Wednesday Fulham Stuff(10/07/13)...

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EXCLUSIVE: Fulham and Sheffield Wednesday eye outcast Bardsley

FULHAM and Sheffield Wednesday are leading the chase for Sunderland discard Phil Bardsley.

Those two clubs have emerged as the ones making the early running for a player who has no future at the club under head coach Paolo Di Canio.

But the Gazette understands that others are also monitoring the situation of a player who is set to leave Sunderland sooner rather than later.

Bardsley was always likely to leave the Stadium of Light this summer in the wake of embarrassing pictures of him on a late night out at a casino just before the end of last season, coupled with stinging public criticism from Di Canio in the days that followed.

But the final straw is the decision to leave the 28-year-old defender at home while the rest of the squad flew out to their high-intensity training camp in Italy.

Speaking at a charity sports event yesterday, he said: "I think it's quite clear to everyone that I'm not part of the plans at the club.

"So I'm just waiting and, you know, hopefully something will pop up in the near future.

"There has been interest from other clubs so, as I say, just waiting, and hopefully something is just around the corner."

Wednesday boss Jones is desperate to get Bardsley on board, and can promise the full-back he will be central to his plans and allow the player to move closer to his Manchester base.

But Fulham will offer him the chance to stay in the Premier League and follow the route taken by former Sunderland team-mate Kieran Richardson, who left the Stadium of Light for Craven Cottage last summer.



http://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/sunderland-afc/exclusive-fulham-and-sheffield-wednesday-eye-outcast-bardsley-1-5836072

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Trotta's Objective

New hairstyle, new season, new aims – Marcello Trotta is hoping to play a part for Fulham in the 2013/14 campaign.

The Italian youngster, who made his Fulham debut in an FA Cup tie at Everton in January 2012, made one appearance for the Whites last term as a substitute in the Capital One Cup loss at Sheffield Wednesday.

In November, he joined npower League One side Brentford in a deal that would eventually last until the end of the season. He scored nine goals during his stint at Griffin Park and feels he has returned to SW6 an improved player.

"It was a very important year for me," Trotta told the official website. "I think last season was a crucial experience in different ways. I think I grew as a man and as a football player.

"Every game was different. We were looking for promotion so there was pressure in every match but the manager [Uwe Rosler] was very good and he encouraged us to never give up. He was a striker, too, as a player so straight away he helped me and taught me some new things."

Trotta's time at Brentford ended at Wembley but the Bees went down to a 2-1 defeat to Yeovil Town in the Play-Off Final, with the Fulham striker's Whites teammate Dan Burn on target for the Glovers.

"It was amazing and unfortunately we lost the game but overall it was a great experience. It was a good day for Dan and for Yeovil. I was happy for him but disappointed for Brentford," continued Trotta, whose highlight during his spell with the Bees was undoubtedly scoring in an FA Cup with Budweiser clash against Chelsea.

"For the occasion, that was the best moment from my time there," said Trotta on his goal in the 2-2 draw at Griffin Park. "It was good and it gave me more confidence and a positive feeling."

The 20-year-old is now back at Motspur Park and has set his sights on regular action for Martin Jol's side this term.

"It's good to be back – it's very warm in training but it's always nice to see everyone," he stated. "The aim is to try and establish myself here and try to play a few games. I will do my best and hopefully the Manager will give me a chance."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/july/09/trottas-targets?

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Dirk Kuyt denies Fulham FC & Cardiff City rumours

Fenerbahçe forward Dirk Kuyt has denied rumours linking him with a move to Fulham and Cardiff City.

Kuyt tweeted, "Holidays almost over. I really missed Fenerbahce. Looking forward to meet my friends and the fans again.

"I heard there are some rumours in the Turkish media that I have spoken to Dutch radio. Those are completely untrue!!

"I didn't speak to any media during my holidays."

Fenerbahçe signed Kuyt from Liverpool for €1 million this summer.

The 32-year-old forward signed a 3 year contract with the Istanbul club worth €2.85 million per season in addition to a match bonus of €17,500.

Kuyt scored 17 goals and provided 15 assists in 54 appearances for the Yellow Canaries last season and played an important role in helping Fenerbahçe lift the Turkish Cup.



http://www.turkish-football.com/news_read.php?id=4875

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Fulham want €4m for Galatasaray target Kerim Frei

Fulham FC have rejected the €2.5 million offer proposed by Galatasaray and will not listen to any offers under €4 million for the 19-year-old winger.

Galatasaray have made it a priority to sign Turkish players as they are facing pressure for foreign spaces.

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) will only permit 10 foreign players per-club in the 2013-14 season and allow six foreign players on the field at any one time.

Galatasaray currently have 10 non-Turkish players on their books.

However, Kerim recently stated that he is happy at Fulham and wants to see out his contract at the Cottagers.

"I still have two years left on my contract and the I'm pleased with the way Fulham have treated me," Kerim said speaking to Sporx.

"I don't know of any offers and haven't really considered a move."

Galatasaray President Ünal Aysal recently confirmed interest in Fulham winger Kerim Frei.

"We are interested in Kerim Frei," Aysal said speaking to Lig TV.

Galatasaray manager Fatih Terim also revealed that they have been closely monitoring Kerim.

Terim said, "We have been scouting Frei for over a year and remain interested."

The Turkish international winger spent much of the 2012-13 season out with injury however, Kerim represented Turkey in the FIFA U-20 World Cup Turkey 2013.

Kerim made four appearances for Turkey in the U20 World Cup, the Turkish side were knocked out in the Round of 16 against France.



http://www.turkish-football.com/news_read.php?id=4876

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Fulham and Benfica battle for Rabiu

Fulham and Benfica are locked in the battle for Evian midfielder Mohammed Rabiu, reports L'Equipe.

The Ghanaian footballer has seen his stock rise a great deal last season and he is reportedly looking for a new challenge.

According to L'Equipe, Benfica are showing interest in the 23-year-old as they prepare for life without Nemanja Matic.

The Eagles have been told they will have to pay around €3 million for the Ghana international, which is well within their price range.

The only problem is that Fulham are also believed to be keen on the player who impressed at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

Rabiu is a combative midfielder who began his professional career in Spain and also had a short spell with Udinese before joining Evian in the summer of 2010.

The Ghanaian has since made a total of 63 Ligue 1 appearances for the French minnows and went on to score two goals.



http://www.soccernews.com/fulham-and-benfica-battle-for-rabiu/123309/?

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Hitting The Heights

There were high expectations when Dimitar Berbatov arrived at the Cottage. It's fair to say he met them - he went on to score 15 league goals and was named the Club's 2012/13 Player of the Season. The Bulgarian sat down with Fultime to discuss his debut campaign in SW6, his relationship with Martin Jol and his determination to push Fulham to loftier heights...

For such a reluctant interviewee, plenty has been written about Dimitar Berbatov during his career. Plenty more has been written since he arrived on the banks of the Thames on the final day of last summer's transfer window.

And, if a picture paints a thousand words, his hands-on-hips stance and icy glare when a teammate isn't on the same wavelength speaks volumes. Unhurried and unflappable - comparisons with the great Johnny Haynes are inevitable.

But there are smiles too - not least when he's found the back of the net, as he did 15 times in his debut season with the Whites. Not since the 2005/06 season, when Collins John scored 11 goals, has a Fulham striker hit double figures in the league.

But, instead of basking in the acclaim and adulation, as soon as that final whistle has gone, the Bulgarian is off. He was virtually in the dressing room when he was announced as Fulham's winner of the 2012/13 Player of the Season during the end-of-term lap of appreciation. But don't for one minute think Berbatov's laid-back approach to football means he doesn't care. A 3-1 home defeat to Liverpool in which he had opened the scoring was not a cause for celebration in the eyes of the forward.

"When we lose, if you ask some of the boys in the team, they can testify that I'm not the nicest person in the dressing room," he exclusively told Fultime. "But this is because I want to win all the time. I know this is not possible but I push to achieve this and when it's not happening I look at myself and see what I've done wrong and what I should do better next time.

"Then I will ask everybody around me in the team to do their best because I hate stupidity on the pitch - I like intelligent players. In the big teams, this is how they win the majority of their games - they wait for the other team to make a mistake and then they score and the game is finished. We need to improve on each level if we want to move to a higher position. We need to believe and know that we can do this and push towards this goal in order to achieve this. This is how you go forward."

For a club of Fulham's size and stature, the signing of Berbatov from United was a major coup. He reportedly turned down moves to Italian sides Juventus and Fiorentina, while some pundits opinioned that Berbatov should have held out for a side in England's so-called 'top four'.

They hadn't accounted for the bond between Berbatov and Martin Jol, a partnership first established during the pair's time at Tottenham Hotspur. It was Jol that took a then-25-year-old Berbatov to White Hart Lane from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of £10.9m in July 2006.

They spent just one full season together at Spurs, but Berbatov hit 23 goals in all competitions and Jol's side finished fifth in the league. The foundations were laid for a father and son-type relationship which played a key role in bringing Berbatov to the Cottage.

"I love this guy," stated Berbatov when asked about the Fulham Manager. "It had been a long time since we worked together so when I came here to team up with him again it was great for me because we click. I can see that he trusts me 100 per cent on the pitch and this is what I like about him. It's up to me to not disappoint him and this is my first and only goal really - not to let down the man who has put all his trust in me. So I try my best on the pitch."

To read the full interview with Berbatov, be sure to pick up your copy of Issue 41 of Fultime, which is instore now, priced £3.50. You can also purchase your copy from our online store here or download the App version of the magazine. Priced £2.49, the App brings fans additional videos to their iPad, iPhone or Android device.

Free to all Season Ticket Holders and Members, the latest edition of Fultime also features in-depth and exclusive discussion from Manager Jol, Brede Hangeland, Alexander Kačaniklić, Sean Davis and Steve Wigley. Plus, nearly 40 years after our only domestic cup final, we catch up with key names from the 1974/75 season as Les Strong, John Mitchell, John Lacy, John Fraser, Les Barrett and Barry Lloyd, and coaches Ken Craggs and John Collins, reunite at the Cottage to recall that run to Wembley.

Elsewhere, the third installment of the 100 Men Who Shaped Fulham Football Club comes your way, there's stats galore from the 2012/13 campaign, Strong picks his Fulham dream team, Alan 'Sniffer' Clarke's Whites career is analysed and the Watney Cup is remembered.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/july/09/hitting-the-heights?

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Karagounis' New Deal

The Club is delighted to confirm that Giorgos Karagounis has signed a new one-year contract with Fulham that will keep him at Craven Cottage until 30th June 2014.

After signing for the Whites in September 2012, Karagounis established himself as an important member of Martin Jol's squad, playing 28 times and scoring twice.

His work rate and passion on the pitch made him a firm fans' favourite, while he came second in both the Player and Goal of the Season awards last term, as voted for by supporters.

Karagounis remains an integral part of the Greece national set-up, and the central midfielder recently became their most capped player of all time.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/july/09/karagounis-new-deal?

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Mark Schwarzer joins Chelsea after leaving Fulham

Veteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has joined Chelsea on a one-year deal after leaving neighbours Fulham.

The 40-year-old was a free agent after turning down a new contract offer at Fulham.

He will provide competition to Czech keeper Petr Cech.

"It's a phenomenal club," said Schwarzer. "It's one of the biggest and best clubs in the world, and it's an honour to sign for Chelsea. I didn't take much convincing to come here."

Schwarzer is the first overseas player to make 500 English top-flight appearances.

The Sydney-born stopper moved to England in 1996, with Bradford City. He later joined Middlesbrough, for whom he made more than 400 appearances in 11 years, before switching to Fulham in 2008.

He is new Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's third signing of the summer, following Dutch midfielder Marco van Ginkel, and Germany international forward Andre Schurrle to Stamford Bridge.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23250248?

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Transfer news: Giorgos Karagounis signs on at Fulham for 2013/4 season

Giorgos Karagounis will stay at Fulham next season after agreeing a new contract.

Karagounis was included on a list of players released by the Premier League club earlier this summer.

But the 36-year-old midfielder - Greece's most capped player - has now signed a second one-year deal.

Karagounis started 20 league games in his first season in west London, scoring once.


http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11681/8814892?

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I love Jol! Berbatov says relationship with Fulham boss in built on trust

Fulham striker Dimitar Berbatov has opened up about his relationship with manager Martin Jol and explained he was a key factor in the Bulgarian's decision to swap Old Trafford for Craven Cottage last summer.

Berbatov netted 15 goals in his first season on the banks of the Thames and puts it down to the trust that Jol shows in him on the pitch.

The Dutch boss first worked with Berbatov at Tottenham when he signed him for from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of £10.9m in 2006.


Total respect: Dimitar Berbatov says he enjoys playing for Martin Jol at Fulham


All smiles: Berbatov netted 15 goals in his debut season at Fulham

And that one season, in which Berbatov netted 23 goals for the White Hart Lane club, was enough to form father and son-type relationship that has been rekindled at Fulham.

Some players in the past have fallen out with Jol and subsequently left the club, but Berbatov does not fall into that category.

'I love this guy,' Berbatov told the Fulham magazine Fultime. 'It had been a long time since we worked together so when I came here to team up with him again it was great for me because we click.


Bond: Berbatov enjoys the trust Jol shows him


In the beginning: Berbatov and Jol first worked together at Spurs

'I can see that he trusts me 100 per cent on the pitch and this is what I like about him. It's up to me to not disappoint him and this is my first and only goal really - not to let down the man who has put all his trust in me. So I try my best on the pitch.'

Berbatov has been known for his laid back approach to the game but insists that deep down he cares about what goes on and gets angry when the team lose.


Angry man: Berbatov says he is not nice to be around when the side lose

He added: 'When we lose, if you ask some of the boys in the team, they can testify that I'm not the nicest person in the dressing room.

'But this is because I want to win all the time. I know this is not possible but I push to achieve this and when it's not happening I look at myself and see what I've done wrong and what I should do better next time.'

Meanwhile, Greek midfielder Giorgos Karagounis has signed a new one-year contract at Craven Cottage.


Staying put: Giorgos Karagounis has signed a new deal at Fulham

The former Greece captain signed last year on a short-term deal and played 28 times for the west Londoners last season scoring two goals.

Karagounis has 125 caps for Greece and captained the side to victory in the 2004 European championship after scoring the opening goal of the tournament against hosts Portugal.

Initially released by Fulham last month, he had been linked to a return to Panathinaikos or a move to Australia's Melbourne Victory.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2358795/Dimitar-Berbatov-says-enjoys-trust-shown-Martin-Jol-Fulham.html#ixzz2YbuvdE18
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Tottenham transfer news: Defoe interest mounts

Fulham are ready to hijack Stoke City's move for Tottenham Hotspur striker Jermain Defoe.

Potters boss Mark Hughes was reportedly ready to reunite the pint-sized forward with his former Lilywhites strike partner Peter Crouch.

But SportsDirect News has learned Cottagers chief Martin Jol is ready to go head-to-head with Hughes in a bid to land the 30-year-old.

Both clubs have been encouraged by Spurs' long-running pursuits of other strikers, and believe Defoe will be allowed to leave if Andre Villas-Boas lands his top targets.

Villas-Boas is interested in want-away Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke and Valencia star Roberto Soldado.

But, should the Portuguese tactician fail to land a striker or two this summer, Defoe may yet stay at White Hart Lane, though Emmanuel Adebayor and Scott Parker both look set to leave.

Adebayor has been eyed by Turkish club Besiktas, who have publicly expressed their desire to sign him, while Queens Park Rangers want to lure Parker to Loftus Road.


http://www.sportsdirectnews.com/premier-league/27890-tottenham-transfer-news-defoe-interest-mounts.php

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Brede Hangeland Shows Why He Is The Fulham Captain

With the recent news that Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke has put in a request for a transfer after one season with his club, got me to think and appreciate even more a Fulham player that I feel is dedicated to the club, and he has proven it recently by signing a new contract that will see him at Fulham for two more seasons. Brede Hangeland has shown why he is a true Captain and leader.

Hangeland has been a rock at centre-back for Fulham after coming to the club in January 2008, and did his part in the Great Escape, helping the team stay up in the Premier League. It is great to look back, and see that he has been with the club for six seasons now, as he enters his seventh as the captain once again.

He started his career with Fulham strongly, working on a wonderful partnership with Aaron Hughes that was so solid for several seasons. Those two players together made it very difficult for opponents to score on Fulham for a long time, and it was truly special to watch them play.

Hangeland is a true leader on the pitch, as his actions of control and confidence probably affect the rest of his teammates, because they know he is doing his job. It is not what Hangeland says rather his actions speak much louder than words on the field. Don't get me wrong, he is interacting with his teammates, but his quiet confidence has always impressed me.

Another reason he shows why he is the Captain is his loyalty to the club which he has shown throughout his career. Hangeland had several opportunities to move on to larger clubs, and he never did which speaks volumes of how he feels about Fulham.

It seemed as Fulham would get deep into most transfer windows, and the speculation about Hangeland having interest from bigger clubs would start to show up in the media. An example of this speculation would come in the summer of 2009, as reportedly Arsenal were very interested in Hangeland. The funny thing about it though, is Hangeland would be quoted that summer talking about how much he enjoyed playing at Fulham.

Hangeland didn't have to come out publicly to share his thoughts on the club, but it seemed when he felt it was needed he would speak up and be heard. His comments of loyalty to the club I always felt knocked down the speculation every single time. Football clubs deal with distractions, and speculation can cause issues, and I think Hangeland was trying to do his part to take away that distraction, so his team could concentrate on the task at hand, and that was winning football matches.

Hangeland signed a new contract first in November of 2009 that was to last to the end of the 2012-2013 season. During this time period, there was speculation regarding possible interest from other clubs, but Hangeland I felt made it pretty obvious his loyalty to Fulham Football Club. The way he talked about the club made me feel he was not going to leave, and I have a feeling rival clubs probably felt the same way. In this age of players leaving for better clubs and breaking their contracts, he is a breath of fresh air, because he is a man of character who honors his contract.

Recently Hangeland signed a new deal as I stated earlier to stay with the club for two more seasons. If you have any doubt about his leadership or loyalty, just watch this video from the club below of the Fulham captain as he shows why he holds that position.



http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2013/7/9/4506678/brede-hangeland-shows-why-he-is-the-fulham-captain?

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Unforeseen Circumstances
   
Yesterday we ran an article relating to Charlie Austin.

Basically we tried to decide if the Burnley striker could have been an ideal acquisition for Fulham Football Club.

At the time of writing the article Austin was on the verge of joining Hull City with only his medical to complete,

Today we find out that the transfer, following his medical, has dramatically collapsed due to what is being described as unforeseen circumstances.

We can only ponder where the 24 year-olds career will go from here, but I still reckon he could do a job for us and I`d love to know why the deal was called off by Hull City!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=324422#ixzz2YbwL8hvy

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Karagounis Signs One Year Deal
   
Although he was on the list of players who were to be released this summer, it appears that Giorgis Karagounis has been granted a reprieve.

News came in this afternoon that Greece`s most capped player, with 125 caps, has put pen-to-paper on a new one year deal.

Karagounis made 28 appearances whilst with Fulham last season and was voted as the Player of the Year runner-up by the supporters.

At 36 years of age, time is running out for Giorgis but we`re su


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=324424#ixzz2YbwXqJIF

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FulhamUSA International Supporters Club 2013-14

Fulham USA has been a Supporters Club since 2004 and we welcome everyone to join us, regardless of location. The only requirement to joining our group is the purchase of a Fulham Faithful Membership through Fulham FC. (see link: http://www.fulhamfc.com/tickets/membership/benefits) All are welcome to post on the forum, regardless of membership in the Supporters Club.

Joining our FulhamUSA International Supporters Club will make you eligible to enter our monthly prize drawings and other yearly prizes (an autographed jersey and other items). We conduct our drawings on the forum and try our best to give everyone a shot at winning one of the monthly prize drawings by eliminating previous months winners from future monthly raffles.

Everyone is eligible for yearly big drawings for items such as the autographed kit or ball, regardless if you have won a monthly prize or not.

To join: Purchase a Fulham Faithful membership card through FulhamFC.com and send an email to [email protected] or DM @fulhamusadotcom via twitter, be sure to include your name and client reference # in message. Thank you. (past members need to do this as well, if they have re-upped)

- See more at: http://www.fulhamusa.com/index.php/news/item/182-fulhamusa-international-supporters-club?#sthash.hUMWi5Rd.dpuf



http://www.fulhamusa.com/index.php/news/item/182-fulhamusa-international-supporters-club?

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Veteran keeper Schwarzer makes surprise move to Chelsea on one-year deal

Mark Schwarzer has signed a one-year deal at Chelsea after leaving Fulham over the summer when his contract expired.

The 40-year-old keeper has played for Bradford City, Middlesbrough and most recently Fulham, spanning a period of 17 years.

'It's a phenomenal club,' he said to Chelsea's official club website. 'It's one of the biggest and best clubs in the world, and it's an honour to sign for Chelsea. 'I didn't take much convincing to come here.'


Veteran keeper: Mark Schwarzer has signed a one-year deal at Chelsea


Done deal: Schwarzer signing his contract with club Secretary/Director David Barnard

Schwarzer revealed returning Blues boss Mourinho had helped persuade him to join 'one of the best clubs in the country' after speaking to the Portuguese about his future options.

He told Sky Sports News: 'I've spoken to the manager at Chelsea and it was very easy to make the decision that Chelsea was the right club for me.

'The size and ambition of the club and the opportunities at the club ticked all the boxes. It was an amazing opportunity to join a fantastic club.

'It's one of the best clubs in the country, if not one of the best clubs in the world, so it was very easy to make the decision after speaking to the manager.'

The Australian helped his country qualify for the World Cup in Brazil next summer, and although he will be behind Chelsea No 1 Petr Cech, he may still get a chance to prove his quality ahead of the competition.

He has 108 caps for Australia, and his crowning moments in England including winning the League Cup with Middlesbrough in 2003 and playing in the 2006 UEFA Cup and 2010 Europa League finals.


Sharing a joke: Schwarzer meets England duo Frank Lampard and John Terry


Meeting the boss: Jose Mourinho was happy to see his new acquisition


Keeping buddies: Schwarzer and his new teammate Petr Cech


Doing the rounds: Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku meets Schwarzer at their Cobham Training Ground



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2359005/Chelsea-sign-Mark-Schwarzer-year-deal.html#ixzz2YbxHhLOB
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

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Schwarzer The Perfect Signing

Mark Schwarzer has signed for Chelsea. This would be a fanastic signing for the club as he would provide a competent back up for Petr Cech.

Joining on a free transfer he is the perfect signing and I will be much happier with him deputising for Cech than Ross Turnbull or Henrique Hilario.

Schwarzer has a wealth of Premier League experience and we will not find a better fit. He made his name at Middlesbrough playing for them for 11 years before spending 5 years at Fulham.

At 40 a one year deal suits both parties that his signing would not risk the long term future of Thibaut Courtois.#

Ok so its not a £50m striker but it is another piece of the jigsaw in place.



http://www.famouscfc.com/schwarzer-the-perfect-signing/?#

[WhiteJC]

 
Sunderland to offer £8.6m for Italy and Juve winger Giaccherni as Fulham eye up Bardsley

Sunderland are increasing their efforts to sign Juventus winger Emanuele Giaccherni in an £8.6million deal.

The 28-year-old impressed for Italy in the Confederations Cup but the Italian champions originally wanted closer to £10m.

Sunderland boss Paolo Di Canio has already finalised a deal for AZ Alkmaar striker Jozy Altidore and is continuing negotiations with Velez Sarsfield right back Gino Peruzzi but midfielder Jack Colback, 23, is ready to leave after rejecting a new contract offer.


Transfer coup? Emanuele Giaccherini has impressed for Italy


Departing? Phil Bardsley is interesting Fulham

Fulham, meanwhile, are interested in Phil Bardsley.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2359091/Sunderland-eye-Emanuele-Giaccherni-Italy-Juventus.html#ixzz2YbyJvzQg
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

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Is Fulham for Sale?

A story published in the Daily Mirror suggest that Mohamed Al Fayed is looking for a buyer.

new story in the Daily Mirror claims that Mohamed Al Fayed is ready to sell the club. It even goes so far as to suggest that notable football fixer Keith Harris has been brought in to do so. If he was going to sell, now would be a good time. The club is in the Premier League in a season where the money paid out to teams is at a record high. He recently wrote off the club's debt, meaning any new owner isn't responsible for anything when they come in. If reports are to be believed, the value of the team (£200M) would be about the equivalent of everything he's spent over his tenure. He wouldn't be making a profit, but getting to run a club for 16 years; with 11 in the top flight has got to be worth something.

Of course, this all could be a rumor. It was just over a year ago that Karim Al Fayed was appointed vice chairman. That move seemed to suggest that it was in the long term interest to keep Fulham in the family and slowly move Karim into the role of chairman. I haven't heard of anything changing, but of course anything is possible.

If the team was really going to be sold, I would think that they would want to accomplish it as soon as possible. If Fulham were to have a band season or to possibly even be relegated, the value of the team would drop immensely. It will be interesting to see if there are any more leaks, or if the team comes out and denies this quickly. So far, it's all no comment.

From my perspective, Al Fayed has been a great owner. Without his investment in the club I would be a fan of another team today. But he is 84 years old, and if his son doesn't want to run the team full time; or even worse if he's afraid there might be a family squabble for control after his death; selling now might be for the best. I'm sure there are still plenty of rich people out there who'd love to own the club.

However, it will be interesting to see if the new premier league rules for fair play along with UEFA's FFP rules change the kind of person who buys a team. If a super rich man can't buy titles, does he still want to buy his way in? Or is just being at the table an ego boost enough to make him buy into the elite club of team owners? This might be the first major sale of a club since the rules have been implemented, and some of those questions could get answered soon.

I've seen both bad owners and great owners in my time as a sports fan (living in Seattle, it's been more bad than good), and Al Fayed is clearly one of the better owners I've seen. Anytime you switch, there's always a chance you get stuck with a bad one. That being said, he can't stay forever. I'm hearing chatter that Shahid Khan might be a possible buyer. It makes sense given that it's rumored his long term plans are to bring his NFL team to London at well. But again, these are just internet rumors at this point. What does everyone else think?


http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2013/7/9/4508798/is-fulham-for-sale?

[WhiteJC]

 
Report: Mohamed Al Fayed to sell Fulham

Fulham owner Mohamed Al Fayed is reportedly planning to sell the club.

The Egyptian billionaire has owned the club since 1997, but is now ready to cash in on the West London outfit, according to The Mirror.

It is believed that the Cottagers are worth around £150-200m with the decision behind the move thought to be due to the lack of time Al Fayed actually spends in the UK.

Last year, Al Fayed gave Fulham £212m, which drastically downsized their debt to just £4m, making them an attractive proposition for potential suitors.



http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/news/report-mohamed-al-fayed-to-sell-fulham_92785.html