Thursday Fulham Stuff (02/05/19)...

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Babel close to move back to Turkey

Fulham forward Ryan Babel is closing in on a move to Galatasaray.

The 32-year-old Netherlands international has held discussions with the Turkish club and a move there looks likely.

Babel joined the Whites from Besiktas in January on a contract until the end of the season and is now set for a return to Turkey.

The ex-Liverpool player has impressed, scoring five times in 14 Premier League appearances, but was unable to help Fulham avoid relegation back to the Championship.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/babel-close-to-move-back-to-turkey

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Report: Southampton and Fulham want Chelsea striker Martell Taylor-Crossdale

Martell Taylor-Crossdale could reportedly leave Premier League giants Chelsea with Southampton, Fulham and Championship outfit Bristol City interested.

Southampton and Fulham are among the clubs hoping to sign Chelsea youngster Martell Taylor-Crossdale this summer, according to the Mirror (1 May, page 56).

The 19-year-old forward has emerged as the latest exciting attacking talent catch the eye behind the scenes in West London with his prolific goal-scoring record at youth level earning him plenty of admirers.

Taylor-Crossdale won the Premier League U18 Golden Boot award in the 2015/16 season and also played a key role as England won the prestigious Toulon Tournament two years ago.

But the teenager is facing an uncertain future with his contract due to expire this summer. And, according to the Mirror, Southampton and Fulham are hoping to snap him up on a free with Bristol City also planning a move for a player who signed professional terms with Chelsea in 2017.

The Mail reported a year ago that The Blues felt Taylor-Crossdale had the talent to step up to senior level at Stamford Bridge but it seems they are now willing to let him go.

Despite his excellent record at U18 level, Taylor-Crossdale has failed to score in 12 Premier League 2 games this season, perhaps casting doubt on his ability to make the grade.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/05/01/do-report-southampton-and-fulham-want-chelsea-striker-martell-ta/

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Fulham to renew interest in Gary Cahill

Chelsea defender Gary Cahill has been linked with a summer move to London rivals Fulham.

The 33-year-old centre back has not made much of an impact since Maurizio Sarri's arrival, making just seven appearances this season.

In January, Cahill was linked with a move to Aston Villa, however, the move broke down as the player wished to remain at Chelsea.

Now, according to the Birmingham Mail, the Villa target is being approached by Chelsea's West London rivals Fulham. With his contract expiring this summer, there will be a few clubs after the player's signature as a free agent.

Already-relegated Fulham are looking to bolster their squad after a disappointing return to the Premier League saw them relegated back down to the Championship.

Although he hasn't been heavily involved in Chelsea's 2018/19 campaign, the defender has plenty of experience with the Blues, making nearly 300 in total. To go with this, Cahill has won plenty of silverware with the club, including the Champions League and two Premier League titles.

Should Fulham land the signing, they will look to have a promising season back in the Championship with a true leader in defence.



https://readchelsea.com/2019/05/01/fulham-to-renew-interest-in-gary-cahill/

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Fulham's Ryan Babel in talks with Galatasaray

Fulham's Ryan Babel is in talks over a return to Turkey with Galatasaray, Sky Sports News understands.

The Netherlands international sees his short-term deal at Craven Cottage expire at the end of the season and he has been free to speak to foreign clubs.

Babel joined the Whites from Besiktas in January hoping to help keep Fulham in the Premier League, but they were relegated last month with five games left to play.

However, the ex-Liverpool forward has impressed under manager Claudio Ranieri and his interim successor Scott Parker, scoring five times in 14 Premier League appearances.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11708435/fulhams-ryan-babel-in-talks-with

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Spurs lead race to sign PSG and Juventus target; £20-25m bids expected – report

Tottenham Hotspur are leading the race to sign Fulham starlet Ryan Sessegnon, according to the London Evening Standard.

Sessegnon was heavily linked with a move to Spurs last summer and that speculation has re-emerged ahead of the coming transfer window

Fulham are expected to sell the left-back, who can also played further forward, this summer following their relegation from the Premier League to the Championship.

And the Standard claims Tottenham are at the front of the queue of clubs hoping to lure Sessegnon.

The 18-year-old is out of contract at the end of next season, and Fulham are apparently expecting bids of between £20-25 million.

It is believed Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus are also keeping tabs on Sessegnon.

Foreign clubs will be able to open talks with the teenager in January over a possible free transfer in the summer of 2020.

However, the Standard believes Sessegnon wants to stay in England and has identified Spurs as an ideal next step.

The signs are certainly looking good for Tottenham, but competition from other English clubs could throw a spanner in the works.



http://www.tottenhamblog.com/2019/05/01/spurs-lead-race-to-sign-psg-and-juventus-target-20-25m-bids-expected-report/

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Cauley Woodrow speaks out as Barnsley's promotion to the Championship is confirmed

Barnsley confirmed promotion back to the Championship on Tuesday evening after both Portsmouth and Sunderland fell to shock defeats.

The Tykes have been hugely impressive this season under the guidance of Daniel Stendel and they've hardly put a foot wrong in their quest for promotion.

One man that has played a key role in playing his part in their promotion is Cauley Woodrow, who has 16 goals to his name in their promotion-winning campaign.

Woodrow took to Instagram following the news of their promotion and was evidently delighted with the news.

It's an immediate return to the Championship for Barnsley, following their relegation into League One last season.

They'll be hoping for an extended stay in the second tier of English football this time round though, and the foundations are already there.

With Stendel in charge, they've got there right balance between youth and experience.

Woodrow and his Barnsley team-mates will be hoping to finish the season strongly when they take on Bristol Rovers, with the League One title still up for grabs as they battle it out with Luton Town.

The Verdict:

They've deserved promotion, that's for sure.

Barnsley have really impressed me this season, and they've hardly put a foot wrong all season.

The Tykes will need to invest over the summer though, as they need to add some depth to their squad to retain their place in the Championship for future seasons.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/cauley-woodrow-speaks-out-as-barnsleys-promotion-to-the-championship-is-confirmed/

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Jean Michael Seri seeking Fulham exit after Premier League relegation with Monaco leading chase for midfielder

    Jean Michael Seri joined Fulham in a joint £25million deal last summer from Nice
    He's had a disappointing season at Fulham as they failed to avoid relegation
    He has little desire to play in the Championship and is open to a return to France

Fulham midfielder Jean Michael Seri is wanted by Monaco.

The 27-year-old was one of the most sought-after playmakers last summer and joined Fulham in surprise bargain £25million deal from Nice with team-mate Maxime Le Marchand.

Though he has shown glimpses of the quality he possesses, Seri has had a largely unimpressive campaign in a struggling Fulham side and was unable to prevent them being relegated from the Premier League.


Fulham midfielder Jean Michael Seri is wanted by Monaco as he seeks an exit from the club

He has little desire to play in the Championship and is open to a return to France.

A number of top clubs have made initial enquiries but Monaco are understood to be in pole position and Seri is keen to talk to them if they can agree a fee with Fulham.

The Craven Cottage club are braced for a number of offers this summer with West Ham keen on Aleksandar Mitrovic and Tottenham among the frontrunners for Ryan Sessegnon.


Seri has had a largely unimpressive campaign in a struggling Fulham side who are relegated



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6980445/Jean-Michael-Seri-seeking-Fulham-exit-Monaco-leading-chase-midfielder.html

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Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic set to receive offer from Premier League club – Report

According to the Mirror, Brighton are set to make a summer bid for ex-NUFC striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The report states that Chris Hughton is a 'big admirer' of the 24-year-old, claiming he actually made a £10m bid to sign him in January last year – an offer which seems highly insignificant given we received more than double that from Fulham just six months later.

The Serbian has scored 11 goals for Fulham this season, but that has not been enough to save them from the drop, with both them, Huddersfield and Cardiff all looking set to spend next season in the second tier.

He's performed well in a struggling Fulham side and although Brighton would give him another crack at Premier League football, I see a slightly bigger club coming in for him this summer.

He's not yet proven he's capable of playing for a top club, but I can see someone like West Ham showing interest. Not only may he be reluctant to face another relegation battle, I can't help but feel Chris Hughton's job is far from safe after an extremely up and down season at the Amex.



http://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2019/05/01/fulhams-aleksandar-mitrovic-set-to-receive-offer-from-premier-league-rivals-report/

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Sessegnon believes Tottenham is the ideal club for him to continue his development

Fulham starlet Ryan Sessegnon is reportedly sought after this summer but prefers to stay at in London with Tottenham.

Fulham midfielder Ryan Sessegnon's preference is to remain in London and move to Tottenham this summer, according to the Evening Standard.

They report that the English starlet has attracted interest from European superpowers Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund, but is ready to snub them as he believes Tottenham is the best place to continue his development.

Sessegnon is apparently valued at around £20m-£25m by the Cottagers, and feels Spurs is the ideal club at which to continue his development.

It's inferred that this is because of the amount of English talent Mauricio Pochettino has given a debut to during his time in north London.

Sessegnon has seen on a smaller scale at Fulham how heavy spending can impact his gametime, and is right to fear that happening again if he went to either Juventus or PSG.

Borussia Dortmund have done wonders with Jadon Sancho and have a proud record – just like Spurs – when it comes to youth development.

But it's understandable that Sessegnon wants to stay in England, where he is settled, because for every Sancho, there's a Reece Oxford, who struggled to adapt in Germany.

All the elements are in place and now that Sessegnon's relegation and contract situation have conspired to reduce his asking price, it would be a genuine surprise if Daniel Levy wasn't muscling himself to the front of the queue.



https://tbrfootball.com/sessegnon-believes-tottenham-is-the-ideal-club-for-him-to-continue-his-development/

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Fulham player's contract won't be renewed, will be offered to 'top clubs' in Belgium

Perhaps one of the biggest flops in Liverpool's recent history, Lazar Markovic was allowed to join Fulham on a free in January, putting an end to his time at Anfield permanently.

Bought for £22.5m from Benfica back in 2014, the Serbian winger never managed to make it on Merseyside, and has similarly struggled at Craven Cottage over the past few months.

Making just one appearance since his move (a 44 minute cameo in a 3-1 loss to West Ham), Markovic's six month contract is due to expire in June, and Fulham won't be extending it.

This is according to Voetbalkrant in Belgium, who go on to explain the 25-year-old, following his exit from the London club, will be offered to the top clubs in the Jupiler Pro League, which includes Anderlecht.

Perhaps enjoying his best spell in recent years with the Belgian side, Markovic could land on his feet quickly, although his former club won't be jumping at the chance just yet.

First, Anderlecht want to sort out their managerial position, and only then will the Serbian's case be looked at.

The club's technical director, Michael Verschueren is expected to hold an appointment with the Fulham forward's entourage next week.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-players-contract-wont-renewed-will-offered-top-clubs-belgium/

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Report: Fulham submit £6m bid to sign Matthias Zimmermann

Fulham are reportedly chasing a deal for Matthias Zimmermann.

According to EXPRESS in Germany, Fulham have submitted a €7million (£6million) bid to sign Fortuna Dusseldorf defender Matthias Zimmermann this summer.

The Cottagers have suffered relegation from the Premier League, but have suddenly won three games in a row without conceding a goal, boosting Scott Parker's chances of becoming their permanent manager.

Fulham will already be planning for life back in the Championship, and another right back may be on the radar to compete with Ryan Christie next season.

No permanent manager is in place yet, but one player appears to be a target already, as EXPRESS report that Fulham have submitted a bid of £6million for Zimmermann.

The 26-year-old has been something of a nomad in his native German,y already turning out for Karlsruhe, Borussia Monchengladbach, Greuther Furth, Sandhausen, Stuttgart and now Fortuna Dusseldorf.

In what has been a superb season for Dusseldorf, Zimmermann has been a key part of their rise, notching a goal and three assists in 31 Bundesliga games.

Fulham will hope to get a deal teed up for the summer, making Zimmermann their first signing since relegation, but Dusseldorf will be desperate to keep hold of him as they look to build on such a strong season.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/05/01/report-fulham-submit-6m-bid-to-sign-matthias-zimmermann/