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Saturday Fulham Stuff 11.07.15

Started by Friendsoffulham, July 11, 2015, 12:52:29 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Friendsoffulham

Report: Fulham owner wants Tottenham takeover, has ambitious plans for White Hart Lane

A report in the local press suggests huge potential Tottenham - Fulham ramifications.

Fulham owner Shahid Khan wants to buy Tottenham Hotspur and relocate his NFL side Jacksonville Jaguars to White Hart Lane as part of an ambitious takeover plan, according to the London Evening Standard.

Khan has overseen relegation to the Championship since taking over at Fulham, while he is sticking with boss Kit Symons at present during the club's bid to return to the Premier League.

The report suggests there has been no contact as of yet between Khan and Tottenham but that he wants to sell Fulham and take over the north London club in their stead.

Non-starter?

Any proposed business or transfer deal usually needs to be analysed with due care and attention but this one simply seems like a non-starter.

Would Tottenham's current owners ever consider selling the club in its current state, especially if the value booms to £1 billion, as the Standard suggest, once the new stadium is built?

SEE ALSO: Have Tottenham affected Manchester United's transfer plans with Alderweireld signing?

It would be the perfect opportunity to make a profit, with Fulham owner Khan also said by the report to be worth more than enough to afford it.

But it would simply be far too controversial, with Spurs' owners potentially losing out on far more of a profit once life in the new stadium takes off.

http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2015/07/10/report-fulham-owner-wants-tottenham-takeover-has-ambitious-plans/?

Friendsoffulham

Khan could sell Fulham to buy Spurs

Fulham owner Shahid Khan could sell the club and buy Tottenham Hotspur, according to a report in the London Evening Standard.

Khan is believed to want to buy the Spurs and then also relocate his NFL team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, to the new White Hart Lane. There have been no formal discussions as of yet and plans are in a very primitive state but it's not difficult to see why Khan would be interested.

Tottenham signed a 10-year deal with the NFL earlier this week to host two games a year in their new stadium from 2018. However, with the club valued at £1 billion once the new stadium is built and having been a plan for Daniel Levy ever since he took over, it's unlikely that he'll be looking to sell the club.

It's not a secret that the NFL are exploring their options in the UK either, the International Series at Wembley is a regular sell-out even when more games are added. Jacksonville are one of the teams with the lowest attendance in the NFL, a big factor in a team's potential relocation, and Khan would have the means to make a move possible.

Money wouldn't be an issue for Khan and he's also shown his support for his football team, having invested in Fulham during his tenure but has yet to reap much reward. Just as it looks like Fulham are gearing towards a positive season, it looks like a spanner could yet be thrown into the works.

http://the72.co.uk/30848/khan-could-sell-fulham-to-buy-spurs/?

Friendsoffulham

Evening Standard Reaction

In response to the inaccurate stories in today's Evening Standard, Mr Khan's spokesman Jim Woodcock issued the following statement:

"These reports are total nonsense and complete fiction."

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/july/10/evening-standard-reaction?


Friendsoffulham

American NFL owner wants to purchase Tottenham Hotspur



Ready for a Friday morning panic attack? The Evening Standard is reporting today that Pakistani-American billionaire Shahid Khan is interested in going all-in on Tottenham Hotspur. Reportedly, Khan wants to purchase Tottenham and eventually relocate the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars to London.

I'll just let that simmer for a while. OK, stop. Breathe in. Slowly. That's it.

Khan should be fairly well known to many of you. The owner of auto parts manufacturing empire Flex-N-Gate, Khan also owns the NFL's Jaguars, as well as Fulham FC, which he purchased in 2013 from Mohamed al Fayed. While during his tenure Fulham was relegated to the Championship and doesn't appear to be in the running for promotion back to the EPL anytime soon, the NFL's Jaguars has done well off the field (if not on it) under his leadership, with income increasing in part due to an arrangement to play NFL games in London's Wembley Stadium. In the UK, Khan was probably best known for a minor kerfluffle with former owner al Fayed after Khan took down the ill-advised statue of Michael Jackson in front of Craven Cottage.

According to the Standard, Tottenham's new stadium, which will be NFL-ready and will host at least two games a year when it opens in 2018, is extremely attractive to Khan. He's been open about desiring to transition the Jaguars into having more of an international presence and sees Tottenham and its new stadium as being the ideal confluence of broad international appeal and state-of-the-art facilities.

But here's where we delve into the murky realm of speculation. The Standard also reports that Khan's plans are at an "extremely formative stage" and that Khan has had no contact with Tottenham Hotspur whatsoever. Khan's plan is to sell Fulham and use the proceeds to help fund the purchase of Tottenham. Khan is said to be worth just over £4.5 billiion, and previous reports have had Tottenham owner Joe Lewis value Spurs at £1 billion. Khan purchased Fulham in 2013, just before relegation, for between £150m-200m. So unless Khan is willing to sink nearly 25% of his fortune into purchasing Spurs, the numbers just don't add up.

Nor have we been given any indication that Joe Lewis/ENIC is willing to sell the club. Last season there were reports of two separate American-backed investor groups sniffing around Tottenham –  Cain Hoy and a cohort backed by the Carlysle Group – but neither came to anything in the end.

The completion of the new stadium would presumably make Spurs a very attractive target for new owners, which means that Spurs can probably expect to be linked to a number of new ownership groups. If ENIC were interested in selling, this would be the time for them to consider it. However, as it stands now, this report is the equivalent of Khan saying "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if..." to some friends at a cocktail party. Nothing to get particularly worried over, and certainly not anywhere near a concrete plan.

http://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/2015/7/10/8927797/tottenham-hotspur-news-rumors-shahid-khan-nfl-jacksonville-jaguars

Friendsoffulham

Spokesman: London-based report about Shad Khan false



A story in today's London Evening Standard speculated -- emphasis on speculated -- that Shad Khan wants to sell the Fulham Football Club, buy Tottenham Hotspur and then move the Jaguars to play in a new stadium scheduled to open in 2018.

Khan's U.S.-based spokesman, Jim Woodcock, squashed the report, which was filled with holes and didn't quote one source.

- Link to London Evening Standard story

On Khan wanting to sell Fulham, which he bought in July 2013 for a reported $300 million (U.S.), Woodcock tweeted: "Reports of client Shad Khan selling #Fulham are utter nonsense and complete fiction. Where does this stuff start?! Spread the word."

On Khan wanting to move the Jaguars to Tottenham's new stadium, Woodcock tweeted: "One more thought -- entire "story" on sale of #Fulham, buying Spurs and moving #Jaguars to new Spurs stadium is nothing but falsehoods."

The Jaguars-to-London chatter will never really stop even as Khan continues to stress his commitment to Jacksonville and his desire to keep playing one game (not a whole season of games) in London.

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/544821/ryan-ohalloran/2015-07-10/spokesman-london-based-report-about-shad-khan-false?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+JacksonvillecomSports+%28Jacksonville+sports+news+-+Jacksonville.com+and+The+Florida+Times-Union%29

Friendsoffulham

First Four On Sale Monday



Tickets for Fulham's first four home fixtures go on sale to Season Ticket Holders and Members from 1pm on Monday.

The Whites kick-off their home campaign against Brighton & Hove Albion (Saturday 15th August, 3pm), where we'll also have a Fans' Day in Bishops Park for supporters to enjoy, before hosting Huddersfield Town a week later (Saturday 22nd August, 3pm).

The visits of Blackburn Rovers (Sunday 13th September, 12noon) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wednesday 16th September, 7:45pm) complete the first on sale block of the season.

Ticket prices for the 2015/16 campaign at Craven Cottage begin from £20 adults and just £10 juniors. To celebrate our first home game of the season a special price of £5 will be available on all junior tickets sat in home areas of the ground*.

Season Ticket Holders and Members can enjoy priority access to purchase tickets from Monday 13th July, before all seats go on General Sale.

Football is back at the Cottage - don't miss it!

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/july/10/first-four-on-sale-monday?


Friendsoffulham

Fulham sale rumours are 'total nonsense'



Reports that Fulham owner Shahid Khan plans to sell the club and buy Tottenham Hotspur have been dismissed as 'total nonsense'.

A newspaper article on Friday suggested Khan had held "informal discussions" with advisers about a possible deal, which would include his Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team playing at Spurs' new stadium.

However, Khan's spokesperson Jim Woodcock insisted: "These reports are total nonsense and complete fiction."

Khan bought Fulham from Mohamed Al Fayed in July 2013 and has had four different managers during his tenure.

http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/football-wls-total-nonsense-fulham-owners-spokesman-dismisses-sale-reports

Friendsoffulham

Fulham owner Shahid Khan refutes Tottenham interest as 'utter nonsense'



Fulham owner Shahid Khan has told Sky Sports News HQ that reports that he is considering selling the club because he wants to buy Tottenham are "utter nonsense and complete fiction".

A report in Friday's London Evening Standard claimed Khan, who owns NFL franchise Jacksonville Jaguars, was discussing with close advisers whether to sell the Whites and buy Spurs in order to move the Jaguars to their new stadium in North London.

Spurs this week announced new and improved plans for a 61,000-seater venue adjacent to White Hart Lane that included a 10-year deal with the NFL, with two games a season played on a specially designed retractable pitch.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11681/9909190?

Friendsoffulham

Vital Preparation

Fulham Manager Kit Symons gives us a detailed insight into the Whites' pre-season preparations.



How does a pre-season training session differ to training once the campaign starts?

With the season training, everything is focused on winning the game on the Saturday, and there's a three-point mentality. The pre-season is looking to give the players a physical foundation for the season ahead. So they differ greatly.

Pre-season we start off generally with bigger areas, bigger numbers, focused on giving that aerobic basis to the players. As the players develop, so then the demands of the training get higher and our programme changes to tailor that.

What advantages are there to being out in Portugal?

For team spirit and bonding, it's great to get the players away. The dynamic of the group is hugely important for me – that's players and staff all working together – and there's no better way of doing that than coming away and being together 24/7.

It's an intensive week but it's really, really good. Already the spirit is excellent within the camp and the whole environment is one of hard work but enjoyment as well, and I think that's very, very important. For the new players it's a great chance for them to settle in with their teammates. Understanding each other is important in moving on and being successful.

What are the biggest challenges after the summer break in terms of getting players to an optimum level of fitness?

They are all given close-season programmes. The difficulty can be when people are on different schedules due to internationals and things like that. But everyone has a programme that's unique for them that our sports science medical team have taken a lot of time and a lot of care to put together for that individual to make sure that when they come back in they're in a really good place.

I got the players back in a fortnight before the actual pre-season training started and we did a strong man week. It was a pure physical week and really hard work but for the spirit and bonding it was excellent. And when we've started back on the footballs people are at a higher level of fitness so we can get into more demanding and more quality work that bit sooner. The strong man week went really well. The players all bought into it and we're at a much higher level now and doing much more intense work than we otherwise would have been able to do.

What's the situation with the boys who've been on international duty?

We make sure they have the right amount of rest. I'm massively into the hard work, but also the recovery and rest is vital. Emerson Hyndman is with us now but it was his first day back in on Sunday. Lasse Vigen Christensen did very well for Denmark so he'll meet back on Monday. Marcus Bettinelli came in for a few days after the [European Championships] tournament when the boys were back in but then went on holiday before coming to Portugal.

They were all given a bespoke programme. Emerson came back in fantastic nick, Marcus is looking good and Lasse will be exactly the same. We've made sure that they're slightly behind, but not a lot and they'll catch up very, very quickly.

We've then got Scott Parker who's back at Motspur Park recovering after his operation, and he's doing exceptionally well. Jesse Joronen is there as well. Then we've got people like Fernando Amorebieta and potentially Kostas Mitroglou coming back in again. They'll be back in a bit later because they're away on their relevant international duties.

How are the players tested when they come back?

There's loads of stuff we do. We have an aerobic capacity test where we've got all their normative data and their benchmark levels from last season so we know roughly where they should be. You would expect that to drop off to a degree during the close season but not by an awful lot. The days of footballers having six weeks on the beach or in the pub doing nothing have long gone. So our boys have all come back in absolutely fantastic shape. We're delighted with them.

Body fat testing is an obvious one. There is a medical movement screening programme that we do, a force velocity programme. Again, everything is bespoke to the individual. We work and train with a GPS and monitor the heart rate, so we have all the data on that to show where the players should be.

We do saliva testing during the course of the season which flags up if someone is coming down with an illness or is fatigued, and we will modify their training or at certain times take them out of the training if it's not the right thing for them to do. The work we do is very taxing on the boys but we make sure our recovery protocols are all in place as well.


How important is the work you do in pre-season?

Come January or February time you either reap the rewards for your pre-season or you pay the price for it. We need to make sure that come the busy Christmas period and the run-in at the end, that everyone is absolutely flying still. It's not easy to do – to get the periodization right of your training, to make sure you do the right work now. You give it the right thought, it can pay huge dividends for you. That's what we're looking at and that's what I'm expecting this season.

How does it compare to your playing days?

The stuff that's put in place to help the players now is absolutely fantastic. At Fulham it first started becoming anything like what we've got now in my time under Jean Tigana. Roger Propos was the fitness coach and we started getting really into the body fats and more scientific forms of training. That was my first taste of it, and obviously that was an incredibly successful time.

It's almost unrecognisable now the way the players are looked after and the protocols that are in place, but also a lot of the old school values are still as important today as they always were. It's not all about science. Things like team spirit and togetherness have always been very important in football and always will be. It's not a game for robots to play, it's a game for people. If your belief and your drive is about not wanting to let your teammates down, that's what I'm all about and that's what I want this football club to be all about. The three things I preach all the time are trust, honesty and belief. If you have them, you have a good chance of being successful.

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/Football/Championship/Fulham


Friendsoffulham

Khan wants to buy London soccer club, will he move Jags?



Fans of the Jacksonville Jaguars are closer than ever to losing their team as owner Shahid Khan eyes London.

It seems as if every month, there is another rumor that the Jacksonville Jaguars are getting ready to pack up and head from the 904 to a new location. From rumors of Los Angeles to overseas, fans in teal have not been able to rest easy due to constant rumors of their team leaving Duval County.

The latest whispers coming from England aren't going to help. According to the London Evening Standard, team owner Shahid Khan is looking to sell the soccer club Fulham and buy another one, Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Why is that a big deal? WELL ...

Tottenham has announced a 10-year deal with the NFL to play games in their new stadium beginning in the 2018 season. The Jaguars currently have a deal to play one game each season in London. That agreement expires after the 2016 season.

The report says Khan has not discussed a move with representatives of the Spurs (Tottenham's nickname), but he seems to enjoy playing overseas:

In November, Khan insisted that "we have no plans to move at this time" but also admitted that "going overseas has been a win-win... [extending the annual visits] is something we are going to look at in a couple of years... it is in the realm of possibility but nothing's decided."

Could the NFL have a team making its home in London? It appears closer than ever before.

http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/shad-khan-wants-to-buy-london-soccer-club-may-move-jags-071015?

Friendsoffulham

Khan Moves Quick to Deny Spurs Rumours
   
Scurrilous rumours appearing in some media vehicles today have seen our owner, Shahid Khan, move quickly to emphatically deny them.

It appears that these rumours suggested that Khan was looking at selling Fulham Football Club but would then be looking to purchase Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.

It seems that the foundations for this rumour were based on the fact the originator wanted it to be believed that Tottenham`s new stadium, an arena that will also showcase American football, would provide Khan with the perfect opportunity to move his NFL franchise the Jacksonville Jaguars into the new stadium.

Khan, in deny the rumours, has remarked that they are "utter nonsense" and "complete fiction"

Glad to hear this has been put to bed so quickly!

Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=405227#ixzz3fXMP1CRs

Friendsoffulham

Besiktas in for Amorebieta

When Fernando Amorebieta went off, on loan, to Middlesbrough, he kind of slipped off of radar.

Perhaps it was a case of out of sight out of mind.

But, as it now stands, Amorebieta is on the books of Fulham Football Club still, although it might not be for much longer.

It appears that officials from the Turkish club, Besiktas, have been in town. The well-respected broadsheet, The Times has decreed that officials have been tracking the Chelsea striker Loic Remy, but now the emphasis has moved towards the suggestion that Amorebieta could also be a target.

It seems that Fulham have quoted Besiktas a fee of €5 million for the player which could be a tad harsh seeing as the player is 30-years of age and only of Championship standard. If you also throw into the mix the fact that he only played 30 times during his time with us and you might be able to understand why Besiktas want the price reduced.

Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=405229#ixzz3fXMgBNTy


Friendsoffulham

Saying Goodbye to Bryan Ruiz

With a notice scarcely two lines long on the club website late one night earlier this week, Fulham said farewell to Bryan Ruiz. The Costa Rican has joined Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon on a three year deal, bringing his mercurial four year stint at Craven Cottage to an end.

The story of Bryan at Fulham is really one of a player at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Captain of his national team, Bryan arrived at Fulham on transfer deadline day in 2011 amidst eleventh hour rumours that Newcastle were going to gazump Fulham for his transfer with a helicopter on standby to take him to the North East. However, to much excitement the lure of Martin Jol's Fulham brought the then FC Twente player to south west London.

His arrival was symbolic of how far we'd come as a club. Here was a player who was rated second only to Luis Suarez as the best in Holland's Eredivisie. His eight figure transfer fee was meteoric for a club of our size and Bryan's arrival was a significant statement of intent at a time when we appeared to have realistic ambitions of hanging with the Premier League's big boys.

However, soon after his arrival it became clear the transition from Dutch to English football wasn't going to be a straightforward one for Bryan. Here was a technically gifted footballer, but whose success at Twente was predicated on him playing a position that fundamentally didn't exist for him at Fulham. At Twente, Bryan played on the right of a front three. It is the archetypal Dutch attacking system, born out of Ajax's Total Football of the 1970s. Fulham, who had only 3 months earlier appointed former Ajax boss Martin Jol as manager, were an obvious fit.

It wasn't quite that straightforward though. As Jol's tenure progressed and his tactics meandered, Bryan suffered something of positional nomadism. With Fulham not operating a front three, Bryan was tried at right midfield, right wing, central midfield and as a Number 10 in his time at Fulham, yet was never fully able to make any position his own. Bryan often seemed the sort of player who needed a system built around him. That simply wasn't possible in the various Fulham sides he played in.

Bryan's Fulham career started quietly, but as part of the side that included Mousa Dembele and Clint Dempsey, his flair and technical skill were not out of place. His debut season goals against Bolton and Everton were two of the most magical scored at Craven Cottage in the Premier League, and were his greatest moments in a Fulham shirt.

When the following summer Dembele and Demspey were sold and not replaced, Bryan found himself as a lone creative talent left at the club. It was a burden that carried an enormous weight of expectation.

Alongside Dimitar Berbatov, there was a brief spell in which it looked as though Bryan had found a kindred spirit. The 3-3 draw at Reading in 2012 showcased the best of both players, including the now traditional once a season screamer from Ruiz.

Success was fleeting. Over the following two seasons Fulham's team performances got worse, and Bryan often found himself scapegoated. His style of play is not visibly all action, and often looked out of place amongst a team struggling for cohesion.

With Ruiz as one of the team's genuine stars, 2013 saw the club the player's homeland during preseason and included a 3 – 1 win over Bryan's former club Alajualense at the National Stadium. There was also a reception with Britain's ambassador to the Central American country, such is Bryan's status back home.

The next 6 months saw Fulham's performances getting slowly worse with Bryan flitting in and out of the team. Following Jol's dismissal, Bryan found himself surplus to requirements and was shipped out to spend the latter half of our relegation season on loan at PSV Eindhoven back in the Netherlands.

After a standout World Cup in Brazil last summer, Ruiz's hopes were high for a move away from newly his relegated Fulham. Despite his strong performances for Costa Rica, Bryan was never granted his wish and remained at Fulham as we began life in the Championship. Isolated within Felix Magath's regime, his demeanour worsened and it became increasingly obvious that his relationship with the club was a marriage heading for divorce.

When he was recalled to the first team, there was an obvious gulf in quality between Bryan and the majority of the other players, such is his technical prowess. Unfortunately the Championship suited Bryan's style of play even less than the Premier League.

Too often than not there was a clash of styles. The Championship's brute force not allowing Ruiz's guile to take hold. Combine the World Cup performances, the price tag and the fact he was surrounded by youngsters and expectations were sky high for a player who was simply not the right fit for a team struggling to forge an identity in an unfamiliar league.

Statistically, Bryan was actually one of Fulham's better performers last season, despite inconsistent game time. The highlight of his season being the stoppage time winner against Reading in January.

Yet the over-riding feeling is that he never really showed what he was truly capable of in a Fulham shirt.

A true marmite player who divided opinions from almost the day he arrived, Ruiz now has the opportunity to rescue a career that took a four year diversion. The Portuguese league should be a perfect vehicle for Ruiz's talents. There, he will get more time on the ball in a league where technical ability gets the opportunity to shine and referees spend most games with their whistles permanently attached to their lips. That a club the size of Sporting came in for Bryan shows the respect his talent commands.

In Enschede Bryan was a hero. At Fulham, he was a hero to some and a villain to others. Now, like many Fulham fans, I'll be watching Lisbon closely to see what happens next.

Good luck and thanks for the memories.

http://hammyend.com/index.php/2015/07/saying-goodbye-to-bryan-ruiz/?

Friendsoffulham

Fulham eye Groningen defender

Championship outfit Fulham want to sign Groningen defender Eric Botteghin according to the Dail Mail.



The Brazilian played 36 games for the Green and White army last season scoring three goals and helping his team finish eighth in the Eredivisie.

The Cottagers have been looking for a centre back and the 27 year old who also has an Italian passport fits the bill.

Botteghin moved to Euroborg two years ago from NEC and has made 68 appearances for the club in last two seasons.

http://www.football-oranje.com/fulham-eye-groningen-defender/?

Friendsoffulham

Khan considering ditching Fulham in plans to buy Tottenham Hotspur



Fulham owner Shahid Khan is plotting an ambitious takeover plan to buy Tottenham Hotspur and relocate his NFL side the Jacksonville Jaguars to White Hart Lane, reports The London Evening Standard.

Khan has overseen Fulham's relegation from the Premier League despite his heavy investment in the club, and is doing so again this transfer window as he sticks with manager Kit Symons to guide the Cottagers back to the top-flight.

But he is now considering selling the West London club in order take over at Spurs.

No contact has yet been made between Tottenham and Khan regarding a takeover and neither have commented further on the reports.

The question still remains though as to whether the current owners even want to sell the club now or wait until after the new stadium is built and completed, as the reports suggests Spurs value could boom to £1 billion when the new stadium is in place.

Khan is believed to want to try the takeover before the new stadium is built, but this could anger Spurs fans because he could make a quick profit on the club if he was to take them over prior to the new stadium being built.

Read more at http://footballleagueworld.co.uk/khan-considering-ditching-fulham-in-plans-to-buy-tottenham-hotspur/?#BW4UhmxT6DFfxIB4.99


Friendsoffulham

Fulham interested in Brazilian defender



Sky Bet Championship side Fulham are interested in bringing Brazilian defender Eric Fernando Botteghin to Craven Cottage, reports the Daily Mail.

The 27-year-old is currently with Dutch Eredivisie side Groningen, who finished eighth in the Dutch top-flight, and is seen as a good ball-playing centre-back, which is the type of player Fulham manager Kit Symons is keen to bring in ahead of the new season.

Botteghin has spent the majority of his career in Holland, moving from Brazil to Dutch second division side PEC Zwolle in 2007.

He appeared over 130 times in five seasons, where he helped guide Zwolle to second place in the Eerste Divisie, although they missed out on promotion by losing in the play-offs.

Botteghin left Zwolle in the summer of 2011 to join top-flight side NAC Breda, appearing 64 times over two seasons and helping them to back-to-back 13th place finishes.

He then moved to fellow Eredivisie side Groningen in 2013, appearing in every game in his first season as Groningen qualified for the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League, where they lost to Scottish side Aberdeen.

Last season, he played 36 times and netted three goals for Groningen, who went one step further and qualified for the Europa League group-stages after winning the Dutch Cup, beating Botteghin's former side PEC Zwolle 2-0 in the final.

Fulham begin their Championship campaign away at Cardiff City at midday on August 8.

Read more at http://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-interested-in-brazilian-defender/?#pDI79OUZ8kBBU0pl.99

Friendsoffulham

Fulham defender linked with move to Turkish club



Fulham defender Fernando Amorebieta is the latest player to be linked with a move to Turkish Super Lig side Besiktas, reports Viva El Fulham.

The Venezuelan international, who spent the end of last season on loan at Middlesbrough and scored in their crucial play-off semi final first leg against Brentford, has endured a patchy spell in England since arriving from Athletic Bilbao on a free transfer in 2013.

Besiktas have been linked with several players in the last week and have been heavily linked with a move for Fulham striker Kostas Mitroglou, who has also struggled since arriving at Craven Cottage.

Reports from Turkey today have now stated that the two clubs are in negotiations over the sale of the 30-year-old, as Besiktas president Rebecca Wood is in discussions with Fulham over the Venezuelan with a fee of around €5m being quoted.

Fulham are keen to sell as it would move his hefty wages off the bill and free up some more money to give to manager Kit Symons ahead of the new season.

Read more at http://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-defender-linked-with-move-to-turkish-club/?#fR9BdoJ65c6M1m1y.99

Friendsoffulham

Fulham identify new centre back?



According to reports today, Fulham have identified their next signing; Eric Botteghin from Groningen.

Fulham have been in the market for a new centre back for next season and believe that Botteghin fits the bill.  The Brazilian is 27 years old and stands at 6 ft 4 in, so is good in the air.

Botteghin began his career at FC Zwolle where he made 140 appearances and scored 12 goals before moving to NAC Breda in 2011.  He spent two seasons with the Dutch side, playing 64 times before making the move to current club FC Groningen.

The defender played 36 times for his side last season in the Eredivisie, scoring 3 times.  His performances helped his club achieve 8th position and has obviously attracted the attention of English scouts.

Fulham are a club who have begun a rebuilding process this summer and with key acquisitions of players from rivals such as Tom Cairney from Blackburn Rovers, they are already on course for a much stronger season next year.

http://the72.co.uk/30902/fulham-identify-new-centre-back/?