Tuesday Fulham Stuff (07/08/12)...

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Jol backs Banga for big future
Youngster impresses with Fulham first-team in pre-season


Martin Jol: Fulham boss backing Buomesca Tue Na Banga to impress

Fulham manager Martin Jol believes the future is bright for young winger Buomesca Tue Na Banga.

The youngster impressed in the Under-18 side last season and has been training with the first-team during pre-season.

The Portugal Under-17 international featured in pre-season against Wycombe Wanderers and also scored in Fulham's 4-0 win over Nice at the weekend.

Jol expects big things from the 19-year-old in the next few years, but also stressed that he's one for the future.

He told the Fulham Chronicle: "Mesca joined us last year from Chelsea, I believed in him and we gave him a contract.

"He started with the development squad but has trained with us quite a few times.

"He's exciting, but don't expect too much from him because he's 19 and a terrific talent."



http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11661/7968647?

[WhiteJC]

 
Dembele to replace Dembele?!
   
Moussa Dembele may be leaving Fulham this summer but his name might not?

Spurs, Manchester United and Real Madrid have all been linked with moves for the Belgian star who seems destined to leave Craven Cottage but his replacement could end up being his exact double namesake, Moussa Dembele!

This Moussa Dembele is Paris St Germain's 16-year-old French striker, who has been compared to Thierry Henry in terms of his talent.

He could not only fill the void left by name but by talent and ability too, and at a cost of £284,000 maximum according to The Metro.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=289188#ixzz22pOWKKxy

[WhiteJC]

 
Liverpool chances of landing striker are starting to look bleak

Liverpool could be set to miss out on the signature of Fulham forward Clint Dempsey, with the two clubs yet to come to an agreement on the 29-year old's price tag.

The American international had his most profilic scoring season for the Cottagers last term, netting 23 times for Martin Jol's side to help them to a respectable 9th place finish in the Premier League.

Dempsey however has for long been craving a move to a bigger club in search of more winners' medals, and has been desperate to make a switch to Anfield this summer after hearing of new Reds' manager Brendan Rodgers' interest in acquiring his services.

However, his desire to move to the Merseyside club could now have landed him in troubled ground, with Liverpool still not ready to fork out Fulham's £10 million valuation for Dempsey, and the player on strained terms with manager Jol after a recent bust-up between the two.

Dempsey was left in England by the Fulham boss while the Cottagers embarked on a pre-season training camp to Switzerland, this after the player had a heated argument with Jol at the club's training ground.

The Reds on the other hand have not been impressed by Fulham's doggedness over the player's asking price, with Rodgers unwilling to reach double digits for a player who will reach 30 before the end of next season.

The current indecision regarding Dempsey's situation however has alerted Italian side AS Roma, who could be ready to use the £12 million they received from Liverpool for the transfer of Fabio Borini in order to launch their own bid for the versatile American.



http://www.footylatest.com/liverpool-chances-of-landing-striker-are-starting-to-look-bleak/31286?

[WhiteJC]

 
Dempsey to Liverpool seems a no-go

Despite the consistent rumours concerning Clint Dempsey's imminent Fulham departure to Brendan Rodger's Liverpool, it now seems our American star won't be moving north after all.

The transfer appeared, at various points, to be certain, not least when Liverpool owners, Fenway Sports Group, released a statement welcoming Dempsey to the club. However, this was a momentary, and very costly, lapse in concentration which didn't impress the Fulham hierarchy who, themselves, are sticking firmly by an asking price that is thought to just reach double figures.

Rodgers is unwilling to go that high for a player who, this time next year, will be 30 and also out of contract. Talks, therefore, have been long, tough, and ultimately unsuccessful which has opened the door to rival bids - one of which has come from Italy in the form of Roma.

Having sold Fabio Borini to Liverpool, Roma have a spare £12 million lying around and are keen to tempt Fulham, and Dempsey, with a bid closer to Fulham's valuation of around £10 million.

Martin Jol has a preference for the Italian offer, not only because it will be bigger than what Liverpool are prepared to put on the table, but because the sale is unlikely to come back and haunt Fulham in the coming Premier League campaign.

Liverpool are likely to still keep their interest in Dempsey high, especially as Rodgers has publicly admitted his admiration for him, and may even be prepared to up their bid, but, as it stands, they're taking a back seat in negotiations.



http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2012/8/6/3223683/dempsey-to-liverpool-seems-a-no-go?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham eye McFadden
Scotland international could be set for Turkey move


James McFadden: Weighing up options as a free agent this summer

Sky Sports understands that free agent James McFadden is attracting interest from Fulham but could be tempted by a new adventure in Turkey.

McFadden returned to Everton last season in a short-term deal but made just two Premier League starts with the club he had previously played for from 2003 to 2008.

The 29-year-old Scotland international is now looking for a new employer and Martin Jol is considering giving the former Birmingham man a chance at Craven Cottage.

But McFadden may feel his future lies away from English football and could be handed an opportunity in the Turkish Super League as Bursaspor are believed to have made enquiries about the forward.

That move would see the Scot link up with another British player as former West Brom goalkeeper Scott Carson joined the club in a £2million deal last summer.



http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11671/7969209?

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IS THE £7M FEE MOOTED FOR JOL'S NEXT HIT MAN VALUE FOR MONEY?

Fulham could be set to bolster their frontline as manager Martin Jol is linked with a swoop for Levante's Ivorian hitman Arouna Kone.

The Cottagers' forward line has already had some surgery this summer, as Pavel Pogrebnyak and Andy Johnson joined Reading and QPR respectively – they have though been replaced by Wigan's Hugo Rodallega and former Hamburg striker Mladen Petric.

Jol's first season in charge ended with Fulham in 9th place, a good start to his stint in West London, but now the club is looking to really progress this season, therefore firepower is needed.

And today's Daily Mirror says that Jol has lined up Arouna Kone as a prospective signing. Kone's career was seemingly heading in a downward spiral after a torrid spell with Sevilla, where he scored just 1 goal in 40 games. This was followed up with an uninspiring loan deal with German side Hannover, where he scored twice in 8 appearances.

But his career re-ignited with a move to Levante, where he fired the team to the Europa League with 17 goals in just 34 games – he was left out of the final few games of the season because if he scored 18 goals then he automatically had to return to Sevilla – which he didn't want to do. Subsequently, Kone signed for Levante permanently but could still be sold.

Levante have history of doing this – last summer they signed loanee Felipe Caicedo only to sell him on for huge profit and it looks like Kone could go the same way. £7m is the fee mooted and whilst that seems like good business for a striker who has scored 17 goals last season, Kone turns 29 in November and would offer little or no resale value – something Fulham have to be wary of.

Given his fairly poor record over the last few years, could it be that his spell at Levante was simply a flash in the pan? To me, they'd be better off upping their bid for Huddersfield striker Jordan Rhodes.



http://www.footballtransfertavern.com/2012/08/premiership/is-the-7m-fee-mooted-for-jols-next-hit-man-value-for-money?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TransferTavern+%28The+Transfer+Tavern+Home+Page%29

[WhiteJC]

 
Spurs man linked with west London move – and Arshavin with Galatasaray

The Daily Mirror say Fulham have renewed their interest in signing David Bentley from Tottenham – and that Arsenal's Andrey Arshavin is a target for Galatasaray.

QPR are also said to want Bentley, while Gunners playmaker Arshavin has been touted for a possible loan move to Loftus Road.

Fulham boss Martin Jol is apparently keen on Bentley, 27, who is looking to rebuild his career following a long spell out with a knee problem.

And Galatasaray are reported to have tabled a £4m bid for Arshavin. The Russian is believed to be keen to stay in London.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have stepped up their attempt to sign Marseille's Cesar Azpilicueta after having an £8m bid for the defender rejected, according to The Sun.

Marseille president Vincent Labrune is quoted as saying: "Chelsea have made a serious approach for Cesar."


http://www.westlondonsport.com/paper-talk/spurs-man-linked-with-west-london-move-and-arshavin-with-galatasaray