Fulham reject second bid for Swart

[Lighthouse]

Fulham reject second approach from Arsenal for Mark Schwarzer• London rivals fail to improve on initial £2m bid for goalkeeper
• Attention may turn to Maarten Stekelenburg or Shay Given
   (1)Tweet this (8)Jamie Jackson guardian.co.uk, Thursday 19 August 2010 15.37 BST Article history
Mark Schwarzer has told Fulham even though he still has two years remaining on his deal. Photograph: Phil Cole/Getty Images

Fulham have rejected a second bid from Arsenal for Mark Schwarzer after the north London club failed to improve on the £2m offer they made for the Australia goalkeeper in May.

There is bemusement at Fulham regarding Arsenal's decision to return this week for Schwarzer and fail to increase their valuation of the 37-year-old, though Arsenal are confident of eventually completing the transfer as the player has lodged a transfer request.

However Mark Hughes, the Fulham manager, does not want to sell Schwarzer and as the close of the transfer window draws nearer, he is not prepared to countenance any deal unless Arsène Wenger makes what Fulham would consider to be a realistic bid for a player who has two years remaining on his contract.

While the Arsenal manager is keen to replace Manuel Almunia, Schwarzer is not necessarily his first choice, with Ajax's Maarten Stekelenburg thought to be among his preferred options.

Shay Given, who has been dislodged by Joe Hart as Manchester City's No1, is also on Wenger's radar.

Hughes, meanwhile, is hopeful that the Algeria defender Rafik Halliche will complete a move from Benfica today for around £1.5m, having trained with Fulham. The Welshman also hopes to bring in a couple more players with a loan deal for Eidur Gudjohnsen one of the options he is exploring.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

Interesting. I have the feeling that Arsenal saw this as the 'cheap option' but may now have to look for others since I doubt they want to splash £3-4m on a 37yr old keeper.

[tingtawng]

is it sensible to have an unhappy camper in  the team though ? possibly rocking the boat and being difficult

[SmithyFFC]

Brillant Sparky, tell arsene where to stick!  :54:

In regardsd to having an unhappy player in the team, surley a vastly experienced player like mark would understand the clubs decison and play until the end of the season when his contract expires.

[Jimpav]

Can anyone explain the implications of a transfer request to me?

Is this simply a formal way of asking permisison to leave/speak to other clubs which can be quashed by Sparky or is it something more sinister?

[Lighthouse]

Can anyone explain the implications of a transfer request to me?

Is this simply a formal way of asking permisison to leave/speak to other clubs which can be quashed by Sparky or is it something more sinister?

Nothing sinister. A simple request to say I am happy tpo leave for whatever reason. In this case because a big club has come sniffing round. Swart I am sure will withdraw the request once Arsenal go away. Fulham can just reject the request anyway. So it is a formal 'come and get me' but nothing more.

[FatFreddysCat]

Most players wont put in a transfer request even if they are desparate to leave and everyone knows they want to leave, because they lose their right to a % of the transfer fee, or have their contract paid up, seems to me Swartzer is desparate to leave, and i think £2 million plus Vela is a tremendous bit of business. One little point though, isn't Vela left footed? could be wrong, but if i'm right i find this story hard to swallow after we've just signed Dembele.

[Abbotsbury White]

I'm pleased the way the club are standing firm on this,too often in the past we've put up timid resistance I think this is a charateristic of the new regime that we are no longer a pushover when a so called'bigger 'club come calling:54:,good on yer

[Andy Crysell]

Yep.  Sod off and buy Given, you tight-fisted cheapskates.

But they won't be giving Given away (if you'll pardon the pun) Arsen, me old mucker.

[SmithyFFC]

Most players wont put in a transfer request even if they are desparate to leave and everyone knows they want to leave, because they lose their right to a % of the transfer fee, or have their contract paid up, seems to me Swartzer is desparate to leave, and i think £2 million plus Vela is a tremendous bit of business. One little point though, isn't Vela left footed? could be wrong, but if i'm right i find this story hard to swallow after we've just signed Dembele.

Thats rubbish. Do you really think MS is desperate for 'the money'? A transfer request is simply him asking the club if they would accept/push through any potenial deal which would see him leave the club. He just wants a crack at champions league football.

On vela, I think he may be one of those players who is equally good with both feet (dont quote me on that) but I think if we signed him he'd play the gera role behind bobby.

[FatFreddysCat]

Most players wont put in a transfer request even if they are desparate to leave and everyone knows they want to leave, because they lose their right to a % of the transfer fee, or have their contract paid up, seems to me Swartzer is desparate to leave, and i think £2 million plus Vela is a tremendous bit of business. One little point though, isn't Vela left footed? could be wrong, but if i'm right i find this story hard to swallow after we've just signed Dembele.

Thats rubbish. Do you really think MS is desperate for 'the money'? A transfer request is simply him asking the club if they would accept/push through any potenial deal which would see him leave the club. He just wants a crack at champions league football.

On vela, I think he may be one of those players who is equally good with both feet (dont quote me on that) but I think if we signed him he'd play the gera role behind bobby.

Read it again Fulham fan 2, does it not look like he is perhaps prepared to forgo a fair wedge of money to join the Arse 

[SmithyFFC]

Most players wont put in a transfer request even if they are desparate to leave and everyone knows they want to leave, because they lose their right to a % of the transfer fee, or have their contract paid up, seems to me Swartzer is desparate to leave, and i think £2 million plus Vela is a tremendous bit of business. One little point though, isn't Vela left footed? could be wrong, but if i'm right i find this story hard to swallow after we've just signed Dembele.

Thats rubbish. Do you really think MS is desperate for 'the money'? A transfer request is simply him asking the club if they would accept/push through any potenial deal which would see him leave the club. He just wants a crack at champions league football.

On vela, I think he may be one of those players who is equally good with both feet (dont quote me on that) but I think if we signed him he'd play the gera role behind bobby.

Read it again Fulham fan 2, does it not look like he is perhaps prepared to forgo a fair wedge of money to join the Arse 

Sorry, pheraps didn't explain my view well. Do you really think he'd really need to make a few quid? Its not as if hes so desperate to leave hes turn down live changing money (for him anyway) to make it happen quicker.

[SteveM19]

Too bad on Arsenal for not upping the ante from 2 mill in the first place. They are trying to play us cheap.

At the same time, I hope it works out for Schwarzer -- if he wants to leave, at least he has been professional about it. I read a qoute where he said he would not tank a game to prove a point; I don't know about how bad his back is, if Fulham is just trying not to have any more knocks on him to drive the price up. Hope he's able to go -- and Alligator Arms Arsene reaches into his pocket a little more.

A side note -- can you imagine Wenger picking up a round of drinks? Me neither.

[FatFreddysCat]

Most players wont put in a transfer request even if they are desparate to leave and everyone knows they want to leave, because they lose their right to a % of the transfer fee, or have their contract paid up, seems to me Swartzer is desparate to leave, and i think £2 million plus Vela is a tremendous bit of business. One little point though, isn't Vela left footed? could be wrong, but if i'm right i find this story hard to swallow after we've just signed Dembele.

Thats rubbish. Do you really think MS is desperate for 'the money'? A transfer request is simply him asking the club if they would accept/push through any potenial deal which would see him leave the club. He just wants a crack at champions league football.

On vela, I think he may be one of those players who is equally good with both feet (dont quote me on that) but I think if we signed him he'd play the gera role behind bobby.

Read it again Fulham fan 2, does it not look like he is perhaps prepared to forgo a fair wedge of money to join the Arse 

Sorry, pheraps didn't explain my view well. Do you really think he'd really need to make a few quid? Its not as if hes so desperate to leave hes turn down live changing money (for him anyway) to make it happen quicker.

Yes you've certainly put your argument over more clearly this time 

[TonyGilroy]

Our position on Schwarzer should be the same as Arsenal's on Fabregas.

I'm sure Wenger will understand.

[FFCSteve]

is it sensible to have an unhappy camper in  the team though ? possibly rocking the boat and being difficult

It's exactly this reasoning that annoys the hell out of me! & makes a mockery of contracts!
Why should you bow to a player with two years left on a contract that decides he wants to leave!
It wasn't so long ago that he was happy at the club & extended his contract!
Unfortunately time is against him. 37, two years on a contract. I say hold out until the deal suits the club (which it looks like is happening!), or don't sell & stick him on the bench! Are we really desperate for two big ones?  :005:

[FatFreddysCat]

Our position on Schwarzer should be the same as Arsenal's on Fabregas.

I'm sure Wenger will understand.

Superb. But i'm firmly in the sell him if he wants to go camp, but obviously not get mugged off doing it.

[Mr Fulham]

Our position on Schwarzer should be the same as Arsenal's on Fabregas.

I'm sure Wenger will understand.

Superb. But i'm firmly in the sell him if he wants to go camp, but obviously not get mugged off doing it.

Sparky should try to sign Given...if he sees the possibility of bringing him in, then Mark can leave us. If not, then Mark will stay.

Plus I think we should try to sign Matty Taylor
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12876_6323314,00.html

One of my favourite players, would add something to our squad. He seems to be unhappy at Bolton.
But sorry, that's another topic. Shame on me.

[Andy Crysell]

Good call on Matty Taylor.

Our position on Schwarzer should be the same as Arsenal's on Fabregas.

I'm sure Wenger will understand.

Superb. But i'm firmly in the sell him if he wants to go camp, but obviously not get mugged off doing it.

Sparky should try to sign Given...if he sees the possibility of bringing him in, then Mark can leave us. If not, then Mark will stay.

Plus I think we should try to sign Matty Taylor
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12876_6323314,00.html

One of my favourite players, would add something to our squad. He seems to be unhappy at Bolton.
But sorry, that's another topic. Shame on me.

[HatterDon]

the only thing that really bothers me about all this is that there seems to be an acceptance on the part of several of you that if Mark is stymied in his desire to go to Arsenal [if that is, indeed, his desire] that he will put out less effort and hurt the club thereby. Either that, or he'll become a cancer in the clubhouse and will hurt the club thereby.

I don't see anything wrong in

1. Mark S. requesting a transfer to get another shot in Europe before he retires -- with the possible chance of a coaching gig in Arsene Academy at the end of it. NOR do I see anything wrong in
2. Mark H. making it clear to all and sundry that Mark S.'s worth is NOT a bunch of pennies.

We have no idea what the relationship between the two Marks is, but I know that Tha Big Aussie is the consummate professional and a fundamentally decent human being, and that he is incapable of not giving his all when he pulls the shirt over his head.

Finally, to me the "end of" comment to the "Who's better for Fulham -- Given or Schwarzer" question is simple. The guy who has been playing behind the back four last season won't need any running in.

If our gaffer believes that hanging on to Schwarzer is the right thing todo, I'm all over that with him -- even if it means he leaves on a Bosman next summer.