Saturday Fulham Stuff - 22/06/19...

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Premier League club join Tottenham in chase to sign in-demand star

Crystal Palace have made a surprise move for the highly sought-after Ryan Sessegnon, report Love Sport Radio.

Tottenham are reportedly long-term admirers and Sessegnon's destination of choice after he revealed he wouldn't be signing a new deal – with Inter Milan another interested party.

However, so far there has been no official bid or talks from those two suitors, which has opened the door for The Eagles to swoop in.

Fulham are believed to want £45m for the left-winger, despite only have a year left to run on his contract. That figure may have put off the likes of Spurs and Inter but Palace, who are expecting a £55m windfall through the sale of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, could met the demand.

Tottenham always seemed the likely destination for Sessegnon, having caught the club's attention since he first burst onto the scene aged 16. Since then, he has constantly improved and could be ready to join a top Premier League side.

The Verdict
This would be a very shock move. Sessegnon has looked like he will join Tottenham for the last two or three years, and now they have the perfect opportunity, it looks like they could miss out.

It would be a big shock if Palace meet The Cottagers' evaluation, but it would be a great move for the 19-year-old. He wouldn't have as much pressure on him as if he went to Spurs, and Palace is a great environment for young players to prove themselves, as Wan-Bissaka proves.

However, it seems unlikely that any club will match Fulham's ludicrous asking price, so it is likely the other two clubs are not out of the race.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/premier-league-club-join-tottenham-in-chase-to-sign-in-demand-star/

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Claim club have sealed deal for Fulham player, personal terms also agreed

According to regional news website Malatya Haber, Yeni Malatyaspor have agreed on a deal which will extend Fulham's Aboubakar Kamara's stay at the club for one more year.

It's reported the Turkish club offered a €1.5m loan fee to Fulham to loan Kamara for another season and the Championship side have accepted this proposal.

New Yeni Malatyaspor manager Sergen Yalcin is said to be keen to keep Kamara at the club and that's the reason they've decided to pay the €1.5m to Fulham, say Malatya Haber.

Kamara has also reportedly agreed personal terms to stay at Malatya for another season and the website reports his stay should be officially announced next week.

Last season the Fulham man only managed to score one goal in 13 appearances for the Super Lig club, but we covered recent claims from Turkey that Yalcin still wanted to keep him for next season.

The Turkish club will be competing in the qualifying rounds of the Europa League after finishing 5th in the league last season.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/claim-club-sealed-deal-fulham-player-personal-terms-also-agreed/

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Woodrow: "I feel I'm in a good place."

Pre-season thoughts of 19-goal striker

Ahead of the players' return to Oakwell for the start of pre-season training, we caught up with striker Cauley Woodrow to get his thoughts on the season ahead, and in particular, fixture release day.

Signed from Fulham on a permanent contract in January of this year following a successful loan-spell, Woodrow found this week's fixture release news very fitting.

He will be up against his former club in the Reds' opening fixture of the new campaign as his ex-teammate Scott Parker brings the Cottagers to Oakwell on August 3rd.

"It's crazy really," Woodrow told us.

"I've obviously been joking with friends and family this summer that we'd get Fulham on the opening day and then I woke up on the morning they were out to find out we'd got them!

"That's an exciting one for me obviously and I'm looking forward to taking them on, but just in general, I'm buzzing to take on the Championship for Barnsley."

Having spent the best part of seven years in West London with Fulham, moving north and away from his roots was a big step for Cauley to make, but he grabbed the opportunity by the scruff of the neck, scoring 19 times for the Reds last season despite missing three months through injury.

Woodrow said: I spent a long time at Fulham, I had some good times there and I've plenty of friends at the club.

"The club has a special place in my heart, but I'm a Red now and whilst it's going to be a tough game, Fulham just coming down from the Premier League, with some quality players, we don't fear anyone.

"They gave me my chance, they trusted me at the highest level so I'm grateful for that. I'm still really close to a lot of the lads there, the staff, the manager there."

With the fixtures now released, the excitement of a new season increases.

Moving away from the opening day match-up with Fulham, Woodrow explained that it's not only supporters who get a buzz out of seeing the list revealed.

"The lads here are buzzing anyway after what we achieved last season, but then you go away and have some down-time on holiday where you kind of relax and put football away for a month or so.

"But then the fixtures are announced and everything feels real again.

"We're back in next week for pre-season training and it'll be good to see everyone again, knowing the new campaign's just around the corner for us.

"It's going to be about sticking together, getting fit, feeling fresh and prepared to attack the Championship. We know it's a step-up and we know it'll be tough."

Despite it being practically six weeks since the conclusion of the promotion season, in modern-day football, the players are expected to remain in some kind of shape through the summer.

The former England U21 striker agreed with that and told us about the off-season work that he and his teammates have been putting in.

"It's important we stay in shape," Woodrow admitted.

"We get given an off-season programme and advice for keeping trim fit. Me personally, I always stay fit over the summer, and I'd expect the lads to as well.

"Whilst it's important to get a bit of rest and recuperation, we need to be fit and ready for pre-season. We're a fit and young group, it's vital because of the way we play the game.

"It's about sharpness really, getting back into the swing of things and I'm sure we'll all be back and raring to go next week."

So what does Cauley expect from the season ahead, will the Reds under Head Coach, Daniel Stendel change their approach now they're a level higher in the league pyramid?

The high-pressing, high-intensity football that took the third tier by storm last time around won plaudits from many but at Championship level, the challenge is greater.

"The gaffer has been very clear from day one what he expects from us as players and what he expects his Barnsley side to look like, how to play.

"I don't see that changing much next season, why would he deviate from something that worked so well for us?

"We've lost one or two players and added some also, that's natural and something you deal with as a club, as players at every club every summer.

"But that doesn't mean we'll change from the foundations set last season. It's about building upon that really, step by step, that's made clear as the club's philosophy.

"I fully expect us to be playing the same brand of football that we did last year so successfully."

The 24-year-old frontman is no stranger to football in the Championship having spent time with both Fulham, Burton and Bristol City in the second tier previously.

He remains confident in his ability to thrive at the level and feels he's only getting better with experience.

He explained, saying: "I feel in a good place mentally. I'm a little bit older, I'm coming off the back of a really good season.

"That experience last year really helped my progression, my development as a player, but also as a person. Moving north and finding a new home.

"I'm growing more as a person, as a man I suppose. There's nothing that's going to surprise me about the Championship, I'm ready to take it on."



https://www.barnsleyfc.co.uk/news/2019/june/woodrow-intvw/

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Fulham striker edges closer to summer departure

Fulham forward, Aboubakar Kamara is set for another season out on loan with Turkish side, Yeni Malatyaspor according to Malatya Haber.

The report claims that the Turkish side have agreed a fee in the region of £1.5m for the loan of the striker, who spent last season with Yeni Malatyaspor.

They've seemingly been impressed with Kamara, and are wasting no time in attempting to sign him up for another season.

Kamara has also reportedly agreed personal terms with the club, and an announcement on his short-term future could be made as early as next week.

In ten league appearances, the 24-year-old scored once as Yeni Malatyaspor finished 5th in the Turkish top-flight.

Fulham will be hoping to trim the wage bill as they adjust to life back in the Championship, after a brief spell in the Premier League last season.

Scott Parker evidently doesn't see Kamara as part of his plans for next season, and a move away from Craven Cottage seems as though it's the best move for both parties involved.

The Lilywhites will be targeting an immediate promotion after a poor season in the top-flight, although it remains to be seen as to what Parker's squad will look like.

According to The Guardian, Ryan Sessegnon has voiced his intentions to leave the club, amid reports that Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing him before the season gets underway.

So it's likely to be a summer of change at Fulham, and Parker will be hoping to build a squad capable of returning to the Premier league at the first time of asking.

The Verdict:
This is a smart move by Fulham in my opinion.

Kamara wasn't going to feature for them next season, with competition for places in the Fulham squad fiercely competitive, and it will have been a no-brainer to move him on before the season gets underway.

They're also reportedly receiving a decent fee for him whilst going out on loan, and I really wouldn't be surprised to see this move made permanent at the end of next season, especially if Fulham win promotion back into the Premier League.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-striker-edges-closer-to-summer-departure/

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Stephen Kelly says Ryan Sessegnon should choose Tottenham over Liverpool

The 19-year-old will depart Fulham this summer.

Stephen Kelly has told Talk Sport, as quoted by The Express, that he believes Tottenham to be the ideal destination for Ryan Sessegnon this summer.

The Fulham star is set to leave Craven Cottage during the transfer window, with Spurs and Liverpool apparently vying for his services, according to Bleacher Report.

It has been reported in The Sun that Tottenham are willing to spend £35 million to secure the signing of the highly-rated 19-year-old.

Kelly played 44 times for Spurs from 2002 to 2006 and he believes Sessegnon should choose the move to North London over Liverpool.

He told Talk Sport, as quoted by The Express: "If Tottenham can get hold of him, I think they will be the best club for him to go to.

"His stock is rising and some like Pochettino will only improve his game.

"He's a direct replacement for Danny Rose and I think he is a star going forward."

Sessegnon was a mainstay in the Fulham team that was relegated last season and seems almost certain to leave this summer.

TBR Verdict

Kelly clearly still holds Tottenham close to his heart and it comes as no surprise he fancies Sessegnon as Spurs.

He might just have a point though.

If the youngster opts for Liverpool he is unlikely to oust Andy Robertson out of the team, so would play second fiddle more often than not.

Pochettino has made no secure of his desire to sign new full-backs and that could indicate first-team football at Tottenham.

Sessegnon will be a decent acquisition for either Spurs or Liverpool but at the stage in his career where playing is paramount, Tottenham might just provide the best opportunity right now.



https://tbrfootball.com/stephen-kelly-ryan-sessegnon/

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Whelan: 'Fantastic' Leeds player could be 'perfect' for C'ship rivals as exit talks underway

EXCLUSIVE

Leeds United midfielder Adam Forshaw could be the perfect fit for Championship rivals Fulham as talks begin over a move to Craven Cottage, according to Noel Whelan.

The former Elland Road striker exclusively told Football Insider that he saw mistakes start to creep into the 27-year-old's game during the 2018/19 season and that a move away from the Whites could be in his best interests.

As exclusively revealed by Football Insider, talks have taken place between Leeds and Fulham over a permanent switch for the midfielder as the Cottagers look to bolster their midfield.

Whelan says that the former Middlesbrough man has failed to live up to expectation in his year-and-a-half at Elland Road and that while he has great talent in the middle of the park, the move might not have been right for either party.

He told Football Insider: "He hasn't lived up to expectation. He's been in and out of the side last year with Leeds. He was a player who was highly spoken about by Middlesbrough but obviously they let him go for a reason as well.

"I think Adam's got fantastic ability, the way he retains the ball, his passing, we needed a little bit more from him last season. A couple of mistakes crept into his game passing-wise, a bit of slackness.

"If he does go to Fulham then he's going to a very good side, isn't he? Maybe they see him as a perfect fit. Maybe he wasn't for Leeds."

Forshaw has managed to make 44 appearances during his time at Leeds but the Liverpool-born talent does not have a single goal to his name at Elland Road

Of his outings for the Whites, 32 came in the 2018/19 campaign, although he only managed 19 starts as injury curtailed his season.



https://www.footballinsider247.com/whelan-fantastic-leeds-player-could-be-perfect-for-cship-rivals-whelan-fantastic-leeds-player-could-be-perfect-for-cship-rivals-as-exit-talks-underway/

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Matthew Briggs: What happened to the Premier League's once-youngest player?

Matthew Briggs only played 13 league games at Fulham in seven years

When Fulham midfielder Harvey Elliott became the youngest ever Premier League player last month, it could have sparked an intriguing quiz question.

Who was the previous record holder, and what happened to him?

You would be forgiven if you did not remember the name Matthew Briggs. He held the title for 12 years, having also made his top-flight debut in a Fulham shirt, aged 16 years and 68 days.

Now 28, Briggs has been through setbacks, self-doubt and a spell working on a building site - spending last season with Essex-based Isthmian League Division One North side Maldon & Tiptree - but, in a great twist, is playing in a major international tournament this summer.

BBC Sport sat down with the defender, who wants to climb back through the leagues and hopes a documentary on his story will help other young players learn from his mistakes.

'I had mates asking for my autograph'

It was Sunday, 13 May 2007 when Briggs replaced Moritz Volz in the 77th minute of Fulham's 3-1 defeat at Middlesbrough, taking the mantle of the Premier League's youngest player from Aaron Lennon.

The next day, the Londoner was back at school, taking his GCSE exams.

"I had mates asking me for my autograph, and I was saying 'shut up'," he joked.

"As time went on, people started to talk about you and you start to realise the greatness of what it is you've done."

Briggs was making headlines but went straight back into the Fulham youth team, not to start another first-team game for more than two and a half years.

"That knocked my confidence straight away and I don't think I ever came back from that, to be honest," Briggs said.

"As I was a big boy for my age I feel they treated me like I was already a man, and I was still very young mentally - I was still a kid and I needed that nurturing, support and guidance which I didn't really get."

The left-back was still representing England at youth level, though, helping them reach the final of the European Under-19 Championship in 2009 alongside players such as Kyle Walker and Danny Welbeck.

Briggs' performances in the tournament drew interest from his boyhood club Manchester United.

He recalled: "There were talks with my agent but Fulham had already lost Chris Smalling, Louis Saha and Edwin van der Sar to United, so they set an asking price of something stupid and they weren't going to pay that for me when I hadn't done anything in the game yet.

"I did feel bitter about it. I always used to say if they'd let me go my life might have been different now, but I've learned to realise you can't change the past."

Matthew Briggs tussled with the stars of the Premier League. such as England forward Theo Walcott

Loan spells at clubs including Peterborough and Watford followed over the coming seasons, while he had racked up 29 appearances - including 10 Europa League starts - for Fulham as he headed towards the end of his contract at Craven Cottage.

"I had a three-year contract offer on the table from Fulham, but then Martin Jol got sacked," Briggs said.

"I got a bad groin injury that kept me out for the whole year and then obviously he got the sack, which killed me."

How did Briggs end up at Maldon & Tiptree?
After 13 years at Fulham, Briggs was released at the age of 23, moving to Championship side Millwall. It took some getting used to after playing in a white shirt since he was at primary school.

"I was actually driving into Millwall one morning and found myself on the way to Fulham, thinking 'where am I going?'" Briggs said.

In January of his first season at The Den, Briggs was loaned out to Colchester - a move which would turn permanent - where he played the most regular professional football of his career to date.

He played 59 times for the U's in League One and League Two before moving on to Chesterfield for the 2017-18 campaign, where off-field matters made things tough.

"I was driving from Colchester to Chesterfield - about a 10-hour round-trip - every day," said Briggs, who was taking care of his seriously-ill partner.

"I was leaving at 4am to get to training for 8.30am, and getting back home at 7pm."

After leaving the Spireites in December 2017, Briggs effectively spent the rest of the season out of the game, and approached this season without a club.

But Wayne Brown, a former coach at Colchester, invited him to join eighth-tier semi-professional side Maldon & Tiptree and, despite his Premier League upbringing, Briggs had no qualms about saying yes.

"My mindset was 'I've got to prove everyone wrong'," he said.

"I've got to have a consistent season, be consistent in my performance and show everybody I've still got it and shouldn't be at this level."

Though the Essex club were beaten in a play-off final, Briggs scooped their player of the year award and chipped in with a number of goals from full-back.

"It's only this season at Maldon & Tiptree that all the doubts have gone - I've enjoyed my season, the best season I've ever had," he added.

"I've thoroughly enjoyed my football - no pressure, no stress, just expressing myself."

Next season? Briggs would like to climb back up the leagues and build towards a career back in the professional game, but he has bigger fish to fry first...

An unexpected international comeback
Having played through the England age groups up to the under-21s, Briggs had come to terms with the fact he was unlikely to ever represent the senior side.

But he was handed an unexpected international lifeline in 2015 by Guyana, who he is qualified to represent through his grandmother.

"Guyana have a few names who can play for them and I thought, you know what, this could be decent," Briggs said.

"If we get everybody together we can make a decent team."

Those players include former Crystal Palace and Bolton midfielder Neil Danns, ex-Reading forward Callum Harriott and Newport winger Keanu Marsh-Brown.

Having last played for them more than four years ago, Briggs is part of Guyana's 23-man squad for this summer's Gold Cup - and he started their 4-0 defeat on Wednesday against a USA side featuring Chelsea's £58m forward Christian Pulisic.

He said: "This time last year I was working on a building site and to have changed all this around, to then be playing in a big tournament like the Gold Cup means everything to me."

The culmination of that turnaround has helped Briggs reflect on how far he has come over the past 12 months, even if it meant dropping down to the lowest level of football he has played.

"I was so depressed about it [working on a building site] and my uncle said to me, 'Listen, just come and work', so I did and, to be fair, I take my hat off to the construction industry because I learned a lot," said Briggs.

"I learned how to put walls up, build blocks and do all that. I learned some life skills.

"I thought, 'Is this what my life has come to?' No disrespect to the construction industry but playing at 16 in the Premier League to then working a construction job, it's made me more hungry to turn it back around."

'Don't feel entitled like I did'

Matthew Briggs has been playing in the Isthmian League with Maldon & Tiptree

Having gone through such a rollercoaster over the past 12 years, how does Briggs reflect on once being the Premier League's youngest player?

"I don't really think I dealt with it particularly well - from that day [his debut], that's when everything started going downhill and the pressure just got to me, I guess," he said.

"It's hard for me to look back at it because I used to think I'd failed - I used to hate having that title - but now I look at it as something to be proud of.

"Having it for 12 years, I can always say I was the youngest Premier League player and not a lot of people can say that."

And what about the successor to his throne, 16-year-old Elliott? What advice can Briggs offer the protege from his own experiences?

"Don't feel entitled like I did because you made your debut at 16 - you've got to keep proving and showing why they put you there in the first place," he said.

"Be proud of yourself but don't become complacent - don't think you've made it and if you come back next season and you're not in the team, it doesn't mean you're not good enough.

"You just have to keep working hard and keep proving that you're deserving."



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48372551

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Season Ticket Update

The deadline for Season Ticket renewals has now passed and we thank supporters who have renewed.

Due to the tight processing deadlines, we are now no longer able to accept any renewal applications.

We remind supporters that due to a reduced capacity at Craven Cottage next season and limited seat availability, there will not be a 'seat move' period.

Season Ticket Holders in Blocks H1 & H2 affected by the accessibility works in the Hammersmith Stand, will be contacted with details of their new seat next week.

We will then be releasing unrenewed seats and working through the logged cases from supporters who have renewed first, before potentially offering  (subject to availability) new season tickets to fans who have joined the waiting list. Further information will be made available on fulhamfc.com within the next couple of weeks.

Please note that the Ticket Office and Ticket Office phone lines will be closed on Monday 24th and Tuesday 25th June and will reopen from 9am on Wednesday 26th June.

We thank you for your cooperation during both the renewal and seat transition process.

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Rob Burch Appointed Goalkeeping Coach

The Club is pleased to confirm the appointment of Rob Burch as our new Goalkeeping Coach.

Burch arrives from the Football Association having worked this year with the England U16s and U20s teams.

The 35-year-old came through the Spurs academy in his playing days, taking in a number of loan spells before a permanent switch to Sheffield Wednesday.

He then joined Lincoln City in 2008 and went on to make close to 100 appearances across two seasons for the Imps, winning the club's player of the season award in 2009/10.

Burch spent the subsequent two seasons at Notts County before hanging up his gloves, later joining Spurs Academy as Head of Academy Goalkeepers where he also coached for the under-18s and worked alongside Scott Parker during the 2017/18 season. He also worked with Spurs' first team coaching staff and first team goalkeepers during his time there.

Fulham FC Head Coach, Scott Parker, said: "Rob is a coach full of energy and enthusiasm who is passionate about developing and improving goalkeepers. He is a great addition to our backroom team and I, along with the rest of my staff, look forward to working with him here at Fulham."

The Club can also confirm today the departure of Paolo Orlandoni. We thank him for his work and wish him all the very best for the future.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/june/21/burch-joins-fulham

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'It would be a gamble for him' – European club eye Fulham man: The right move for him? Opinion

Fulham manager Scott Parker is preparing for life in the Championship, but may have to do so without star full-back Ryan Sessegnon, who now has both Italian giants Inter Milan as well as Tottenham vying for his signature this summer, as reported in The Sun.

But would Inter be a good club for him to join to aid his development?

We discuss........

Toby Wilding

"I'm not convinced it would be.

"For me, Sessegnon underwhelmed somewhat in the Premier League last season, and he could face similar difficulties were he to move to the Italian top flight – which has the added pressure of moving to an unfamiliar environment brought into it.

"Inter are not the force they once were, and if things do not go as hoped next season having spent big on Sessegnon then there will be a good deal of scrutiny on the full back's shoulders, which he may not want at such a young age.

"This therefore feels like a risk for him, although the prospect of top flight and Champions League football could be too good for him to turn down should the opportunity arise."

George Brooks

"Sessegnon is a very talented and it seems almost inevitable that he will leave Fulham this summer.

"He's an exiting young player and he could well be tempted by the chance to play for a huge European club like Inter Milan.

"Inter is a massive club, why a great history and a huge fan base, so you can certainly understand why he could be tempted by a move there.

"I know we've seen young English players do well in Europe before, but if I were him, I'd want to stay in England and I think a club like Spurs would be a good move for him.

"It might seem like an obvious thing to say, but if he wants to become a top player in the Premier League, then the best way for him to do that is to test himself by playing against Premier League opposition."

Jacob Potter

"It would be a gamble for him, but you never know, it could prove to be the right move to aid his development.

"There's no doubting that Sessegnon is a player that can definitely be playing at a level higher than the Championship, and a move to Italy could tempt the youngster.

"He netted 15 goals and provided six assists for Fulham as they won promotion in the 2017/2018 season, so it's clear to see that he's a talented player.

"Young English talent moving abroad has paid off in the past, with the likes of Jason Sancho thriving at Dortmund nowadays. But players like Reiss Nelson haven't made the impact they would have hoped, so it's always a risky move.

"I think Sessegnon has the talent to thrive at Inter Milan though, and it could be the best move for him if he is given regular game time."



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/it-would-be-a-gamble-for-him-european-club-eye-fulham-man-the-right-move-for-him-opinion/

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Fulham plot £20m Newcastle raid as Scott Parker eyes Dwight Gayle to lead promotion charge
FULHAM are preparing to launch a £20million bid for Newcastle misfit Dwight Gayle.

Striker Gayle scored 24 goals last season while on loan in the Championship at West Bromwich.

Now Fulham boss Scott Parker wants the 29-year-old to lead his club's bid to bounce straight back after relegation in May.

Stoke have already offered £20m for former Crystal Palace and Peterborough striker Gayle.

The hotshot's future at St James' Park is uncertain with doubts over manager Rafa Benitez's position.

Parker wants to rebuild his side, and though Fulham are desperate to keep last season's top scorer Aleksandr Mitrovic, the striker wants Premier League football and could still leave.

The Cottagers London rivals Palace and West Ham are both interested in prising Mitrovic away from the west of the capital.

Attacking options Ryan Babel and Lazar Markovic were released by Fulham at the end of last season

While both Andre Schurrle and Luciano Vietto departed at the end of their loan spells, further depleting Parker in the forward department.

Londoner Gayle has another two years of his Newcastle contract left, but the club could look to capitalise on a player who cost them only £10m when he signed from Palace in 2016.

Gayle's goalscoring exploits, as his replacement Salomon Rondon initially struggled at Newcastle, left former Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp perplexed by Benitez's decision to loan him out.

"Why on earth did Newcastle let Dwight Gayle go on loan to West Brom? While his replacement Salomon Rondon has not scored in the league, Gayle has eight goals in his last 10 league games," Redknapp said last Autumn.

"Newcastle struggled in front of goal once again in their home defeat by Brighton and the players must be running out of patience with Rafa Benitez.

"Newcastle's players are not as bad as results and performances suggest but they are being hamstrung by their manager's negative tactics."



https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1143756/Fulham-transfer-news-Dwight-Gayle-Newcastle-United-raid-Scott-Parker-bid

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Report: Levy's slow pursuit could see Spurs miss out on key transfer target

Ryan Sessegnon looks set to leave relegated Fulham this summer and is not short of potential suitors.

The Sun report that the England Under-21 international who has just twelve months left on his contract is attracting interest from Inter Milan and is willing to remain with the Cottagers to be able to hold discussions with the Italian giants during the winter transfer window and leave on a free transfer at the end of the next campaign.

If Sessegnon walked away from Fulham following the completion of his contract they would only be able to pocket a £500,000 fee in training compensation.  This low fee would certainly put the Championship side in the predicament of trying to sell him either this summer or in January claw back an amount in excess of half a million.

The report claims that Sessegnon was valued at around £50million last summer but struggled in his first season of Premier League football.

Tottenham have been heavily linked with a move for the 19-year-old with the Guardian previously claiming that he has set his heart on a move to Mauricio Pochettino's side despite him also being on the radar of Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain.

Opinion
Daniel Levy had better get his act together or Spurs are set to miss out on one of English football's brightest talents who will be available for just a fraction of his true market value due to his contract situation.



https://www.spurs-web.com/spurs-news/report-levys-slow-pursuit-could-see-spurs-miss-out-on-key-transfer-target/

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Fulham eyeing £10m-rated striker Dwight Gayle with Newcastle keen to offload him this summer

    Fulham want to sign striker Dwight Gayle from Newcastle this summer
    The Championship club are ready to spend £10million on the striker
    He spent last season on loan at West Brom and scored 24 goals for them

Fulham want £10million-rated striker Dwight Gayle to help fire their bid for an immediate return to the Premier League.

Scott Parker is lining up a move for striker Gayle who Newcastle are open to offers for this summer.

The 28 year-old bagged 24 goals last season during his loan spell at West Brom from Newcastle and could be back in the Championship permanently next season.


Fulham are plotting a £10m move for Newcastle's Dwight Gayle, who was on loan at West Brom

As well as Fulham, Stoke are also keen on frontman Gayle.

He moved to St James's Park from Crystal Palace three years ago for £10m and Newcastle are understood to want to recoup their money while Gayle will also command wages in excess of £50,000.

Gayle still has two years left on his current Newcastle contract.


Newcastle are open to selling him this summer despite his 23 Championship goals last season



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7168913/Fulham-eyeing-10m-rated-Newcastle-striker-Dwight-Gayle.html

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Man Utd and Tottenham transfer target Ryan Sessegnon 'plots surprise Serie A move'

Premier League clubs face race against time to sign Fulham teenager

Manchester United and Tottenham face a race against time to sign Ryan Sessegnon before he leaves for Serie A.

Sessegnon is a target for both United and Spurs, but the Fulham winger could run down his contract and talk to Inter Milan in January.

The 19-year-old, who can also play at left-back, has one year left on his Fulham deal, and if he is still at Craven Cottage at the turn of the year he will be free to talk to clubs abroad.

So United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Tottenham counterpart Mauricio Pochettino must move fast if they want to sign the youngster.

Sessegnon is currently on England under-21 duty in the Euro U21 Championship, although the squad will be heading home following Monday's clash against Croatia after the Young Lions' elimination was confirmed by defeat to Romania .


Ryan Sessegnon will be free to talk to clubs abroad in January (Image: James Marsh/BPI/REX)

Fulham ace Sessegnon is being tracked by Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund, according to The Sun .

He would cost just £500,000 in training compensation if he moves for free next summer, so while Fulham don't want to lose him, they may decide to cash in.

However, no bid has yet been made, the Sun claims.

Tottenham are concentrating on landing Lyon's Tanguy Ndombele before moving onto other targets.

But French champions PSG have also registered their interest in Ndombele, 22, and Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has admitted that there are several offers on the table.

Tottenham have already had a £40m bid rejected and are not willing to go to Lyon's asking price.

But Spurs are ready to break their club transfer record of £40m, spent on Davinson Sanchez two years ago.

Manchester United , meanwhile, must strengthen throughout their squad after last season's sixth-placed finish.



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/man-utd-tottenham-transfer-target-16720159

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Eye-watering costs of following Championship clubs home and away revealed

An exclusive Mirror investigation has highlighted the price of following Championship football for fans

Travelling to every away game could set Championship club fans back over £600 in tickets alone, an exclusive Mirror investigation has revealed.

English football, unlike some of its European counterparts, has always enjoyed a healthy culture of away support.

Seen as being more raucous and fun, many fans actually prefer to watch their team on the road than at home games.

It can be an expensive hobby, however, with increased travel costs and some clubs charging away fans huge amounts for tickets.

The Premier League has a £30 cap on away ticket prices, but no such cap exists in the EFL.

Last season, the Reach Data Unit tracked the ticket prices for every Championship away game to see how much each club's fans had to pay and how it varied between clubs.

The average Championship away ticket cost £27.00 in 2018/19, based on a standard adult ticket without any membership discounts and at the top category available (e.g. not the standing tickets at Brentford).

Fans of some clubs were consistently charged more than those of others, however.

Reading had the lowest average at £24.54, followed by Millwall at £25.00, while Aston Villa had the highest at £29.59 followed by Leeds at £29.11.

That may be a discrepancy of less than a fiver, but it adds up over the course of the season.

Villa fans who bought a ticket for every away game will have spent £680.50 on tickets.

Leeds fans will have spent £669.50, Sheffield United fans £665.18 and West Brom fans £655.50.
Reading fans, meanwhile, will have spent £564.50.

Millwall fans will have spent £575.00, Ipswich fans £580.50 and Swansea fans £593.50.

Coincidentally, if the EFL set a cap of £30 per ticket then the cost of 23 away matches would work out at £690.

There were also large discrepancies between how much different clubs charged visiting fans.

Leeds United were the worst offenders charging fans of visiting clubs an average of £38.13 a ticket.

That's almost £5 more then the club with the next highest average, Sheffield Wednesday, at £33.1.

Birmingham City, meanwhile, charged fans the least with an average of £19.57 per ticket.

West Brom had the next cheapest tickets at £20.00 followed by Wigan at £22.87 and Rotherham at £23.18.



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/eye-watering-costs-following-championship-16689129

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The stats that show what Leeds would be missing if Forshaw left

According to reports from Football Insider, Leeds United are in negotiations with Fulham over the potential transfer of Adam Forshaw.

The former Middlesbrough man has been one of the most dependable midfielders in the Championship over the past few years with successful spells at Wigan, Boro and Leeds.

The Whites would be losing a useful member of their squad and his stats show how what he brings to the squad.



As the above infographic shows, the Whites will be losing one of the hardest working and most dependable midfielders in the division.

Forshaw does an unbelievable amount of defensive work. He attempts 4.5 tackles per 90 minutes, which is more than Kalvin Phillips.

Many of those tackles that are attempted are successful as well, but what is most impressive is how well he manages to time his challenges. The 27-year-old commits just 1.1 fouls per 90, showing how good he is at putting a foot in.

Although the midfielder isn't really a flashy player he rarely puts a foot wrong – he is dispossessed just 1.1 times per 90 mins, and a dependable player like that can prove invaluable in this division.

On top of this 88.2% of his passes find their mark which is the highest pass completion percentage of any player who played consistently for Leeds last season.

All of these positive statistics have seen Fulham pursue the 27-year-old, and if the Yorkshire club lose him to their promotion rivals they may miss his consistency in the middle of the park.



https://www.footballfancast.com/championship/leeds/the-stats-that-show-what-leeds-would-be-missing-if-forshaw-left