Saturday Fulham Stuff (04/08/12)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Official: Fulham midfielder Etuhu joins Blackburn on four-year deal
Rovers secure signing of Nigeria international on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee as he becomes the seventh new player brought in by Steve Kean this summer

Blackburn have completed the signing of Nigeria international midfielder Dickson Etuhu from Fulham for an undisclosed fee.

The 30-year-old, who will link up with former team-mate Danny Murphy at Ewood Park, has signed a four-year deal with the club.

Etuhu made 127 appearances for the Cottagers including in the 2010 Europa League Final defeat to Atlético Madrid.

The midfielder becomes Steve Kean's seventh signing of the summer as he looks to rebuild his team that was relegated from the Premier League last season.

The Scot is delighted to have secured the signature of Etuhu, and feels he will bring a lot of quality to the Rovers squad.

He told the club's official website: "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."


http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2012/08/03/3284670/-?

[WhiteJC]

 
Etuhu and Riise both move on



Dickson Etuhu has left Fulham to join Blackburn Rovers for an undisclosed fee.

The midfielder, who has agreed a four-year deal at Ewood Park, made over 125 appearances for the Whites.

Meanwhile, Bjørn Helge Riise (pictured above) has returned to his native Norway, joining Lillestrøm on a free transfer.

Riise was out of the first-team picture at Craven Cottage, where his contract expired this summer.


http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/etuhu-and5-riise-both78-move-on?

[WhiteJC]

 
Diarra's Nice Preview

The Whites are in action on the Côte d'Azur on Saturday when we face OGC Nice in our latest pre-season friendly.

And for one Fulham midfielder it marks a return to a ground where he holds many happy memories, as Mahamadou Diarra recalls his trips to the coast during his time as a Lyon player.

"Nice are a team I know very well as they are in the French league where I spent four years of my playing career," the Malian told fulhamfc.com. "Whilst I was at Lyon I was always fortunate to play well at Nice and I think I won every time I played there. I just hope that can continue with Fulham on Saturday.

"It'll be a very big test for us and it will be a good test in the sense that we might be in a better position to assess where we are at with our preparations. I'm sure it will benefit us ahead of the start of the new season.

"I think you could probably say that Nice is at a more professional level as opposed to some of the other friendly matches that have taken place so far because they're the only team which finds themselves in their top division."

Mahamadou is looking forward to the match and promises Fulham fans making the trip that they can expect a good atmosphere at the ground.

"The stadium in Nice, the Stade du Ray, you can compare to English stadiums because the pitch is very close to the stand," he explained. "Of all the stadiums in France, the Stade du Ray is probably the one where the stands are closest to the pitch, so the supporters are quite close to the action.

"It's a stadium that can generate a really good atmosphere and no matter which team goes to play in Nice, you're always aware that it's got quite a special atmosphere and their fans do get behind their team."

Having joined the Club with just 12 games remaining of the 2011/12 campaign, Mahamadou is currently enjoying his first pre-season as a Fulham player.

"I'm a lot more familiar with things now," Diarra stated. "The three weeks of pre-season preparation we've had so far have got me really in tune with the philosophy of the team. It's also enabled me to really discover the other players.

"It's really important, not just me but for all players, to train together as a group."

With the Team's training camp in Switzerland reaching its conclusion, Mahamadou was full of praise for the intense schedule they have been subjected to throughout the week and he expects the results to become apparent as the season unravels.

"The Team is working really hard during this pre-season camp to prove our fitness," he said. "Within the training sessions that we've had in Switzerland, you can see that there is a lot of determination amongst the players, and a desire to do well.

"This week in particular I think we've all worked really hard and I'm happy with what we've achieved so far. In terms of the preparations, I have the impression that everything is going really well.

"There is a lot of competition in the training sessions and that's really important for the whole team to make progress when you've got this level of competition in place. It enables a very good attitude amongst all players in the training sessions when you've got that competition, which ultimately can only be good for the Team."



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

[WhiteJC]

 
Should Liverpool Side With Caution Over Potential Transfer?

New Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has certainly made his mark at the club in the short time since he took over the reins, tinkering with the club's playing style, their formation and the  personnel. Fulham midfielder cum forward Clint Dempsey is one of those which have been identified by the manager as he continues with his bold, bright vision for the future, but upon closer inspection, does the American really fit in at Anfield?

Liverpool were far from their fluent best during their 1-0 win in the Europa League third-qualifying phase away at Belarusian side FC Gomel, with certain players seemingly clueless of what has been asked of them, but these are early days and we must be patient. Nevertheless, Fabio Borini occupied the lone striker role, with Joe Cole and Stewart Downing preferred out wide, and Raheem Sterling coming on for the the injured Cole in the first half.

With this in mind, it seems as if Rodgers is attempting to duplicate and transfer his preferred 4-3-3 system which he used at Swansea to Anfield, which is where the main problem comes for me with regards to Dempsey, because which role exactly would he have in that formation?

Dempsey enjoyed a hugely successful season at Fulham last term under Martin Jol, finishing the campaign with 17 league goals to his name and 23 across all competitions. He played largely off the shoulder of the lone front-man in a fluid 4-5-1 formation, and could float about where he so pleased, as could the likes of Moussa Dembele and Bryan Ruiz. It led to some hugely attractive football, some of the most exciting and enjoyable that I had witnessed last term at least, and Dempsey flourished.

Here is where the problem lies, though, the demands of playing for Fulham are very different to those of playing for Liverpool; approaching it purely from a 'he's a good player, good players can always play together' angle is simply far too simplistic, and one suspects Rodgers, with his 180-page dossier, wouldn't dare dream of falling into such a trap.

For Fulham, little is expected of them, a comfortable mid-table finish aside and it also changes how the opposition plays against you. Dempsey is not a player to break down the sort of stubborn defences which turned out at Anfield last term and nor does he have the game-changing pace to get in behind them and make a difference.

His success at Fulham is a direct consequence of the opposition attempting to play more football against Fulham than they perhaps would do against Liverpool. Very rarely will a team set up to stop the west London side, whereas at Liverpool, despite their struggles in recent seasons, smaller teams still at times set out to stop them playing as opposed to possessing any real attacking game-plan of their own, such is their status within the British game. You may snigger at that, as the anti-Liverpool jokes go into overdrive, but it's true.

Rodgers stated last month about Dempsey: "Clint is a player we've enquired about, it is as simple as that. Ian Ayre, our managing director, has spoken with the club to see what the position is. That is where we're at. He's a very talented player but we don't like to talk about other clubs' players."


Aside from failing to see the irony in talking about other clubs' players by stating that you don't want to talk about other clubs' players, a trick right out of the Harry Redknapp school of media management, it's clearly had an affect on Dempsey as he pulled out of the club's pre-season training camp in Switzerland a couple of weeks later in an attempt to force the issue and any proposed move. The situation has been hastened even further by the fact that the club have now sold Alberto Aquilani to Fiorentina to bring an end to a rotten three-year spell at the club for the Italian, during which he was never really given a chance.

Dempsey may seem like an ideal candidate for the role at the tip of the midfield trio under Rodgers' system, but with Steven Gerrard at the club and Joe Allen surely set to come alongside Lucas Leiva behind him, with finite resources, it seems like a needless indulgence. Add Jordan Henderson into the mix and Jonjo Shelvey, who has come on in leaps and bounds of late, and the squad seems fairly well-stocked in this area.

Where the side does lack any sort of strength in depth is up front, with Andy Carroll having been left out of their European squad for the time being, which alludes to a move away. This leaves just Luis Suarez and Fabio Borini to occupy three spaces, with Craig Bellamy looking like he's heading towards the exit door as soon as the Olympics are over. Dempsey simply isn't quick enough to play in one of the two wide positions and while he may be comfortable with his back to goal, he's never really played as an out-and-out striker either.

The pursuit of the American looks to have been done largely on the basis of a standout season last year, which is merely a continuation of the flawed transfer policy under Dalglish and Damien Comolli that saw the club buy players at inflated values simply off the back of one good season. The club's record of buying from within the Premier League is also pretty ropey, going back to Robbie Keane and further, and history dictates that we must regard any chances of the move becoming a success with a great degree of skepticism.

Dempsey's form has been good for a number of years now, but had he scored 7 goals in the league last year as opposed to 17, would the club really be moving for him this summer? Probably not is the answer to that and with Fulham reluctant to sell, you have to wonder whether forking out over £10m on a 29-year-old really the sort of fiscally responsible, financially sound long-term purchase that FSG had in mind when they appointed Rodgers in the first place.

Dempsey is clearly a very good player, but much like with Tim Cahill at Everton, he may just be one of those players which suit one particular club extremely well and it might not work elsewhere. With the doubts over what clearly defined role he would have, his age, price and the fact that given the budget at his disposal, Rodgers clearly has more pressing concerns elsewhere when bolstering his squad. The move to Liverpool doesn't quite stack up as much as you might initially expect it to and they'd be best served giving it a wide berth this summer if you ask me and focusing on the side's fairly obvious shortcomings further forward.



http://www.footballfancast.com/2012/08/football-blogs/should-liverpool-side-with-caution-over-potential-transfer?

[WhiteJC]

 
Norway Trip!

Fulham First Team members and Norwegian internationals, Brede Hangeland and John Arne Riise, caught up with Fulham Badger team member Daniel Morris last week, in order to present him with his new Fulham kit ahead of the Badgers' participation in a football tournament in Kristiansand, Norway.
Daniel is part of the Fulham Badgers Down's syndrome football team, who were formed in 2006 in partnership with the Down's Syndrome Association (DSA) as part of their DSActive scheme.

Crowned champions of this year's Premier League Down's Syndrome Football Festival, the squad are now looking forward to taking part in the tournament that kicks off on 31st August. Making up one of the 1400 expected participants, the Badgers are the only team from outside of Norway who have been invited to take part.

John Arne Riise commented:

"It was great to meet Daniel at the Training Ground and to be able to present him with his new kit. The trip will be a fantastic opportunity for him and the other Fulham Badgers to grow as footballers and people, working on both their physical and social skills. Brede and I did have to warn him about the unpredictable weather over in Norway though!"

The Fulham Football Club Foundation and Fulham Badgers team would like to thank the following organisations for their kind and generous contributions:

Scouting 7, ProZone, AON, TMG Sport, AWD, Scottish Widows, Trad Scaffolding Ltd and Aker Solutions.

If you would like to make a donation to help fund the Fulham Badgers Norway Trip – please sign up to the team's Justgiving page.




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

[WhiteJC]

 
Djetou's Assessment

Martin, as we know, you enjoyed two seasons at Fulham, but what fans might not realise is that in leaving Craven Cottage you spent a brief period with Saturday's opponents OGC Nice...

I did yes, and I have to say that my time at Fulham really was fantastic. Out of the overseas teams that I played for, Fulham was the best. When I first left France, when joining Parma in Italy, I really didn't want to go. Even though I won the Italian Cup there, it was a hard time for me, but I gave it my best. It is always difficult moving to a new country, there is so much to take in, but I absolutely adored my time in London with Fulham. Almost every player that I know that has played in England says the same thing - they all speak very highly of the Premier League. When I left Craven Cottage, I spent about six months at Nice, but when the manager that signed me was replaced I quickly realised that I wasn't in his plans.

What can Fulham expect from Nice – what type of game do you anticipate?

To be honest, I actually think Nice play in a similar way to an English side, and what I mean by that is that their players have so much desire. They don't have the biggest of squads, but what they do have is a collection of players that give their all to the team. I can see it being quite a physical game, with plenty of pace and commitment from both teams. This will be a good test for Fulham, and knowing the Nice manager, Claude Puel, from my time at AS Monaco, he will get the best from his players. He's a winner and that is reflected in his teams.

In going to the game, it will be the first time that you have seen Fulham play since your days at Craven Cottage as a player...

It will be yes, but that time has gone very quickly. To be honest, since I retired from the game in 2007, I haven't watched a lot of football – for me, it has been the time to concentrate on my family. But when I found out that Fulham were playing Nice, which is close to where I live, I knew that it was a game I couldn't miss. I can't wait, and hopefully it will be an exciting match for both sets of fans. It will be nice to see the Fulham supporters though, because they were really good to me during my time at the Club. I want to thank the Fulham fans during two wonderful seasons at the Club. My wife and family loved England too, even though my wife hardly spoke English she loved our time at Fulham.

With many Fulham fans expected to make the trip you could be in luck. With that in mind, for those that are making the trip what should they expect?

Fulham fans have got to visit the Promenade des Anglais which is magnificent. On top of that, there are lots of nice shops and bars in the pedestrian areas – there is so much to do and I'm sure they will discover it as they go.

For fans that don't know too much about French football, what is your assessment of Ligue 1?

The big thing for me is the fact that every club is so professionally run. As a result, their players prepare accordingly and the standard is now very high. Technically, it is also very strong and there is a lot of quality in French football at this moment in time. Montpellier were the surprise of last season, winning the league title without a big budget. They were deserved winners and their rise to the top is a fascinating story. At the other end of the spectrum, Paris Saint-Germain have a massive budget and have already brought in some big players this summer like Thiago Silva, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. They've certainly raised the bar in terms of spending, but in spite of that, my tips for the title are Lyon or Lille.

You said that you have taken a break from football, but do you still harbour ambitions of coaching, as that was something that you talked about in the past?

I do, and it's something that I plan to look into very soon. I've had the break and I feel well rested and ready to get back involved again. I think I will gather my courage and give it a go just like some of my former team-mates like Manuel Dos Santos and Sylvain Legwinski who having been working at AS Monaco. They have both told me how much they enjoy it, so I will use that motivation to follow a similar path.



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

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Looking To Test Wolves' Resolve With Bid

Fulham have made a £4.5 million bid for Wolves winger Matt Jarvis, according to Fulham-manager-Martin-Jol-makes-bids-for-Wolves-winger-Matt-Jarvis-and-Huddersfields-Jordan-Rhodes.html">The Telegraph.

The Molineux club were relegated from the Premier League last season and now face a battle to hold onto their best players.

Martin Jol is eager to strengthen his contingent this summer, and has lodged the bid with the Midlands club.

As yet there has been no news on whether the offer has been accepted or refused, but it is believed that Wolves are eager to recoup closer to the £10 million mark for Jarvis, who has been capped by England on one occasion.

Meanwhile, Jol has also identified Huddersfield striker Jordan Rhodes as a possible transfer target and will make an enquiry over the Scotland international in coming days.

The attacker has caught the attention of several Premier League clubs in recent times after a stellar goalscoring record in the lower leagues, but Fulham face competition from Blackburn to sign the £6 million-rated forward.



http://www.footballfancast.com/2012/08/football-news/fulham-looking-to-test-wolves-resolve-with-bid?

[WhiteJC]

 
Staines 3-4 FFC XI

Summer signing Hugo Rodallega played for a Fulham XI against Staines Town on Friday night but it was Tom Donegan that stole the show with a hat-trick to secure FFC a 4-3 victory over their hosts at Wheatsheaf Park.

Rodallega played 45 minutes for Kit Symons' team and Fulham's U21 Manager was delighted with the character his team showed to come from behind late on.

"Hugo played for 45 minutes and he looked very good," said Symons. "He will only get fitter and stronger now and tonight was good for his match fitness.

"It was quite a physical test for the boys this evening and I was really pleased with the character the boys showed to come from behind late on.

"Ronny Minkwitz scored an absolute screamer from 25 yards and Tom Donegan scored a hat-trick, including two goals in the final ten minutes of the game to win the match."



Fulham XI

1. Neil Etheridge
2. Alexander Brister
3. Sean Kavanagh
4. Ronnie Minkwitz
5. Dan Burn (Captain)
6. Jack Grimmer
7. Ryan Williams
8. Tom Donegan
9. Lauri Dalla Valle
14. Hugo Rodallega
11. Charles Banya

Subs:

Marcus Bettinelli (GK)
13. Omri Altman
10. Richard Peniket
15. Lasse Vigen Christensen
16. Liam Donnelly



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

[ScalleysDad]

A vaguely interesting piece on the Dempsey/Liverpool thing but for goodness sake when will 'they' get over the whole history and heritage thing. They have been average for years and to say playing for Fulham is less demanding and playing for the scousers is s different level is frankly absurd ........... and rude ......................... and rubbish

[Berserker]

To be honest I'm bored with the whole Dempsey thing

[NogoodBoyo]

I'm Berserkered on this one.  The only point of interest was the sentence on 'arry-style tapping of players through the media.
The "Djetou assessment" was far more interesting. 
Nogood "going Berserk , isit" Boyo

[WhiteJC]

 
French Connections


Philippe Christanval

(Sep 2005 – May 2008 Apps: 40 Goals: 1)

A player that sometimes divided opinion amongst the Fulham Faithful; but nevertheless, on his day, the defender could be a classy operator. Started his career at Monaco, where he won the French title, before lining up alongside the likes of Carles Puyol, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Rivaldo at Barcelona. A move to the Cottage followed in September 2005, but it wasn't until the 2006/07 season when he really cemented his place in the team. With good distribution and vision, he certainly had his moments – notably scoring in the 3-3 draw against West Ham in 2006. He was also part of France's 2002 World Cup squad.


Olivier Dacourt

(Feb 2009 – May 2009 Apps: 9 Goals: 0)

Having broken through at Strasbourg, the tenacious midfielder enjoyed the first of three spells in England when signing for Everton in the late 1990s. Having returned to France with Lens, he was back on English soil and helping Leeds United to the semi-final of the Champions League. A loan move to Fulham in February 2009 followed six years in Serie A with Roma and Internazionale, and although he would feature sporadically for Roy Hodgson's side, Dacourt's experience proved a steadying influence as the Whites secured seventh spot and their place in the UEFA Europa League. He represented France at the 1996 Olympic Games and at Euro 2004, winning 21 caps in total.


Martin Djetou

(Jul 2002 – May 2003 & Jul 2003 – May 2004 Apps: 66 Goals: 1)

Tough and uncompromising, Djetou arrived at the Cottage on loan in July 2002 with much anticipation, having built up a fearsome reputation from his time at Strasbourg, Monaco and Parma. Played alongside both Andy Melville and Alain Goma at the heart of the Fulham defence, although it was his partnership with his fellow countryman where he looked most comfortable. A player that could also line up in midfield, his versatility certainly proved useful as the Club looked to establish itself in the top flight. A permanent move to SW6 failed to materialise, and with that, the France international joined Saturday's opponents OGC Nice, before a brief stint at Bolton. He finished his career with a spell at French minnows SC Schiltigheim.


Fabrice Fernandes

(Aug 2000 – March 2001 Apps: 36 Goals: 4)

Although his time at the Club was brief, Fernandes' trickery and technique won many admirers, with the Frenchman playing his part in our Division One title success. Supplying the ammunition for the likes of Saha, Hayles and Boa Morte, the winger's accuracy from the flanks and eye for a pass proved a regular source of goals. He scored a very memorable free-kick too, as we almost upset Manchester United at the Cottage in the FA Cup. However, his move was never made permanent, with Fernandes finally finding his feet at Southampton following short spells at Rangers and Marseille. Having come through at Rennes, he would also appear for Bolton, Beitar Jerusalem, Dinamo Bucarest and Le Harve.


Alain Goma

(Mar 2001 – May 2006 Apps:152 Goals: 0)

Started out at Auxerre, a club he helped to reach the semi-final of both the Champions League and the UEFA Cup, before joining Paris Saint Germain in 1998. With a number of English suitors taking interest, it was Newcastle that secured his signature, and very quickly the Frenchman became an important player at St James' Park. So it was big news indeed, when Goma decided to drop down a division in March 2001 to sign for the Whites. His transfer certainly proved a boost, as Fulham sauntered to the First Division title and as the Club made the step up, his experience and assurance at the back would prove extremely beneficial.


Sylvain Legwinski

(Aug 2001 – Aug 2006 Apps: 164 Goals: 12)

Was given his professional debut by Arsene Wenger at Monaco, before becoming a key player for the principality club under his future Fulham Manager Jean Tigana – where alongside John Arne Riise they would win the French title in 1997. He would also lift the title at Bordeaux too, before joining the Whites in 2001. A popular player at the Cottage, Legwinski was always a committed performer and the scorer of some memorable goals too; most notably in Chris Coleman's first game in charge and in the 3-2 defeat of Tottenham in September 2002. Although he wasn't the most technically gifted, his energy and endeavour proved invaluable. He left the Cottage in 2006 to sign for Ipswich Town.


Steed Malbranque

(Aug 2001 – May 2006 Apps: 211 Goals: 44)

Highly-rated in his teens, the former France Under-18 captain made his breakthrough at Lyon and went on to play in both the Champions League and UEFA Cup. A reported target for Arsenal early on in his career, he eventually found his way into English football when signing for the Whites ahead of our debut Premier League campaign. The ultra-skilled Malbranque made his debut in the narrow 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford on the opening day and went on to become an undoubtedly important player. He certainly made the team tick and on top of his creativity and assists, he was also the scorer of vital strikes – netting in our famous 3-1 away defeat of Manchester United in October 2003. He joined Tottenham in August 2008, before playing for Sunderland and then most recently Saint-Etienne.


Franck Queudrue

(Jul 2006 – Aug 2007 Apps: 31 Goals: 1)

Like Steed Malbranque, Queudrue was considered unlucky to have never won a full cap for France, with the left-back only ever representing his country at B level. Born in Paris, the player made his breakthrough at RC Lens before enjoying a five-year spell at Middlesbrough. Having won many admirers at the Riverside Stadium, Queudrue's arrival at the Cottage was greeted with much anticipation – however the Frenchman would only wear our white and black for one season. In that time, he certainly played his part, most notably when scoring a last-minute equaliser against Charlton to seal a valuable point. Uncompromising in the tackle and a threat from set-pieces, he was replaced by Paul Konchesky ahead of the 2007/08 season. Time at Birmingham, Colchester and Lens followed, with the player currently on the books of Paris-based Red Star.


Louis Saha

(Jan 2000 – Jan 2004 Apps: 144 Goals: 64)

Of the recent era, the free-scoring Frenchman is perhaps one of the Club's most popular players. Having come through at Metz, he spent a brief spell at Newcastle during the 1998/99 season, before really announcing himself to the English public following a blistering start to life at Fulham. He made scoring goals look easy, with his dynamism and natural ability in front of goal seeing him become the first Fulham player since Bedford Jezzard (1953/54) to score 30 goals in a season as we lifted the First Division title at the end of the 2000/01 season. Predictably, he would be the scorer of our first Premier League goal, and although he was less prolific at the top, his 15 goals in 22 appearances by mid-January during the 2003/04 season would set up a big money move to Manchester United. He won 20 caps for France, and was named in both the Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006 squads.



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

[WhiteJC]

 
Rodallega given Fulham fitness boost

HUGO Rodallega stepped up his recovery from an ankle injury with a run-out for a Fulham XI at Staines Town last night.

The summer arrival from Wigan Athletic only started training last week, and missed the club's camp in Switzerland to stay behind and work on his fitness.

However, the 27-year-old frontman made his first appearance in a Fulham shirt at Wheatsheaf Park, getting 45 minutes under his belt during the 4-3 win against the Blue Square South side.

The Colombian could feature in Tuesday night's first-team friendly at MK Dons as he closes in on full fitness.



Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-fc/2012/08/04/82029-31546751/?#ixzz22aXgMOKh

[WhiteJC]

 
Is this €10m midfielder really the solution to Manchester United's problems?

United are currently linked to a host of exciting footballers. Foremost amongst these names are Brazilian prodigy Lucas Moura and Arsenal's wantaway captain Robin Van Persie. So how does a player like Fulham's Moussa Dembele stack up against these players?

Well, Dembele will always struggle to seem like an attractive prospect in contrast to these potential big money signings. But does that mean he wouldn't be a good addition to Manchester United's squad?

According to Dutch paper De Telegraph, Fulham have turned down a €10m offer from Manchester United for their Belgium midfielder, Moussa Dembele. They also claim that Real Madrid are monitoring the situation. Those are two pretty big suitors for a player whose CV reads Germinal Beerschot (great name for a football team), Willem II, AZ and Fulham. (Source: Daily Mail and SB Nation)

According to his agent, Jan de Visser, Dembele is attracting interest from plenty of top clubs, which will make sure that Fulham get a fair deal for the midfielder. That's despite him just having a year left on his Cottagers contract. Fullham fans are no doubt just keen for him to move on so that they can re-invest the money in a player who can help them cement their ascendancy in the Premier League.

Whether he'd be a good addition for Manchester United is another matter. He was impressive last season and has thrived in the attacking midfield role that Martin Jol has assigned to him. Yet, it's not entirely clear that he has what it takes to perform at the top of the table. One thing's for sure – he doesn't get on the score sheet enough, with only 7 goals in his last 73 Fulham appearances.

He does have the ability to pull the strings in the centre of the park and add forward momentum to a side. He's also capable of putting in a tackle. Whether he'll ever be as good as Paul Scholes when it comes to mixing these two activities, is too difficult to tell at the moment.

One thing's for sure. He's not the signing that most Manchester United fans are hoping for. He's a good player, but there's not enough evidence yet that he's going to be a great one. Time will tell in this regard, I suppose, but I hope that Manchester United don't take their interest any further.

What's your take? Would Dembele be a good addition at Old Trafford?


Read more at http://thisisfutbol.com/2012/08/blogs/is-this-e10m-midfielder-really-the-solution-to-manchester-uniteds-problems?#dE0f2bhVEEfLTxlY.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Ewood Etuhu
   
Dickson Etuhu has followed Blackburn into the Championship, joining them on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee.

The Nigerian midfielder has been a decent servant to Fulham in his four-year with the club, his £1.5m fee paid to Sunderland more than repaid, but in recent times has struggled to hold down a regular first-team spot and would have found it even tougher this season.

30-year-old Etuhu will be wished well nevertheless with this move the best thing for all concerned really.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=289014#ixzz22aYBPPqx

[WhiteJC]

 
New player factfile #5: Fulham's Mladen Petric
The Croatia international has already broken English hearts at Wembley



In the fifth of our profiles on this season's Barclays Premier League signings, premierleague.com reveals the experienced Croatian who is looking forward to playing up front for Fulham.

Mladen Petric
Club: Fulham
Nationality: Croatian
Position: Striker
DOB: 01/01/81
Age: 31
Height: 6ft
Transfer fee: Free
Fantasy Premier League transfer fee: £6m
Contracted: Until 2013
Previous clubs: Baden (1998-99), Grasshopper Zurich (1999-04), Basel (2004-07), Borussia Dortmund (2007-08), Hamburg (2008-12)
League appearances: 127 (Bundesliga), 186 (Swiss Super-League), 22 (Swiss fourth division)
League goals: 51 (Bundesliga), 68 (Swiss Super-League), 4 (Swiss fourth division)
International appearances: 44
International goals: 12
Honours: 2000-01, 2002-03, 2004-05 Swiss Super-League winner
Nickname: Jay-Rod

Profile: A striker who has regularly scored goals in the Swiss and German leagues, Petric will link up with his former Hamburg manager Martin Jol again at Fulham. Known for his powerful long shots and set-piece accuracy, the 31-year-old Croatian is also adept at linking up play and creating opportunities for his teammates. His physical presence and excellent technique allow him to score a variety of goals, from simple headers to overhead kicks.

He says: "I like the Premier League and it has always been one of my wishes to come here. I played with Hamburg against Fulham two years ago in the Europa League. It was very nice to play at Craven Cottage with a fantastic crowd and I have enjoyed a good relationship with every member of the club I have met since."

They say: "He's strong in the air and he has a great feeling for the game. He's patient, strong on the ball and a very modern player. He's not a classic finisher, but he knows how to score and that's what's important." (Slaven Bilic, former Croatia manager)."

Interesting stat: Petric scored the winning goal in Croatia's 3-2 win at Wembley that ended England's hopes of qualifying for UEFA EURO 2008.

Did you know? Petric once played in goal for Basel after their goalkeeper was sent off and they had already made all three substitutions. He managed to save a penalty to earn a draw for Basel.



http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/news/news/new-player-factfile-fulhams-mladen-petric.html?