Friday Fulham Stuff - 10/07/20...

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Results

Thursday
Leeds	5-0	Stoke

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Our View: Hammond could save Celtic £4m if he signs 28-year-old

If rumours are believed, Celtic are interested in Marcus Bettinelli.

According to The Daily Mail, the Hoops are considering a move for the £1 million goalkeeper, who currently plays for Fulham.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon only has Scott Bain by way of senior options after Fraser Forster left the club after his loan spell, and Craig Gordon was released.

And now Bettinelli is the latest in quite a long list of goalkeepers linked to Parkhead, and head of recruitment Nicky Hammond should definitely prioritise him over Vasilios Barkas.

The Bhoys have been quoted a hefty £5 million to sign AEK Athens' Barkas, who might be a good player, but in reality that's far too much to pay for an unknown keeper.

To put it into context, Celtic's record transfer fee paid out is £9 million.

Bettinelli, on the other hand, is only £1 million, so saving the club £4 million and potentially signing a stronger keeper – who has over 100 league appearances for Fulham under his belt – might be the smarter move.

Celtic are going for 10-in-a-row next season, but they still need reinforcements.

And the more money Hammond can save, the more that'll be available for other areas of the squad.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/07/09/our-view-hammond-could-save-celtic-4m-if-he-signs-28-year-old/

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Academy Contract Extensions

The Club is delighted to confirm that Sonny Hilton, Ben Davis, Jayden Harris and Jaydn Mundle-Smith have extended their contracts at the Club.

Hilton enjoyed a strong season in midfield, scoring three goals in 16 games and becoming a regular name on the teamsheet before picking up an injury which saw him sidelined.

The deal will see him remain at the club until 2022.

On spending an extra two years at the Club, Sonny said: "I'm absolutely made up that I've signed a new deal and look forward to getting back playing.

"It gives me longer to try and push into the First-Team and for the Club to offer me a good new contract gives me hope that they see more potential."

Fellow midfielder Davis has made 19 appearances for our PL2 side under Mark Pembridge and Colin Omogbehin, scoring one goal.

He was rewarded for his impressive performances, being given a taste of First-Team football, coming on in the final minutes of the game against Southampton in the EFL Cup.

Like Hilton's, his contract will also see him remain at the club until 2022.

After signing, Ben said: "It's a really proud moment for me and my family and I'm really excited to see what I can achieve in the next two years.

"I've been given some amazing opportunities so far like making my senior debut in the Carabao Cup. That was a major factor in signing this contract.

"Hopefully during my next two years I can make a few First-Team appearances in the league and my ultimate goal is to start a game."

The Club has also taken up the option of an extension on the contracts of Harris and Mundle-Smith.

Harris has progressed through the Fulham ranks since the age of 10, last season becoming a key figure for the Under-23s with 23 appearances and three goals. The midfielder also enjoyed a short loan spell with National League side Woking in January 2020.

Mundle-Smith has also seen plenty of game time for the Under-23s and gained valuable experience on loan at Maidenhead in February, where he made several First-Team appearances.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/july/09/academy-signings

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Brighton & Hove Albion: Anthony Knockaert posts emotional goodbye to Seagulls on Instagram

Anthony Knockaert is no longer a Brighton player after he completed a permanent move to Fulham yesterday, having been on loan at Craven Cottage for the past year.

The French winger, who joined the Seagulls back in January 2016, made 139 appearances for the club, with 27 goals and 25 assists in that time, and scored 15 times in Brighton's promotion-winning 2016/17 season (as per TransferMarkt).

Sadly, the 28-year-old's time at the Amex Stadium was overshadowed by the death of his father four years ago, with many of his team-mates and then-Seagulls manager Chris Hughton attending the funeral in France (as per BBC). In 2018, he revealed that he had been struggling with mental health issues.

Knockaert took to Instagram (via @knockaert_anthony) to pay an emotional thank-you to team-mates, staff and fans at Brighton, particularly for their "love and support" at the time of his father's passing and during subsequent difficult times.

The Frenchman said on the social media platform: "Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club will always have a very special place in my heart. I wish the club every success in the future. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Knockaert's contribution during the promotion campaign, in which he was named EFL Championship Player of the Year, should ensure that he is always remembered fondly by the Brighton faithful, not least as he had such an influence in that success despite losing his father during that season.

There were times when indiscipline let him down, such as his red cards against Everton and Bournemouth, but his last goal for the club was a particularly memorable one – a winner away to Crystal Palace which earned him the Premier League Goal Of The Month award for March 2019.

If Knockaert can have anywhere near the same level of influence at Fulham – who are firmly in the hunt for promotion to the Premier League – that he had for Brighton, the Cottagers faithful are sure to idolise him in years to come.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/brighton-news/brighton-anthony-knockaert-emotional-goodbye-instagram/

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Fulham star to miss Cardiff game and will be assessed ahead of vital West Brom clash

Fulham captain Tom Cairney has been ruled out of Friday's game against Cardiff.

Cairney picked up a knock during the recent win against Birmingham and subsequently missed this week's victory at Nottingham Forest.

He is still not fit enough to play and will be assessed ahead of Tuesday's potentially crucial match against promotion rivals West Brom.

"Tom is still struggling at the moment. He won't be available for tomorrow," boss Scott Parker confirmed.

"It's day-to-day really with Tom. I don't think it's a big one. It's not one we're too concerned about.

"But with this schedule, if you have a week's injury or a 10-day injury you're missing three or four games.

"We'll manage it every day and see where we are with it."

Fulham get Mitrovic back
On a more positive note for the Whites, Aleksandar Mitrovic is available to return.

The striker was given a three-match ban for elbowing Leeds defender Ben White during Fulham's recent defeat at Elland Road.

Despite the loss of their top scorer, Fulham won all of the games without him and kept their hopes of a top-two finish alive.

Parker said: "When you take 23 goals out of the team – he's been a vital part of what we've done this year – then obviously he's going to be missed.

"You want someone of his quality and you want the goals in your team. He's scored most of our goals this year and of course we're delighted to have him back.

"In saying that, we have changed things around and adapted. We've done very well.

"As much as you're going to miss someone of his quality, the other players have stepped up."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-fc-tom-cairney-injury-cardiff-west-brom-update-090720221

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Fulham recruitment analysis: replacing Aleksandar Mitrović part 2- data analysis



Last week, we have discussed the transfer pattern of Fulham for the past three years in the part one of this series. This gives us a filter to find the replacement candidates. Now, in this part two analysis, we will try to come up with a list, in the end, utilising the standard we've discovered last week.
This is the second part of the recruitment analysis. In this second data analysis, we'll be utilising data and statistics to find a shortlist of three players as candidates, which will be of use in the third part of the analysis.

Aleksandar Mitrović's profile
Before conducting the data analysis to find his replacement, we first need to know Aleksandar Mitrović's playing style, role and how his attributes affect team performance. Firstly, we want to mention some of his unquantifiable attributes. Then we will get to his statistical profile.
Mitrović is 188 cm in height. Since he is tall and strong, when Fulham finds playing out from the back is unavailable, he can serve as the target man for long balls. He has 8.56 aerial duels per 90, with the success rate of 41.88%. When he succeeds in combating these long balls, he will lay off to his teammates facing the opponent's goal. This helps the team progress the play.
With his strong physique and well-time runs, he can also drop to the midfield to help open the play. He can hold up his matchup and time his run into the midfield, receiving passes from the defenders and one-touch pass back to the pivot. You can see from the above heat map that he will drop to the midfield to help progress the play:



In Fulham's 4-3-3 playing system, this is a common pattern to find the single pivot. With his well-timed run, strong physique along with his mobility, the pivot doesn't need to run a lot to receive the ball in a useful position. The below image is an example:



In the above scenario, Fulham was trying to instigate Leeds United to press and free the pivot. As the pivot's matchup left his zone to press the centre-back, this was the trigger for Mitrović to drop. Then Mitrović timed his run, holding up his matchup and one-touch passed to the unmarked pivot. The pivot could now face the opponent's goal and dictate the play.
On top of his contribution to the build-up stage, in the finishing stage, he also contributes a lot. In Fulham's 4-3-3 playing system, flanks are resorts to create finishing opportunities. With 1v1 specialists like Ivan Cavaleiro in the flank, Mitrović will stay in the central defenders' area to keep them from helping full-backs in the flank. This creates more space and time for 1v1 specialist to operate in the flank. And he will also serve as a target man in crosses. Below is an example:



You can see from the above example that Fulham was attacking the right fank. Mitrović was in the central area to hold the centre-back from helping and covering the full-back. This helped create more space for the winger in 1v1 situation, and the winger could his technique to beat the full-back and deliver a fine cross to find Mitrović in the box.
After talking about some basic attributes in attacking, his curving run in defending also helps Fulham in high press. You can see from the below example that his curving eliminated pass-back option and successfully made the play predictable:



Ben White passed to the goalkeeper. That was when Mitrović curved his run, eliminating the pass-back option to White. With the good positioning of his teammates, now Leeds United's goalkeeper didn't have many choices in the back. Hence he was forced to play long and Fulham gained possession in the back in this scenario.
The above attributes are unquantifiable, which will be of use when we come up with the final list and do the scouting. Now we will take a look at the data side, using a radar graph to show his key statistical attributes:



Mitrović now has 23 goals in 36 games in the EFL Championship. His xG per shot ranks second in the league (0.18). Also, his goal per 90 (0.7) exceeds xG per 90 (0.63), which means that he scores more than expected and can score in a difficult situation. He has 3.93 touches in the box, ranking the 26th in the league. On top of this, he takes many offensive duels per 90 (14.88) with a poor success rate (26%). His dribbles per 90 are 3.34, with the success rate of only 39.23%. He is not a dribbler that can bring the ball forwards for a long distance. Furthermore, he has 3.23 forward passes per 90, with a success rate of 67%, and also 1.64 progressive passes per 90 (40%). These forward passes are usually executed when he drops to help open the play.
Now we have known his statistical profile. He is quite effective in finishing while other stats are not that standing out. Thus, we want to find a striker that can do the same thing as Mitrović, and even better in terms of passing or other facets.

Data analysis- scoring goals
After doing our search on Fulham's transfer pattern and Mitrović's attributes, we can finally conduct the data analysis. With the standard we found in the last piece, we will try to conclude with a list of 3 players, whose age will be 23 to 27 years old. They will be from the English Premier League, Championship, La Liga, Ligue 1, Liga NOS and Bundesliga, who plays more than 900 minutes this season. Their market value is below 30 million. What's more, we also want to find strikers that are effective as Mitrović. Hence we add one more filtration in the first place: xG per 90 should exceed 0.3.
Using these filtrations, we now can start our data analysis. The first we want to know about is the goal-scoring performance of these strikers, since finishing and scoring are natural responsibility for them. Therefore, we'll be looking at the first metrics here: xG per 90 and goals per 90.Fulham recruitment analysis: replacing Aleksandar Mitrović part 2- data analysis statistics



From the above scatter plot we can observe that Vinícius from Benfica stands out, with his goals per 90 (0.9) higher than xG per 90 (0.62). Danny Ings from Southampton and Patrik Schick from RB Leipzig also excel in terms of these metrics. Their goals per 90 (0.67 and 0.66 respectively) both exceed xG per 90 (both are 0.42), which means that they score more than expected and they could catch some difficult chances to score. On top of this, André Silva is also excellent in these aspects (xG per 90: 0.62, goals per 90: 0.5). Mitrović stands out in these aspects as well, with the figures we've mentioned in the above section. Players like Steve Mounié, Paulinho, Wout Weghorst, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Ollie Watkins also possess some impressive figures in these metrics.
The second metrics we'll delve into are goal conversion and shots per 90. We intend to see how effective the striker is using these metrics.



In this aspect, Vinícius stands out again, with his impressive goal conversion of 0.3269, with means that on average one shot of his will produce 0.3269 goals. His shots per 90 also exceed the average, which is 2.75. And we keep looking down the second quadrant, familiar names as Ings, Schick, Silva, Paulinho and Calvert-Lewin once again catch our attention. Ings has 0.2535 in goal conversion, 2.64 in shots per 90; Schick has 0.2381 in goal conversion, 2.76 in shots per 90. André Silva also does well with goal conversion of 0.2308 and shots per 90 of 2.71. Mitrović also stays in the second quadrant, which means that he is above the average in both metrics. Then we also take a look at the first metrics, meaning the goal conversion is above the average while shots per 90 are not. Adrien Hunou and Fábio Abreu have some great numbers in goal conversion (0.2963 and 0.2927 respectively). We can also see some names which we've seen in the first metrics: Mounié, Watkins are in this first quadrant (0.2667 and 0.2347 in goal conversion).

Data analysis- aerial duels
After looking into the goal-scoring performance of these strikers, we now come to the aerial duels, since Mitrović is a target man in front for long ball and crosses. We intend to find a striker with the same ability, or even better in this facet. So we use the metrics of aerial duels and the success rate here to find out who stands out in this aspect:



From the above scatter plot we can see that Steve Mounié and Kieffer Moore excel in the aerial duels and the success rate. They have 18.15 and 15.75 aerial duels per 90, and the success rate of 54.29% and 53.10%. Weghorst in the second quadrant possesses a fabulous success rate of 54.34%, the best amongst all these strikers, with 6.78 in aerial duels per 90. Schick to his right has a decent success rate as well (53.57%), with aerial duels per 90 of 7.36. These are the four players whose success rate is higher than 50%. Gonçalo Paciência in the average-axis has 7.30 aerial duels per 90, with 49.55% in the success rate. Calvert-Lewin also possesses some decent figures in the first quadrant, with 13.31 aerial duels per 90 and 43.84% success rate. Oliver McBurnie from Sheffield United has 14.81 aerial duels per 90 and 41.72% in the success rate. Mitrović is in the second quadrant in this graph, which means that his aerial duels per 90 and the success rate are both above the average figures.

Data analysis- offensive duels
Mitrović takes many challenges offensively; however, his success rate in this aspect is poor with only 26%. Thus, we want to find players that could contribute to offensive duels as many as Mitrović whereas with a decent success rate.



In terms of the success rate, Rachid Alioui stands out with the figure of 46.4% (6.76 offensive duels per 90). In the second quadrant of the graph, Breel Embolo excels in the offensive duels per 90 (19.07) amongst all the strikers, with a decent success rate of 35.65%, above the average. Another player that catches our attention is Léo Bonatini. His offensive duels per 90 are 4.68, with the success rate of 42.68%. The rest are clustering near the average point, the origin of axes. Mehdi Taremi has 9.21 offensive duels per 90 and 42.58% in success rate. Toni Martínez from Famalicão takes 7.16 offensive duels per 90, with the success rate of 41.77%. Mitrović stays in the third quadrant of the graph, which means that his offensive duels per 90 are above the average whereas the success rate is below the average.

Data analysis- progressive passes
With Mitrović's dropping back into the midfield, the play of Fulham can be linked and opened effectively, and he can also release some progressive passes in this scenario. Thus, we also want to find a player that can play progressive passes.



From the above scatter plot we can see that Lebo Mothiba is better than the rest with the accuracy of 100%, 0.97 progressive passes per 90. Then we shift to the right of the graph, Alassane Pléa from Borussia M'gladbach has the most progressive passes per 90 amongst all these strikers, with an accuracy of 77%. Cauley Woodrow also does well in progressive passes per 90 (3.81), and the accuracy is 76.52%. Names like Gonçalo Paciência and Embolo also appear in the first quadrant, whose progressive passes per 90 (2.63 and 2.32 respectively) and the accuracy (82.5%, 73.81%) are both above the average. Also, Watkins and Weghorst spot in the second quadrant. Watkins possesses 1.91 progressive passes per 90, with 80.49% in accuracy, while Weghorst has more progressive passes per 90 (2.54) with a slightly lower accuracy (70.73%). Mitrović stays in the first quadrant of this scatter plot, which means that his accuracy in progressive passes is above the average level of all these strikers. His progressive passes per 90 are lower than the average level though.

Final shortlist
After delving into some many metrics, we now can conclude with a final shortlist of three players. Since we want to find players that have the same function in the team, and even better than Mitrović, we first consider the aerial ability to determine if the player could fit in the target-man tactics from a statistical point of view. Then we will compare the goal-scoring stats amongst these strikers. Offensive duels and progressive passes are considered later. Then we will also look up the rumours about these players. For example, the potential transfer fee of Vinícius from Benfica is quite high (100 million), whereas his market value does not exceed 30 million. Therefore, he is excluded from the list even though his stats are outstanding.
Thus, we come to the final shortlist of three players. These three players will be scouted further in the next piece:
Wout Weghorst: The 27-year-old Dutch from Wolfsburg is now the top scorer in the team. He has scored 16 goals in 30 matches. His goal per 90 is 0.5, slightly less than his xG per 90 (0.51). The goal conversion rate of his is 0.2025, better than Mitrović's. He has 6.78 aerial duels per 90, with 54.34% in success rate, the highest amongst all these strikers above. He also has 2.54 progressive passes per 90, which are more than Mitrović's, with a decent accuracy of 70.73%. A weakness of his seems to be his offensive duels success rate (25.08%). The market value of his is 21 million and there are rumours that Arsenal has the intention to sign this player with 35 million. He is a good choice for Fulham if they can reach the Premier League next season.
Paulinho: The 27-year-old Portuguese in Sporting Braga. He has scored 12 goals in 24 matches. His goals per 90 (0.54) exceed his xG per 90 (0.51), which means that he can turn some difficult chances into goals. His goal conversion is also the same as Mitrović's (0.1791). On top of this, his aerial duels' success rate is 43.69%, better than Mitrović's, whereas his aerial duels per 90 are 4.65, less than Mitrović's. His offensive duels' success rate (30.57%) is better than Mitrović's. He can release 2.48 progressive passes per 90 with the accuracy of 67.27%. AC Milan is interested in this Portuguese striker. He is at a suitable price for no matter if Fulham can make it to the Premier League next season.
Gonçalo Paciência: The 25-year-old Portuguese striker from Eintracht Frankfurt has scored 7 goals in 1368 minutes. He has 0.46 goals per 90, exceeding 0.45 xG per 90. His aerial duels' success rate is 49.55%, 7.3 per 90. Compared to other candidates, he excels in progressive passes, with 82.5% in accuracy and 2.63 per 90. He also takes a lot of offensive duels per 90 (17.3) but with a poor success rate (27.38%).

Conclusion
Hence we have already come up with a shortlist of three players, using data and statistics. In the next part, the final part of this analysis, we will delve into their playing styles and attributes using a scout report.



https://eflanalysis.com/analysis/fulham-recruitment-analysis-replacing-aleksandar-mitrovic-part-2-data-analysis-statistics

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Return To Play - Foundation Update

Fulham Foundation CEO Mike McSweeney pens an open letter to supporters and participants ahead of the upcoming Foundation sessions.

Firstly, I hope you are keeping well, and you have been able to find some positives from the last three months of lockdown. For me, it has been a chance to spend some quality time with the family, but I admit that home schooling has certainly been a challenge.

We are really pleased that as lockdown eases, we can begin to return to some form of face to face delivery, and we are delighted to welcome you to our upcoming sessions. The planning, risk assessments and quality assurance has been incredibly thorough, and I want to reassure you we have taken all known necessary precautions and advice to ensure a safe return to play, including all guidelines issued by the Government and The Football Association.

I would also like to manage expectations on the type and volume of sessions we will initially have available. Our primary concern is the safety of our participants, in an environment which meets all health and safety requirements set out by designated guidelines. Therefore, we will not have all the options you may be used to. As soon as we can do more, we will.

Despite there being no recent face to face delivery, we have been very busy. I thought it was worth highlighting a few initiatives which have supported our communities during lockdown:

-           Over 3,000 meals distributed to those most in need.

-           1,400 befriending calls made to vulnerable adults who might be suffering isolation.

-           150+ hours of online activity.

-           Women's Team 'Let's Connect' programme – mentoring our Girls Development Centre players.

Finally, I would like to thank you for your support and understanding and, speaking as a parent, I now want to see my daughter being active, having fun with her friends, growing in confidence, and getting back to enjoying learning through sport. Our sessions will hopefully facilitate this for you too.

Best wishes and keep safe.
Mike McSweeney, Chief Executive Officer



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/july/09/return-to-play-foundation-update

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Why did Fulham just sign Anthony Knockaert?

It's the transfer deal you weren't waiting for. Fulham have signed Anthony Knockaert on a permanent contract until 2023. The question is: Why? Marco De Novellis explores.

The score was 3-3. It was cold. Deep into added time, we won a corner.

Then came Tony Knockers. Blustering; arms waving; chest pumping; after a rallying call to the away fans, he steps up. The corner is cleared by the man at the front post. The game ends.

By some cruel twist of familial neglect, my busy Christmas schedule was interrupted by an hour-long commute to Luton last Boxing Day. There, in post-apocalyptic surroundings, 800 Fulham fans – unwittingly or not – witnessed a moment that defines Anthony Knockaert's Fulham career so far.

His permanent signing is a nonsensical arrangement; likely a forced move and an example of reputation trumping reality. Knockaert was a good player, but now he's not.

71 shots, 3 goals
In 38 Championship appearances for Fulham, Tony Knockers has scored three goals and made five assists. Perhaps, like with Tom Cairney, it is Parkerball – Scott Parker's miserable tactical system – that's stifling Tony's creative freedom and natural flair.

He has taken 71 shots in total this year (Cairney has had 43). 31 have been from outside the box. Imagine playing alongside that.

In a system reliant on either Mitrovic or long-range pop-shots from marquee players, he is failing. Lately, he has moved from his principal role as an ineffective winger to that of an inverted corner flag Raumdeuter.

Rather than finding space, he gets the ball into as tight a space as possible. His goal is to take the ball to the opposition corner; to jostle, joust, and guard it there for the maximum amount of time. This charade often starts well before extra time.

Another Fulhamish article correctly identified Tony as a 'passion merchant' earlier this season. He does try; he is keen and committed. You can't fault him there.

But his below-par performances make his overzealous style a bit embarrassing. When he gestured to rally the crowd at Luton, the effect is more Zippos Circus than Messi at the Camp Nou.

A risk gone wrong
Ultimately, whether Knockaert fits Parkerball is immaterial. He has played for a year and failed to adapt. And yet, after a season-long loan, we take the option to sign him on a permanent deal.

Why? There are unconfirmed reports that we had to; that the deal was agreed last summer.

By signing Knockaert first on loan before converting into a permanent contract later, we spread the cost of the deal over a longer period of time and thus navigated the murky backwaters of FFP. The option to extend is not really an option at all.

Whether this is true or not, the club has failed. Either the transfer is a risk gone wrong or, if the club have decided to sign him on a permanent deal based on this season's performances, the decision is even more baffling. Parker himself has said he hopes there's more to come from Tony – and you can understand why.

Reputation > Reality
The Knockaert signing strikes me as the decision of an out-of-touch director of football operations attuned more to the past reputation of players than the reality on the pitch. Like most Fulham fans, I was excited when we signed Tony on loan, but it's clear now that Brighton loaned him out for a reason.

Meanwhile, Parker's Fulham team is becoming centered around older, better-known, more expensive players. Arter, Cavaleiro, Knockaert; these are journeymen footballers; too war-torn and weary to fight back against Parker's tactical tyranny.

Track records are no bad thing, but an over-reliance on reputation is dangerous. When Fulham were first relegated from the Premier League we faced a more extreme version of the same problem; players who worked well for us in the short-term contributed to our long-term demise. It was Martin Jol and Berbatov who got us relegated; not Felix Magath and Lewis Holtby.

And while our current crop have strong Championship records, their experiences in the Premier League are defined more by relegation or the substitutes bench.

As for Tony, there is talent there. I've watched clips of his promotion seasons with Leicester and Brighton. I've seen him shouting and jumping on peoples' shoulders. The passion merchantry is more palatable from a distance than it is up close.

But it's not happening now for Knockaert. I hope things change and Tony returns to the player he once was, but it doesn't look likely to happen under Parker at Fulham.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2020-07-09-why-did-fulham-just-sign-anthony-knockaert/

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Liverpool heading to tribunal with Fulham over Harvey Elliott transfer fee

Harvey Elliott committed his long-term future to Liverpool by signing a professional contract earlier this week - but the Premier League champions are yet to agree a deal with his former side Fulham

Liverpool are heading to a tribunal with Fulham to settle the fee for teenage ace Harvey Elliott.

The Reds signed Eliott from the Championship club last summer when he was still 16 at the end of his contract.

Eliott, 17, signed his first professional deal earlier this week to commit his long-term future to the club.

The teenager has made eight appearances this season for Jurgen Klopp's side. But the Reds have yet to agree a fee with Fulham.

They have to pay the Championship club due to the player's age despite the fact he was out of contract. But both clubs have hit an impasse on the figure.

Fulham are holding out for £7m citing Ryan Kent's move from Anfield to Rangers for around that number as their basis.

But it is understood the Reds initially offered around £750,000 which is well below the Cottagers estimation.

Liverpool paid a tribunal record £6.5m to Burnley for Danny Ings in 2016 after a tribunal decided that fee.

They also came to an agreement with Chelsea over Dominic Solanke after the Reds initially wanted to pay £3m and the Blues were demanding £10m.

If Liverpool and Fulham end up at a tribunal the fee for Elliott will be decided by the Professional Football Compensation Committee (PFCC).

Elliott became the youngest player to feature in the Premier League when he came on as a substitute for Fulham against Wolves in May 2019, aged just 16 years and 30 days.

"I think since the first day I've walked in, it's been an indescribable journey so far," Elliot told the official Liverpool website earlier this week.

"I think now to top it off with my first professional contract is a dream come true for me and my family. I'm excited to see what the future holds and I'm just excited to give everything to the club and the fans."

Before adding: "It's been crazy, to be honest, to be involved in so much with the first team and being in and around the players is crazy.

"Hopefully I can do more with the team and hopefully I can show what I can do."



https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/liverpool-heading-tribunal-fulham-over-22330256

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Liverpool fear Jordan Henderson could miss start of next season

    Captain suffered knee injury in 3-1 win over Brighton
    Reds and Fulham set to go to a tribunal over Harvey Elliott

Jürgen Klopp fears Jordan Henderson could miss the start of next season with the knee injury suffered in Liverpool's win at Brighton on Wednesday.

The Liverpool captain was forced off after a second-half collision with Yves Bissouma and underwent a scan on his return to Merseyside to determine whether he sustained ligament damage. Henderson is expected to receive the results on Friday but there are concerns at Liverpool that the influential midfielder faces a prolonged spell on the sidelines that could include the beginning of the Premier League champions' title defence. Klopp expressed fears over Henderson's injury after the 3-1 victory, saying: "I know it will not be nothing."

The 30-year-old, who flew back with the team from Brighton, would be a severe loss to the Liverpool manager. He would also miss England's Nations League matches against Iceland and Denmark on 5 and 8 September respectively should the club's concerns be realised.
Henderson is due to lift the Premier League trophy at Anfield on 22 July after Liverpool's final home game of the season against Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Liverpool and Fulham are set to go to a tribunal to decide a compensation fee for Harvey Elliott with the clubs poles apart in their valuation of the 17-year-old forward.

Elliott moved to Liverpool from Craven Cottage on academy terms last summer and has been part of Klopp's first-team squad for most of the season. His progress was rewarded this week with a first professional contract.

Fulham are believed to have been offered £750,000 for the highly rated teenager, whom they value at closer to £7m. Unless there is a breakthrough in negotiations a decision will have to be taken by a tribunal, with the fee decided by the Professional Football Compensation Committee.

Elliott has made eight appearances for Liverpool's first team and Klopp recently cited the player's development as a reason why the Premier League champions may not be busy in the transfer market.



https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/jul/09/liverpool-and-fulham-heading-for-tribunal-over-harvey-elliott-fee

[WhiteJC]

Harvey Elliott: Fulham seek record tribunal fee for Liverpool youngster

It is claimed that Liverpool offered Fulham £750,000 in compensation for the attacker, which was rejected

A tribunal will determine the fee Liverpool will have to pay Fulham for teenage sensation Harvey Elliott after the clubs failed to come to an agreement.

The 17-year-old, who signed his first professional contract with the Premier League champions over the weekend, was signed last July after the expiry of his terms at Craven Cottage.

He has made eight appearances for the Anfield side this season, with Jurgen Klopp keen to further his development given Elliott's technical ability and courage in possession.

It is claimed that Liverpool offered Fulham £750,000 in compensation for the attacker, which was rejected.

England's pacesetters did not comment, while the Championship side are understood to be pushing for a record tribunal fee, in the region of £8million, for nurturing Elliott's talents.

He became the youngest player to feature in the Premier League when he made his debut for Fulham last season, aged just 16 years and 30 days.

Barcelona, Real Madrid and RB Leipzig were circling him, but the boyhood Liverpool fan had no hesitation in moving to Merseyside.

"Harvey is such an exciting prospect," Klopp told the club's official website. "We all know his qualities – we have seen them this season in the first team and U23s.

"I love his attitude – love his enthusiasm – love his bravery – love the fact he has the right amount of football confidence and cheekiness.

"What is critical – so important – is that he is given time and space to develop. He will get that from us. He needs to be allowed to make mistakes while he learns and not feel more pressure than is right and fair.

"What is great is that he has the perfect culture here and we will protect him. The senior players and the coaches really care about him and are as excited as I am about his future. So, we will all be part of his story as it unfolds."



https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/liverpool-fc-news-harvey-elliott-tribunal-fee-amount-a9610961.html

[WhiteJC]

Chirewa Set to Start Scholarship Despite Fulham Interest

General manager of football operations Lee O'Neill says he's not concerned by interest in the club's second-youngest-ever first-team player Tawanda Chirewa - TWTD understands from Fulham - who will begin his two-year academy scholarship once the new season gets under way.

Chirewa made his Blues debut as a late sub in the Leasing.com Trophy tie at Colchester in November while still a schoolboy aged 16 years and 31 days with Connor Wickham the only younger player to have made his senior Town bow.

The Zimbabwe-born, Shenfield-based midfielder is due to begin his scholarship in 2020/21 but we understand Fulham have been keen to lure him to their academy.

"I'm not going to comment on the club because it's unfair to do so, but he is a good prospect," O'Neill said when asked about the interest.

"That U15s, U16s crop that we've got are really good, so there is interest in those players but Tawanda is going to be here, he's going to join as a scholar when it is safe to do so.

"He's had a little bit of a sniff in and around the first team at the moment, which is great and he'll be one over the next 12, 18, 24 months that will be pushing people to try and get that regular spot in the first team where he wants to play.

"You see it now, there are more and more younger players playing in the Premier League, Billy Gilmour is a good example the other night with Chelsea, and I think clubs will have to start looking at what they're developing internally because they're not necessarily go out there and spend vast sums of money."

O'Neill says he has no concerns regarding the interest in Chirewa or rumours that Liverpool are interested in left-back Albie Armin, another of this summer's full-time recruits.

"I'm not worried about that situation at all," he added. "There has been interest in him [Chirewa] and there has been interest in a few other players in that group.

"We're not worried about it because he, the family, the agent and the dad are all happy here and they want to commit to our programme.

"They can see a pathway with what's happened with some of the younger players. He's trained with the first team and that's very different to probably the norm at some other clubs.

"We've gone through our online inductions, it was very different because normally we'd do it down at Portman Road. It's been very different through this whole process but those scholarships are all sorted and ready to go.

"I haven't heard that particular club mentioned [Liverpool regarding Armin] but if that is the case then great, it shows we've got some good players that other clubs are interested in. I can speak on behalf of those players, they're all committed to our programme going forward."

Regarding the impact of the coronavirus crisis on academies across the board, O'Neill, who is Town's academy manager in addition to his role with the overall club, says that's not yet clear.

"I think time will tell on that," he continued. "I think clubs will seriously have to look at their productivity and whether it's of value to them.

"Obviously we are part-funded from the Premier League, which was an issue, we were considering whether they would pull the funding or not and they've guaranteed that commitment for the next 12 months, albeit we don't know when the schedule of payments will come through, and then on top of that there's the same level of investment and some more from [owner] Marcus [Evans].

"So I think every club will have to look at it individually. From our point of view I think it's a no-brainer, we have to run an academy and we have to make sure it's of the highest standard we can possibly get to.

"My aspirations are still to try and achieve category one, that's not going away. It just becomes a lot harder under the financial constraints but it's still an aspiration I'd like to get to."

Three more clubs - Burnley, Crystal Palace and Leeds - have taken their academies to category one status this summer, taking the current total to 27, but O'Neill anticipates that others will drop a level.

"I think there'll be some that will come out of that programme as well," he said. "They're going through their own audit process, I think the bars are constantly being raised to get to category one. And even to maintain category two licences it's getting harder. For the right reasons, everyone wants to improve the standard.

"Over a period of time if clubs are not getting revenue in and generating revenue with the investments that are being made and if there are no players coming through and no players making debuts, then clubs may look at their academies as a bit an expense."



https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/38410/chirewa-set-to-start-scholarship-despite-fulham-interest

[WhiteJC]

Fulham Host Cardiff City in Play-Off Chasing Battle

Fulham host Cardiff City at Craven Cottage on Friday night, in what will be a pivotal game in the race for the play-offs. A win for the home side would see them climb above Brentford and into third place, while a win for the Bluebirds would create a four-point cushion between them and seventh-placed Swansea City.

Play-Off Race Heats Up As Cardiff City Travel to Fulham
Fulham: Grinding Out Results

After a slow restart, Scott Parker's side have finally found their form.

Results have not been been pretty, but the Cottagers have earned nine points from their last three games. All three wins have come by a single goal.

A 96th minute winner saw them snatch three points from Birmingham City. Having dominated for much of the game, Fulham finally scored late on through a late Josh Onomah strike.

Tuesday evening also saw them collect an impressive three points away from home at play-off rivals Nottingham Forest. Are Scott Parker's side hitting form at the right time, with four games of the season to play.

Bluebirds Looking to Bounce Back From Defeat
Neil Harris' Cardiff suffered their first defeat since the Championship's restart on Tuesday evening at home to Blackburn Rovers.

In a game of few chances, the Bluebirds went into half-time ahead, thanks to goals from Will Vaulks and Robert Glatzel.

However, second half goals from Dominic Samuel and Adam Armstrong sealed an impressive away win for the visitors.

Team News
Scott Parker remained coy with team news ahead of the visit of Cardiff. The Fulham boss only confirmed that attacking midfielder Tom Cairney will be unavailable.

"Tom's still struggling at the moment, he won't be available for tomorrow," he said.

"It's day to day really with Tom, the problem is that the games are literally only two or three days [apart]. The turnaround is pretty quick.

"I don't think it's a big one, it's not one which we're too concerned about, but the dynamics of the division and the games schedule means you're missing games with just a week's injury, or a 10 day injury you can be missing three or four games.

Cardiff boss Harris stressed that the quick turnaround in fixtures is likely to dictate his team selection.

He said: "It's a quick turnaround from Tuesday to Friday so we'll look at the lads who haven't been on the grass so far and whether they can go again on Friday night. There'll be a few late calls who picked some bits up and we'll make a late call on team selection tomorrow afternoon."

Key Battles
Aleksandar Mitrovic is likely to cause problems for the visitors defence.

The Serbian has not featured for Fulham since their 3-0 defeat to Leeds United; however, he remains the top scorer in the division.

Prediction
Cardiff will no doubt be the underdogs at Craven Cottage. Fulham have one of the best records at home in the division, and will be wanting to keep up their chase for the automatic promotion spots.

Fulham 2-1 Cardiff City



https://lastwordonfootball.com/2020/07/10/fulham-host-cardiff-city-in-play-off-chasing-battle/

[filham]

Good to see four youngsters being given contracts but if any of them make it into the first team what will stop the likes of Liverpool or Spurs pouncing in the manner that Liverpool have done recently with Elliot.

[WhiteJC]

Fulham team news: Midfielder remains absent, striker set to return against Cardiff

Fulham will take on fellow Championship promotion hopefuls Cardiff City this evening (July 10) still unable to call on influential midfielder Tom Cairney.

The club captain remains unavailable even though his injury is not particularly serious, according to the club's official website.

Manager Scott Parker confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Cairney, who missed Tuesday night's 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest after suffering a knock against Birmingham City, would not be playing.

"Tom's still struggling at the moment, he won't be available for tomorrow," he said.

"It's day to day really with Tom, the problem is that the games are literally only two or three days [apart]. The turnaround is pretty quick.

In normal circumstances, Cairney might only be sidelined for a game or two but the current situation means he stands to miss out on a chunk of fixtures.

"I don't think it's a big one, it's not one which we're too concerned about, but the dynamics of the division and the games schedule means you're missing games with just a week's injury, or a 10 day injury you can be missing three or four games," Parker explained.

Winning their last three games – all by a one-goal margin – has solidified Fulham's place in the top six and they retain an outside chance of earning automatic promotion.

They've also not lost against Cardiff at home since their 2013 Premier League clash, a run of five games without defeat.



https://ninetyminutesonline.com/fulham-team-news-midfielder-remains-absent-striker-set-to-return-against-cardiff/

[WhiteJC]

Scott Parker casts injury doubt over Fulham big name ahead of clash v West Brom

Fulham manager Scott Parker has cast doubt over whether captain Tom Cairney will be available to face West Brom when the two sides meet on Tuesday evening.

The Baggies face Blackburn Rovers on Saturday before going toe-to-toe with the Whites next week in a clash that could be decisive in their promotion bid.

But Parker has confirmed that his skipper will miss Friday's meeting with Cardiff City, and will need further assessment to ascertain whether or not he can feature against Albion.

Speaking in a press conference on Thursday, he said: "Tom's still struggling at the moment, he won't be available for tomorrow.

"It's day to day really with Tom, the problem is that the games are literally only two or three days [apart]. The turnaround is pretty quick.

"I don't think it's a big one, it's not one which we're too concerned about, but the dynamics of the division and the games schedule means you're missing games with just a week's injury, or a 10 day injury you can be missing three or four games.

"We'll manage it every day and see where we are [against West Brom]."

This could be a real boost for West Brom.

Of course, regardless of whether or not Cairney plays, Bilic will approach the game with the same mentality and desire to win.

But knowing that Fulham could be without their on-field leader, a player who has hit eight goals and three assists in 37 Championship outings should fill the Baggies with a little extra confidence.

Following on from the win over Derby County in midweek, six points on our next two games would leave us at least five points clear of the play-offs with just two games to go.

At that stage, it would take the most shocking capitulation imaginable for us to miss out on a return to the Premier League.



https://www.westbromnews.co.uk/2020/07/10/scott-parker-casts-injury-doubt-over-fulham-big-name-ahead-of-clash-v-west-brom/

[WhiteJC]

Liverpool, Fulham set for Elliott tribunal after gulf in valuations revealed

Liverpool and Fulham are reportedly poles apart in their valuations of Harvey Elliott, with a tribunal set to decide how much the Cottagers should be paid in compensation.

The Reds signed the then-16-year-old from the west London club last summer, with no monies yet paid for the transfer.

Indeed, due to his age, the transfer will involve a compensation fee as opposed to a typical transfer fee.

However, the Liverpool Echo claims the clubs have not yet reached an agreement after several rounds of discussions.

They say reports claim Liverpool have offered £750,000 to Fulham, who want 10 times that amount.

As such, the Professional Footballers' Compensation Committee will resolve the situation and make a decision in the coming months.

Regardless, Elliott has enjoyed his first season at Anfield. The boyhood Reds fan became the youngest-ever player to play for the club in an EFL Cup tie with MK Dons in September.

He has made seven other first-team appearances and capped off the season with his first professional contract on Monday.

KLOPP HAILS ELLIOTT
Speaking on Tuesday, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp hailed Elliott as "unbelievable" when asked about his excitement at the talent he now has at his disposal.

As well as Elliott, Curtis Jones signed a new contract last week and Neco Williams made his first Premier League start in Wednesday's 3-1 win over Brighton.

Klopp said: "Neco (Williams) made exactly the same steps as Harvey (Elliott) and Curtis (Jones). It is a little bit easier for him to have minutes than it is for example Harvey.

"But it is not as if Harvey has not made big steps, he has been unbelievable. For a 17-year-old, it is unbelievable how good he is."

Elliott has made two Premier League appearances for Liverpool so far. He made his competition debut in a 2-0 victory over Sheffield United in January, before playing six minutes against Crystal Palace last month.



https://www.teamtalk.com/news/liverpool-fulham-elliott-tribunal

[Asotosyios]

Good to see four youngsters being given contracts but if any of them make it into the first team what will stop the likes of Liverpool or Spurs pouncing in the manner that Liverpool have done recently with Elliot.

Nothing really, but it's probably the same with Fulham getting that Scottish striker and the PSG left back.

Hopefully the youngsters will be given more time with the first team and we get to see if they are good enough or not.

Sent from my Redmi Note 8 using Tapatalk

[WhiteJC]

'I don't see why not' – Fulham and a potential permanent move for 25-year-old: The verdict

This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Fulham remain firmly in the hunt for an automatic promotion spot this season, however it's looking increasingly likely that a play-off spot is the best that they may get.

The Cottagers have been somewhat inconsistent since the season's resumption, but one figure who has impressed more than most has been midfielder Harrison Reed.

The 25-year-old is currently on loan from Southampton and is enjoying plenty of first-team minutes at Craven Cottage, and Parker is surely liking what he is seeing.

With this in mind, do you think Fulham should look to launch a permanent move for Reed in the summer?

The team here at FLW discuss....

Alfie Burns

In some tough moments since the restart, Reed has been the Fulham player that's impressed me most and you'd like to think that Parker has recognised that too.

He was fantastic in the first-half at Elland Road despite Fulham's defeat and when you look at him compared to someone like Harry Arter, he's the exact sort of midfielder you want in your midfield.

Ultimately, it might be tough to get the 25-year-old out of Southampton permanently. For me, he's good enough to be playing there and surely he sees his future at Premier League level.

For Fulham to have a chance, they might need to wrap up promotion, but even then, are Southampton going to be willing to cut ties with a midfielder that's got top-flight potential?

George Harbey

If they could get him then it would definitely be an impressive coup.

Reed is now 25 years of age and I think he needs to move somewhere where he will earn regular game time and get plenty of starts, as that's what he needs to develop and improve as a player.

He's encountered a couple of frustrating problems with injury this season but on the whole he has been a hugely impressive player in the middle of the park, and he's capable of playing at a higher level I feel.

He's good with the ball at his feet, he's as good at going forward as he is defensively, and that balance has been key for Scott Parker's side in the middle of the park this term.

If he isn't in Southampton's plans and they can negotiate a good fee for him then I don't see why not.

Jacob Potter

I think it should be a no-brainer for Fulham.

Reed has really impressed me this season with the Cottagers, and has certainly played his part in their push for promotion back into the Premier League.

I struggle to see where he would fit in the Southampton team ahead of his return to the club, so therefore, Fulham should definitely look towards making them a permanent offer for the midfielder in the summer transfer window.

He'd provide Scott Parker with much-needed depth in midfield, and I think he'd be keen to prove a point next season if Fulham were playing their football in the Premier League.

It'd be the best move for both parties involved, that's for sure.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/i-dont-see-why-not-fulham-and-a-potential-permanent-move-for-25-year-old-the-verdict/

[WhiteJC]

Big injury doubt for Fulham revealed ahead of huge West Brom clash next week

Speaking to the press in his pre-match press conference yesterday afternoon, Scott Parker offered an update on Tom Cairney's fitness.

The midfielder missed their last game – a win at Nottingham Forest – and is set to miss more big matches in the near future by the sound of things.

According to his manager, he is definitely out of contention for the Cardiff City match tonight at Craven Cottage, and it remains touch and go for the big one against West Brom next week.

The Verdict

Fulham have seen results pick up with Aleksandar Mitrovic suspended and Cairney injured since, but they are bound to want both back in the side.

The Serbian's return is looking a lot closer than Cairney's, though, with the midfielder potentially set to miss two big games as the Lilywhites try to earn promotion back into the Premier League.

The game with West Brom is obviously the biggest one for them left, in terms of the top two.

If they can beat a play-off challenging Cardiff tonight, and then beat the Baggies, automatic promotion is still possible – though Brentford are obviously a big part of the picture as well.

Having Cairney fit for that one would be a big boost, then, but it remains to be seen if they'll have him.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/big-injury-doubt-for-fulham-revealed-ahead-of-huge-west-brom-clash-next-week/