Saturday Fulham Stuff (08/07/17)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Rolan 'hesitant' over Fulham move
by Dan on July 7, 2017

Bordeaux striker Diego Rolan is 'hesitant' about joining Fulham according to reports from France after the clubs agreed a fee of around €10m for the Uruguayan international.

French sports newspaper L'Equipe claims that the 24 year-old is unconvinced about whether moving to an English Championship outfit is the best move to further his career after five seasons in France. Slavisa Jokanovic has made the Bordeaux striker his main target after missing out on Steve Mounie, who opted to sign for newly-promoted Huddersfield, and the French club have begun the search for a replacement after agreeing a fee with the Cottagers.

Rolan, who can play as a conventional forward or on either wing, scored 10 goals in 33 appearances for Bordeaux last season and has notched up 39 goals in 149 games since signing for Les Girondins after shining in the 2013 South American Youth Championship. Fulham's pursuit of Rolan has been months in the making and included several lengthy negotiations with Bordeaux, who now appear resigned to losing one of their prized assets. Rolan and his agent might be eyeing the potential of a higher-profile destination in England, but they should be reminded of what happened when Fulham last took a promising young forward to the second tier of English football and how Louis Saha's career blossomed as a result.




http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/07/rolan-hesitant-over-fulham-move/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham were finalising €10m Diego Rolan deal last night, personal terms an issue

Of all the forwards Fulham have been linked with over the past year, and let's face it there's been many, one which sounded a promising track, and so different from others, was Diego Rolan.

Towards the end of June, around the time a Fulham offer was claimed, Bordeaux president Stéphane Martin confirmed approaches but wouldn't specifically name the London club.

Since then things have crept along, but Friday's edition of L'Equipe explains a significant step forward, and maybe one back too.

First the good news. L'Equipe say Fulham and Bordeaux were last night in the process of finalising a €10m transfer for Rolan.

Now the bad news. Despite getting almost to the point of closure with Bordeaux, Fulham haven't agreed personal terms with Rolan. He's said to be hesitant to join a Championship club.

If that hesitance can be overcome with a nice big salary and promises of the bright lights of the Premier League then Fulham have a reasonable chance.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/france-fulham-finalising-e10m-rolan-deal-last-night-personal-terms-issue/

[WhiteJC]

 
Middlesbrough, Fulham, Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds head the poll. Norwich, Reading and Derby slip down

    The poll I set up a couple of weeks ago is still running and you'll find it below, so you can still vote if you have a mind to. (If you're new to the site and want to see what it's about follow this link.)

    At the time of writing we have had some 3,818 votes cast, with Middlesbrough leading the pack. Sunderland crept up a couple of places and edged Norwich out of the top six by two votes. Given this is a Sunderland fans' site we could be expected to do well so I'm taking that as a vote of confidence in Norwich. I'm a little surprised by Fulham, who have exceeded my expectations, and by Derby and Reading, who haven't done as well as expected and at the moment aren't going to make the cut.

    "What cut?" You may be thinking. Well, read on, and all will be revealed

Do the numbers 85.5 and 72 mean anything to you? Probably not, unless you're some stats-mad saddo or, like me, an old bloke trying all kinds of things to keep his brain working after the copious amounts of alcohol a long, hard and dismal season forced upon him.

72 is the average number of points gained by the seventh-placed club in the Championship over the past four years. 85.5 is the average number of points earned by the third-placed club over the same period. And those two numbers give us an idea of what we need to do to ensure promotion or, if we can't ensure it straight away, to give ourselves a chance via the lottery known as the playoffs.

Basically, 72 points means we have to win at least three times as many games as we did last year just to have a chance of the playoffs (as 14 wins and 32 draws = 74 points). Realistically, if we could get past 20 wins we could manage the remaining points with draws, provided we got enough of them. Losing more than 8 games, however, could scupper our chances – unless we won correspondingly more games. Last season, Fulham and Leeds, 6th and 7th respectively, both had 22 wins. Fulham's 14 draws over Leeds' 9 was the clincher.

Automatic promotion becomes a mathematical possibility with 25-26 wins, again, as long there aren't too many losses – in this situation losing 8 games would leave us on the cusp of promotion while losing more than 8 could cost us dearly. It's likely more wins would actually be needed, however. Reading finished with 26 wins and only 7 draws, well behind Brighton, who had 28 wins and 9 draws.

Doing some sums with those figures gives me my recipe for success – win three times as many games as we lose, with not too many draws.

They do have a bit of leeway, those numbers. There are often points gaps between third and second, and between seventh and sixth. I don't know why but I'm willing to hazard that the club finishing sixth has to fight all of the way (especially when it could fall out of the pack) and not letting up gives them an edge, whereas any third (or even fourth or fifth) placed club which knows they won't make automatic promotion plays it safe so as to conserve players and energy for the post season contest – much as Huddersfield did last season.

Even so, 85.5 and 72 will serve as a starting point for this season's run of McCormick's dodgy numbers.*

To get above 85.5 a club needs to average 1.92 points per game; to get above 72 it's 1.57 points per game. And that gives me a way of tracking our chosen clubs over the course of the season.

I'll be using a graph with the bottom (horizontal) axis showing the number of games played and the left hand side (vertical) axis showing the number of points earned to date, as you can see below:

The two diagonal lines heading upwards from the bottom left corner of the chart are the boundaries between promotion, play-offs and also-rans, calculated from the above averages multiplied by the number of games played.

From time to time I'll plot the position of the six clubs which topped the poll onto the chart. Any sitting above the top line will be in contention for straight promotion. Those between the two lines are in with a chance of the playoffs. Those below this line are going nowhere, apart from three unfortunates, and I'm not doing a third line to follow them – at least not yet.

To date the clubs are: Middlesbrough, Fulham, Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds, plus Sunderland. That might change. The poll will be left open until the season kicks off. It will drift down the home page and be lost to sight before too long but every now and again we'll revive it. Obviously, SAFC will be one of the clubs tracked, wherever they come in the poll.

If you want to see what I and others think of at least some of the clubs in contention you can visit the original poll, or you can have a look at Pete's welcome to the fixture list for his take on what could be some tasty games.



http://salutsunderland.com/2017/07/middlesbrough-fulham-aston-villa-sheffield-wednesday-and-leeds-head-the-poll-norwich-reading-and-derby-slip-down/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham are closing in on the signing of Diego Rolan from Bordeaux

Championship side Fulham are closing in on the signing of Uruguayan attacker Diego Rolan from Bordeaux, according to L'Équipe.

Last night, the two clubs in question were close to reaching a fee agreement of around €10m for the forward.

The Championship side have yet to reach an agreement with Rolan, who is hesitating over joining Fulham for the moment.



http://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2017/fulham-are-closing-in-on-the-signing-of-diego-rolan-from-bordeaux/

[WhiteJC]

 
Scott Malone pens heartfelt message to Fulham fans after Huddersfield switch

Scott Malone has written a heartfelt goodbye message to Fulham fans after sealing a transfer to Huddersfield.

The full back impressed for the Whites over the course of the last campaign and helped them reach a play-off spot.

Reading, however, ended Malone and Fulham's dream of Premier League promotion; something the former Millwall man is still gutted about.

He wrote on Twitter: "I would like to thank everybody involved with Fulham Football Club for the great time I had last season.

    Thankyou @FulhamFC pic.twitter.com/4Ok4r6bobP
    — Scott Malone (@ScottyMalone28) July 6, 2017

"I am still devastated we couldn't get the job done and get promoted to the Premier League. The fans really did deserve it for the support you showed the lads all the way through the season.

"I loved my time at the club and I will take some great memories with me.

"All the best for the upcoming season and I hope you go one step better."

The 26-year-old made 36 Championship appearances, scoring six goals last season.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/scott-malone-pens-heartfelt-message-13296218

[WhiteJC]

 
Forest mull move for Button
by Dan on July 7, 2017

Nottingham Forest are considering a summer move for Fulham goalkeeper David Button that could see Mark Warburton reunited with his old number one.

Warburton is understood to have placed his old Brentford goalkeeper at the top of his list of targets as he aims to bring a new custodian to the City Ground. Button has only been at Craven Cottage for a season, having left Griffin Park for Brentford's local rivals last summer, but lost his first-team place to Marcus Bettinelli in April after a series of costly errors threatened to undermine Fulham's Championship play-off push. Button won promotion to the Championship with Brentford in 2013-2014, with Warburton entrusting him as the club's senior goalkeeper.

The 28 year-old is contracted at Craven Cottage until at least 2019 and it remains to be seen whether Fulham would entertain offers for Button, who made 40 first-team appearances last term. There could be significant changes in the goalkeeping department this summer with Slavisa Jokanovic said to be eager to recruit a new keeper and Bettinelli, a graduate of the club's academy, being linked with a potential move to Bristol Cit.




http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/07/forest-mull-move-for-button/

[WhiteJC]

 
Cisse Signs

The Club is delighted to confirm the arrival of Ibrahima Cisse from Belgian outfit Standard Liege for an undisclosed fee.

A 23-year-old defensive midfield player, Cisse has agreed a three-year deal, with Fulham holding an option to extend by a further 12 months.

Born in Liege, Cisse joined his local side's youth team at a young age, and after being on the bench several times during the 2011/12 season, he made his first team debut as a right-back in a league match against Zulte Waregem in July 2012.

In his first two seasons in the senior Standard Liege team, he made 37 appearances for the club, and was still a teenager for the vast majority of those outings.

The latter campaign actually saw Standard finish top of the Belgian Pro League table, but they lost out to Anderlecht in the Championship Play-Off.

His form attracted outside attention, and that summer he joined fellow top flight outfit KV Mechelen, for whom he would appear 47 times across two seasons before returning to his home town club.

Cisse was a regular in the Standard side again last season, making 27 appearances across all competitions. He also found the net in the UEFA Europa League, opening the scoring in a 3-0 win away at Panathinaikos in the Group Stages.

He has also been capped by Belgium at Under-17 to Under-21 level, reaching double figures in caps for the eldest age group.

Speaking from the Club's Motspur Park Training Ground this morning, Cisse said: "I am very happy to be here. It is a great opportunity at Fulham and I am looking forward to showing my qualities and what I can do."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/july/07/cisse-signs

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham sign Cisse
by Dan on July 7, 2017

Fulham have this afternoon confirmed the signing of former Belgium under 21 international Ibrahima Cisse from Standard Liege.

The defensive midfielder, who can also play at right back, had been a longstanding Fulham target, with the club having had several bids rejected by Standard during the tail end of the January transfer window. The 23 year-old flew to London yesterday to finalise the deal after the two clubs agreed a fee and successfully completed a medical at Motspur Park.

Cisse has signed a three-year contract at Craven Cottage, with Fulham having the option of extending his deal by a further year. The powerful midfielder was considered a hugely promising youth talent in Belgium, starring for his country's age-group sides, but has seen his senior career afflicted by injuries. He impressed for Standard Liege last season in his second spell with the club – making 27 appearances and scoring in the Europa League against Greek side Panathinaikos.

Speaking to Fulham's official website, Cisse – who will provide serious competition to Kevin McDonald for a first team place at the base of Fulham's midfield, said:

    I am very happy to be here. It is a great opportunity at Fulham and I am looking forward to showing my qualities and what I can do.




http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/07/fulham-sign-cisse/

[WhiteJC]

 
Transfer Talk: QPR and Fulham join Sunderland, Hull and Brighton in hunt for PSG prospect Christopher Nkunku

Opportunities for regular first team action appear to be limited, as he competes with Marco Verratti, Thiago Motta, Blaise Matuidi and Adrien Rabiot for a starting position, leading to a loan move appearing the most likely outcome.

Fulham and QPR are thought to have expressed an interest in PSG midfielder Christopher Nkunku.

The 19-year-old made eight league appearances for the French side last season, scoring one goal, and also appeared in the Champions League against Spanish giants Barcelona.

Opportunities for regular first team action appear to be limited, as he competes with Marco Verratti, Thiago Motta, Blaise Matuidi and Adrien Rabiot for a starting position, leading to a loan move appearing the most likely outcome.

The midfielder has been the subject of a loan bid from French side St Etienne, but they face competiion from English sides including Fulham, QPR, Sunderland, Hull City and Brighton also thought to be keen.

According to sources, Nkunku is thought to prefer a move to the Premier League, although a move to the top-flight is questionable due to his lack of first team experience.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/transfer-talk-qpr-fulham-join-13296820

[WhiteJC]

 
Is a Bristol City switch imminent for former Chelsea target Marcus Bettinelli?

Bristol City have been tracking the Fulham goalkeeper and could move closer to his signature during pre-season.

Fulham could have dropped a big hint that their goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli is on his way out of the club this summer.

The goalkeeper was not named in the squad for the Cottagers' first friendly of their pre-season tour of Poland and the Bristol Post report that a move to Bristol City could be on the cards.

Fulham could have dropped a big hint that their goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli is on his way out of the club this summer.

The goalkeeper was not named in the squad for the Cottagers' first friendly of their pre-season tour of Poland and the Bristol Post report that a move to Bristol City could be on the cards.

However, The Robins aren't the only club to have tracked the Camberwell native this summer.

Sky Sports suggested last month that Chelsea were considering Bettinelli as a replacement for Asmir Begovic, who has moved to Bournemouth.

In the end the Blues opted to sign former Manchester City stopper Willy Caballero to be Thibaut Courtois' new number two.

That could leave Lee Johnson in the clear to bring Bettinelli in as competition for Frank Fielding at Ashton Gate.

And with the player telling Get West London that he wants regular playing time following a frustrating campaign, it could be a move he is open to.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/07/07/is-a-bristol-city-switch-imminent-for-former-chelsea-target-marc/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham complete the signing of Ibrahima Cisse from Standard Liege on three-year-deal

The defensive midfielder moves for an undisclosed fee after a successful campaign last year with Standard Liege.

Ibrahima Cisse has completed his move to Fulham for an undisclosed fee.

The defensive midfielder, who joins from Standard Liege, has signed a three-year deal, with the option for a fourth.

Cisse was a regular in the Standard side again last season, making 27 appearances across all competitions. He also found the net in the UEFA Europa League, opening the scoring in a 3-0 win away at Panathinaikos in the Group Stages.

He has also been capped by Belgium at Under-17 to Under-21 level, reaching double figures in caps for the eldest age group.

Speaking to the club's official website, Cisse said: "I am very happy to be here. It is a great opportunity at Fulham and I am looking forward to showing my qualities and what I can do."

It's expected to be a busy summer at Craven Cottage as the West London side look to go one better than last season by securing a return to the Premier League.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/fulham-complete-signing-ibrahima-cisse-13296976

[WhiteJC]

 
Nottingham Forest ready to make move for Fulham goalkeeper

Nottingham Forest are prepared to make a move to sign Fulham's David Button according to a report from London News Online.

Towards the end of last season, Forest ended up with academy graduate Jordan Smith as their number one. While he performed well and would have thought he had a good chance of claiming the regular spot for this season, the East Midlands side have decided that they need a new shot stopper for next season and have been looking to find their ideal man. And the latest player they have been looking at has been a regular in this league for a few years now.

The player who may soon be heading to Nottingham Forest is David Button who currently plays for Fulham. He signed for the Cottagers last summer and quickly became their number one and was a key player as the club challenged for a place in the Sky Bet Championship play-offs. But he lost his spot in the first team towards the end of last season, with Marcus Bettinelli being able to take his place in the team. And with Bettinelli being very keen to keep hold of that number one jersey, Button may be stuck on the bench.

And so a move elsewhere might appeal to both him and the club, as they could cash in on a player coming off the back of a solid season. If Fulham do want to keep him it will be tough to sign him as Button's contract lasts until 2019, so there is no need to sell him just yet.



http://the72.co.uk/86751/nottingham-forest-ready-to-make-move-for-fulham-goalkeeper/

[WhiteJC]

 
Ibrahima Cisse: Fulham sign Standard Liege midfielder

Ibrahima Cisse is a former Belgium under-21 international

Championship side Fulham have signed Standard Liege midfielder Ibrahima Cisse on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

Belgian Cisse, who can also play as a right-back, made 27 appearances for Standard last season.

The 23-year-old joined KVV Mechelen in June 2014, before returning to his hometown club ahead of last season.

"I am looking forward to showing my qualities and what I can do," he told the club website.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40532577

[WhiteJC]

 
England U19`s March on in European Championships

Returning to the international scene and in particular the U19 European Championships currently on-going in Georgia, success continues to beckon for the England U19 side.

Participating in Group B, the U19 side maintained their 100% record with a second win.

Matched against the Netherlands, in Tbilisi, the U19`s took the three points on offer with a late goal.

The goal, in the 84th minute, scored by the Nottingham Forest youngster, Ben Brereton, was enough to take England into the semi-finals of the competition.

Once again, Fulham`s Ryan Sessegnon played a prominent part in the action and Ryan came very close to getting on the score-sheet and opening the scoring for England when his shot struck the post.

With the England U20 side having recently won the U20 World Cup and with the U21`s performing admirably in the European Championships, the U19 side are continuing the trend that has seen this summer become something of a special one.

Here at Vital Fulham we`ll continue to report on their progress.




Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=496966#ixzz4mDiWTSHR

[WhiteJC]

 
Warburton seeking reunion with 28-year-old shot-stopper at Forest

Championship outfit Nottingham Forest are considering a summer move for Fulham goalkeeper David Button, according to London News Online.

The 28-year-old only moved to Craven Cottage last year after three impressive seasons at Brentford, in which time he worked under now-Forest boss Mark Warburton, and was indeed part of the team that secured a Championship play-off spot back in 2015.

And the shot-stopper was part of another play-off chase last term under Slavisa Jokanovic at Fulham, with Button playing 40 of their 46 regular season matches, keeping 11 clean sheets and conceding 51 goals in the process, before losing his place between the sticks to Marcus Bettinelli for the last six games, and then their two play-off encounters.

And his apparent position behind the 25-year-old in the Cottagers' pecking order has reportedly attracted interest from fellow second tier side Nottingham Forest.

The Reds needed a 3-0 win on the final day of the season to stave off relegation last term, and having conceded 72 goals in their 46 matches, the second highest of any side in the division, it's clear that former Rangers chief Warburton needs to reinforce the backline this summer.

And reuniting with an experienced Championship goalkeeper in Button, having worked together at Brentford between 2013 and 2015, could be exactly what the Forest chief needs to take his side away from the lower reaches of the division next season.

But whether Fulham would be interested in allowing the 28-year-old to leave this summer very much remains to be seen.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/warburton-seeking-reunion-with-28-year-old-shot-stopper-at-forest/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fee almost agreed for Uruguayan hotshot, but Fulham face battle to get deal done

Championship outfit Fulham face a battle to get a deal done for Bordeaux's Diego Rolan despite almost agreeing a fee for the striker, according to L'Equipe.

The 24-year-old has been at the French side since 2013 after coming up through the ranks at Uruguayan club Defensor Sporting, and he has since gone from strength to strength with the Ligue 1 side.

The Uruguay international has scored 38 goals in 149 games for the club over the past four years, including nine in 29 league appearances last term to help the side to a sixth place finish in the French top-flight, and thus a spot in the third qualifying round of the Europa League.

And his excellent form in front of goal over the last few seasons has attracted interest from Slavisa Jokanovic's Fulham, yet recent reports suggest that any deal for the forward could still go either way.

And that's because the two clubs have reportedly almost agreed a fee for Rolan, yet the man himself has yet to agree personal terms with the Cottagers.

Convincing him to drop to second tier football may be quite the task for Jokanovic and the Fulham hierarchy, but after coming very close to returning to the Premier League last season, they may be able to persuade him of their ambitions of securing top-flight football next term.

Ultimately, this deal very much hangs in the balance, and whether Fulham are indeed able to encourage Rolan to move to Craven Cottage is likely to become clearer in the coming weeks and months.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fee-almost-agreed-for-uruguayan-hotshot-but-fulham-face-battle-to-get-deal-done/

[WhiteJC]

 
Wolfsburg Tickets On Sale

Fulham entertain VfL Wolfsburg in what will be our final pre-season match before the start of the 2017/18 campaign.

Join us at Craven Cottage on Saturday 29th July (3pm) with tickets priced at just £1 for juniors and only £15 for adults.

Hospitality is also available in the Chairman's Club priced at £95 (+VAT) per person, which comes with a fully inclusive drinks package, bowl food to be served pre-match, and Directors' Area seating.

Fulham's previous encounter with Wolfsburg came at the Quarter-Final stage of the 2009/10 UEFA Europa League, as the Whites came away with a famous 3-1 aggregate win over the then German champions.

All tickets are now available for supporters to purchase online, by phone on 0843 208 1234 (opt. 2) or in person from the Fulham Ticket Office.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/july/07/fulham-vs-wolfsburg

[WhiteJC]

 
Ibrahima Cisse completes Fulham move

Fulham have confirmed the arrival of Ibrahima Cisse from Standard Liege for an undisclosed fee.

The 23-year-old midfielder has agreed a three-year deal with Fulham holding an option to extend this by 12 months.

Sky sources indicated earlier this week that the former Belgium U21 international was in London after a deal was agreed between the clubs.

Sky sources reported back in January that Fulham were interested in Cisse and had two bids, the highest being £2.2m, rejected by the Belgian club.

"I am very happy to be here," Cisse said. "It is a great opportunity at Fulham and I am looking forward to showing my qualities and what I can do."

Last season, Cisse was a regular in the Standard side, where he made 27 appearances in all competitions.

For the latter campaign, Standard finished top of the Belgian Pro League table, but they lost out to Anderlecht in the Championship Play-Off.

Cisse has also played for fellow top-flight outfit KV Mechelen, where he made 47 appearances across two seasons before returning to his home town club.



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/10940506/ibrahima-cisse-completes-fulham-move

[WhiteJC]

 
Friendlies Confirmed

The Club is now in a position to clarify the final plans for our pre-season campaign.

The group will fly out to Graz in Austria on Tuesday 18th July, where they will face West Ham United at the Sportzentrum Graz-Weinzödl (pictured), home to Grazer AK, two days later (Thursday 20th July), kick-off 7pm local time.

They will then take to the skies once more and head to Germany, where SV Darmstadt will host us at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor on Saturday 22nd July (3.30pm local time).



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/july/07/friendlies-confirmed

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham to take on West Ham United and SV Darmstadt during pre-season visits to Austria and Germany

The two fixtures will take place on Thursday 20th July and Saturday 22nd July in Austria and Germany respectively.

Fulham have confirmed their final plans for their pre-season campaign, announcing three additional friendlies to the schedule.

The team will fly out to Graz in Austria on Tuesday 18th July where they face a clash with Premier League side West Ham United.

The game will take place at the Sportzentrum Graz-Weinzodl, home of Grazer AK on Thursday 20th July.

Kick-off will be 7pm local time.

The West London side will then travel Germany where they will face SV Darmstadt at the Merck-Stadion am Bollenfalltor.

This will take place on Saturday 22nd July (3.30 kick-off local time).




http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-take-west-ham-united-13298117