Top 3 Players That Nearly Signed For Fulham

[White Noise]

http://www.sport.co.uk/news/Football/45468/Top_Three_Players_that_nearly_signed_for_Fulham.aspx


Top Three: Players that nearly signed for Fulham


Author:  Jonny Abrams


Posted on:19 October 2010 - 13:33

Close but no cigar is the theme of this week's Top Three series on Sport.co.uk, as we look at those players who almost joined Fulham but ended up forging a successful career away from Craven Cottage.

So cast your minds back, Cottagers fans, and join us in a state of rueful nostalgia as we look at Sport.co.uk's Top Three: Players that nearly signed for Fulham...

What do you think, Fulham fans? Which other players do you consider to be crucial near misses? Have your say in the comments section below...

John Carew – Jean Tigana's Fulham agreed a £7.5m fee for 22 year-old Valencia striker Carew and the centre-forward came to Craven Cottage for a medical. However, a condition known as "jumper's knee" was diagnosed in both legs and was thought – wrongly, of course, given the Norwegian is still playing for Aston Villa – to be potentially career-threatening.

Carew later said: "I almost joined Fulham in 2002, but I'm happy I didn't. It was close and I'm not really sure what happened. I went back to Valencia and had a very good season, so it worked out better for me. I would definitely prefer Valencia to Fulham. But that is in the past now and I'm glad I didn't go there."

John Arne Riise – Another Norwegian near miss, Riise's agent – and, erm, mother – Berit Riise had this to say in June 2001: "If the medical goes to plan then John Arne will sign [for Fulham]. We have reached an agreement with Fulham that we'll go there on Monday morning. All the clubs involved have reached an agreement. If there wasn't agreement then Fulham wouldn't have asked us to be there on Monday."

The special one with the powerful left foot later revealed that he was only toying with Fulham in order to provoke Liverpool into action and his success in this matter led to chants of "mummy's boy" whenever he took on the Cottagers in a red shirt.

Fulham of course signed Riise's brother Bjorn Helge last year. Well, it is a family club after all.

Gabriel Batistuta – The legendary Argentina goal-scorer was offered to Fulham in 2002, eliciting a polite "non merci" from Tigana.

Fulham spokesman Chester Stern told the Daily Express at the time: "In the early part of the year one of our directors was approached through a third party representing Batistuta. We were asked if we would be interested in signing him. Jean Tigana was asked and we immediately responded with a `thanks, but no thanks'. Jean didn't give his reason, but his policy is to maximise profits on young players rather than buy older ones who might be very expensive and not have any resale value after their contract."

[FC Silver Fox]

Corky - we nearly signed him too.  We nearly signed Fredster too but the term "couldn't hit a cow's arse from 3 yards" springs to mind when he takes penalties.

[FatFreddysCat]

Corky - we nearly signed him too.  We nearly signed Fredster too but the term "couldn't hit a cow's arse from 3 yards" springs to mind when he takes penalties.

I was just trying to give Slurrey a chance Silver Frog, I knew i'd score in the second half and we'd hammer them by about 30 goals, i obviously missed on purpose, South London white gave me a brown envelope during my run up.

[NorthernWhite]

I've heard from several people that Bergkamp was very close to joining when he was around the 30 mark as Arsenal wouldn't give him a long enough contract. They and him changed their minds which was a real shame, the sight of Bergkamp in full flow at the cottage in a black and white shirt would have been fantastic.

[ron]

...from many moons ago.....George Eastham in the early 'sixties....would have made a great difference to our fortunes then.

[Aldo]

Emlyn Hughes - before Liverpool came in for him and he went there instead!

[SmithyFFC]

Jason Koumas?