Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 18/08/20...

[WhiteJC]

Fulham set to sign hotly-tipped Wigan left-back Antonee Robinson for £1.9m as they fend off Newcastle, Sheffield United and West Brom

    Fulham believe they have secured the signing of Wigan's Antonee Robinson
    The 23-year-old is poised to sign for £1.9m on a contract worth £45k per week
    Fulham are prioritising signing defenders after promotion to Premier League

Fulham believe they have won the race for Wigan Athletic full-back Antonee Robinson.

The 23-year-old USA international is poised to join for £1.9million on a contract worth around £45,000 per week.

The former Everton trainee had interest from Newcastle United, Sheffield United and West Brom but is leaning towards a link-up with bright-thinking Fulham boss Scott Parker.


Fulham believe they have won the race for Wigan Athletic full-back Antonee Robinson

Fulham are making defence their priority to start strengthening with another centre-back and right-back on their agenda plus a central midfielder.

Sportsmail revealed that Fulham's recent promotion to the Premier League helped Wolves bag a £10m bonus with the loan of Ivan Cavaleiro to the Cottagers.

Wigan are also expecting offers from Middlesbrough and Bristol City for midfielder Joe Williams.


The 23-year old is poised to join for £1.9million on a contract worth around £45,000 per week



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8635157/Fulham-set-sign-hotly-tipped-Wigan-left-Antonee-Robinson-1-9m.html

[WhiteJC]

Fulham close in on Robinson capture

Fulham are close to completing the signing of Wigan left back Antonee Robinson, according to the Daily Mail.

The paper says that the Cottagers are confident that they have secured their first signing since returning to the Premier League after activating a relegation release clause in the American international's contract with the Latics. The £1.9m alerted a number of Premier League sides to the 23 year-old's availability, but Fulham have put together the most attractive wage package, with the Mail putting the proposed salary at around £45,000-per-week.

Robinson, who made 62 appearances for Wigan in total after initially moving to the DW Stadium on loan, had been close to joining AC Milan in January only for the deal to fall through as he landed in Italy to finalise terms. Should he complete a move to Craven Cottage, the ex-Everton trainee, who has won seven senior caps for the United States, would likely be completing with Joe Bryan, the scorer of the two goals that took the Whites back to the top flight against Brentford a fortnight ago, for a starting spot in Scott Parker's side.

The Mail also says that Fulham are looking to add a centre half, right back and a central midfielder in the coming weeks. Previous reports had suggested that the newly-promoted club were looking to turn Harrison Reed's successful loan spell from Southampton into a permanent move, with the loan deal containing a £8m future fee clause that Fulham were seeking to trigger.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2020/08/fulham-close-in-on-robinson-capture/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fulham-close-in-on-robinson-capture

[WhiteJC]

Fulham in pole position to win Premier League transfer tussle

Fulham believe that they have won the race to sign Wigan Athletic left-back Antonee Robinson, with the USA international in-line for a £45k-a-week deal at Craven Cottage.

There's been significant interest in the Wigan full-back after the Latics' relegation and administration, with Premier League opportunities on the table for the 23-year-old.

As per the Daily Mail, Fulham believe they've won the race to sign Robinson, though, with Scott Parker's side beating the likes of Sheffield United, Newcastle United and West Brom to the £1.9m signing.

A healthy contract of £45k-a-week is reportedly on the table, with Scott Parker a big factor in luring Robinson to London, despite widespread interest from the Premier League.

Robinson is a former Everton trainee, but he's spent time with Wigan developing in recent seasons and made the move to the DW Stadium permanent in 2019.

38 appearances were made last season for Paul Cook's side, with Robinson returning a goal and an assist in an impressive individual campaign.

A move to AC Milan was on the horizon in January, but that fell through late in the transfer window and left Robinson finishing the campaign with Wigan, who were relegated after a 12-point deduction.

At the other end of the table, Fulham finished fourth in the Championship and won promotion through the play-offs after progressing past Cardiff City and Brentford.

The Verdict

It's quite the coup for Fulham if they get this deal over the line.

There's so much Premier League interest in Robinson, with Sheffield United looking a really attractive move at this moment in time.

However, Fulham look to have swooped at just the right time and make a splash in the window.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-in-pole-position-to-win-premier-league-transfer-tussle/

[WhiteJC]

Report: PL midfielder snubs chance to join Fulham on loan; heading to Norwich instead

According to a report from the Standard, Tottenham's Oliver Skipp is on his way to the Championship for a season out on loan.

Spurs boss Jose Mourinho is a huge fan of the teenager having heaped praise on him on more than one occasion. After Tottenham's defeat at the hands of Norwich City in the FA Cup, the experienced Portuguese labelled Skipp as 'phenomenal' for his performance on the night (Football London).

As impressed as Mourinho is, he doesn't have a place for the 19-year-old in his squad for next season. Skipp, like Troy Parrott, is expected to go out on loan and it looks like he has picked a club.

The report claims that Skipp had offers from newly-promoted Fulham, Huddersfield Town, Reading, Trabzonspor, Wolfsburg and Arminia Bielefeld but he rejected them all.

The Spurs youngster has chosen Norwich City and he was reportedly at their training ground this morning to agree personal terms with Daniel Farke's side.

A move to a top-flight team like Fulham or to one of the Bundesliga sides made sense considering the level of football compared to the Championship.

However, Skipp reportedly wants to emulate Chelsea's Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount before having a real go in the Premier League. The duo made a name for themselves in the Championship before having successful campaigns in the top flight with the Blues last season.

Skipp is aiming to do just that and who better to nurture him than Farke? The German has worked wonders with Norwich and, despite going down from the Premier League, they are still a very good young side.

If things go as planned, Skipp will come back a more experienced player and he will be ready to feature in the Premier League. Mourinho's liking of the teenager is brilliant news for him and he could well have a spot waiting when he returns to North London next year.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/08/17/report-pl-midfielder-snubs-chance-to-join-fulham-on-loan-heading-to-norwich-instead/

[WhiteJC]

Antonee Robinson on brink of Fulham switch
Antonee Robinson has travelled to Fulham for a medical.

He is on the brink of a move to the London club ahead of their return to the Premier League this season.

It was reportedly elsewhere at the weekend Fulham had offered him an attractive £50,000-a-week contract.

Of more interest to Wigan Athletic fans will be the transfer fee, which will go some way towards eating into the club's football creditors' debt of £6.5m.

Latics still owe Robinson's former club Everton around £500,000 in unpaid fees for the left-back.

That money, and any other unpaid fees, need to be cleared before a club can exit administration.

But a move for around £2m - which was his release fee, in the event of relegation - will leave the club's administrators with a surplus of close to £1.5m.

Sheffield United and Everton were also keen on the 23 year-old USA international.

Robinson was set to join AC Milan for £10million in January before the move fell through at the last minute when his medical revealed a heart issue.

He returned to action in June as Latics climbed up the table - only for a 12-point deduction, for entering administration, to plunge them through the relegation trapdoor.

Presuming his move to Fulham goes through, he will follow Kieffer Moore (Cardiff), Joe Gelhardt (Leeds), Alfie Devine (Spurs), Jensen Weir (Brighton) and Daniel Gyollai (Peterborough) out the exit.

Out-of-contract Leon Balogun (Rangers) and Chey Dunkley (Sheffield Wednesday) have also moved on while manager Paul Cook resigned.



https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/football/antonee-robinson-brink-fulham-switch-2944921

[WhiteJC]

Mitro's Nomination

Aleksandar Mitrović has been nominated for the PFA Bristol Street Motors Championship Fans' Player of the Year award.

The Serbian forward amassed 26 goals to his name this season, scooping the Championship's Golden Boot accolade.

He faces stern competition from five other players who include: Brentford's Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma, West Brom midfielder Matheus Pereira, QPR's Eberechi Eze and Leeds defender Luke Ayling.

You can vote for Mitro by clicking his image below!



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/august/17/mitro-player-of-the-season-nomination

[WhiteJC]

Robinson set for Fulham medical

Wigan defender Antonee Robinson has travelled to London for a medical ahead of his proposed move to Fulham.

The newly-promoted Premier League side have agreed personal terms with the American international full-back, with various reports placing the size of the 23 year old's proposed wage package at between £45,000 and £50,000 a week. Fulham's substantial offer has beaten off competition from Everton, who were keen for their former youngster to return to Goodison Park, and Sheffield United, who had previously been described as front runners for Robinson's signature.

Robinson saw a dream move to AC Milan collapse because of a heart problem, but the defender return to action with Wigan in June and that is not expected to be an issue in his forthcoming Fulham medical. The attack minded full-back, who is poised to become Scott Parker's first signing of the summer, will have to displace Joe Bryan, whose brilliant brace against Brentford won promotion at Wembley earlier this month, from the Fulham starting line-up.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2020/08/robinson-set-for-fulham-medical/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=robinson-set-for-fulham-medical

[WhiteJC]

Fulham interest in Leeds United target Luis reveals huge £42.5m cost

According to the Daily Mail's Simon Jones, Fulham have "identified" 20-year-old Portuguese midfielder Florentino Luis as a player who could strengthen the Cottagers midfield ahead of their return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

In doing so, Fulham will directly rival Leeds United who is also interested in the Portugal Under-21 international with two caps to his name as well as 69 appearances at all age-representative levels for Portugal.

The Lisboa-born youngster, who has a €120million release, has been at Benfica since signing for them from Real SC Formação in 2010. He moved through the youth ranks and made the step up from the B side at Benfica at the start of February last year.

Since being at the club, Florentino has made 32 appearances for Benfica's first-team (1 goal/1 assist) as well as appearing 69 times for the B team (1 goal/2 assists). However, Benfica are happy to cash in on their rising star – if the price is right, that is.

Indeed, it has taken Fulham's interest, or so it seems, to unearth just what this cost would be to both Fulham themselves and also to an interested Leeds United outfit.

Writing for The Daily Mail's 'Mail Online' portal, Jones states that Florentino is available for a relatively innocuous loan fee of just £2.5m. However, the sting in the tail comes with the closing payment to make the transfer a permanent one; that payment would need to be £40m.



https://the72.co.uk/187080/fulham-interest-in-leeds-united-target-luis-reveals-huge-42-5m-deal-coast/

[WhiteJC]

Exclusive: 23-year-old int'l undergoing medical ahead of imminent Fulham transfer

Wigan Athletic full-back Antonee Robinson is undergoing a medical ahead of a proposed move to Fulham, Football Insider understands.

The 23-year-old has been linked with an exit from the Latics for some time, and has essentially seen his departure sealed by the club's administration and subsequent relegation to League One.

A Fulham source has told Football Insider that the player is currently in London as he looks to put the finishing touches to his transfer to Craven Cottage.

The series of events surrounding Wigan's drop down to the third tier triggered a clause in Robinson's contract that means he is available for a cut-price fee this summer.

Sky reported last week that Sheffield United had already had a bid of around £2 million accepted for the USA international, but Everton and Fulham were both in the process of making late bids to sign him.

And it would appear that Scott Parker's men have beaten off their Premier League rivals to secure his services, with The Sun suggesting that he is being offered a wage of around £50,000-a-week.

Robinson had previously been set to join AC Milan in a deal worth up to £10 million in January, but the move fell through at the eleventh hour after an underlying health condition was found.

The left-back made 38 Championship appearances for the Latics last season, with his final outing coming against Fulham in a 1-1 draw.

Robinson joined Everton as an 11-year-old but never made a senior appearance for the Toffees, and left Goodison Park on a permanent basis last summer.



https://www.footballinsider247.com/exclusive-intl-talent-undergoing-medical-ahead-of-imminent-fulham-transfer/

[WhiteJC]

Bryan pricey at £5.0m but Rodak may rack up the save points in Fulham defence

Having provided the lowdown on Fulham manager Scott Parker, our series on the newly-promoted Premier League sides continues with this look at the Cottagers' defence.

We will discuss the west London side's midfielders and forwards in our final piece.

In this article, we will assess Fulham's overall clean sheet chances and then present a player-by-player rundown of their backline.

With the likes of Charlie Taylor, Ruben Vinagre and Luke Ayling all available for £4.5m, the Cottagers' defenders will have a tough task in convincing us of their worth.

Their shot-stopping goalkeeper may be a save point-magnet in 2020/21, however.

We've again roped in the help of Brandon Kelley, Fantasy Football Scout frequenter, co-host of the Always Cheating podcast and a New York-based Fulham supporter, for this feature.

WHAT IS FULHAM'S CLEAN SHEET POTENTIAL?
Fulham only had the fourth-best defensive record in the Championship last season, having conceded 48 goals in 46 matches.

The Cottagers kept 17 clean sheets in 2019/20, five fewer than champions Leeds United (22) but three more than runners-up West Bromwich Albion (14).

It's always a promising sign for FPL if a newly promoted side looks defensively solid in home games but, rather concerningly, Parker's troops conceded more goals on their own soil (26) than eight other Championship clubs last season.

Overall, they were ranked sixth for fewest expected goals conceded and fewest shots conceded per match.

Their two goalkeepers, more on which in the next section, were kept busier than Leeds and West Brom's custodians, making 118 saves between them.

The Cottagers' league record was as follows:

	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS	CS
Total	46	23	12	11	64	48	+16	81	17
Home	23	15	2	6	40	26	+14	47	10
Away	23	8	10	5	24	22	+2	34	7

CS = Clean sheets

As was the case with West Brom, Fulham tightened up in the second half of 2019/20.

Just six of their shut-outs arrived in the first 23 'Gameweeks' of the Championship campaign, with the other 11 arriving thereafter.

It was perhaps no coincidence, with centre-back Michael Hector (£4.5m) arriving in the January transfer window and having a transformative effect on the Fulham backline.

The Cottagers kept ten clean sheets in the 20 games that Hector started, conceding on just 17 occasions.

Brandon Kelley told us:

Fulham's 2018–19 squad were whipping boys and they had one of the worst defences that the Premier League has seen in recent memory. It wasn't helped by a constant goalkeeper rotation, an injury to new signing Alfie Mawson, and needing to bed in two full-back replacements for both Ryan Fredericks and Matt Targett – both of whom were immense in Fulham's previous push to promotion.

Some of Fulham's defensive issues have since been fixed, notably the emergence of Marek Rodak and Michael Hector's signing from Sheffield Wednesday. Hector has an imperious stature and eye for a tackle that reminds me (sorry, but I'm going there) of Virgil van Dijk and his solid play has almost certainly brought some of the confidence back that Tim Ream had lost during his last Premier League campaign.

Our Fulham correspondent also hailed the influence of loanee Harrison Reed (£4.5m), who remains a Southampton player at the time of writing but who did a commendable job as a defensive midfielder in the English second tier last season:

It's also worth noting that Harrison Reed, who was on loan from Southampton last season, shielded Fulham's defence incredibly well. If Parker is able to work a permanent deal and keep Reed in his midfield, then I'd genuinely be eyeing a Fulham goalkeeper or defender at £4.5m.

PLAYER BY PLAYER

*Figures given below are for the regulation Championship season only and exclude the three play-off matches

MAREK RODAK
Goalkeeper

Starts: 33 | Clean sheets: 13

Marcus Bettinelli (£4.5m) had started the season between the posts for Fulham but was deposed after just 12 games, with Marek Rodak (£4.5m) remaining as Parker's first-choice goalkeeper for the rest of the season.

Rodak, who had spent the previous two years on loan at Rotherham United, impressed upon his promotion to the starting XI, going on to register 13 clean sheets in 33 starts (he was sent off early on in the 0-0 draw with Middlesbrough in October, so we won't count that).

While clean sheets might be a significant concern for Fulham based on what we have discussed above, Rodak looks a good bet for save points in FPL next season.

Just four first-team regulars in the Championship made more saves per match than the 23-year-old Slovak (2.9), a figure that will no doubt rise with more potent attacks to come up against in 2020/21.

His save percentage of 76.9% was also the best in the English second tier, while he also significantly outperformed his expected goals conceded tally.

Our Fulham expert, Brandon Kelley, talked up the young shot-stopper's prospects:

Perhaps the best bet for straightforward FPL returns will be goalkeeper Marek Rodak, who has proven to be a decent shot-stopper. With Nick Pope confirmed at £5.5m, many FPL managers will be looking for a new cheap goalkeeper and I wonder if Rodak's first season in the Premier League might be reminiscent of the early days of Lukasz Fabianski (whose middle name just happens to be... Marek!).

JOE BRYAN
Left-back

Starts: 39 | Substitute Appearances: 4 | Goals: 1 | Assists: 7

Joe Bryan's (£5.0m) brace in the play-off final may have sealed his fate in Fantasy Premier League, with the powers-that-be subsequently opting to make him the most expensive Fulham defender in the game and hand him a £5.0m starting price.

The left-back had scored only one goal in the regular season, finding the back of the net against Wigan Athletic with an effort from just inside the Latics' box.

While he did register more shots (38) than any other Fulham defender, his minutes-per-chance average (89.9) wasn't even the best of the Cottagers' backline and he had just one 'big chance' all season.

He had also taken only one direct free-kick before his heroics at Wembley.

It was Bryan's assist potential that really stood out, with the 26-year-old full-back setting up seven goals in all – six of which were for Aleksandar Mitrovic (£6.0m).

Firing over more crosses from open play than any other Fulham player, Bryan was also second in line behind Anthony Knockaert (£5.5m) at corner-kick situations.

A minutes-per-chance-created average of 69.7 was the best of the west London side's defensive assets.

A word of caution, though.

Bryan's previous full campaign in the Championship, with Bristol City in 2017/18, saw him score on five occasions and set up a further three goals.

Again priced up by FPL as a £5.0m defender in 2018/19 off the back of those exploits, he registered just one attacking return – an assist – in 2,344 minutes of Premier League football.

Always Cheating's Brandon Kelley also urged caution, saying:

Joe Bryan took all of the headlines for his play-off final heroics, and he does look much improved since one year ago, but don't be fooled: Bryan won't be scoring many free kicks in the Premier League, especially if Neeskens Kebano is on the pitch.

DENIS ODOI
Right-back

Starts: 30 | Substitute Appearances: 4 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 1

Denis Odoi made more appearances at right-back than any other Fulham player last season but few Fantasy managers will be going near the 32-year-old Belgian if he stays in west London.

Odoi was mostly a regular pick when he was available (seven of his no-shows were enforced through injury or suspension) but there was the occasional benching, most notably in the play-off double-header against Cardiff City.

The step up in class next season might be in Odoi's favour if he signs a new deal (his contract expires this summer), with the Belgian a more defensive-minded option than Cyrus Christie (£4.5m) at right-back and a nice counterbalance to the offensive Joe Bryan on the other flank.

Odoi offers little for FPL managers to get excited about, however, with his minutes-per-chance-created average at a poor 185.8 and his last goal coming back in 2017/18.

CYRUS CHRISTIE
Right-back

Starts: 13 | Substitute Appearances: 11 | Goals: 1 | Assists: 1

Cyrus Christie (£4.5m) is a more attacking option than Odoi at right-back.

Christie's rates of goal attempts (one every 79.5 minutes), shots in the box (one every 130.1 minutes) and efforts on target (one every 286.2 minutes) were the best of the Fulham backline but, given that he has failed to score more than one goal in each of his last seven seasons, this is no Matt Doherty we're talking about and some context has to be provided.

Bryan bettered him for key passes, meanwhile.

Just 13 Championship starts (plus two in the play-offs) highlights the lack of security and even if Odoi leaves, Parker will surely look to reinforce his options at right-back.

TIM REAM
Centre-back

Starts: 44 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0

In our previous analysis of Parker, we mentioned his fondness for a conservative passing game.

That begins at the back, with the three leading Championship players for passes per match in 2019/20 all being Fulham centre-halves.

Top of that list is Tim Ream (£4.5m), whose total of 3,148 passes was the highest in the English second tier last season.

His pass completion rate of 89.3% was also the best of Fulham's defenders in 2019/20, which will aid Ream's cause in picking up bonus points on the occasions that the Cottagers keep clean sheets.

That's about all that Ream offers, however.

The USA international, who has scored on just three occasions in his professional career, presents next to no goal threat and had just two shots in the whole of 2019/20.

The 32-year-old centre-half only created a chance every 395.1 minutes, meanwhile.

A sizeable section of the Fulham support would like to see an upgrade on Ream as the left-sided centre-back next year but after 44 league starts under Parker last season and limited time to dip into the transfer market, the American could still be a starter heading into 2020/21.

MICHAEL HECTOR
Centre-back

Starts: 20 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 2

As we discussed earlier in the article, Michael Hector's (£4.5m) capture from Chelsea had an instant impact on Fulham's defence.

The Cottagers kept clean sheets in the first three of Hector's starts and looked much more solid from his debut onwards, with the Jamaica international dubbed 'Virgil van Mike' by the Fulham faithful for his dominant displays.

Brandon Kelley said of the centre-back:

    Parker has talked a great deal about stabilising the club, which will surely entail a greater focus on defensive organisation. Michael Hector transformed the Fulham backline when he was signed last season and he'll be heavily involved in tackles, blocks and clearances – all BPS-worthy actions.

It's worth taking a closer look at those baseline bonus point-earning figures:

Player	Minutes per clearance,	Minutes per recovery
	block and interception (CBI)
Hector	14.4	14.8
Mawson	15.4	17.0
Odoi	18.4	15.3
Christie	19.1	24.3
Ream	20.8	16.2
Bryan	23.9	17.5

Add Hector's impressive defensive contributions to those passing figures we mentioned when discussing Ream earlier – Hector was ranked third among all Championship players for passes per game – and he should be well-reflected on the Bonus Points System.

Whether Fulham are good enough to keep more than a handful of clean sheets and get him in the mix for bonus points on a regular basis is debatable, however.

For someone so good in the air, Hector doesn't score too many goals and he managed only six attempts in his 20 Fulham appearances.

Keep an eye out for his 'Hollywood' passes, though: two of his raking long balls led to assists against Huddersfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday.

ALFIE MAWSON
Centre-back

Starts: 25 | Substitute Appearances: 2 |Goals: 0 | Assists: 0

FPL managers may remember Alfie Mawson's (£4.5m) goalscoring exploits from his time at Swansea City, with the budget defender scoring four goals from centre-back in 2016/17.

He indeed had more shots (12) than Ream and Fulham-era Hector put together last season, although his minutes-per-chance average of 183 was still unremarkable.

Mawson was the fall guy when Hector arrived, losing his place and then failing to regain it after a spell on the sidelines with a knee injury.

The Hector-Mawson partnership is one that Parker hasn't tried outside of the FA Cup and it is a possibility next season if no other bodies arrive, with Mawson more at home in Ream's role on the left-hand side of defence.

THE REST

Marcus Bettinelli (£4.5m) started out 2019/20 as Fulham's first-choice goalkeeper but lost his place after 12 matches, returning only briefly when Rodak was dismissed and subsequently suspended in the autumn.

It remains to be seen if returning loanee Fabri (£4.0m) features in Parker's plans in the Premier League and a place among the substitutes looks to be about the best that Bettinelli can hope for come Gameweek 1.

Maxime Le Marchand (£4.5m) started only three games all season, deputising for Bryan at left-back on two occasions.

The Frenchman was also thrown on as a substitute in nine fixtures, often as an additional centre-half as Fulham tried to close down a match.

Steven Sessegnon (£4.5m) saw a bit more game-time than Le Marchand but eight of his nine Championship starts came in the first two months of the campaign, with the youngster initially having been drafted in to cover for the injured Odoi at right-back.

He was mostly a substitute for the remainder of the season and, barring an injury crisis, he'll likely be well down the pecking order when football resumes in September.




https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2020/08/17/bryan-pricey-at-5-0m-but-rodak-may-rack-up-the-save-points-in-fulham-defence/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham set to sign Antonee Robinson after he turns down Everton return

Fulham are in the driving seat to sign Antonee Robinson from Wigan Athletic after the left-back turned down a return to Everton, The Sun reports.

The 23-year-old was on the cusp of joining AC Milan from the Latics in January, but the move fell through at the final hurdle due to his irregular health rhythm.

The condition automatically corrected itself without the need for a surgery and he now appears set to get his first crack at Premier League football.

Sheffield United were initially regarded as the favourites to sign the left-back before Fulham and Everton leapfrogged them in the race by offering better wages.

The Cottagers are now close to landing his signature after he rejected the proposal from the Toffees, who sold him to the Latics on a permanent deal last summer.

Robinson graduated through the youth ranks at the Merseyside outfit, but he failed to make a single appearance for them in any competition.

The club are on the search for a new left-back to compete with Lucas Digne after the retirement of Leighton Baines, but they may have to look elsewhere.

Robinson is set to earn a significant rise on his wages with the Cottagers prepared to pay him £50,000-a-week, which is 10 times of what he is currently earning.

He should prove a bargain signing for the west London outfit, given he is expected to cost only £1.9m due to the release clause after Wigan's relegation to League One.

Still, Robinson won't have an easy path to the starting lineup next term, given he would have to displace Joe Bryan, who starred in the Championship play-off final with two goals.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com



https://sportslens.com/fulham-winning-the-race-to-sign-antonee-robinson/308452/

[WhiteJC]

Exclusive: Major Leeds boost in bid to sign London-based hero as capital medical begins

Leeds United have joined the race to sign Fulham defender Joe Bryan and have been handed a major boost in their pursuit.

Scott Parker's side are on the verge of finalising a deal for Wigan Athletic left-back Antonee Robinson, who arrived in London yesterday for a medical.

A Leeds source has told Football Insider the imminent Robinson deal has given them encouragement that Bryan may be available for transfer.

Marcelo Bielsa's side are in the market for a left-back and are targeting a move for the 26-year-old.

As revealed by Football Insider, Rangers star Borna Barisic is also on the radar as they look to strengthen the left side of their defence.

Leeds face strong competition for Bryan, who is also attracting interest from Leicester City and Newcastle United.

The defender enhanced his reputation with his play-off final heroics earlier this month when he scored twice in extra-time to steer Fulham back to the Premier League at the first attempt.

Fulham valued Bryan at around £5million earlier this summer after previously setting a £7m asking price for him.

He has two years remaining on his contract, which also includes the option in the Cottagers' favour of a further 12 months.



https://www.footballinsider247.com/leeds-united-in-pursuit-of-bryan-as-robinson-joins-fulham/

[kiwian]

If Robinson is signed, that would give Joe the opportunity to play further forward on the left, imo.