-needed-prince-on-a-white-horse-to-sanction-fulham-deal-no-fairytales-on-deadline-day/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham to step up new Harry Wilson contract talks in bid to keep in-form midfielder
Wilson is out of contract in summer and attracting interest from rivals clubs

Fulham will resume contract negotiations with Harry Wilson after knocking back January interest in the in-form midfielder.

Wilson is out of contract at the end of the season and has been attracting interest from serval Premier League clubs.

Fulham rejected an approach by Everton last week and were adamant he would not leave mid-season, with Marco Silva stating last week that there was "zero chance" of him being sold.

Fulham are desperate to keep Wilson, who has been in superb form for club and country this season, and contract negotiations have been underway for several months.

Uncertainty over Silva's future, with the Portuguese coach also out of contract this summer, has led to suggestions that Wilson is waiting on his manager before deciding his own future.

Wilson, who has a career-best eight Premier League goals this season, was Silva's first signing as Fulham manager.

Despite the sentimental attachment between the pair, Silva maintains that the two decisions are not connected and is hopeful that the club can come to an agreement with Wilson.

"He has been very important for us, is showing his quality again and let's hope we can renew," Silva said in December.

Wilson came close to sealing a Deadline Day move to Leeds last summer, but after a dramatic U-turn, he stayed at Craven Cottage and has gone on to enjoy his best season in a Fulham shirt.

Speaking about his future at the club, Wilson said in an interview at the end of December that he was "really, really happy" at Fulham and was glad to have somewhere he could call home, having struggled to settle early on in his career.

"Fulham is somewhere I wanted somewhere to call home," he said. "For the last four-and-a-half years, it's somewhere I've been really, really happy here."

Fulham have been able to tie down a number of key players to new contracts this season, with Rodrigo Muniz, Kenny Tete, Tom Cairney and academy graduate Josh King all signing fresh terms.

Wilson could have his pick of clubs should he decide not renew his deal at Fulham, especially if he does well at the World Cup for Wales should they qualify through the play-offs.

But, with Fulham's form picking up and Silva being backed in the market with the addition of Manchester City winger Oscar Bobb, there is confidence from those inside the club that they can agree a new contract with Wilson.

Wilson joined Fulham initially on loan from Liverpool in July 2021 and has since gone on to provide 34 goals and 43 assists in 173 appearances in all competitions.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-wilson-contract-latest-b1269411.html

[WhiteJC]

Man United get new referee penalty verdict as VAR's role in 'mistake' highlighted
Fulham boss Marco Silva was left furious by the VAR decision, which led to Manchester United's opening goal against his side at Old Trafford on Sunday

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Manchester United's opening goal against Fulham. Marco Silva slammed what he felt was an unprecedented VAR decision to award United a free-kick leading to their opening goal during his side's 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

Referee John Brooks initially pointed to the penalty spot after Matheus Cunha went down under Jorge Cuenca's challenge. Replays showed Cuenca won the ball, but instead of overturning the decision completely, VAR indicated United should be given a free-kick on the touchline.

The explanation was that Brooks had given the penalty for a pull which happened outside the box. From the resulting free-kick, Casemiro headed home to open the scoring.

Silva felt the video assistant essentially re-refereed the game, but Gallagher said: "Straight away, I knew it wasn't a penalty.

"The trajectory of the ball told me everything. There's no doubt he lets go of the shirt before they enter the penalty area. It's factually outside, so they gave a free-kick."

Appearing alongside Gallagher on Sky's Ref Watch, former Premier League midfielder Jamie O'Hara said: "It's a mess. The referee is not looking at the shirt pull. The referee blows up for the tackle, not for the shirt pull. I'd love to see what the audio is saying.

"They decide it's not a penalty, so then it should be a drop ball for Fulham, but they go back to try and get themselves out of jail.

"The referee makes the decision on the tackle, not the shirt pull. The problem they've got is they go back and give the shirt pull, which is outside the area and then they score from the free-kick."

Speaking after the game at Old Trafford, Silva fumed: "The penalty was given – it was a bad, bad, bad decision from John Brooks.

"The penalty was given for the tackle of Cuenca, that was clear. Then after they found the pull three, four seconds before.

"The ball went for a corner. The feedback we got on the touchline was that after the review John Brooks was going to go to the screen because in VAR's opinion it was not a penalty and that after that comes a completely different decision, they give a free-kick for a pull.

"It's the first time this season that a penalty has been given for one incident and then a VAR decision comes from a completely different incident and gave a free-kick. It's the first time we have seen that this season, last season, but maybe it comes more in the future."



https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-united-penalty-var-verdict-33355035

[WhiteJC]

Why Fulham's January Transfer Window Failure Will Cost Them Marco Silva
Another transfer window draws to a close, and for the third window running, Fulham fans' and Marco Silva's feelings the other side of deadline day remain the same — disappointed, frustrated, and let down.

Window after window, promises made to Marco Silva are broken time and time again. Last January, we didn't bring in a single player, last summer, the board ignored Silva's pleas to do business early — resulting in a slow start to the season — and failed to address the position we are crying out most for: a №8. This month, Marco's trust has been broken again.

Despite expecting to bring in a striker, central midfielder, and winger, Fulham only addressed one of the three positions we needed to strengthen. And despite the Bobb deal seemingly having the full backing of Marco Silva, after numerous windows of inadequate activity, one third of your transfer targets being delivered won't convince a top Premier League manager to sign on the dotted line this summer.

 understand that the January market is a tough market to operate in, but surely, with a man that holds the club together months away from an exit, you'd surely go the extra mile — pay the extra million — to leave no doubt in Marco's mind that Fulham has the same ambition he does.

But, as seen with the Ricardo Pepi saga, Fulham fail to listen to Marco, or learn from their mistakes. In fact, the Ricardo Pepi saga is typical of how the Khans and co conduct their transfer business.

In an effort to save a million pound or two, Tony Khan waited till the final day of the window to agree a deal with PSV. Subsequently, we didn't afford PSV enough time to get a replacement in and we got our just reward for the way we conduct ourselves in the transfer market — the deal fell through.

While I'm not gutted the Pepi deal didn't go through — I think there are better value, non-injured options out there — but what signal does scrounging over measly sums of cash, only to buckle at the final hour, send to the manager you are trying to convince to sign a new long term deal at the Cottage?

It tells him that we haven't learnt from our failings in previous windows; we refuse to do business in a timely manner; we lack the foresight to realise clubs need replacements in for their assets; and we seemingly value half a million pound more than our one the best manager in Fulham history.

Ultimately, any future promises the club make to Silva are meaningless. Put yourself in Marco's shoes, would you sign a long term deal with employers you can't trust?

Even with Sasa Lukic fit, a central midfielder should have been our priority, without Lukic, it was an absolute must, a deal you had to get in the door early doors, especially with players initially away for AFCON. But still, Fulham are injury away from starting an ageing Tom Cairney, or Harrison Reed every week in a battle for a cup competition or a spot in Europe.

That's criminal negligence.

Will Fulham get by for the rest of the season? Of course, but is that really what the Khans are in it for? Is it survival and anything else is a bonus for the Khans? Because that's what their actions suggest.

For a second consecutive season, Fulham are set to have another 'nearly' season. A season where Fulham find themselves at the cusp of something special, but fail to fully equip their manager to achieve something special.

It's time the Fulham faithful stop being happy with failing to grasp an opportunity to kick on. These seasons where Europe or a cup look realistic don't come around often, and yet again, we are throwing a golden opportunity, and a gold standard manager away.

When it's all said and done, the past three windows will be seen as the difference between mediocrity and places this club has rarely, if ever, gone before. You know who you can thank for that...

This window wasn't about preparing for the second half of the season, it was about convincing perhaps the best manager in Fulham history to sign a long term deal. We haven't done that.

This window has been a failure.



https://medium.com/@LondonsOriginal/why-fulhams-january-transfer-window-failure-will-cost-them-marco-silva-444b44eca308

[WhiteJC]

Club Close In On Fulham Star As Agreement Near
Dutch giants Feyenoord have established contact with Fulham for their goalkeeper Steven Benda and are close to reaching an agreement.

The German shot-stopper has been on Fulham's books since 2023, joining them from Welsh side Swansea City.

However, Benda failed to make an impression at Craven Cottage, managing just four first-team appearances over the course of his stay.

He was sent out to Millwall on loan last term, but a groin injury midway through the campaign prevented him from stretching his consistent presence between the sticks.

Fulham recalled him midway through and now he could be on his way to the Netherlands.

Feyenoord are keen on signing him in the coming hours of the window in the Netherlands, which closes later tonight.

According to Dutch outlet FR12.nl, Feyenoord have officially contacted Fulham for Benda and are closing in on an agreement.

The move for Benda would be expected to be a loan.

With the signing of Benda, Feyenoord aim to add competition for first-choice goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther.

Fulham tried to do business with a Dutch side in the window, slapping in a bid for PSV Eindhoven striker Ricardo Pepi, which met the asking price of the Eredivisie outfit.

However, the move for the American was eventually called off as the Dutch side informed Fulham that they would not give the green light to the move despite agreement on a €37m package.

Despite being German, Benda has never played senior team football in the country, with all his time spent in the UK so far.

A move to the Netherlands would hand the 27-year-old a fresh adventure.



https://insidefutbol.com/2026/02/03/club-close-in-on-fulham-star-as-agreement-near/705468/

[WhiteJC]

Limited availability: Everton
Limited tickets remain for our Premier League fixture this weekend against Everton!

Secure your seat at Craven Cottage as we face The Toffees on Saturday 7th February, kick-off 3pm.

With Fulham and Everton both sitting on 34 points in the Premier League, this fixture is crucial for Marco Silva's side to climb up the table.

Tickets for this match are on General Sale* and supporters can secure up to two tickets per person.

Further matchday information can be found here.

BUY TICKETS

*Subject to postcode restrictions - Fulham FC will be monitoring bookings and any tickets purchased by supporters who live in the vicinity of Liverpool (and local areas) who do not have a previous booking history with us, will be terminated.

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/february/03/limited-availability-everton/

[WhiteJC]

What Fulham now expect to happen after shooing Everton away from Harry Wilson
Everton attempted to sign Harry Wilson on transfer deadline day.

The Toffees approached Fulham to ask about the Wales international one more time before the winter window closed at 7pm on Monday – sensing an opportunity with his contract expiring in July.

Fulham managed to successfully shoo Everton away from Harry Wilson on this occasion – and the Standard have now provided an update on the situation.

Fulham confident they will keep Harry Wilson
Having missed out on deadline day, Everton are presumably going to make another attempt at signing the Welshman this summer when he could become a free agent – barring a breakthrough in contract talks at Craven Cottage.

The Standard now state that Fulham believe that breakthrough will materialise, with the Cottagers said to be confident about keeping the 28-year-old in west London beyond this coming summer.

The report reiterates a detail revealed in January when alluding to the fact Wilson might wait for Marco Silva to decide on his own future before making a decision – the former Everton boss has also entered the final six months of his contract at Fulham.

However, the Standard point to the £27m signing of Oscar Bobb from Manchester City as reason to explain why insiders at Craven Cottage are optimistic about keeping the Portuguese tactician around, and consequently Wilson too.

The Fulham No.8 has been in spectacular form so far this term, seemingly hosting his very own Goal of the Season competition – among his eight goals and four assists in 23 Premier League appearances, there have been some real moments of magic.

Everton have a chance at Harry Wilson deal if he does end up leaving Fulham
If Fulham find this confidence to be misjudged and do end up losing Wilson this summer, Everton would appear to have a decent chance at securing his signature.

TEAMtalk have claimed that the Liverpool academy graduate is keen to return to the north of England if he cannot agree fresh terms with Fulham.

Wilson left Merseyside to seal a £12m move to Fulham back in 2022, but has a strong connection to that part of the world having spent almost 20 years with Liverpool – joining the academy in 2005.

Therefore, Everton could have a shot at this deal, should the Fulham star opt to leave west London.



https://www.everton.news/what-fulham-now-expect-to-happen-after-shooing-everton-away-from-harry-wilson/

[Bassey the warrior]

Exclusive: Fulham offered multiple formulas to get Ricardo Pepi deal over the line
PSV Eindhoven rejected multiple late attempts from Fulham to get a deadline-day deal for Ricardo Pepi over the line, sources have told Football Insider.

The Premier League club offered £33million for the forward, 23, as well as multiple formulas to secure an agreement.

These included a buy-to-loan deal that would have seen Pepi remain at PSV until the summer.

But the Dutch Eredivisie club knocked back Fulham's concerted effort to land the USA international, mainly because they ran out of time to secure a replacement.

PSV also regard Pepi as a prized asset, and his value could increase by the summer if he has a strong second half of the season.

Fulham move for Ricardo Pepi derailed by Troy Parrott enquiry
Football Insider revealed on deadline day that Fulham's move for Ricardo Pepi had hit the rocks after PSV had seen an enquiry for Troy Parrott rejected.

The Irishman has seen his stock rise significantly in recent months amid a campaign that has already seen him hit 11 goals from just 16 Eredivisie games, but AZ Alkmaar were not willing to sell him.

Parrott had been subject to Premier League interest throughout the January window, but AZ Alkmaar remained strong in their stance that he was not for sale, and that persisted right up until the deadline.

As a result, Fulham saw the rug pulled from underneath them as they chased a move to add Pepi to their attacking ranks, with PSV unwilling to cash in on him without first securing a replacement.

In the end, the two parties both ran out of time to conclude their respective deals, and that has resulted in Pepi staying put in the Netherlands.

The Cottagers ultimately made it through deadline day without adding a new face to their squad, leaving Oscar Bobb as their only new arrival of the window.

Fulham in race for Raheem Sterling
Football Insider recently revealed that Fulham have registered their interest in Raheem Sterling after his contract was terminated at Chelsea last week.

West Ham and Crystal Palace are also keen on the idea of signing the 31-year-old, and are prepared to offer him the chance to join up with their squads outside the transfer window, given that he is now a free agent.

Marco Silva's Fulham have their eyes on bringing the former England international to Craven Cottage, but they are also set to face competition from abroad, with the likes of Napoli and Union Berlin being linked.

Sterling has also been tipped to attract interest from clubs in both the MLS and Saudi Arabia, as it has quickly become clear that he will have no shortage of potential suitors.

Fulham will need to ensure that they table an attractive offer if they want to win the race for his signature, given the wealth of options that the wideman has in front of him.



https://www.footballinsider247.com/exclusive-fulham-offered-multiple-formulas-to-get-ricardo-pepi-deal-over-the-line/

This makes little sense, if we offered a buy to loan deal they don't really need a replacement now. Either, we didn't actually do that, or they were unhappy with price or structure, or they were just stringing us along and they're hoping his value will go up after the World Cup.

[Bill2]

Man United get new referee penalty verdict as VAR's role in 'mistake' highlighted
Fulham boss Marco Silva was left furious by the VAR decision, which led to Manchester United's opening goal against his side at Old Trafford on Sunday

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Manchester United's opening goal against Fulham. Marco Silva slammed what he felt was an unprecedented VAR decision to award United a free-kick leading to their opening goal during his side's 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

Referee John Brooks initially pointed to the penalty spot after Matheus Cunha went down under Jorge Cuenca's challenge. Replays showed Cuenca won the ball, but instead of overturning the decision completely, VAR indicated United should be given a free-kick on the touchline.

The explanation was that Brooks had given the penalty for a pull which happened outside the box. From the resulting free-kick, Casemiro headed home to open the scoring.

Silva felt the video assistant essentially re-refereed the game, but Gallagher said: "Straight away, I knew it wasn't a penalty.

"The trajectory of the ball told me everything. There's no doubt he lets go of the shirt before they enter the penalty area. It's factually outside, so they gave a free-kick."

Appearing alongside Gallagher on Sky's Ref Watch, former Premier League midfielder Jamie O'Hara said: "It's a mess. The referee is not looking at the shirt pull. The referee blows up for the tackle, not for the shirt pull. I'd love to see what the audio is saying.

"They decide it's not a penalty, so then it should be a drop ball for Fulham, but they go back to try and get themselves out of jail.

"The referee makes the decision on the tackle, not the shirt pull. The problem they've got is they go back and give the shirt pull, which is outside the area and then they score from the free-kick."

Speaking after the game at Old Trafford, Silva fumed: "The penalty was given – it was a bad, bad, bad decision from John Brooks.

"The penalty was given for the tackle of Cuenca, that was clear. Then after they found the pull three, four seconds before.

"The ball went for a corner. The feedback we got on the touchline was that after the review John Brooks was going to go to the screen because in VAR's opinion it was not a penalty and that after that comes a completely different decision, they give a free-kick for a pull.

"It's the first time this season that a penalty has been given for one incident and then a VAR decision comes from a completely different incident and gave a free-kick. It's the first time we have seen that this season, last season, but maybe it comes more in the future."



https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-united-penalty-var-verdict-33355035

That sort of pull happens all the time and is never given as a free kick. I have seen shirts nearly ripped off and nothing given.

[General]

Exclusive: Fulham offered multiple formulas to get Ricardo Pepi deal over the line
PSV Eindhoven rejected multiple late attempts from Fulham to get a deadline-day deal for Ricardo Pepi over the line, sources have told Football Insider.

The Premier League club offered £33million for the forward, 23, as well as multiple formulas to secure an agreement.

These included a buy-to-loan deal that would have seen Pepi remain at PSV until the summer.

But the Dutch Eredivisie club knocked back Fulham's concerted effort to land the USA international, mainly because they ran out of time to secure a replacement.

PSV also regard Pepi as a prized asset, and his value could increase by the summer if he has a strong second half of the season.

Fulham move for Ricardo Pepi derailed by Troy Parrott enquiry
Football Insider revealed on deadline day that Fulham's move for Ricardo Pepi had hit the rocks after PSV had seen an enquiry for Troy Parrott rejected.

The Irishman has seen his stock rise significantly in recent months amid a campaign that has already seen him hit 11 goals from just 16 Eredivisie games, but AZ Alkmaar were not willing to sell him.

Parrott had been subject to Premier League interest throughout the January window, but AZ Alkmaar remained strong in their stance that he was not for sale, and that persisted right up until the deadline.

As a result, Fulham saw the rug pulled from underneath them as they chased a move to add Pepi to their attacking ranks, with PSV unwilling to cash in on him without first securing a replacement.

In the end, the two parties both ran out of time to conclude their respective deals, and that has resulted in Pepi staying put in the Netherlands.

The Cottagers ultimately made it through deadline day without adding a new face to their squad, leaving Oscar Bobb as their only new arrival of the window.

Fulham in race for Raheem Sterling
Football Insider recently revealed that Fulham have registered their interest in Raheem Sterling after his contract was terminated at Chelsea last week.

West Ham and Crystal Palace are also keen on the idea of signing the 31-year-old, and are prepared to offer him the chance to join up with their squads outside the transfer window, given that he is now a free agent.

Marco Silva's Fulham have their eyes on bringing the former England international to Craven Cottage, but they are also set to face competition from abroad, with the likes of Napoli and Union Berlin being linked.

Sterling has also been tipped to attract interest from clubs in both the MLS and Saudi Arabia, as it has quickly become clear that he will have no shortage of potential suitors.

Fulham will need to ensure that they table an attractive offer if they want to win the race for his signature, given the wealth of options that the wideman has in front of him.



https://www.footballinsider247.com/exclusive-fulham-offered-multiple-formulas-to-get-ricardo-pepi-deal-over-the-line/

This makes little sense, if we offered a buy to loan deal they don't really need a replacement now. Either, we didn't actually do that, or they were unhappy with price or structure, or they were just stringing us along and they're hoping his value will go up after the World Cup.

Agreed, the article loses credibility when it says things that are fundamentally contrarian as you pointed out.

The only reason PSV would've kept him, especially if we offered to loan him back, was because they had no intention of selling him - if that was actually a true story.

Psv kept him, to publicly show Pepi's value and put him in the shop window, and perhaps if he has a decent second half of the season, then use that as a marker to try and potentially negotiate up for if they do sell him in the summer. With the world cup, I can't imagine they'll sell him now until afterwards if they feel confident in his abilities and likelihood to shine for the US.

We didn't get the player and we may never do now. I hope we do though, I got excited about his potential and profile, very much aligned with the Bobb, Kevin, King type of young player we're starting to bring in and build with