Monday Fulham Stuff (14/11/16)...

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La Liga star could swap Champions League for the Championship - reports
ALFRED N'DIAYE has been offered to Fulham, according to reports in Spain.


Villarreal midfielder Alfred N'Diaye has been linked with Fulham

Don Balon claim representatives from Villarreal have been in contact with the Championship club regarding a move for the midfielder.

N'Diaye arrived at the Yellow Submarine in the summer for £6.8m from Real Betis but he has already found himself out of favour.

He was brought in by Marcelino during pre-season but the manager was sacked before the season started and replaced by Fran Escriba, who doesn't fancy the Senegal international.


Alfred N'Diaye has experience of England from his time at Sunderland

Alfred N'Diaye could soon be playing under Slavisa Jokanovic at Fulham

The 26-year-old has only made five La Liga appearances this season.

He was disappointing in both games of the Champions League play-off as Villarreal lost to Monaco and has failed to prove to Escriba he is good enough for a team that currently sit third in La Liga.

And he has reportedly been told he can find a new club.

N'Diaye's representatives are thought to believe his future lies in England, where he made 16 appearances for Sunderland before moving to Spain.

Fulham are said to be impressed by videos of him playing for Betis and could be interested in bringing him in as they aim to return to the Premier League.

Villarreal are thought to accept they are unlikely to recoup the money they paid for him in the summer but are willing to let N'Diaye go out on loan in January with an option to buy him permanently.


http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/561626/Alfred-N-Diaye-Villarreal-Fulham-latest-transfer-news-gossip

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Fulham watch tapes before deciding on N'Diaye move
by DAN on NOVEMBER 13, 2016

Fulham are currently watching tapes of Senegalese midfielder Alfred N'Diaye's previous performances before deciding whether to make a move for the Villareal midfielder during the January transfer window, according to reports in the Spanish press today.

Don Balon claims that N'Diaye's agent has furnished Fulham representatives with tapes of the midfielder's excellent displays with Real Betis, where his outstanding form secured a £8.5m summer move to the Yellow Submarine. The 26 year-old's first-team opportunities with his new club have suffered since the sacking of the manager who brought him in – Marcelino – and he has made just five appearances for Betis.

Villareal's new manager, Fran Escriba, is happy for the 28 year-old to move on in January and N'Diaye would be keen on a return to England, having previously spent part of the 2013-2014 campaign with Sunderland. Slavisa Jokanovic is short on replacements for veteran Scott Parker and new signing Kevin McDonald in the defensive midfield positions – and Fulham are believed to be intrigued by the possibility of signing N'Diaye on an initial loan, but it remains to be seen whether Jokanovic – a connoisseur of Spanish football – will be swayed by N'Diaye's edited highlights into thinking he can translate his all-action displays for Betis in the Championship.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2016/11/fulham-watch-tapes-before-deciding-on-ndiaye-move/?

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Sheffield Wednesday: Fit-again striker Lucas Joao bids to return against Fulham


Lucas Joao in action against Norwich's Ryan Bennett earlier this season. Photo: Steve Ellis

Portugal international Lucas Joao is nearing a return to fitness for promotion-chasing Sheffield Wednesday.

The speedy striker, recruited for an undisclosed fee from Nacional in July 2015, has not featured for the Owls since their draw at Brentford on August 27 due to injury. But the 23-year-old is edging closer to a first-team comeback, having recently resumed full training.

Wednesday have missed Joao's ability to stretch defences and his return boosts their attacking options. Joao and Atdhe Nuhiu (illness) were absent from their Hillsborough defeat to Ipswich Town before the international break.

Joao will be pressing hard for a place in head coach Carlos Carvalhal's squad for their trip to Fulham this Saturday as the Owls bid to get back on track following two Championship defeats on the spin.

Joao has racked up 51 outings for Wednesday, scoring nine times. Nearly half of his appearances have been as sub. Marco Matias, Joao's countryman, remains on the sidelines because of a groin problem. It has been a frustrating period for the versatile forward, who has yet to feature this season.

It is believed Matias, who impressed in Wednesday's pre-season friendly wins over Chesterfield and Benfica, is likely to start training again come the end of the month.

"Marco started well in pre-season and then he got this problem, " admitted Carvalhal. "But that is the life of a footballer. "It is not something that we can control or is in our hands."


Read more at: http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-wednesday/sheffield-wednesday-fit-again-striker-lucas-joao-bids-to-return-against-fulham-1-8236398?