Saturday Fulham Stuff - 12/09/26...

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Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany throws lifeline to Sacha Boey after Fulham & Saudi Arabia move fails
Vincent Kompany has handed Sacha Boey a surprising second chance at Bayern Munich after the French full-back failed to secure a move away from the Allianz Arena during the summer transfer window. Despite being publicly listed as a candidate for sale, the former Galatasaray man will now be reintegrated into the first-team squad for the 2026-27 campaign.

Failed moves to Fulham and Saudi Arabia
The situation reached a climax during the final days of the window when several clubs explored the possibility of signing the defender. Premier League side Fulham have opened direct talks with Bayern over a potential deadline-day move, but a deal failed to materialize before the English window slammed shut. The Cottagers had reportedly turned their attention to the Frenchman after facing complications in other defensive pursuits, yet the financial and structural requirements of the deal proved too high to overcome in the dying hours of the market.

Furthermore, a lucrative escape route to the Middle East also evaporated as the Saudi Pro League deadline passed. According to reports, Boey's move to Saudi Arabia collapses despite the player being understood to be open to the switch in principle. Bayern sporting director Max Eberl had previously confirmed that the club had been transparent about the player's status, but with no formal offers meeting their valuation, the defender remains under contract in Munich until 2028. This leaves the Frenchman facing a battle for minutes against the likes of Stanisic and Laimer.

Kompany confirms Boey reintegration
Kompany has officially welcomed Boey back into his senior setup following a summer of intense speculation regarding the defender's future. Kompany made it clear that the player now has his full backing as they move forward into the new season. "Now the transfer window is closed, and Sacha is part of our team and has our support," Kompany stated.

"My role now is that he performs. But the reality is we have Josip Stanisic and Konrad Laimer in the position, and competition is already fierce. So you need patience and hard work. But anything can happen in football if you have the right attitude. We're simply treating him with respect. He's training very well at the moment, and everything else will fall into place."

Honesty in Bayern's transfer dealings
Kompany also reflected on the difficult nature of managing players who have been told they are no longer primary choices. The Belgian tactician praised the leadership at the club, specifically Max Eberl and Christoph Freund, for their direct communication style during what was a turbulent summer for several members of the squad. While the news is rarely what a professional athlete wants to hear, Kompany believes that the clarity provided by the Bayern hierarchy helps maintain a level of professional respect within the dressing room even during transfer sagas.

"What I've seen working with Max Eberl and Christoph Freund is that the club is clear and straightforward; also in dealings with players," Kompany explained. "It's not always pleasant for the player, but you also gain a lot of respect from the players when you speak to them clearly and honestly."



https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/bayern-munich-vincent-kompany-sacha-boey-fulham-saudi-arabia/blt31c8ec74db15d079?utm_id=fa3iys5y8hyz9ezk&utm_source_platform=newsnow

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Virgil van Dijk calls for 'consistency' ahead of Liverpool's clash with Fulham
Virgil van Dijk Demands Consistency as Liverpool Prepare for Fulham

Liverpool head into another Premier League test with momentum building, and Virgil van Dijk has made the message clear. Good performances matter, results matter more, but consistency is what separates serious sides from the rest.

After a comeback win over Atletico Madrid in midweek and a 2-0 league victory against Ipswich Town before that, Liverpool now have the chance to make it three wins on the bounce at Anfield against Fulham. The captain is not interested in noise or sentiment. He is focused on standards.

In his programme notes, Van Dijk said: "After an important and, in my opinion, well-deserved win over Atletico Madrid, it is great to be back at Anfield again this afternoon as we return to Premier League action against Fulham.

"I thought the atmosphere on Wednesday night was exceptional, particularly in the second half as we chased the victory.

"I have said many times that we are at our best when everyone is pushing together, and I hope you can see how hard we are all working to give you a team to be proud of."

Liverpool consistency remains central
This is the point. Liverpool have shown edge and resilience already. Going behind against Atletico Madrid could have disrupted them. It did not. They stayed on the front foot, kept control of their approach and got what they deserved. Van Dijk saw the same thing.

He wrote: "I thought against Atletico Madrid we showed a lot of good things. I think our intent and our intensity was good throughout the game, and we responded well to the setback of going a goal down in the first half.

"We were brave, we worked together as a team and kept playing our football, and in the end we were rewarded with an important win to start our Champions League campaign."

That is a fair reading. The intensity was there, the response was there, and the collective discipline was there. Those are useful signs in September. They mean little by themselves unless they are repeated.

Fulham threat demands proper response
Fulham arrive with enough reason to believe they can make this awkward. Their start has been difficult, which tends to sharpen focus rather than reduce it. Van Dijk knows that and said as much. "Fulham are a team that have given us a lot of tough games in recent years, and though they have changed their manager and a few players over the summer, we are expecting them to show up and compete like they always do.

"They have had a difficult start to the season, so they will be extremely motivated for this fixture, and we will need to be on our game if we want to get the three points."

No mystery there. Liverpool will need to match effort with control. Anfield can help, but it does not do the running for you.

Van Dijk outlines Liverpool standard
The most telling section of Van Dijk's notes was also the simplest. "As I have said previously, though, there are still improvements to come, and the key to any top side is consistency. It's not about showing it once or twice, it's about doing it every day on the training pitch, and then taking it into the games.

"We know what our objectives are this season, and the only way to achieve those is through hard work and consistency. You have to want to improve, you have to want to learn and compete and fight.

"Like I say, I think we have been showing that, but we have to keep doing so. There can be no time to relax or take your foot off the gas at this football club, or to make excuses, and that is something we are all aware of.

"I said after the Ipswich game that we needed to follow up with another strong performance against Atletico, and we did that. Now let's put another big shift in and look to make it three on the spin."

That is the standard. No hype, no indulgence, no excuses. For Liverpool, the next step is obvious. Beat Fulham, keep the level high, move on.



https://anfieldindex.com/99957/virgil-van-dijk-calls-for-consistency-ahead-of-liverpools-clash-with-fulham.html

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Real Madrid youngster faces uphill battle for minutes despite Jose Mourinho backing
One of the biggest revelations of Alvaro Arbeloa's time at Real Madrid was the emergence of Thiago Pitarch as a first-team option.

The Castilla midfielder made the step up to the first team and immediately looked at home, adding a profile that Los Blancos desperately lacked.

He has been injured since the start of pre-season but is now finally available to fight for his place at Real Madrid.

According to AS, Thiago remains part of Madrid's first-team plans despite being registered with the reserve side.

His performances last season, when he accumulated more than 800 first-team minutes, remain his strongest argument for receiving opportunities.

Thiago could offer Madrid something they need
Madrid's midfield control has again become a talking point after the club ultimately failed to sign Rodri during the summer.

The issue was particularly noticeable against Inter Milan. Mourinho wanted Madrid to keep possession for longer and calm the game, but his team struggled to establish sustained control.

Thiago showed last season that he can operate in demanding situations. He became a regular under Alvaro Arbeloa and even started both Champions League last-16 matches against Manchester City before starting the first leg of the quarter-final against Bayern Munich.

His development was interrupted when an injury at the beginning of pre-season prevented him from properly introducing himself to Mourinho.

Mourinho believes he belongs in first team
The biggest problem now is competition.

Thiago's natural position in Mourinho's 4-2-3-1 is in the double pivot, where Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Bernardo Silva are already competing.

On paper, that leaves the youngster fifth in the hierarchy. Mourinho nevertheless made his opinion of Thiago's potential clear.

"He is not a player to play at Castilla level. He is a first-team player and I like him a lot," Mourinho said.

"He has qualities that I really like. When he is fit, he will be part of the group and, being part of the group, he will also get minutes. He has a lot of quality."

Mourinho wants Thiago to develop physically
Mourinho did address one area of the game that the Castilla midfielder needs to work on, and he wants Thiago to become stronger.

"The only thing I tell him is that the muscles in his legs are like mine, and he needs to put a couple of kilos on them through work," Mourinho explained.

For Madrid, Thiago should not be dismissed simply because four established midfielders currently stand ahead of him.

He has already handled Champions League pressure and shown he belongs at senior level. Now he needs fitness, physical development and patience.

If he can continue to impress in the limited opportunities he gets, Mourinho will undoubtedly make him a key part of his plans.

It remains to be seen how Thiago looks after returning from injury and whether he is ready to break into Madrid's first-team midfield in the coming weeks.



https://madriduniversal.com/real-madrid-youngster-faces-uphill-battle-for-minutes-despite-jose-mourinho-backing/

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Carlos Baleba faces frustrating wait as Man United debut could be delayed until next month
Manchester United summer signing Carlos Baleba could be forced to wait until after the October international break for his first appearance in the famous red shirt.

Man United signed Baleba from Brighton & Hove Albion for an initial fee of £65 million this summer.

However, the 22-year-old has been sidelined by an ankle injury picked up during pre-season with Brighton.

According to journalist Tyrone Marshall, Baleba is unlikely to be fit to face Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday or Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday.

That would leave the midfielder facing a frustrating wait, with club football set to resume only after a 20-day international break.

Carlos Baleba could debut vs Spurs
United return to action after the break with a huge home clash against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on 10 October.

We strongly believe Baleba could finally make his long-awaited debut against Spurs, with head coach Michael Carrick potentially handing him a chance to make an impact from the bench.

The Red Devils are set for a hectic spell, with six games in just 21 days, including the Premier League showdown against Tottenham.

With the schedule packed, rotation could prove crucial for Carrick as he looks to keep his key players fresh and avoid further injury problems.

Kobbie Mainoo and Youri Tielemans have already developed a solid partnership in the heart of midfield, but there is one glaring limitation to their combination.

Neither midfielder possesses the explosive running power required to cover huge amounts of ground at pace.

Baleba is very strong and likes to make crunching tackles.

He can also operate as a box-to-box midfielder without allowing his intensity to drop.

Carrick may opt to slowly ease Baleba into the United XI, but it will be interesting to see who partners him in midfield.

Stats from Fotmob.com



https://manutdnews.com/carlos-baleba-faces-frustrating-wait-as-man-united-debut-could-be-delayed-until-next-month/

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