Friday Fulham Stuff - 21/06/19...

[WhiteJC]

Fulham fixtures for Championship 2019-20 season: Full schedule with dates

Getty Images

Fulham return to Championship football with Barnsley away as the Cottagers seek an immediate return to Premier League football.

The west London club's attractive brand of attacking football during the 2017-18 campaign won them both promotion and plaudits, but a muddled transfer window saw the club spend in excess of £100million with little to show for it.

A terrible start to the season led to Slavisa Jokanovic losing his job, while Claudio Ranieri lasted a little over three months as the former Leicester City manager failed to delay an inexorable slide towards relegation.

Scott Parker oversaw a late rally with three wins on the spin, but it was far too little, far too late for Fulham, with the club's fate sealed well before the ex-England international took the Craven Cottage hotseat.

However, there is renewed optimism with Parker now in charge on a full-time basis, and Fulham still have more than enough quality in their squad to make a strong push for promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking.

Here are Fulham's full fixtures for the 2019-20 season...

03/08/2019    Barnsley    (a)    15:00
10/08/2019    Blackburn Rovers    (h)    15:00
17/08/2019    Huddersfield Town    (a)    15:00
21/08/2019    Millwall    (h)    19:45
24/08/2019    Nottingham Forest    (h)    15:00
31/08/2019    Cardiff City    (a)    15:00
14/09/2019    West Brom    (h)    15:00
21/09/2019    Sheffield Wednesday    (a)    15:00
28/09/2019    Wigan Athletic    (h)    15:00
01/10/2019    Reading    (a)    20:00
05/10/2019    Charlton Athletic    (h)    15:00
19/10/2019    Stoke City    (a)    15:00
23/10/2019    Luton Town    (h)    19:45
26/10/2019    Middlesbrough    (a)    15:00
02/11/2019    Hull City    (h)    15:00
09/11/2019    Birmingham City    (a)    15:00
23/11/2019    QPR    (h)    15:00
26/11/2019    Derby County    (h)    19:45
30/11/2019    Swansea City    (a)    15:00
07/12/2019    Bristol City    (h)    15:00
10/12/2019    Preston North End    (a)    19:45
14/12/2019    Brentford    (a)    15:00
21/12/2019    Leeds United    (h)    15:00
26/12/2019    Luton Town    (a)    15:00
29/12/2019    Stoke City    (h)    15:00
01/01/2020    Reading    (h)    15:00
11/01/2020    Hull City    (a)    15:00
18/01/2020    Middlesbrough    (h)    15:00
25/01/2020    Charlton Athletic    (a)    15:00
01/02/2020    Huddersfield Town    (h)    15:00
08/02/2020    Blackburn Rovers    (a)    15:00
12/02/2020    Millwall    (a)    19:45
15/02/2020    Barnsley    (h)    15:00
22/02/2020    Derby County    (a)    15:00
25/02/2020    Swansea City    (h)    19:45
29/02/2020    Preston North End    (h)    15:00
07/03/2020    Bristol City    (a)    15:00
14/03/2020    Brentford    (h)    15:00
18/03/2020    Leeds United    (a)    19:45
21/03/2020    QPR    (a)    15:00
04/04/2020    Birmingham City    (h)    15:00
10/04/2020    Nottingham Forest    (a)    15:00
13/04/2020    Cardiff City    (h)    15:00
18/04/2020    West Brom    (a)    15:00
25/04/2020    Sheffield Wednesday    (h)    15:00
02/05/2020    Wigan Athletic    (a)    12:30

Dates and times may change due to television and cup requirements



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham/fulham-fixtures-championship-2019-2020-season-full-schedule-dates-a4171431.html

[WhiteJC]

Championship 2019/20 fixtures: The opening weekend in full and the games on TV

The Championship fixtures have been released - and the 2019/20 season will kick off on Friday, August 2 as Luton Town face Middlesbrough

The fixtures for the 2019/20 Championship season have been released and now we know how the first round shapes up.

Not only that, we know what will be the bumper games on our TV screens during the first weekend of action in the second tier.

Newly-promoted Luton Town kick the campaign off in style at home to Middlesbrough on Friday August 2 (7:45pm kick-off).

An array of matches take place at the normal 3pm Saturday kick-off time before Nottingham Forest host West Bromwich Albion in the first Saturday tea-time game of the season (5:30pm kick-off).

Leeds United travel to Bristol City for the 4:30pm TV contest on Sunday August 4, which is followed by a Championship Monday Night Football special between Huddersfield Town and Derby County in West Yorkshire (7:45pm).

Here are the opening weekend fixtures, starting with the games picked for live television coverage.

Championship opening round TV games on Sky Sports in full:

Friday August 2: Luton Town v Middlesbrough (7:45pm)

Saturday August 3: Nottingham Forest v West Brom (5:30pm)

Sunday August 4: Bristol City v Leeds United (4:30pm).

Monday August 5: Huddersfield Town v Derby County (7:45pm)

Meanwhile, these are the other fixtures on the opening weekend, which are all scheduled to take place at 3pm.

Barnsley v Fulham, Blackburn v Charlton, Brentford v Birmingham, Millwall v Preston, Reading v Sheffield Wednesday, Stoke v QPR, Swansea v Hull City, Wigan v Cardiff.



https://www.football.london/championship/championship-fixtures-opening-weekend-tv-16457136

[WhiteJC]

Tottenham leading Liverpool in race to land Ryan Sessegnon

Tottenham are thought to be leading Liverpool in the race to land Fulham wide man Ryan Sessegnon this summer.

According to Bleacher Report, cited by HITC, the Reds have been scouting the teenager in recent months, however, the wide man would prefer to make the move to London over Merseyside.

The 19-year-old, who can turn out at left-back and in a more advanced midfield role, is currently on international duty with England at the Under-21 European Championships.

Sessegnon looks likely to leave the Cottagers this summer following their relegation to the Championship, with Fulham placing a £35m price tag on the talented teenager.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is keen on bolstering his left-back options this summer following the release of Alberto Moreno, and a move for Sessegnon would give the German cover for Andy Robertson as well as another option at the top end of the pitch.

However, following the latest report, it appears as if the Reds have a tough task on their hands to bring the Englishman to Anfield.



https://readliverpoolfc.com/2019/06/20/tottenham-leading-liverpool-in-race-to-land-ryan-sessegnon/

[WhiteJC]

Opinion: Mauricio Pochettino shouldn't sign Fulham man to replace 28-year-old

Danny Rose has an uncertain future at Tottenham after admitting he could leave the club this summer due to his advancing age, but Mauricio Pochettino would be making a mistake by replacing him with Ryan Sessegnon. The Fulham midfielder has a £45m asking price and doesn't yet possess any of the defensive qualities to justify the outlay.

Last season, Sessegnon made 35 Premier League appearances, scoring two goals and making six assists. He created 33 chances, made 32 successful dribbles (47%) and whipped in 66 crosses with 20% accuracy. The 19-year-old's defensive statistics weren't up to scratch for Fulham, however.

Sessegnon made 22 tackles but was dribbled past 16 times and only won 31% of his aerial duels. He had 68 unsuccessful touches and was dispossessed 51 times for the Cottagers but did block 11 crosses from 35 appearances. Tottenham aren't likely to spend lavishly this summer, so it's vital their money goes in the right areas.

Letting Rose leave and replacing him with a more expensive makeshift defender isn't the best business move – it would weaken the Tottenham squad for next season. Rose impressed last season and should be kept at the club at all costs. But if Pochettino must let the England international go, he needs to identify a more natural defender as his replacement.



https://spurs.vitalfootball.co.uk/opinion-mauricio-pochettino-shouldnt-sign-fulham-man-to-replace-28-year-old/

[WhiteJC]

Sync Our Fixtures To Your Calendar

With our 2019/20 Championship fixtures now released, Whites fans are now able to sync them to their calendars by subscribing to our brand new eCalendar.

Supporters can ensure they never miss a moment of the action this season by subscribing to our 2019/20 fixture list on their smartphone, tablet or desktop calendar.

In addition, fans can also choose to subscribe to our home or away ticket on-sale calendars to find out when they can purchase tickets to watch the Whites in action.

If you experience any difficulties syncing the calendar please visit support.ecal.com.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/june/20/sync-our-fixtures

[WhiteJC]

Club considering Fulham player as cheaper alternative – Need to play catch-up

There's been a lot of chatter over the past few days about Jean-Michael Seri's likely exit from Fulham this summer, as a number of reports have emerged in Italy regarding interest from a few Serie A clubs.

We covered a particularly specific one on Wednesday, which claimed Napoli had held a 'very positive' meeting with the Ivory Coast international's agent regarding a transfer to Carlo Ancelotti's side, meaning all that really needed to happen was for the Italians to agree a fee with the Cottagers.

The Naples based club were already interested in Seri last summer before his move to Fulham, so it's no surprise to see them come back for another attempt at the first opportunity.

Inter, however, are a bit of a newcomer here, as Gazzetta dello Sport report on Thursday that Antonio Conte and co. are 'looking around' for a new midfielder.

Talks with Cagliari regarding a transfer for Nicolo Barella are proving quite difficult as their president refuses to budge on his €50m request, meaning alternatives are being studied.

Among those is believed to be Jean-Michael Seri, who wouldn't be as costly as the Italy international following Fulham's relegation back down to the Championship.

The Craven Cottage residents paid £27m (a figure there's disagreement over) for the now 27-year-old, and as long as they get all, or most, of their money back, you feel they'd be happy.

However, if reports of the meeting between Seri's agent and Napoli are true (and we have no reason to believe they aren't), then Inter are already a step behind and need to catch-up fairly quickly if they are serious about their interest.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/club-considering-fulham-player-cheaper-alternative-need-play-catch/

[WhiteJC]

'I can't see what he's offered to them at all' – Parker set to sanction Fulham player exit: Opinion

Fulham manager Scott Parker is shaping his squad at Craven Cottage as he prepares for life in the Championship next season, and he will not stand in the way of 31-year-old goalkeeper Fabri moving back to Besiktas if they act on their alleged interest, as reported by Turkish media outlet Fanatik.

Fabri has had a disappointing spell at Craven Cottage only making two appearances in the Premier League last season following a summer from the Turkish giants.

So are Fulham making a good call by letting Fabri move on?

We discuss.........

George Brooks

"I think so.

"Fabri only played two games for Fulham last season and still conceded five goals.

"He was never really given a proper chance to make an impact at Craven Cottage and I think moving back to Besiktas would be a good option for him.

"He's already got plenty of experience in Turkey and could be able to make an impact, whereas it's difficult to tell whether he'd be able to make an impact in the Championship next season.

"Fulham will be hoping to challenge for promotion next season and they need a good goalkeeper.

"Fabri is yet to make an impact in English football, so it could be a bit of a risk playing him and moving him on makes sense."

Kealan Hughes

"Fulham have two good goalkeepers in Sergio Rico and Bettenelli so there is little chance Fabri will get a look in.

"Added to that, the club have been linked with former keeper Neil Etheridge, and if he was to sign he would undoubtedly be the no.1.

"Fabri is a good goalkeeper but he had never really shown it in England for a variety of reasons, and Fulham would benefit more from the money they get from his sale than from him playing."

Gary Hutchinson

"Absolutely, I can't see what he's offered to them at all.

"He played twice in the Premier League last season. He's been a huge flop and players like him eroded the spirit of the side that got them promoted.

"Too much was changed. Jokanovic had a good side 12 months ago but players like Fabri came in and it got diluted. That's why they came down.

"He's done nothing in England and the sooner they shift the wage on, the better. That money can be spent on players from these shores who will understand the English game and perhaps more pertinently, the second tier."



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/i-cant-see-what-hes-offered-to-them-at-all-parker-set-to-sanction-fulham-player-exit-opinion/

[WhiteJC]

Inter Cannot Sign Sessegnon Unless They Sell Ivan Perisic First

Inter cannot move for England under-21 star Ryan Sessegnon unless they sell Ivan Perisic first, according to Tuttosport.

Piero Ausilio watched the 19-year-old in action during Tuesday's match against France at the under-21 Euros, following a recommendation from Antonio Conte.

Sessegnon has one year left on his contract at Fulham and recently told the club he does not want to sign a new deal, meaning he will probably leave this summer.

Inter need to find a buyer for Perisic if they want to sign the versatile wide man, though, with the Nerazzurri setting a €40 million price tag for the Croatian.

Tuttosport described Sessegnon this morning as 'very difficult to sign' and named Atalanta wing-back Robin Gosens as a viable alternative.

Atalanta rejected an offer from Schalke earlier in the week with Gian Piero Gasperini hoping to keep all his best players ahead of next season's Champions League.

Should Gosens prove unobtainable as well Inter could turn to Emerson Palmieri at Chelsea or Matteo Darmian at Manchester United, two players Conte has previously managed.



https://sempreinter.com/2019/06/20/inter-cannot-sign-sessegnon-unless-they-sell-ivan-perisic-first/

[WhiteJC]

Leeds United open talks to sell midfielder

Leeds United have opened talks with Fulham over the potential sale of midfielder Adam Forshaw, according to a report by Football Insider.

The 27-year-old made 32 appearances for Leeds last season, as the Whites just missed out on promotion from the Championship.

Leeds have opened preliminary talks with Fulham and would be looking to sell the midfielder on a permanent transfer.

Forshaw joined Leeds from Championship rivals Middlesbrough for £4.5million in January 2018 and still has three years remaining on his contract at Elland Road.

Fulham manager Scott Parker is looking to put together a team that will challenge for promotion next season, following relegation from the Premier League last season.

The Verdict
Forshaw still has three year remaining on his contract at Elland Road, so Leeds are in a strong position when it comes to negotiations with Fulham and they will probably want to recoup the £4.5million they spent on him just 18 months ago.

He's a really good player at Championship level and it will be a shame for Leeds to lose him, but in reality, it's not the end of the world. I think it's far more important that they keep hold of Kalvin Phillips.

If Forshaw is to leave Leeds this summer, a club who will be expected to challenge for promotion next season like Fulham would be a good option for him.

Parker will be looking to build a team that can challenge for automatic promotion and he could do a lot worse than an experienced player like Forshaw.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/leeds-united-open-talks-to-sell-midfielder/

[WhiteJC]

 bookies' choice Every Championship club's title odds for the 2019/20 season, including Leeds United and Derby County

The fixtures for the new campaign were revealed on Thursday

Leeds United and Fulham are among the favourites to win the Championship next season after the fixtures were revealed on Thursday.

Both clubs with have to pick themselves up following bitterly disappointing seasons, albeit for different reasons.

Leeds looked all-but certain to go up after a blistering start to the campaign, before a string of poor results meant they missed out on automatic promotion.

They then spurned a two-goal aggregate advantage to Derby in a dramatic play-off semi-final defeat – and their 15-year wait to return to the Premier League continues.

Fulham came straight back down to the second tier despite spending more than £100million on new players last summer.

They began to improve under new permanent boss Scott Parker, and if they can hang onto players like Ryan Sessegnon, the Cottagers will be difficult to stop.

Cardiff and Huddersfield joined Fulham in the relegation zone last season, and the Bluebirds have also been backed for a bounce-back promotion by the bookmakers.

Here are the top five favourites for the title, according to William Hill:
Stoke City – 12/1
West Brom – 10/1
Cardiff City – 10/1
Fulham – 8/1
Leeds 5/1

Title odds for the rest...

    Middlesbrough – 14/1
    Brentford – 16/1
    Derby – 16/1
    Huddersfield – 16/1
    Nottingham Forest – 20/1
    Swansea City – 20/1
    Sheffield Wednesday – 20/1
    Luton – 25/1
    Bristol City – 25/1
    Preston – 25/1
    Birmingham – 33/1
    Blackburn – 33/1
    Hull – 40/1
    Reading – 50/1
    Barnsley – 50/1
    QPR – 50/1
    Wigan – 66/1
    Charlton – 66/1
    Millwall – 66/1



https://talksport.com/football/efl/561591/championship-winner-odds-leeds-favourites-title/

[WhiteJC]

Carabao Cup first round draw in full as Leeds, West Brom and Middlesbrough learn fate

Premier League clubs do not feature in the first round draw but there are some great ties from the Football League

The first round draw of the Carabao Cup has taken place this evening - just hours after the Football League fixtures were released.

Premier League sides are not included in the first round draw - in case you're wondering why you can't find your team - but there are some mouth-watering ties from the Championship, League One and League Two

Last season Manchester City won the cup competition, beating Chelsea on penalties after a close game at Wembley Stadium.

The final was remembered for an incredible moment involving Blues keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who refused to come off the pitch as a substitute.

Here is the Carabao Cup first round draw for the 2019/20 campaign in full below. Ties will be played week commencing August 12.


The first round draw of the Carabao Cup has taken place (Image: EMPICS Sport)

Northern Section

Tranmere Rovers vs Hull City

Grimsby Town vs Doncaster Rovers

Wigan Athletic vs Stoke City

Port Vale vs Burton Albion

Nottingham Forest vs Fleetwood Town

Bradford City vs Preston North End

Blackpool vs Macclesfield Town

Blackburn Rovers vs Oldham Athletic

Mansfield Town vs Morcambe

Accrington Stanley vs Sunderland

Scunthorpe United vs Derby County

Rochdale vs Bolton Wanderers

Huddersfield Town vs Lincoln City

Middlesbrough vs Crewe Alexandra

Shrewsbury Town vs Rotherham United

Sheffield Wednesday vs Bury

Salford City vs Leeds United

Barnsley vs Carlisle United

Southern Section

Colchester United vs Swindon Town

AFC Wimbledon vs MK Dons

Oxford United vs Peterborough United

Queens Park Rangers vs Bristol City

Plymouth Argyle vs Leyton Orient

Wycombe Wanderers vs Reading

Charlton Athletic vs Forest Green Rovers

Gillingham vs Newport County

Stevenage vs Southend United

Luton Town vs Ipswich Town

Walsall vs Crawley Town

Bristol Rovers vs Cheltenham Town

Brentford vs Cambridge United

Coventry vs Exeter

Swansea City vs Northampton Town

West Bromwich Albion vs Millwall

Portsmouth vs Birmingham City



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/carabao-cup-first-round-draw-16550450

[WhiteJC]

Exclusive: Crystal Palace contact Fulham over Ryan Sessegnon but Tottenham silent

Ryan Sessegnon has been the subject of talks between Crystal Palace and Fulham but Tottenham are yet to make an expected bid for the winger, Love Sport understands.

Sessegnon has been at Fulham since the age of eight and was a key part of the side that got promoted from the Championship, scoring 15 goals in 46 league appearances.

However, the winger could not repeat that form in the Premier League, netting just twice, and saw his side relegated after accruing only 26 points and sacking two different managers.

Fans are desperate for Sessegnon to stay but Love Sport understands Crystal Palace have already made contact with Fulham to discuss a potential transfer that would keep the Under-21 international in London.

The Eagles are expecting to have an extra £55million added to their coffers in the coming days with a deal reportedly having been agreed with Manchester United for Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Championship side Fulham will be hoping they can start a bidding war for Sessegnon with Tottenham, who have repeatedly been linked with a move for the 19-year-old.

However, Love Sport understands that Palace have beaten Spurs to the punch at this stage: the Champions League finalists have yet to express an interest in the player.

Inter Milan and Liverpool have also been named as potential suitors for Sessegnon, but Palace are understood to have been the only ones to contact Fulham.

Sessegnon has just one year on his current contract and according to The Guardian, has refused to sign a new deal in an effort to force a move away from the club.

Fulham are said to want around £45m for the player but Spurs, notoriously rigid negotiators, value him at closer to £25m given the contract situation.



https://www.lovesportradio.com/news/love-sport-exclusives/exclusive-crystal-palace-contact-fulham-over-ryan-sessegnon-but-tottenham-silent/

[WhiteJC]

Opinion: Tottenham have competition for £45m man, latest report is bad news for Pochettino

Tottenham continue to pursue Ryan Sessegnon, but the Lilywhites have been met with some resistance from Fulham over his £45m asking price. Spurs are now being faced with a fresh challenge, with The Sun revealing that Inter Milan have entered the race for the 19-year-old. The Nerazzurri's interest could raise uncertainty over Sessegnon's future this summer.

The England u21 international has been identified as a potential long-term replacement for Danny Rose after impressing for Fulham in the last three years. Sessegnon's contract at Craven Cottage expires in 2020 and he's unwilling to put pen to paper on an extension, so Fulham may be forced to sell the midfielder rather than risk losing him for nothing.

Sessegnon has made 120 appearances for the Cottagers, scoring and creating 43 goals. He's an effective player going forward but has a lot of work to do defensively before he should be deemed a left-back, but Mauricio Pochettino clearly has faith in his ability.

Whether Inter are willing to pay £45m for the wide-man remains to be seen, but The Sun say the club's technical director Piero Ausilio scouted Sessegnon when England u21s played France.



https://spurs.vitalfootball.co.uk/opinion-tottenham-have-competition-for-45m-man-latest-report-is-bad-news-for-pochettino/

[WhiteJC]

Inter Milan enter race to sign long-term Spurs target – report

Inter Milan have entered the race to sign to sign Fulham starlet and Tottenham Hotspur target Ryan Sessegnon, according to reports in Italy.

Sessegnon, 19, has been linked with Spurs ever since he broke into the Fulham team at the age of just 16.

The teenager has been tipped to make the move across London this summer, but a deal doesn't seem to be close.

And Italian outlet Tuttosport claims Inter Milan have now expressed an interest in signing Sessegnon.

The left-back, who can also play further forward, has just one year left on his Fulham contract and will be able to talk to foreign clubs in January about a free transfer next summer.

That would mean Sessegnon would have to stay at Fulham and play another year of Championship football.

With that in mind, the England Under-21 international might be more eager to jump ship in the comings weeks, which could suit Tottenham.

Spurs are expected to spend big this summer and are currently being linked with Lyon's Tanguy Ndombele and Sporting's Bruno Fernandes.

Sessegnon would provide depth on the left flank, but it's likely Mauricio Pochettino would prefer to bring in a right-back and a central midfielder first.



http://www.tottenhamblog.com/2019/06/20/inter-milan-enter-race-to-sign-long-term-spurs-target-report/

[WhiteJC]

Cottage Talk: Analysis Of The Fulham Fixtures

Take a listen to a podcast that focuses on Fulham Football Club.

In this episode, we discussed the Fulham fixtures for the upcoming season. We went through month to month all of the matches. We also did our very early points predictions for Fulham.


You can also listen to the show by following this link...
https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2019/6/21/18693823/cottage-talk-analysis-of-the-fulham-fixtures

[WhiteJC]

Leeds open talks to sell £4.5million 'battle-hardened' first-team ace – report

Leeds have opened negotiations with recently-relegated Fulham over selling Adam Forshaw to the Cottagers, according to Football Insider.

It emerged that Craven Cottage boss Scott Park was keen to sign our midfielder toward the end of last week, when the Daily Mail claimed the former England international viewed the Liverpool-born ace as a player that can help his side dominate possession thanks to his years of experience in the Championship.

Forshaw could be the man for that responsibility, as he is considered a 'battle-hardened' second-tier star, despite only starting 20 of our 48 league fixtures in the 2018/19 season, partly due to his injury problems.

Although, in his 1,909 minutes of action in the second-tier – including substitute appearances – the Everton product did record a tackle every 28.5 minutes and challenge for possession in the air every 28.9 minutes on average, while playing a total of 28 key passes.

The daily newspaper did not claim knowledge of how much the South-West London outfit would be willing to pay for his signature, but it is the understanding of Football Insider that we will be looking to recoup most, if not all, of the £4.5million we spent on the 27-year-old just 17-months ago.

We stand a good chance of recovering most of the fee as well, as Forshaw still has three-years left on the contract he signed upon arriving at Elland Road from Middlesbrough. However, the club may ease their stance slightly if his exit boosts our hopes of retaining Kalvin Phillips amid interest from Aston Villa.



https://leeds.vitalfootball.co.uk/leeds-open-talks-to-sell-4-5million-battle-hardened-first-team-ace-report/

[bobby01]

Club considering Fulham player as cheaper alternative – Need to play catch-up

There's been a lot of chatter over the past few days about Jean-Michael Seri's likely exit from Fulham this summer, as a number of reports have emerged in Italy regarding interest from a few Serie A clubs.

We covered a particularly specific one on Wednesday, which claimed Napoli had held a 'very positive' meeting with the Ivory Coast international's agent regarding a transfer to Carlo Ancelotti's side, meaning all that really needed to happen was for the Italians to agree a fee with the Cottagers.

The Naples based club were already interested in Seri last summer before his move to Fulham, so it's no surprise to see them come back for another attempt at the first opportunity.

Inter, however, are a bit of a newcomer here, as Gazzetta dello Sport report on Thursday that Antonio Conte and co. are 'looking around' for a new midfielder.

Talks with Cagliari regarding a transfer for Nicolo Barella are proving quite difficult as their president refuses to budge on his €50m request, meaning alternatives are being studied.

Among those is believed to be Jean-Michael Seri, who wouldn't be as costly as the Italy international following Fulham's relegation back down to the Championship.

The Craven Cottage residents paid £27m (a figure there's disagreement over) for the now 27-year-old, and as long as they get all, or most, of their money back, you feel they'd be happy.

However, if reports of the meeting between Seri's agent and Napoli are true (and we have no reason to believe they aren't), then Inter are already a step behind and need to catch-up fairly quickly if they are serious about their interest.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/club-considering-fulham-player-cheaper-alternative-need-play-catch/

Surely this is an illegal approach, he is not transfer listed.

[bobby01]

'I can't see what he's offered to them at all' – Parker set to sanction Fulham player exit: Opinion

Fulham manager Scott Parker is shaping his squad at Craven Cottage as he prepares for life in the Championship next season, and he will not stand in the way of 31-year-old goalkeeper Fabri moving back to Besiktas if they act on their alleged interest, as reported by Turkish media outlet Fanatik.

Fabri has had a disappointing spell at Craven Cottage only making two appearances in the Premier League last season following a summer from the Turkish giants.

So are Fulham making a good call by letting Fabri move on?

We discuss.........

George Brooks

"I think so.

"Fabri only played two games for Fulham last season and still conceded five goals.

"He was never really given a proper chance to make an impact at Craven Cottage and I think moving back to Besiktas would be a good option for him.

"He's already got plenty of experience in Turkey and could be able to make an impact, whereas it's difficult to tell whether he'd be able to make an impact in the Championship next season.

"Fulham will be hoping to challenge for promotion next season and they need a good goalkeeper.

"Fabri is yet to make an impact in English football, so it could be a bit of a risk playing him and moving him on makes sense."

Kealan Hughes

"Fulham have two good goalkeepers in Sergio Rico and Bettenelli so there is little chance Fabri will get a look in.

"Added to that, the club have been linked with former keeper Neil Etheridge, and if he was to sign he would undoubtedly be the no.1.

"Fabri is a good goalkeeper but he had never really shown it in England for a variety of reasons, and Fulham would benefit more from the money they get from his sale than from him playing."

Gary Hutchinson

"Absolutely, I can't see what he's offered to them at all.

"He played twice in the Premier League last season. He's been a huge flop and players like him eroded the spirit of the side that got them promoted.

"Too much was changed. Jokanovic had a good side 12 months ago but players like Fabri came in and it got diluted. That's why they came down.

"He's done nothing in England and the sooner they shift the wage on, the better. That money can be spent on players from these shores who will understand the English game and perhaps more pertinently, the second tier."



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/i-cant-see-what-hes-offered-to-them-at-all-parker-set-to-sanction-fulham-player-exit-opinion/

Where do they find these so called fans, ie Kiearnan Hughes,  "Fulham have two good goalkeepers In Rico and Bettinelli".

Rico has gone mate, pfffft

[Burt]

It's soon going to be easier to list those clubs that have no interest in Sess than those that allegedly are...

[Two Ton Ted]

Club considering Fulham player as cheaper alternative – Need to play catch-up

There's been a lot of chatter over the past few days about Jean-Michael Seri's likely exit from Fulham this summer, as a number of reports have emerged in Italy regarding interest from a few Serie A clubs.

We covered a particularly specific one on Wednesday, which claimed Napoli had held a 'very positive' meeting with the Ivory Coast international's agent regarding a transfer to Carlo Ancelotti's side, meaning all that really needed to happen was for the Italians to agree a fee with the Cottagers.

The Naples based club were already interested in Seri last summer before his move to Fulham, so it's no surprise to see them come back for another attempt at the first opportunity.

Inter, however, are a bit of a newcomer here, as Gazzetta dello Sport report on Thursday that Antonio Conte and co. are 'looking around' for a new midfielder.

Talks with Cagliari regarding a transfer for Nicolo Barella are proving quite difficult as their president refuses to budge on his €50m request, meaning alternatives are being studied.

Among those is believed to be Jean-Michael Seri, who wouldn't be as costly as the Italy international following Fulham's relegation back down to the Championship.

The Craven Cottage residents paid £27m (a figure there's disagreement over) for the now 27-year-old, and as long as they get all, or most, of their money back, you feel they'd be happy.

However, if reports of the meeting between Seri's agent and Napoli are true (and we have no reason to believe they aren't), then Inter are already a step behind and need to catch-up fairly quickly if they are serious about their interest.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/club-considering-fulham-player-cheaper-alternative-need-play-catch/

Surely this is an illegal approach, he is not transfer listed.

Maybe not officially, but his agent has probably told FFC he wants to leave and is hawking him round - pretty standard practice these days.