Friday Fulham Stuff (03/08/12)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Wolves reject £4.5m Fulham bid for Jarvis - report
The Black Country outfit are ready to signal their intention to retain their star players this summer, as they aim to secure an instant return to the Premier League


Getty

Wolves have rejected a £4.5 million bid for winger Matt Jarvis from Fulham, according to The Mirror.

The 26-year-old has been the subject of widespread interest following the Black Country outfit's relegation to the Championship but is believed to be valued at closer to £6m by his club.

Jarvis scored eight Premier League goals in 37 games last season, despite Wolves dropping out of the Premier League after finishing 20th under former boss Terry Connor.

And new manager Stale Solbakken has recently admitted that he faces a battle to keep the wideman and team-mate Steven Fletcher at the club ahead of the new season.

Middlesbrough-born Jarvis received his first - and so far, only - England cap in 2011 after being called up by then-coach Fabio Capello for a friendly clash with Ghana.

He has been at Wolves since 2007, when he was brought in from Gillingham by Mick McCarthy.



http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2012/08/03/3284073/-?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss rules out move for Chelsea star


Yossi Benayoun

FULHAM boss Martin Jol has ruled out a move for Chelsea midfielder Yossi Benayoun – but striker Romelu Lukaku remains on his radar.

The Israel international is surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge and has been linked with a switch to Craven Cottage.

Jol told the Chronicle earlier this week that he is still in the market for a central midfielder following the departure of skipper Danny Murphy to Blackburn Rovers, and has reportedly sounded out their neighbours about Benayoun's situation with a view to a possible loan move.

However, the 32-year-old is not believed to be among Jol's list of targets as he shapes his squad for the new campaign.

But the Chronicle understands the Dutchman remains interested in Benayoun's Blues team-mate Lukaku.

The young Belgian forward failed to make an impact in SW6 last season and is keen to go on loan to get regular football.

Jol said: "We're still looking to strengthen because we lost three strikers; Bobby [Zamora] in January and Andy [Johnson] and [Pavel] Pogrebnyak.

"We've got [Hugo] Rodallega and [Mladen] Petric and maybe we're still on the lookout for another one."



Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-chelsea-fc/2012/08/03/82029-31514096/?#ixzz22Tj5QK9G

[WhiteJC]

 
Troubling Times for Jol if Dembele also Leaves
Fulham fans' tough pre-season is about to get even worse, with reports Moussa Dembele is attracting overseas attention from Real Madrid.

Having already failed to tempt last season's loan signing, Pavel Pogrebnyak, to stay at the club, the Cottagers have been fighting tooth and nail to prevent midfield ace, Clint Dempsey moving to Liverpool.

Now, news of Dembele's proposed departure has left many Fulham fans scratching their heads in great concern about the future of the club. 

The Cottagers are currently 5/4 to finish in the top ten in the football betting tips on Betfair.

Dembele's agent told Dutch newspaper, De Telegraaf, this week that Madrid were in contact with the player, and are not the first 'big club' this summer to have done so.

Such a transfer rumour – no matter how weak it may be – is likely to unnerve fans already bracing themselves for the departure of Dempsey.

Should Dembele also walk with Dempsey, manager, Martin Jol, will have seen five senior members of his attacking unit leave the club.

Their midfield looks incredibly weak already, with Danny Murphy's transfer to Blackburn earlier this summer, and their forward line now lacks the experienced Andrew Johnson.

Dembele, who can play in attacking midfield or up front, is a central figure to Jol's plans this season, but there is no way he can resist the lure of the Bernabeu should Jose Mourinho come calling.

Jol must start looking for a replacement now if he is to lose the Belgian star. The manager has already brought in Hugo Rodallega and Mladaen Petric, but these players were meant to boost the squad, not replace it.

Expect the search to continue deep into August, with Fulham's start-of-season performances to be badly affected by any player loss from now on.



http://postmatchpint.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/troubling-times-for-jol-if-dembele-also.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Etuhu to sign for Rovers this afternoon

Dickson Etuhu will sign a three-year deal with Blackburn Rovers this afternoon - after passing his medicals at Brockhall.

The 30-year-old midfielder is putting pen to paper on a move to Rovers from Fulham, for in the region of £1.5million, and will make his debut this weekend in Holland.

Etuhu won't feature against Go Ahead Eagles in Deventer this evening, but is expected to play some part in  Sunday's game at NEC Nijmegen.

Meanwhile, Rovers are yet to hear back from Huddersfield about their bid for striker Jordan Rhodes.



http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/9854870.Etuhu_to_sign_for_Rovers_this_afternoon/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Striker Targeted!
   
One interesting rumour, in the tabloid press this morning carries the suggestion that Fulham are in the mix to sign Peter Odemwingie.

Odemwingie, under contract to West Bromwich Albion, is said to be the subject of a £4.5 million bid.

But, it`s also being inferred that West Bromwich Albion are looking at a fee of £6 million for the striker.

Now, at 31 years of age, I reckon that`s a little steep. Odemwingie has, previously, shown touches of class but, in my opinion, these have been to fleeting and too infrequent to suggest we should go any higher in price.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=288950#ixzz22UO8DHXV

[WhiteJC]

 
Striker Chase
   
As well as, supposedly, being in the race for Peter Odemwingie, the tabloid press has us linked with a move for another striker.

The player in question is the Levante striker Arouna Kone.

At 28 years of age, he`s valued at £7 million and has, reportedly, snubbed moves to Russia and Qatar as he wants to play in the Premier League.

Last season he bagged 17 goals in 34 games, a ratio that has also attracted the attention of Spurs, Sunderland and Wigan,

It`ll be interesting to see if this interest is genuine or newspaper generated and if it is the latter, can we land him!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=288951#ixzz22UOLIKHm

[WhiteJC]

 
Rhodes Update
   
Jordan Rhodes certainly attracted attention with his scoring exploits last season.

Forty goals, in a season, was a fantastic achievement and it`s no surprise that his feats have attracted attention from several clubs.

Rumour has it that Fulham made a bid for the player earlier this summer but didn`t receive a favourable reaction.

Today, the press is reporting that Blackburn Rovers have now tested the water by offering Huddersfield Town £5 million for Rhodes. It seems that £3 million of this is to be paid up-front with the other £2 million to follow if Blackburn can bounce straight back to the Premier League, from the Championship.

The insinuation is that this bid exceeds the one Fulham made; if that is the case then it`s no surprise that our bid received a negative reaction from Huddersfield!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=288952#ixzz22UP7yNUm

[WhiteJC]

 
Rovers seal Etuhu deal

Blackburn Rovers are delighted to announce that we have reached an agreement with Fulham for the signing of Dickson Etuhu.

The Nigeria international midfielder has put pen-to-paper on a four-year deal, which will keep him at Ewood Park until June 2016.

The 30-year-old, who played alongside Danny Murphy at Craven Cottage, becomes manager Steve Kean's seventh signing of the summer.

The Rovers boss said: "Dickson is a player I have admired for a long time and he will be a fantastic addition to the squad.

"He is a powerhouse in midfield, who has played at the highest level with Fulham and we feel confident he will complement our other midfield options."

Dickson started his career at Manchester City, before joining Preston North End in 2002, where he played just short of 150 games.

He joined Norwich city in January 2006, after an initial loan spell, before moving to the Premier League with Sunderland in June 2007.

After just one season at the Stadium of Light, he made the move down to Fulham, where he made 127 appearances, including a starting role in the 2010 Europa League final.

Dickson will fly out to Holland in the morning to join his new Rovers team-mates.



http://www.rovers.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10303~2870484,00.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Player Departures

The Club can confirm that Dickson Etuhu has joined Blackburn Rovers on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

Dickson made over 125 appearances for the Whites since joining four years ago and played an integral role in our 2009/10 Europa League campaign.

In addition, the Club can confirm that Bjørn Helge Riise has joined Lillestrøm on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract with Fulham.

The Club would like to thank both players for their efforts during their time at Craven Cottage and we wish them all the best for the future.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2012/August/PlayerDepartures.aspx?