News:

Use a VPN to stream games Safely and Securely 🔒
A Virtual Private Network can also allow you to
watch games Not being broadcast in the UK For
more Information and how to Sign Up go to
https://go.nordvpn.net/SH4FE

Main Menu


Tuesday Fulham Stuff (31/07/18)...

Started by WhiteJC, July 31, 2018, 06:10:41 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

WhiteJC

 
Report: Fulham still hopeful of signing Southampton's Matt Targett

Fulham had Southampton defender Matt Targett on loan with them last season, and he impressed by Slavisa Jokanovic's side.

According to the Daily Mirror, Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic is willing to pay £8 million for Southampton defender Matt Targett this summer.

Targett was loaned to Fulham by Southampton last term, and he caught the eye.

The left-back was one of Fulham's best performers in the second half of the season, as he helped them earn promotion.

Jokanovic's side are now looking to bring in a left-back, and Targett remains on their wishlist.

Southampton are understood to be keen to keep Targett, but Fulham are hopeful that a bid of around £8 million will be enough to prise him away from St. Mary's.

Fulham have already completed some impressive business this summer, with Alfie Mawson and Aleksandar Mitrovic both set to move to Craven Cottage in the near future.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/07/30/report-fulham-still-hopeful-of-signing-southamptons-matt-targett/

WhiteJC

 
Three signings that Fulham could complete this week

Photo: Getty Images

Fulham have well and truly announced themselves in the transfer window, after an impressive summer where they have already attracted the likes of Jean-Michael Seri and Andre Schurrle.

However, the newly-promoted club's business is not done just yet, and a busy week awaits at Craven Cottage.

Here are three possible arrivals that could sign for the Whites in the coming days...

Aleksandar Mitrovic from Newcastle United
It is finally happening. For such a seemingly simple transfer (the player wants to be at Fulham, and Fulham wants the player), the Aleksandar Mitrovic saga has dragged on for far too long.

However, as Mitrovic flew home from Newcastle's tour of Portugal in order to complete a medical at Fulham, the Serbian striker is set to sign for the Whites imminently.

The fee is a matter of some debate, and it appears to be north of £20 million, with Sky Sports reporting a deal between £20m and £27m with add-ons.

But Fulham supporters won't care too much, as the fan favourite striker who scored goals for fun at the Cottage will at last be returning home.

Alfie Mawson from Swansea City
According to Sky Sports, Fulham's negotiations with Swansea City for the signing of Alfie Mawson are in an "advanced stage," as the Whites appear primed to acquire the 24-year-old English centre-half.

Mawson would add Premier League experience and defensive nous to the Fulham backline, a much-needed signing that would bolster the side's weakest department of the pitch.

Kieran Tierney from Celtic
The Sun claim Fulham are interested in Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney, one of the brightest young defensive talents in Britain.

If Fulham could lure the defender to southwest London, then Ryan Sessegnon and the Scot could form a formidable partnership on the left wing.

The 21-year-old will supposedly carry a £25 million price tag, but could be worth every penny if he can allow Sessegnon to attack with ambition in his preferred advanced position.



https://tbrfootball.com/three-signings-fulham-complete-week/

WhiteJC

 
Swansea Lose Out As Fulham Make Yet Another Quality Signing

For a team that had to suffer the ignominy of being relegated, Swansea have done well not to have been completely plundered at the culmination of a calamitous season that resulted in regulation from the Premier League.

This may be due to the fact selling most of their key assets- namely Fernando Llorente and Gylfi Sigurðsson- was the predominant reason as to why the Swans imploded back down to the Championship, ending their seven year stint in the top division.

Ki Sung-yeung may have reached the end of his contract and jollied up to the North-East, and the disappointing André Ayew may have left his little brother Jordan behind to fly off to Fenerbahçe but there does remain to core structure still visible within the squad.

Unfortunately one integral piece is set to be removed.

One player that the fans would love to retain as they challenge for a convincing promotion bid, and even with the possibility return to the top division at the first time of asking, is the 24 year-old English centre-back Alfie Mawson.

Mawson has been one of their standouts players at the Liberty Stadium since arriving from Barnsley in 2016 for around £5million. He has gone on to made over 70 appearances for the club, and kept 17 clean-sheets. Mawson has also managed to register seven goals. Mawson played in every single game of Swansea's ultimately catastrophic 17/18 season.

Unfortunately for fans of the South Wales club, a £20million deal taking him to newly promoted Fulham is reportedly imminent.

This transfer could rise by up to £5 million, and an agreement will be put into place between club and player early this week, which could see a deal concluded in the next several days.

Earlier in the window, though Swansea conceded number one goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski to West Ham they managed to hold out from losing Mawson also in a double-deal to East London.

With the deadline for Premier League teams acquiring players quickly approaching, earlier this year, Swansea will know another top-level offer may not be forthcoming, and would obviously undoubtedly prefer to sell to a team in another division rather than an immediate rival.

Fulham have had a exciting transfer window to reward a fantastic Championship-ending season in which the Cottagers, under Slaviša Jokanović, titillated with some of the freshest, attacking football in the division and bringing an experienced, passionate, but still incredibly young, defender is a logical step as they look to cement their Premier League status in 18/19.

Battling away the interests of experienced Premier League sides Burnley and the Hammers to take Mawson to Craven Cottage is a sure sign of intent and encouraging in West London for the forthcoming season

Losing a player of Mawson's calibre will no doubt make the job harder for Swansea, now under the stewardship of Graham Potter, to make an immediate return to the English league's top tier.



https://www.thesportsman.com/articles/swansea-lose-out-as-fulham-make-yet-another-quality-signing


WhiteJC

 
FST Board Elections

To our Members

Thank you for your continued support and membership of the Trust. We have had a very positive year on the pitch, culminating in that tremendous #FFCWhiteWall of support in the Wembely sunshine as we secured promotion to the Premier League – with the new season now just around he corner.

I am pleased to say that for the Fulham Supporters' Trust, we had a positive year too. We held an end of season event in May 2017, an entertaining evening with former manager Micky Adams, and hosted Fulham's Chief Executive, Alistair Mackintosh, and Finance Director, Sean O'Laughlin for a Q&A at our AGM in the lead up to the play-off final this May.

With the support and representations from many Trust members, fans and residents alike, planning permission for a new Riverside stand was secured – an important aspect of keeping Fulham FC in Fulham for the long term. News of Shahid Khan's interest in purchasing Wembley, also included a welcome commitment to maintaining plans for redevelopment of the Riverside Stand at Fulham, whether or not the FA agree to see Wembley.

The Trust has also continued to hold regular monthly meetings with Fulham management, and in late 2017 became the first (then) EFL club's Supporters' Trust to agree a memorandum of understanding with the Club to underpin that relationship. We ask our members to put forward issues to raise, and then reporting back to members after the meetings take place. We have been able to secure some changes in approach from the Club, and continue to act as an independent voice for Fulham fans – working with the Club in the interests of fans, and challenging them where that is needed.

The Trust is also affiliated to the two current national supporters bodies – Supporters Direct and the Football Supporters Federation (FSF). We have worked closely with SD on developing structured dialogue, memorandum of understanding and the protection of stadiums, and with the FSF on ticket pricing, kick off times and safe standing. Trust members are involved in both organisations.

The Trust belongs to you, our members, and is there to act as your voice to the custodians of our Club. As ever with such organisations, there is a small group of volunteers who undertake a lot of the hard work behind the scenes – some of the current Board will be standing down after many years of tireless service, and all of the current interim Board welcome the involvement of new people, with new ideas, a fresh perspective and a willingness to get involved to help build the Trust into the future.

If you have skills, experience and interest in finance, accounting, websites, social media, running events – or just want to pitch in, please do fill in the nomination from which can be downloaded from the link below, along with other information on the elections.If we have more nominations than places to fill, we will then run an election according to the Election timetable.

All documents can be downloaded here:

Election Rules

Election Timetable

Nomination Form


If you would like more information on getting involved in your Trust, then please do not hesitate to contact us via twitter (@fulhamsupptrust) or by email to [email protected]

Thank you again for your continued support.

Yours sincerely


Tom Greatrex

Chair, Fulham Supporters' Trust



http://fulhamsupporterstrust.com/news/2018/7/30/fst-board-elections.html

WhiteJC

 
Former Brighton, Fulham, Hull, Reading and Bristol City defender Rosenior retires

Former Albion defender Liam Rosenior has announced his retirement after a 17-year playing career to take up a role with Brighton's academy.

The 34-year-old will assist under-23 head coach Simon Rusk as professional development phase coach. As well as taking up that role, Rosenior will also be a media analyst for Sky Sports.

Rosenior, who played for Bristol City, Torquay, Ipswich, Hull, Reading, Fulham and then Albion during his career is looking forward to the new chapter in his life.

He said: "Undoubtedly, it is a sad day for any professional footballer when the time comes to stop playing. However, I have enjoyed a long career and feel privileged to have earned a living doing something that I love. I am so lucky to have lived my childhood dream and I am now ready for the next chapter.

"There are a great many people and clubs to thank. Firstly, to every member of my wonderful family, most notably Mum, Dad, my brother Daron, my wife Erika and my four beautiful children: your love, belief and support was always a source of huge strength for me – I hope I made you proud.

"To the managers, coaches, players, backroom staff and supporters of every club I have had the good fortune to represent, I sincerely thank you for the lessons, happiness, memories and incredible support I have received in my career. I will never forget it.

"Now I am just as excited as I was as a child. I am embarking on a new chapter in my life with a new coaching role at Brighton and new media analyst role with Sky Sports. This could not have been possible without the support of all of the staff at this special club, but namely Tony Bloom, Chris Hughton, John Morling and Simon Rusk for giving me this opportunity. I will do everything I can to repay your faith in my future as a coach. I cannot wait to continue the journey with this fantastic club."

Rosenior has completed his UEFA PRO licence and will combine his early steps in management with media work.

He added: "As sportsmen, you are conditioned to never give up and to keep looking ahead for the next challenge. For me, this will be to use the knowledge I have gained from the special people throughout my career and help nurture the next generation of footballers at Brighton, as well as providing my perspective of the game as a pundit. I am hugely excited by both and cannot wait to start."



Read more at: https://www.westsussextoday.co.uk/sport/football/former-brighton-fulham-hull-reading-and-bristol-city-defender-rosenior-retires-1-8583892

WhiteJC


2018 Fulham Player Profiles: Ryan Sessegnon
What Can the Teenage Sensation Do for an Encore?


Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images

Basic Stats: 48 appearances | 48 starts | 1 substitutions | 4,297 minutes | 16 goals | 8 assists

Economics: Academy Graduate | Signed: 2016 | Contract Ends in Summer 2020 plus a 2-year option

Stats by Seven-Game sequences


WhoScored Rating Chart


Radar

All data from whoscored.com

Goals vs. Expected Goals

From experimental361.com

Transfermarket Value Chart

From transfermarket.co.uk

CC Thoughts: So to put things in perspective, I thought I was starting to feel like an adult when Wayne Rooney started terrorizing defenses the way he did. Now I feel like an old man that wonders if he can find the fountain of youth again watching Ryan Sessegnon: the first athlete I have ever witnessed with joy and passion born in the year 2000. Anywho, enough about age and growing up on my end.

But it just can't be pointed out enough that Fulham supporters are witnessing something special. With a debut at 16, 16 goals to his account before turning 18 and assisting on the lone goal in the Playoff Final to guide Fulham back to the Premier League, it is just downright frightening to imagine what his ceiling might genuinely be. But that still doesn't mean he has hit it yet and there is still plenty of room to grow as a result.

For one, like the rest of his teammates, it took until November for Sessegnon to really get his 2017/18 going. He was able to kickstart his campaign with that famous hat trick at Sheffield United and the rest has been history. What followed was more consistent performances and more appearances over on the left wing rather than at left back. That resulted in braces against Ipswich, Burton and Barnsley and was capped off with a fantastic second-leg performance against Derby County in the playoffs where he scored the first and assisted on the second via a corner kick. There were fears that Sessegnon was cooling off by the end of the season, but the England Under-21 International was able come through in Fulham's most important games.

And with that, the club will be playing Saturdays in front of International television audiences with the world about to take notice what a brilliant talent is coming through. Sessegnon may end up becoming a big fish in a small pond ala Gareth Bale, but for now, he is still wearing Fulham white continuing his development.

Key Stat: 80.6% of Sessegnon's shots were from inside the penalty area. As it has been discussed before, Sessegnon's shot rate is atrocious for an elite attacking player. That will have to improve dramatically if he were to ever be considered world class. To prove how bad it is, his 1.2 shots per game is the worst rate of any Championship player that has scored nine or more goals in the league.

However, what has made the budding star rack up 16 goals in the league were that he led all Fulham players with 50 shots inside the penalty area out of his total of 62. I still expect regression to the mean for Sessegnon, but if there's data that can perfectly explain his astronomically high 25.8% goal conversion rate. Only Neeskens Kebano comes close to having a higher ratio of shots coming from the penalty box with 73.5% among Fulham players.

Your thoughts: People, 2018/19 is going to be fantastic and watching Sessegnon trying to figure out the Premier League is among the top reasons why. So how do you think he'll perform to it? What do you think is Sessegnon's ceiling? And how long will he be able to play for Fulham until it's time to worry about his move to a bigger club? Let us know your thoughts on the comment section below.



https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2018/7/30/17622806/2018-fulham-player-profiles-ryan-sessegnon


WhiteJC

 
Club chief gives reason why he had to sell player to Fulham

Besiktas president Fikret Orman has told the Turkish media they were under pressure to sell Fabri to Fulham in this transfer window.

The Spaniard last week signed for the Premier League newcomers for €6m.

Speaking to CNN Turk, via Futbol Arena, Orman gave the reasons he had to accept Fulham's offer: "Fabri had a year left on his contract so we needed to send the player to the Premier League or we'd have come out empty next summer."

Last week Besiktas reluctantly accepted Fulham's offer of €6m for Fabri despite the Istanbul club holding out for €8m.

The Turkish club risked losing the former Deportivo La Coruna player next summer on a free transfer and there were even reports Fabri was refusing to sign an extension if they didn't allow his move to Fulham.

Despite losing Fabri to Fulham, Besiktas have made a decent profit on the keeper after signing him a free transfer two seasons ago.

Besiktas are now targeting Arsenal's David Ospina as Fabri's replacement.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/club-chief-gives-reason-sell-player-fulham/

WhiteJC

 
Alfie Mawson: Fulham set to sign Swansea City defender in potential £20m deal


Swansea City defender Alfie Mawson scored the winner against Liverpool at the Liberty Stadium last season

Swansea's Alfie Mawson is set to join Fulham in a deal that could cost the Premier League newcomers up to £20m.

The defender's departure from the Liberty Stadium has been anticipated since the club's relegation in May.

The 24-year-old, who played for England at under-21 level, made more than 70 appearances for the Swans after joining them from Barnsley for £5m in 2016.

He featured in all of their Premier League games last season, earning a call-up to the full England squad.

Mawson began his career at Brentford before joining Barnsley, who will receive a payment after putting a sell-on clause in the agreement to sell him to Swansea.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45006839

WhiteJC

 
A look at who is responsible for transfers as Fulham line up Alfie Mawson and Aleksandar Mitrovic

We take a look at the men who will be key to Fulham's recruitment policy in the upcoming transfer window

Alfie Mawson and Aleksandar Mitrovic are set to be the latest new recruits at Fulham as the transfer window hits the final lap.

Should both deals go through, which look extremely likely at this stage, they will join Jean-Michael Seri, Maxime Le Marchand, Fabri and Andre Schurrle at Craven Cottage in the Premier League next season.

After promotion from the Championship, the Whites are building a side that will not only look to survive in the top flight, but compete as well, and the additions of Mawson and Mitrovic will add strength at the back and firepower up front.

After a slow start, Fulham are really stepping it up ahead of the August 9 deadline, but who is in charge of recruitment and how do they find new players?

Despite a lot of thoughts to the contrary this summer, it's not Slavisa Jokanovic.

Here, we take a look at Fulham's recruitment strategy, the people involved and how January's success will impact the summer.

Tony Khan - Vice Chairman and Director of Football Operations

As is fairly common knowledge, Khan plays a crucial role in the acquisition of new players at Craven Cottage and heads up the side's recruitment department.

It's down to Khan and his team to find new players and sign them for the side, with input from James Lovell on the date side of things and Brian Talbot with the traditional scouting method.


New team: Slavisa Jokanovic with Tony Khan (Image: Fulham FC)

Khan was appointed to the role in February 2017 but had been advising the club on the football operations, with analytics and research featuring predominantly in his work and helped build the side that lost in the play-offs last season.

The son of owner, Shahid Khan, Khan Jnr will play a crucial role in the identifying and signing of players at Fulham this summer.

He works directly with Lovell, Talbot and Slavisa Jokanovic in the recruiting of players.

James Lovell - Data Analyst

Lovell was appointed to the role that was previously held by controversial character, Craig Kline, after the club relieved the American of his duties.

A former first team performance analyst at Fulham, Lovell's impact on the January transfer window was huge,with the club focusing on players with English experience, including the signings of Targett and Christie.

Lovell has been involved in the development and use of data in the club's scouting process in the past to help identify players of interest and influence the scouting process at the club, which is now his main role.

He'll be responsible for the data side of signings in the summer Transfer Window, working alongside Khan, Talbot and Jokanovic in order to find players and recruit them for the coming season.

Brian Talbot - Assistant Director of Football Operations and Chief Scout

Talbot was appointed to his role in February 2017 when Khan was named as Director of Football operations and have previously served as the club's European Scout from 2011.

He is responsible for the traditional scouting method that the club implements on new signings to compliment the data models that Lovell and Khan use, in order to ensure that both bases are covered.

Talbot makes sure that potential signings have been watched by the club's scouting department, reports that are then combined with their statistical model before a decision is made on whether the club proceeds with signing them or not.


Assistant Director of Football Operations: Brian Talbot (Image: Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

He has six full time scouts under his watch, but none of these are ever permanently situated in a single country to watch players.

Instead, scouts are sent to countries that the data tells Fulham's recruitment team that players are statistically better than ones in England, which is why the side have always signed players from Belgium.

His scouting department will have already been watching potential signings this season with a view to bringing them to Craven Cottage for the next campaign.

Alistair Mackintosh - Chief Executive

Fulham's chief executive will work alongside Khan and the recruitment team when negotiating with clubs and trying to strike a deal for new players.

An accountant by profession, Mackintosh joined the club in 2008 from Manchester City and has played a key role at the club since, overseeing a European final as well as the side's highest ever finish in the Premier League.

Recently, he's helped the club gain planning permission for the redevelopment of the Riverside Stand and will play a key role once again in the acquisition of signings.


CEO: Alistair Mackintosh (right) and Shahid Khan at Craven Cottage (Image: Paul Burgman)

Slavisa Jokanovic - Head Coach

There still seems to be confusion on what Jokanovic's role in transfers at Fulham is since the departure of Kline.

The head coach is still not responsible for the buying or selling of players, but an increase in communication between Jokanovic and the recruitment department sees him have more of an input in the process.

That was clear in the Mitrovic transfer, where the forward and the head coach spoke on WhatsApp before Jokanovic went to the recruitment department with the suggestion of signing the Newcastle striker.


(Image: Nick Potts/PA Wire)

But that deal was only done after the recruitment department had run their statistical model on the 23-year-old - eventually paving the way for a deal.

This increase in communication, as well as a strong working relationship with Lovell, will be an important part of the club's summer plans.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/mawson-mitrovic-fulham-transfer-team-14599209


WhiteJC


Fulham looking to bolster defence with £25m addition

Fulham are the latest Premier League side to express an interest in signing Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney, claims The Sun.

Tierney, 21, is regarded as one of the best prospects in Britain and has previously been linked with a move to Manchester United.

Everton expressed an interest in the Scotland international earlier this summer but baulked at Celtic's £25m asking price.

The Toffees eventually pulled the plug on their pursuit of the 21-year-old and are now on the verge of signing Lucas Digne from Barcelona.

Celtic are in no rush to sell Tierney after penning a new six-year deal with the Scottish giants in October.

Brendan Rodgers' side are bracing themselves for interest right the way until the end of the window and now Fulham are in the running for his signature.

Fulham have already spent just shy of £40m this summer and are set to splash a further £27m to re-sign Aleksandar Mitrovic on a permanent basis.

However, it has now emerged they are weighing up a stunning £25m bid for Tierney to further bolster their defensive options for the new season.

Of Celtic players that made more than one appearance in the Champions League last season, Tierney garnered the highest WhoScored rating (6.78).



https://www.whoscored.com/News/TNXXMlrFNEe5Prs5Mcq7kg/Show/Fulham-looking-to-bolster-defence-with-25m-addition

WhiteJC

 
Fulham pull out of deal for Manchester City defender meaning interest in Bristol City star Joe Bryan continues

The Cottagers are set to pursue their number one target

Fulham have pulled out of a move for Manchester City defender Oleksandr Zinchenko.

The Mirror report that the Premier League new boys consider a move for Zinchenko as being too complicated, with the Ukranian wing-back set to either stay at the Etihad or move to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Instead, Fulham have upped their interest in bringing Southampton's Matt Targett back to Craven Cottage.


Joe Bryan of Bristol City is marked by Lewis Cook of Bournemouth

Targett was on loan at the Cottage for the second half of last season and impressed, meaning manager Slavisa Jokanovic is keen to re-sign the former England under-21 international.

Yet the Saints are reluctant to sell, meaning Fulham could well move for Bristol City star Joe Bryan should the bid for Targett fail.

Fulham are one of a number of clubs that have been linked with a move for the Robins star, along with Newcastle United, Burnley and Leeds United.

Yet Targett remains their number one option, meaning Robins fans may have to keep a keen eye on whether the Cottagers have their bid accepted.



https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/fulham-pull-out-deal-manchester-1841034

WhiteJC

 
Fulham: 2018/19 Premier League Preview
Can the Cottagers flourish on their return to the Premier League?

Martin Jol, Rene Meulensteen and Felix Magath. None of the preceding managers could save Fulham from relegation in 2014, despite their best efforts.

It's been a topsy-turvy four years since, and the West Londoners had never really looked close to a Premier League return, until manager Slavisa Jokanovic inspired a magical run which propelled the Cottages back into the top-flight via the playoffs. Tom Cairney's 23rd minute winner was enough to see off Aston Villa at Wembley.

Now, Shahid Khan's billions will be used to ensure that Fulham stay perfectly ensconced in the Premier League.

2017/18 Season Review
Twenty-three games. That's how long it took for Fulham to lose in the season just gone. Inspired by the brutality of Aleksandar Mitrovic and the flying youth of Ryan Sessegnon, Fulham raided into a third place finish that saw them make it into the playoff positions.

We all know what happened next...

Arguably, the Cottagers were unfortunate to miss out on automatic promotion, losing to Birmingham on the final day of the Championship season as Cardiff drew 0-0 to send them up by two clear points.

Mitrovic, a failure at Newcastle, set the fighting tone, augmented by the silky Cairney in midfield. Ryan Fredericks – who has since joined West Ham – and the aforementioned Sessegnon offered pace and penetration on the wings, with the latter scoring an incredible 15 goals in the campaign.

Who's In?
Jean Michael Seri

Age: 26

Position: CM

Fee: £27 million

Twelve months on from nearly joining Barcelona, Jean Michael Seri has made the most eye-popping move of the summer? But why has he gone to Fulham?

In truth, the Ivorian has struggled to live up to his own soaring heights in the season just gone. Distracted by a failure to leave Nice last summer, his diffident form means Fulham have been allowed to step in for a cut-price move.

It's a transfer that suits all parties. The Londoners get a top-quality midfielder, who can reinvigorate his reputation with a decent campaign. Should he perform to the levels shown previously, it's inevitable that a big club will come in again. Fulham will make a profit, Seri will get his move, and everybody wins. 

Andre Schurrle

Age:27

Position: LW/RW

Fee: £400,000 (two-year loan)

Andre Schurrle's reputation may have dwindled after questionable stays at Chelsea and Dortmund, but he remains an impactful player on his day.

Pacy and intelligent, brings a wealth of top-level experience to Craven Cottage, and will be interesting to witness alongside the bustling Mitrovic, should the latter make the move to Fulham permanent as expected.

Fabri

Age: 30

Position: GK

Fee: £5.4 million

The Spanish-Uruguayan conceded only 30 goals last year, part of a title-winning Besiktas side that also boasted Domagoj Vida and Ricardo Quaresma.

Fabri is pro-active and scrupulous, eager in directing his defenders and with strong concentration. He should offer an instant upgrade on Marcus Bettinelli.

Maxime Le Marchand

Age:28

Position: LB/CB

Fee: £3.6 million

Signing alongside his teammate Seri, the former Nice man is a dependable option at left-back who is also capable of filling in centrally. Blessed with an intelligent sense of positioning and a decent passing range, Le Marchand will offer ballast for Ryan Sessegnon's explosive forays further forward. 

Who's Out?

Ryan Fredericks is the only notable departure, with the right-back having joined Manuel Pellegrini's West Ham on a free transfer. Otherwise, Jokanovic has managed to hold on to the squad that did so well go gain promotion last year.

Predicted Lineup

Fulham favour an enterprising style under Jokanovic, one that is built on gaining turnovers in possession from a feverish press.

They made more successful passes than any team in the Championship last time out, but it would be wrong to say that they are wedded to any particular system.


Jokanovic, having managed in Israel and Thailand before landing in Fulham, is a pragmatist at heart who caters his system to the players available.

With this squad, it makes sense to play a possession-based style, one that is expansive and makes use of its myriad attacking talents. Expect a pacy, entertaining 4-3-3. 

The Key Question: Can they survive?
As lofty as their transfer dealings have been, Fulham's only goal this year will be to ensure Premier League survival.

Khan's deep pockets mean that there is no financial Armageddon looming should the club be relegated, but the Cottages are keen to cement themselves as a cosmopolitan force in the league.

Much will depend on that talented forward line. If Seri can bring together Sessegnon and Schurrle, Mitrovic could be on course for the best goal-scoring season of his career. A relatively weak backline, however, remains an Achilles heel.

Prediction
Best case

Seventh to ninth, replicating the achievements of Leicester City and Burnley in recent seasons.

Worst case

Relegation, and the inevitable departures of Sessegnon and Seri.

RealSport recommendation

Fulham should finish comfortably in mid-table. They might feel inoffensive, but the Londoners are blessed with some real talent that also has a point to prove.

They could end up being one of the league's most commendable performers, especially under a manager as talented as Jovanovic.



https://realsport101.com/news/sports/football/fulham-2018-19-premier-league-preview/


WhiteJC

 
Jean-Michael Seri's brilliance & Fabri's distribution - what we learned from Fulham in Germany

Fulham lost out in the Cup of Traditions but we saw glimpses of how the side will set up in the coming season - here's what we learnt

Fulham have returned from their Cup of Traditions exploits in Germany, where the side lost out on the title to Fiorentina, losing 9-8 on penalties after a 0-0 draw.

The Italian side weren't the only team Slavisa Jokanovic's men played in Duisburg, however - they beat La Liga's Athletic Bilbao 3-1 in their first game out there that meant they faced the Italians in the final.

It was a strange tournament - both games were 45 minutes which gave the teams very little time to get into the game, while the trophy on offer was one of the biggest and most generic I've ever seen.

But the Cup of Traditions gave debuts to both Fabri and Andre Schurrle and gave us a look at how Fulham are shaping up with less than two weeks to go until the start of the Premier League season.

Here's what we took away from the pre-season games.

Fabri's performance

We got our first look at Fulham's £5million keeper, Farbi, in the two games against Bilbao and Fiorentina as Jokanovic gives him game time ahead of the new season.

Who will get the number one jersey against Crystal Palace is very much up for debate at the moment, with Marcus Bettinelli ending the season as number one, but with Fabri having Champions League experience, he could well start on August 11.

What I noticed most about Fabri was his ability to hit the full backs pretty much spot on from his goal kicks, something that Bettinelli struggles with.


Fulham's new goalkeeper Fabricio Agosto Ramirez (Image: VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images)

Hitting those full backs is key to how Fulham play, allowing the side to get up the pitch quickly, and I think Fabri's distribution with the ball at his feet was near enough spot on.

As both games continued, it was becoming more and more clear as to why the Whites signed Fabri - he fits into the style of play and looked a pretty decent shot stopper.

We'll have to keep an eye on how he does in the games against Sampdoria and Celta Vigo to get a better picture, but from the 90 minutes we saw in Germany he looks a decent acquisition.

That said, he penalty stopping doesn't seem to be his strong point - he didn't really get near any of the nine spot kicks that Fiorentina set his way.

Playing without the ball

Last season we saw Fulham dominate the ball against pretty much every single side they played.

Seeing them have 60/70% possession became a staple for fans in the Championship, but everyone is well aware they won't be doing that every week this season with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City coming to Craven Cottage.

And for the first 20 minutes against Bilbao, we saw what Fulham can do when they are starved of possession and are forced to play without the ball.

Getting that experience in pre-season will be vital for next season - they can practice all they want on the training pitches at Motspur Park but it's real match experience where they will find out just how good they are without the ball.


Cyrus Christie challenges for the ball in Duisburg (Image: Christof Koepsel/Bongarts/Getty Images)

For the most part, they looked decent in Germany.

All players dropped behind the ball with the front three of Ryan Sessegnon, Neeskens Kebano and Aboubakar Kamara pressing high and fast, with the midfield trio of Stefan Johansen, Jean-Michael Seri and Tom Cairney becoming a compact unit in the middle of midfield.

The full backs would also press to try and hassle Bilbao in possession, with the centre halves shoe-stringing across the pitch to whatever flank the ball was played down, with the midfielders then slotting into the defensive line.

It took them a while to get used to it - Bilbao's opening goal came within three minutes after Tim Ream and Maxime Le Marchand were tore to pieces by a throughball in between the pair, but after that Fulham looked decent.

There's still work to be done on that front, but there's certainly positives to take.

Neeskens Kebano's impact

Kebano was a bit-part player last season and, before I saw the side in Germany, I was wondering if he would be used even less this coming season.

While I still think he'll find game time limited, Kebano was probably the best player for Fulham in Germany and I was impressed with the way he played the false nine position, dropping between the lines well and taking his goal even better.

He was full of energy and running, providing an outlet for Seri to find with balls in between the two centre backs, while he also provided support on both flanks.


Neeskens Kebano and Aboubakar Kamara celebrate the first goal (Image: Christof Koepsel/Bongarts/Getty Images)

With Aleksandar Mitrovic set to sign, I doubt we'll see Kebano in that role during the season, but clearly Jokanovic is trying to find a use for Kebano for the season.

With Andre Schurrle and Ryan Sessegnon looking likely to start in the wide positions, I see no reason why Kebano can't be that impact sub to come off the bench in the final 20/30 minutes of games.

Seri's brilliance in the middle

There's a reason why Seri was linked with moves to Chelsea and Barcelona before coming to Craven Cottage.

A sublime first touch curling ball that split the Bilbao defence open, allowing Kebano to finish with a one-touch finish showed just what exactly the Ivory Coast international has in his locker, and why Fulham fans should be extremely excited about his signing.

His vision and touch were sublime, and when he was released into a more attacking role, he looked simply brilliant.

We didn't get to see how him and Cairney will play together this season, with Seri playing the anchor role for the first 45 minutes when the skipper was on the pitch, but with Sampdoria and Celta Vigo to come, we're bound to see the two together in a move advanced role.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/jean-michael-seris-brilliance--14968834

WhiteJC

 
Fulham sign Aleksandar Mitrovic and close in on Swansea's Alfie Mawson
• Mitrovic seals reported £22m move after successful loan spell
• Mawson due to undergo medical for London club on Tuesday


Aleksandar Mitrovic has joined Fulham for a reported £22m fee that could rise to £27m. Photograph: Jed Leicester/BPI/Rex/Shutterstock

Fulham have signed the Newcastle United forward Aleksandar Mitrovic for a fee which could rise to £27m after he impressed on loan this year, helping the London club secure promotion.

The Premier League newcomers are also closing in on Swansea City's Alfie Mawson. The defender is set to undergo a medical on Tuesday in a transfer that could cost up to £20m.

"I'm happy to the moon and back," Mitrovic said. "I'm very glad and happy and proud to finally be here. I have love for the fans. They're amazing and I have a really good connection with them.

"This is a big club and last year we made history," added the Serbia striker, who joins Fulham on a five‑year deal. "We want to keep making big things, and I think we can go far."

Mitrovic joined Newcastle from Anderlecht for £14.5m in 2015 but scored just 14 goals in two and a half years on Tyneside. By contrast, the 23-year-old found the net 12 times in 17 Fulham appearances after joining on loan in January. Mitrovic's initial fee of around £22m could rise to £27m with conditional add-ons included.

Slavisa Jokanovic's side also appear to have won the race for Mawson, who attracted interest from West Ham. Burnley still have an offer on the table but the 24-year-old is thought to prefer a move to London where he grew up. Mawson is recovering from an operation on his knee in May but is close to a return to match fitness.

His form earned him a call-up to the England squad for the friendlies against the Netherlands and Italy in March. Though he is still yet to win his first cap, Mawson had been in contention to travel to the World Cup before his surgery ruled him out of Gareth Southgate's plans.

Having started his career at Brentford before joining Barnsley, Mawson moved to Swansea for £5m in 2016 and became a key part of the squad, while he has been capped six times at England Under-21 level. The Swans accepted that he was likely to depart after they failed to retain their Premier League status.

Swansea hope to bring in Manchester City's Kosovo midfielder Bersant Celina and the Nottingham Forest winger Barrie McKay. Celina, 21, was most recently on loan at Ipswich, for whom he scored eight times in 40 appearances, and would command a fee of up to £4m. The 23-year-old McKay, formerly of Rangers, joined Forest last July and has been capped once by Scotland.

The Everton goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg has agreed a new two‑year contract until the end of June 2020 as understudy to Jordan Pickford at Goodison Park. "I understand my role and I will try to compete with Jordan and push him to continue to get better as well," the Dutchman said.



https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jul/30/fulham-swansea-city-alfie-mawson-transfer

WhiteJC

 
Mawson to have Fulham medical tomorrow

Alfie Mawson is poised to have a medical at Fulham tomorrow ahead of a potential £20m move from Swansea City.

The England under-21 international has been on Slavisa Jokanovic's radar for a while as Fulham sought a ball-playing centre back with Premier League experience and Swansea had expected Mawson to move on from the Liberty Stadium after their relegation last season. The defender is excited by the chance to move closer to Hillingdon, where he grew up, and to continue to play in the top flight after impressing during his two seasons in south Wales.

Mawson's confident adaptation to the Premier League had impressed Gareth Southgate, who called him into the senior England squad for the pre-World Cup friendlies against the Netherlands and Italy. He was in contention for a place in the final 23 but the necessity of surgery on a knee injury meant he was ruled out of the trip to Russia. Mawson is confident that he will be ready for the start of the new Premier League season and his arrival would be another huge boost to the Whites. Fulham have seen off interest from Burnley, who were in prolonged negotiations over a possible transfer last week, and West Ham, who had a bid rejected earlier this summer.

Mawson, who started his career at Brentford before moving to Barnsley, is expected to move to west London for a fee of around £15m up front, which could rise to £20m with add-ons. Some of that money will go to Barnsley, who negotiated a sell-on clause when the defender left Oakwell, having helped them regain promotion to the Championship. The 24 year-old made 71 appearances for Swansea, who will likely use the cash to strengthen Graham Potter's squad as they aim for an immediate return to the top flight, and scored seven goals.

With the impending arrival of Aleksandar Mitrovic from Newcastle, Mawson will add defensive nous to Fulham's squad and continue their summer of significant spending. Jokanovic's summer signings include defender Maxime Le Marchand and midfielder Jean-Michael Seri from Nice as well as Spanish goalkeeper Fabri and the German winger Andre Schürrle.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/07/mawson-to-have-fulham-medical-tomorrow/


WhiteJC

 
Report: Fulham interested in playmaker Roland Sallai

Fulham are reportedly interested in signing APOEL Nicosia ace Roland Sallai.

Fulham have reportedly joined the hunt to sign attacking midfielder Roland Sallai from Cypriot club APOEL Nicosia.

According to the Sun, the Cottagers are now targeting the 21-year-old and are set to watch him in Europa League action this week.

It is reported that APOEL have already rejected a £3.5million bid from Bundesliga side Freiburg for Sallai and the in-demand ace has made an impressive start to the season in Europe.

The Hungary internatonal scored a long-range goal in a clash with Flora Tallinn and is a versatile midfielder that can play centrally or as a winger.

Sallai made 36 appearances across all competitions last season, scoring nine goals and supplying five assists in return.

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic is reportedly still keen to bolster his attacking options, despite signing German Andre Schurrle this summer.

The Premier League new boys are preparing for their return to the top flight and are looking to add some real quality at Craven Cottage.

Sallai has been a star performer in the Cypriot league in the past 12 months and has featured in the Champions League group stages, including in games against Tottenham, but a switch to England would be a huge step up in class.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/07/30/dt-report-fulham-interested-in-playmaker-roland-sallai/

WhiteJC

 
Good job Jokanovic – Fulham have signed a player who could be vital for their Premier League campaign



Why Fulham have done a brilliant job by completing a deal for Fabri

Fulham have completed a deal for Fabri, who has joined the newly-promoted Premier League outfit from Besiktas.

The Cottagers were in dire need of a goalkeeper and to that end, signing Fabri seems to be a step in the right direction. The Cottagers have bought some good players to bolster their status even before they kick a ball in the Premier League.

The 30-year-old Spanish shot-stopper is quite experienced, having played in the Champions League last season with Besiktas. He has also been part of other European clubs before. So, Fulham have signed a keeper of high pedigree who will be a massive addition for the upcoming campaign.

Here's everything you need to know about the player and why he is the right man between the sticks for the Cottagers:

Player Analysis – Fabri
Age – 30
Position – Goalkeeper


Fabri's impressive height (over 6ft) allows him to command his box easily by catching or punching crosses or high balls, at a cross-claim success rate of 93%. This will be a vital attribute to have in a league as demanding as the English top-flight, where most teams rely on crosses and set-piece deliveries to create goalscoring chances.

The Spaniard's stature also permits him to cover a vast portion of the goal while making a save. He has an average saves per goal rate of 2.43 (i.e saves made for shots which are destined to be going inside the net). Furthermore, the 30-year-old makes an average of 1.75 saves per game, which enabled him to maintain 13 clean sheets in 32 league appearances last season.

In addition, Fabri can quickly distribute the ball to start a counter-attack or play it towards the target man for knock-downs. His ball supply completion rate stands at 73%, with an average distance of 35 metres.

Verdict

Hence, Fulham and Slavisa Jokanovic have signed a quality goalkeeper who is an able fit for the type of games we see in the Premier League. The 30-year-old also has the experience to be diligent in his performances and command the back-line. Having a reliable shot-stopper always helps teams play more confidently, and Fulham have done a brilliant piece of business by wrapping up a deal for the former Besiktas star.



http://www.mediareferee.com/2018/07/30/good-job-jokanovic-fulham-have-signed-a-player-who-could-be-vital-for-their-premier-league-campaign/

WhiteJC

 
Fulham eye Tagliafico move

Fulham are ready to battle it out with Newcastle as they try to sign Argentinian international left back Nicolas Tagliafico from Ajax.

The 25 year-old full back is ready to leave Holland after just six months with Ajax and the Premier League pair are ready to offer £8m for his services. Both will face stiff competition for Tagliafico, who played in all four of Argentina's World Cup matches this summer in Russia, with the likes of Wolfsburg and Schalke keen on taking him to Germany.

Slavisa Jokanovic has been in the market for a left back since the Whites won promotion back to the Premier League. Fulham failed in a bid to tempt Swedish defender Ludwig Augustinsson from Werder Bremen and been repeatedly rebuffed in their attempts to seal a permanent deal for Southampton's Matt Targett, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Craven Cottage.

Tagliafico, who has won eight senior caps for his country after being capped at every youth level, began his professional career with Banfield in his native Argentina and won praise for his impressive showings at left back after being promoted from the reserve side. He made 90 appearances in five years with the club before moving on to Independiente, where he captained the team that won the 2017 Copa Sudamericana. He joined Ajax in January for around £4m, but is likely to be second choice this season after the Dutch club brought Daley Blind back from Manchester United as their marquee signing.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/07/fulham-eye-tagliafico-move/


WhiteJC

 
Mitro Returns

We are delighted to confirm Aleksandar Mitrović's return on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee from Newcastle United.

The popular striker has signed a five-year deal, keeping him at Craven Cottage until at least the summer of 2023, and will wear the number nine shirt.


Mitrović originally joined the Whites on loan at the 11th hour on deadline day in January, and went on to have a hugely significant impact in our promotion to the Premier League.

The 23-year-old striker proved to be the perfect fit for Fulham, scoring 12 times in just 17 starts to help the team reach Wembley.

Instantly taken to by the fans, the sounds of the 39,000-strong White Wall belting out "Mitro's On Fire" during the celebrations at the national stadium will live long in the memory.

Such was his popularity, he came fifth in the voting for Fulham's Player of the Season award, despite spending less than half the campaign in SW6.

Mitrović began his career in his homeland with Serbian giants FK Partizan, making his professional debut with their affiliate club FK Teleoptik.

Despite his tender age, Mitrović was top scorer for Partizan's first team in 2012/13 as they claimed the title, and his form soon attracted the attention of Belgian outfit Anderlecht, who broke their transfer record to sign him in the summer of 2013.

His debut season in Belgium was a prolific one, as he netted 16 times to help his new employers win the domestic title.

Mitrović was in even better form the following term as he scored 23 goals, prompting Newcastle to bring him over to the Premier League.

As is the case at Fulham, he quickly endeared himself to the St James' Park faithful with his wholehearted displays, and ended his first season on Tyneside with nine Premier League goals to his name in the Magpies' ultimately unsuccessful battle against relegation.


He did, however, help the club make an immediate return to the top flight, and he departs Newcastle having netted 17 times.

In the summer of 2013 he was awarded his first cap for Serbia, and he now boasts an impressive record of 17 goals in 40 outings for his country, who he recently represented at the 2018 World Cup, where he scored in the controversial 2-1 defeat by Switzerland.

Speaking at Motspur Park as the ink dried on his contract, Mitrović told fulhamfctv: "I'm very glad and happy and proud to finally be here and officially become a Fulham player. I'm happy to the moon and back.

"I have love for the fans. They're amazing fans and I have a really good connection with them.

"This is a big club and last year we made history, we did big things, and I want to continue this. We want to keep making big things, and with all the fans behind us I think we can go far."

Tony Khan added: "I'm delighted to announce that Aleksandar Mitrović is back where he belongs at Fulham Football Club! We have reached an agreement to bring Mitro home!

"He was a hero in our run to promotion, and from the moment he arrived at Motspur and began working with us, we've always wanted Mitro on a permanent; I told him that after the Final at Wembley, and I'm thrilled to make it official today. Come on Fulham!"



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/july/30/aleksandar-mitrovic-returns

WhiteJC

 
Fulham sign Aleksandar Mitrovic from Newcastle United

The Cottagers have finally got their man after completing the signing of the 23-year-old from Newcastle

Fulham have completed the permanent signing of Aleksandar Mitrovic from Newcastle United.

The 23-year-old will join the club a on five-year deal after spending half of the 2017/18 season on loan at Craven Cottage, where he helped fired the side to promotion to the Premier League.

His 12 goals were instrumental in getting Slavisa Jokanovic's side to the top flight of English football, and the Serbian international made it no secret that he wanted to return to west London this campaign.

Talks had been ongoing since the end of last season between Fulham and Newcastle, but with the World Cup and Mitrovic going on holiday, the two parties struggled to reach an agreement on a deal.

However, progress was made on the weekend after Mitrovic had returned to Newcastle's pre season training and flown out to Portugal with the side, when an agreement was reached on a deal for the striker.

He then returned to the UK and underwent a medical at Motspur Park and has now been announced as the side's next signing in a window that has seen them bring Jean-Michael Seri, Fabri, Maxime Le Marchand and Andre Schurrle to the club.


(Image: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Jokanovic was keen for Mitrovic to return to Fulham this season and so were the recruitment team, and the deal brings an end to two-months of discussions between the west London side and Newcastle.

The Whites look set to add further names to their squad too, with Alfie Mawson of Swansea City set to complete a move to Craven Cottage too.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulham-sign-aleksandar-mitrovic-newcastle-14969111