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Friday Fulham Stuff - 11/09/20...

Started by WhiteJC, September 10, 2020, 01:33:58 PM

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WhiteJC

Fulham take keeper Alphonse Areola on season-long loan from PSG

Fulham have signed Paris St Germain goalkeeper Alphonse Areola on a season-long loan.

The Premier League newcomers also hold an option to make the 27-year-old France international's move permanent.

Areola told FFCtv: "I am very happy everything is done.

"Scott Parker (Fulham manager) called me and I had a good feeling. He said he really wanted me.

"Fulham is a historic club in London and I have heard a lot about the stadium.

"I hope this season will be a good one for us. I want to bring my energy and do everything for this team to keep us where we belong to be."

Areola has made over 100 appearances for Paris St Germain since making his debut in 2013 and was a member of France's World Cup-winning squad in 2018.

He spent last season on loan at Real Madrid, where he picked up a LaLiga winner's medal.

Fulham sporting director Tony Khan said: "I'm thrilled to welcome Alphonse Areola to our Fulham family.
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"Alphonse has experience at the very highest level, as he's played in France's national team, won the league title with PSG, had success at RC Lens, Bastia and with Villarreal, and most recently he played for Real Madrid as they won LaLiga last season.

"We're excited that he's joining us, and he'll be an excellent addition to our squad for our Premier League campaign ahead."



https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/fulham-take-keeper-alphonse-areola-on-season-long-loan-from-psg-1599679020000

WhiteJC

EFL Trophy Tie With Fulham U21s Arranged

Details of the EFL Trophy tie with Fulham under 21s confirmed.

Posh face Fulham under 21s at the Weston Homes Stadium in October.

Peterborough United can confirm that the EFL Trophy second group stage fixture against Fulham under 21s will take place at the Weston Homes Stadium on Tuesday 6th October, with kick-off at 7pm.

Posh opened their EFL Trophy account with two points following a penalty shoot-out success over Burton Albion while the Cottagers were beaten 2-0 by Cambridge United.



https://www.theposh.com/news/2020/september/efl-trophy-tie-with-fulham-u21s-arranged/

WhiteJC

Leeds United 'at the window' for signing, Fulham thought to be ahead of Whites

On Wednesday, we carried a report from O Jogo, who explained Fulham are planning to return with an improved offer for Florentino Luís after Benfica turned down their second proposal.

The Cottagers latest offer was €2m for a loan deal with an obligatory clause to buy the midfielder for €30m.

Leeds United have now become the latest English club to join the chase for the 21-year-old.

That's what TuttoMercatoWeb are reporting, and they state the Whites are 'at the window' for Luís.

AC Milan have been credited with an interest in the Portuguese youngster, but as per the report, the defensive midfielder 'moves away' from the Serie A side.

It's claimed Luís 'runs fast towards the Premier League', where Fulham have a 'great advantage' to secure his services. There's no explanation on why Scott Parker's side have an 'advantage'.

With regards to Marcelo Bielsa's side, the website only states Leeds are 'at the window' for Luís, and no additional information is provided.

Luís has €120m release clause in his contract, which runs until 2024.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-great-advantage-sign-21-year-old-leeds-united-window-player/


WhiteJC

Arsenal-linked 'top' international joins Fulham on loan, could feature against Gunners this weekend

Arsenal appear to have a goalkeeping dilemma on their hands at present, with two top-class stoppers both keen on the Gunners first-team gloves.

While Bernd Leno is currently the number one, Emiliano Martinez impressed in the German's absence last season and also featured in the Community Shield this term.

The latter has been linked with a move to Aston Villa, who are reportedly looking for a new stopper in the absence of the injured Tom Heaton.

According to an Evening Standard report from earlier in the week, Arsenal were offered Alphonse Areola on loan by Paris Saint-Germain.

The France international – a member of Les Bleus' 2018 World Cup-winning squad – was mentioned to the Gunners as a possible short-term replacement for Martinez, added the report.

However, this will no longer be the case after fellow London side Fulham announced on Wednesday evening that they'd signed Areola on loan.

The 6ft 5in custodian will remain at Craven Cottage for the duration of the 2020-21 season, with the West Londoners holding an option to make the move permanent.

Areola came through the ranks at PSG and has made 107 senior appearances for the French capital side, keeping an impressive 53 shutouts and conceding just 87 goals.

The 27-year-old also has several other loan spells on his CV, including at fellow French outfits Lens and Bastia, plus Spanish duo Villarreal and Real Madrid.

TBR View:

Areola is a high-calibre goalkeeper whose career so far has been somewhat baffling, given he is undoubtedly good enough to be a regular first-team starter.

"I was not surprised that Real Madrid signed Areola, there were few better goalkeepers," Jesus Unanua, his former coach at Villarreal, told Marca last year. "He is top and can prove it.

"Areola is a sponge, he wants to learn everything. What he needs is the continuity that he did not have at PSG."

With Arsenal travelling to Fulham in their Premier League opener this weekend, a player they were linked with could now be lining up against them.



https://tbrfootball.com/arsenal-linked-top-international-joins-fulham-on-loan-could-feature-against-gunners-this-weekend/

WhiteJC

Fulham teenager Sylvester Jasper wanted by a host of Championship sides on a loan basis after emerging as a major talent at Craven Cottage

    Fulham starlet Sylvester Jasper is a top target for a host of Championship clubs
    The 18-year-old forward is highly regarded at Craven Cottage under Scott Parker
    Jasper signed a new contract with the club, keeping him there until at least 2023
    However, Fulham could look to send their youngster out on loan this summer

Fulham youngster Sylvester Jasper is emerging a target for a host of Championship clubs ahead of the new season.

The 18-year-old forward is highly regarded at Craven Cottage and has already featured for the first team under Scott Parker.

It remains to be seen whether the newly promoted club will consider allowing Jasper leave on loan ahead of the new season as Parker sizes up Fulham's return to the Premier League.


Sylvester Jasper is wanted by a number of Championship clubs on loan this season

Nevertheless, a host of top EFL sides are understood to be monitoring his situation, primarily ahead of the January window, in the event of the teenager being allowed to leave the club on a temporary basis.

Jasper, who is an England youth international, is viewed as a major talent at Fulham but the club may decide it will aid his development to leave on a short-term basis so he can play more regular senior football.

Jasper, who is contracted at the club until the summer of 2023, made his senior debut against Manchester City in January, and appeared twice in the league post-lockdown, against Brentford and Birmingham City.

He also set the Under-18 Premier League South alight last season, scoring nine goals and registering 10 assists in just 18 appearances during their title winning season.     


Scott Parker rates him very highly and is weighing up whether to let him go out on loan

Consequently, Jasper was called upon by Under-23s throughout their 2019-2020 campaign. The 18-year-old scored twice in five PL2 appearances and featured in the EFL Trophy. 

Jasper's impressive form saw Fulham hand the youngster a new three year deal at the club. Having put pen to paper, the Jasper said: 'I'm delighted to have signed a new contract with this great Club, especially after a great season for myself personally.

'And the Club winning promotion to the Premier League makes it even more special. My main focus now is to work hard and help the team any way I can to have a good season in the Prem.'



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8717447/Fulham-teenager-Sylvester-Jasper-wanted-host-Championship-sides-loan-basis.html

WhiteJC

Mitro: The Premier League proving ground awaits

Our return to the Premier League offers our talismanic Serbian striker a chance to show he's a force to be reckoned with at the top table of English football. How will he fare? Sean Guest looks into the numbers.


When we secured the services of Aleksandar Mitrović in January 2018, he wasn't exactly the goal-scoring machine we've come to know and love. Over the first half of the 2017/18 season, he made just six appearances for Newcastle United, scoring a single goal. Prior to that, he found the net just 14 times in 65 league appearances on Tyneside, leaving many to question his ability to serve as a primary goal-scoring threat, particularly in the top flight.

His second stint in the Premier League did little to dispel those concerns, as Mitro, like Fulham, failed to hit the heights expected, scoring just 11 times in 37 appearances as the Cottagers were relegated. Now, Mitro is back in the big-time once again, but can he prove once and for all that he belongs there?

Hitting the ground running
As in 2018/19, Mitro is coming off a Championship campaign that saw him dominate defences across the division. During his loan spell with Fulham he scored 12 goals in just 17 appearances. This year, it was 26 in 40, good enough to win the Golden Boot . And while a combination of suspension and injury meant he was largely absent for the final few weeks of the campaign, Mitro will be hoping to get off to a hot start when our season kicks off against Arsenal on Saturday.

Last time around he did exactly that, taking advantage of early fixtures against the likes of Burnley, Brighton and Watford to score five goals in Fulham's first six games. During that stretch, his expected goals rating hovered around 1.0, while he averaged 4.5 shots and 2 shots on target per game, logging a conversion rate of a goal every 5.4 shots. Like the team though, he soon fell into a funk, scoring just two goals in the next 13 matches. That period saw his expected goals rating exceed a lowly 0.4 just once, in the team's 3-2 win over Southampton in November, a game in which Mitro found the back of the net twice. Meanwhile, his shots per game average fell to 2.8, his shots on target average slumped to just 0.8 and his conversion rate to one goal for every 18.5 shots.

Of course, part-way through this stretch of games, Mitro's fellow Serb, and the man who convinced him to move to SW6, Slavisa Jokanovic, was relieved of his duties. Mitro thrived in Slav's fluid, possession-based system, which even prompted Cardiff manager Neil Warnock to refer to the team as the "Manchester City of the Championship" ahead of the 2017/18 play-off final, thanks to the fact that they led the league in completion (83.1%) and total passes (24,857). One of the keys to Fulham's, and by extension Mitro's, success under this system was Tom Cairney, who led the team and the Championship that season in passes per match in 2017/18 (81.1). Due to a foot injury sustained in just our third game of the season, TC missed seven of Slav's 12 Premier League games. By the time he returned to action in early November, the team were four games into a six-game losing streak that would cost the manager his job.

A change for the worse
While many, including Eni Aluko writing in the Guardian, felt Jokanovic deserved more time, Shahid Khan disagreed, and appointed a manager he felt would help fix Fulham's defence, which had conceded a league-worst 31 goals by that point. Although they did improve marginally at that end of the field under the "risk-free and ready-made" Claudio Ranieri, his system, which effectively saw us sit deep for extended periods of games, absorbing pressure and playing on the break, had a negative impact at the other end, particularly on Mitrović.

Under Ranieri, the Serbian frequently found himself isolated for long periods, forced to toil in futility in order to hold the ball up for support that often never arrived. He scored just five goals during the Italian's reign, while averaging an expected goals rating of 0.3. Interestingly, he still averaged a similar number of touches per game (44) as he had under Jokanovic (40) but those touches often came a lot deeper and a lot earlier in possessions than they had under the Serbian. By the time Ranieri was fired and Scott Parker took over as caretaker manager in late February, the losing culture was so deeply ingrained at the club that Mitro scored just once in the team's remaining nine games.

Back in the big time
Thankfully for us, Mitro wasn't deterred by the disastrous 2018/19 campaign and signed a five-year contract extension with the club last summer. After tearing up the Championship and helping the team secure promotion, it's now essential that he proves he and Fulham are back where they belong.

Parker could, perhaps, be the manager to help him do just that, as his system closely resembles that which saw Jokanovic bring success to Craven Cottage in 2017/18. With him at the helm, Fulham again led the league in passing last season with 21,844 completed, nearly a quarter of which occurred in the attacking third. The concern, however, is that all that possession only translated to 69 goals (fifth-best), 212 shots on target (fourth-best) and 89 big chances (sixth-best). If we are to maximise Mitro's potential as a Premier League talisman, we're simply going to need to create more opportunities in the final third. This will come down to the likes of Ivan Cavaleiro and Anthony Knockaert, whose combined 393 crosses last season resulted in just 11 assists, and more incisive invention from centre midfield, where Fulham's assist leader was the rarely-used Stefan Johansen last season with four.

As was the case last time around, if opposing defences are able to keep Mitro quiet, they'll undoubtedly increase their chances of winning games. That said, we'll be encouraged by the fact that we succeeded in closing out the season without Mitrović, due to a combination of injury and suspension, and will be hoping that others can again step up when he's unable to impact games.

Whatever happens, Mitrović has unfinished business in the Premier League and will be absolutely crucial to our chances of survival.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2020-09-10-mitro-the-premier-league-proving-ground-awaits/


WhiteJC

'On the way out': Manager confirms departure of reported Fulham target

Lyon coach Rudi Garcia has confirmed the impending departure of Kenny Tete, while speaking to the Ligue 1 official website, amid reports the Netherlands international has undergone a medical at Fulham.

It's safe to assume Leo Dubois is destined to be Lyon's first-choice right-back this season.

That's because the Champions League semi-finalists look set to get rid of his main rivals for a place in the starting XI in the space of a week.

Former Manchester United favourite Rafael da Silva has already been unveiled by Turkish champions Istanbul Basaksehir, while Voetbal International reports £3.6 million Dutchman Tete is on the verge of joining Premier League newcomers Fulham.

Medicals tests have apparently been completed.

"Kenny Tete and (AC Milan-bound goalkeeper) Ciprian Tatarusanu are on their way out," says former Roma and Marseille boss Garcia.

"A coach always wants to keep his best players. I'm thinking of Marçal (who has left for Wolves). I'm going to adapt and find solutions.

"People always talk about saleable assets and those players are still with us. We'll see. It's all part of this transfer window period that isn't over yet and there are still three weeks to go."

Tete, an attack-minded full-back who graduated from the Amsterdam finishing school and reached the Europa League final with Ajax in 2017, should represent an immediate upgrade on Cyrus Christie and Denis Odoi at Craven Cottage.

Fulham pulled off another eye-catching signing on Wednesday night too, landing France international goalkeeper Alphonse Areola from PSG after winning the La Liga title on loan at Real Madrid.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/09/10/on-the-way-out-manager-confirms-departure-of-reported-fulham-target/

WhiteJC

From Portugal: Monaco join Milan and Fulham in race for Benfica starlet – offer presented

It is no secret that AC Milan are looking to reinforce the midfield even after the arrival of Sandro Tonali at the club. The main objective is supposedly Tiemoue Bakayoko, but given the difficulties in negotiations with Chelsea, the Rossoneri are looking around for alternatives.

One of these alternatives is Florentino Luis from Benfica, who was a target for Maldini also during the last winter transfer market. While an agreement wasn't reached then, Milan have remained in contact with the agent of the midfielder.

However, the 21-year-old Portuguese international has many suitors across the continent. Recently there has been talk of Fulham's interest in the player, but now rumours from Record, one of Portugal's most prominent newspapers, suggest that Monaco have joined the race to sign the player.

According to the newspaper, the Monegasque club offered 1.5 million euros for an initial loan deal with an option to buy set at 30 million. The club is now awaiting the response of Benfica to this offer.



https://sempremilan.com/from-portugal-monaco-join-milan-and-fulham-in-race-for-benfica-starlet-offer-presented

WhiteJC

Report: Kenny Tete and Ola Aina have completed their medicals ahead of their move to Fulham

According to Sky Sports, Torino wing-back Ola Aina and Lyon defender Kenny Tete have completed their medicals ahead of their move to Fulham.

They now have to finalize personal terms, but that isn't expected to be an issue, and the duo could be playing a part in the Cottagers' Premier League opener against Arsenal on Saturday.

Aina is joining on a season-long loan with an option to buy for £11 million, while Tete is joining permanently for £3 million.

Fulham brought in France international goalkeeper Alphonse Areola on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain yesterday, and they are set to be handed more quality defensive boosts with the imminent arrivals of the aforementioned duo.

Tete, 24, will look to establish himself as manager Scott Parker's first-choice right-back, while Aina can slot in at left-back due to his versatility.

The Nigerian international will be keen to finally prove himself in the top-flight having not had the chance to do so while at Chelsea, and his experience and quality will come handy for Fulham.

Holding on to their Premier League status at the end of 2020-21 is paramount, and making these quality signings will no doubt boost their chances.



https://sportslens.com/report-kenny-tete-and-ola-aina-have-completed-their-medicals-ahead-of-their-move-to-fulham/312834/


WhiteJC

 Kenny Tete and Ola Aina complete Fulham medicals
Aina will join Scott Parker's side on loan with an £11m option to buy, while Tete will join on a permanent deal for £3m

Torino defender Ola Aina and Lyon right-back Kenny Tete have completed medicals ahead of moves to Fulham.

Aina will join Scott Parker's side on loan with an £11m option to buy, while Tete will join on a permanent deal for £3m.

Both players will now finalise personal terms ahead of completing moves to Craven Cottage.

Netherlands international Tete has won 13 caps for his country and came through the Ajax youth academy having joined aged 10.

The 24-year-old made 55 appearances for Ajax, helping them reach the Europa League final in 2017, before moving to Lyon for £3.6m that summer.

He was an unused substitute in the Netherlands' 1-0 home defeat to Italy in the Nations League on Monday.


Former England youth international Aina is a graduate of Chelsea's academy and spent over a decade at the club.

He spent the 2017/18 campaign away on loan at Hull before making a season-long loan move to Torino the following year.

The Serie A side took up the option to make Aina's move from Chelsea permanent in June 2019. The 23-year-old made 37 appearances for Torino last season.


Fulham have made three close-season acquisitions following their return to the Premier League, with goalkeeper Alphonse Areola arriving from Paris Saint-Germain, Mario Lemina joining on a season-long loan and Harrison Reed signing on a permanent basis after spending last season at Craven Cottage.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/12067994/kenny-tete-and-ola-aina-complete-fulham-medicals

WhiteJC

Fulham vs Arsenal Preview: How to Watch on TV, Live Stream, Kick Off Time & Team News

Arsenal travel to Fulham's Craven Cottage for the opening game of the 2020/21 Premier League season on Saturday.

After relegation in the summer of 2019, Fulham returned to the top flight at the first time of asking last term. Manager Scott Parker took over his former club in the final few months of their ill-fated Premier League campaign and secured promotion via the Championship playoffs in his first full season as a first-team head coach.

Parker's counterpart in the Arsenal dugout Mikel Arteta is also at the start of a nascent managerial career, having joined the Gunners in December last year. A record 14th FA Cup triumph somewhat papered over the cracks of a dismal league campaign in which Arsenal ended the season in eighth place - their lowest finish since 1995.

Where to Watch on TV
When Is Kick Off? Saturday 12 September
What Time Is Kick Off? 12:30 (BST)
Where Is it Played? Craven Cottage
TV Channel/Live Stream? https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinaffid=635362&awinmid=3041&clickref=9M-LiveStreams&platform=dl&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bt.com%2Ftv%2Fpackages%2Ftv-affiliate-offer%2Fhttps://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinaffid=635362&awinmid=3041&clickref=9M-LiveStreams&platform=dl&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bt.com%2Ftv%2Fpackages%2Ftv-affiliate-offer%2Fhttps://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinaffid=635362&awinmid=3041&clickref=9M-LiveStreams&platform=dl&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bt.com%2Ftv%2Fpackages%2Ftv-affiliate-offer%2FBT Sport 1BT Sport 1 (UK), fuboTV (US)
Referee? Chris Kavanagh

Team News
Fulham boast an enviably sparse injury list, though Parker has a decision to make on his goalkeeper. Alphonso Areola signed on loan from Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, but whether he jumps in straight ahead of last season's number one Marek Rodak remains to be seen.

Arsenal will be without several players going into Saturday's fixture. Gabriel Martinelli and Calum Chambers are both long-term absentees with knee injuries. Shkodran Mustafi is set for a return in late October, while fellow centre back Pablo Mari could be back by the end of September.

David Luiz is a doubt for the Fulham match after suffering a neck injury during training.

Predicted Lineups
Fulham: Rodak; Odoi, Ream, Hector, Bryan; Lemina, Reed, Cairney; Knockaert, Mitrovic, Cavaleiro.

Arsenal: Leno; Saliba, Holding, Tierney; Bellerin, Xhaka, Ceballos, Maitland-Niles; Willian, Nketiah, Aubameyang.

Recent Form
From November onwards, Fulham didn't venture outside the Championship's playoff spots - although they never broke into the division's top two. After back-to-back defeats against Brentford and Leeds to begin the post-lockdown campaign, Parker stopped the rot as Fulham closed out the regular season with seven games unbeaten - momentum they carried into the play-offs.

At a club who recently parted ways with a manager who was there for 22 years, Arsenal had no fewer than three separate men at the helm in the 2019/20 campaign. Arteta's unparalleled skills as an expert communicator saw him quickly embraced by the fans and, in 2020, Arsenal had the fourth-best record in the division.

While Arsenal target a return to the top six or perhaps even higher, Fulham's focus will reside at the other end of the table as they bid to secure a second consecutive season of top flight football for the first time since 2013.

Here's how each side has fared in their last five outings.

Fulham

Brentford 1-2 Fulham (4/8)
Fulham 1-2 Cardiff City (30/7)
Cardiff City 0-2 Fulham (27/7)
Wigan 1-1 Fulham (22/7)
Fulham 5-3 Sheffield Wednesday (18/7)

Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool (29/8)
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea (1/8)
Arsenal 3-2 Watford (26/7)
Aston Villa 1-0 Arsenal (21/7)
Arsenal 2-0 Manchester City (18/7)

Prediction
Arsenal's last five matches have encompassed victories against three of last season's top four; Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City. Yet in that time Arteta's side also succumbed to a limp 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa - a team that only secured their Premier League survival on the final day of last season.

Arteta's switch to a three-man defence prompted good results against sides willing to attack who Arsenal could catch on the counter attack, but left them lacking creativity against teams prepared to sit back and defend.

Fulham tried to dominate the ball last season - only Leeds had more possession per match on average - and if they attempt a similar front-foot approach it may prove their undoing against an Arsenal side adept at capitalising on the counter.

Prediction: Fulham 1-2 Arsenal



https://www.90min.com/posts/fulham-arsenal-preview-how-to-watch-on-tv-live-stream-kick-off-time-team-news

WhiteJC

Championship clubs eye Jasper loan move

A clutch of Championship clubs are keen on taking young Fulham winger Sylvester Jasper on loan, according to the Daily Mail.

The teenager, who signed a three-year contract extension earlier this month, made his professional debut as a substitute in Fulham's FA Cup defeat at Manchester City in February and followed that up with two substitute appearances in the league. Jasper is highly rated at Motspur Park and recently starred as Fulham's youngsters were beaten at Cambridge United in their opening EFL Trophy tie.

It remains to be seen whether the Whites would allow the 18 year-old out loan or would prefer to be keen a closer eye on his development.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2020/09/championship-clubs-eye-jasper-loan-move/


WhiteJC

Club make Fulham player their 'plan B' – Cottagers midfielder 'pleases' club's decision makers

Fulham's Jean Michaël Seri has emerged as a target for Inter Milan, according to Foot Mercato.

Antonio Conte dreams of signing Chelsea star N'Golo Kanté, but it's difficult for the Serie A side to complete the deal.

That's because negotiations between the Blues and the Nerazzurri for the France international aren't progressing well.

The situation has seen the Milan club look at other options, and Seri's name has been put on the table.

Foot Mercato state Inter see the Ivory Coast international as 'plan B', if they fail to sign Kanté. According to the claims, Seri 'pleases' the decision makers of the Italian club.

The website only states the Fulham player is a backup option for Inter, and no further details are mentioned in the report.

Seri spent last season on loan at Galatasaray, and managed two goals and four assists in 37 matches in all competitions. He has two more years left on his contract at Craven Cottage.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/serie-a-side-make-fulham-player-as-their-plan-b-cottagers-midfielder-pleases-clubs-decision-makers/

WhiteJC

Inter Considering Fulham Star As Alternative To N'Golo Kante

Inter are considering Fulham midfielder Jean-Michael Seri as an alternative option to Chelsea star N'Golo Kante.

Antonio Conte wants to bolster his midfield options in the ongoing transfer window and is keen to land Kante from his former club Chelsea.

However, no progress has been made and Inter will need to make player sales to stand a chance of submitting a bid which Chelsea would accept.

Inter have also been linked with Tottenham Hotspur midfielders Tonguy Ndombele and Moussa Sissoko as they look to strengthen their midfield.

They are also looking at other options and, according to French outlet Foot Mercato, have an eye on Fulham's 29-year-old midfielder Seri.

Inter are considering the Ivory Coast international as an alternative to their primary target Kante.

Seri spent last season on loan in Turkey, plying his trade for Super Lig giants Galatasaray.

The midfielder has returned to Craven Cottage following the end of his loan contract, but might not be in the plans of Fulham boss Scott Parker, who has already signed Mario Lemina and Harrison Reed for his midfield.

It remains to be seen if Inter will make a move for the Ivorian.



https://insidefutbol.com/2020/09/10/inter-considering-fulham-star-as-alternative-to-ngolo-kante/471646/

WhiteJC

Forbes features Pakistan-born Shahid Khan as 66th richest man in US

With a net worth of $7.8 billion, Pakistani-American Shahid Khan has been listed as the 66th richest man in the United States (US)  in the Forbes list of the 400 richest Americans.

The 39th Forbes list, published on Tuesday, ranks CEO and founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, as the richest man of the US for the third consecutive year. Bezos' fortune of $179 billion, as of July 24, 2020, is up 57% from last year. Bill Gates has about $111bn and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has $85bn. He is the third on the list.

According to the Forbes report, there were 25 drop-offs who made the 2019 list but fell off this year's ranking; ten of those were due in part to setbacks related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

An engineer by trade, Shahid Khan is the only Pakistani featured on the list. He had immigrated to the US at age 16 with $500 and a plane ticket.

He made his fortune in the car parts business.

Famously known as Shad Khan, the Pakistani billionaire is also the owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL), the English Football League Championship team Fulham F.C., and automobile parts manufacturer Flex-N-Gate in Urbana, Illinois which he bought on 1980.

Khan was also featured on the front cover of Forbes magazine in 2012 as the face of the American Dream.

"There are 18 newcomers on this year's list including Eric Yuan, CEO of Zoom Video Communications, with a net worth of $11 billion; Jim Koch, co-founder and chairman of the Boston Beer Company, producer of Samuel Adams Beer, with a net worth of $2.6 billion; and at age 38 the youngest newcomer, Trevor Milton, founder of electric and hydrogen-electric truck maker Nikola," the report highlighted.

Moreover, US President Donald Trump's ranking dropped to number 352 from 275 in 2019, and his net worth dropped to $2.5 billion from last year's $3.1 billion, as the value of office buildings, hotels, and resorts have taken a huge toll amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.



https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/712847-forbes-features-pakistan-born-shahid-khan-as-66th-richest-man-in-us


WhiteJC

Fulham forward attracting interest from Championship clubs

Fulham youngster Sylvester Jasper is attracting interest from a number of Championship clubs according to the Daily Mail.

Jasper has already featured for the Fulham first-team, and is highly-regarded by Scott Parker and his coaching staff ahead of the 2020/21 season.

He has caught the eye with a number of strong performances in recent years, and it appears as though his short-term future could be elsewhere.

The 18-year-old is contracted to the Cottagers until 2023, and made his first-team debut against Manchester City, before featuring against Brentford and Birmingham City in the second-tier.

Fulham's first-team finished fourth in the Championship last season, and clinched promotion into the Premier League after beating Brentford in the play-off final at Wembley.

This is likely to mean that Jasper could be heading out on loan, with first-team opportunities likely to be limited with Scott Parker's side in the Premier League.

The Cottagers get their Premier League campaign under way against London rivals Arsenal in the early kick-off at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

The Verdict:

He could be worth a punt for a number of Championship clubs.

Jasper doesn't have any experience of heading out on loan, and I think Fulham would be making the right decision in sending him to a club in the second-tier.

It'll be interesting to see which clubs are interested in landing his signature though, as he could be a solid addition for a number of teams.

He's a young talent that will be eager to make a name for himself in senior football, and a loan move to the Championship could see him do just that.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-forward-attracting-interest-from-championship-clubs/

WhiteJC

Report: Fulham plotting season-long loan for Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis

According to The Sun, Fulham want to bring Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis to Craven Cottage on a season-long loan this summer.

Manager Scott Parker wants to strengthen his options in the middle of the park and is keen on the Portuguese.

AC Milan are also interested in the services of Luis, but Fulham want to include a £27 million option to buy clause in the loan deal.

The 21-year-old is also on the radar of a number of other top European clubs despite playing just 21 games for Benfica's first-team.

Parker wants to ensure that his side hold on to their Premier League status at the end of the campaign, and Fulham have been making some smart moves in the summer transfer window.

Leeds United have also been linked with Luis, but they haven't made concrete moves for the youngster and it appears that their fellow newly-promoted rivals are ready to pip them to his signature.

The Portugal youth international has also been scouted by Manchester City and Manchester United, and he will be keen to prove himself in the top-flight if a move to Fulham works out.

Luis' ability to play as a holding midfielder and in a box-to-box role will come handy at Craven Cottage, and it will be interesting to see if they can seal a move for the in-demand youngster.



https://sportslens.com/report-fulham-plotting-season-long-loan-for-benfica-midfielder-florentino-luis/312857/

WhiteJC

 Fulham's Jean Michael Seri on Inter Milan's radar
The Italian club see Seri as an alternative to Chelsea's N'Golo Kante


Inter Milan are looking at possibly signing Fulham midfielder Jean Michael Seri

Inter Milan are considering a move for Fulham's Jean Michael Seri.

The Italian club have wanted to sign N'Golo Kante from Chelsea but are short of funds.

Seri - who was on loan at Galatasaray last season - could present a more affordable option if Inter move a player out, potentially on an initial loan.

The Ivorian midfielder was also said to be on Everton's wanted list this summer before they signed Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure.

Fulham are listening to offers for Seri as well as fellow central midfielder Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa.

Boss Scott Parker has bought in two central midfielders of his own this window, signing Harrison Reed and Mario Lemina from Southampton.

The Cottagers have also secured the signatures of Antonee Robinson from Wigan and Alphonse Areola on-loan from PSG.

More new signings are set to follow, with Torino defender Ola Aina and Lyon right-back Kenny Tete both completing medicals ahead of moves to the club.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/12068133/fulhams-jean-michael-seri-on-inter-milans-radar


WhiteJC


Cottage Talk Preview: Fulham vs. Arsenal


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

This episode is a preview of Fulham's match against Arsenal and joining us on the show was Dan Potts from the Same Old Arsenal Podcast. He was on the show to give the Arsenal perspective on this match.


You can also listen to the show by following this link...
https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2020/9/10/21430470/cottage-talk-preview-fulham-vs-arsenal

WhiteJC

Premier League predictions: Lawro v soul singer and Arsenal fan Celeste

New season, same old Liverpool? Yes, according to former Reds defender and BBC football expert Mark Lawrenson.

"Jurgen Klopp is not going to change the way he plays," Lawrenson said. "It is asking a lot for them to end up with the same points total as the past two years, but I don't expect their levels to drop and I think they will start off by beating Leeds on Saturday.

"Then Liverpool go to Chelsea next weekend, which will be a tough game, but with Manchester City's start to the season delayed until 21 September, Pep Guardiola's side could be six points behind before they kick a ball, which would not be ideal for them."

Lawro will make predictions for all 380 top-flight matches this season, against a variety of guests.

For the opening weekend of the season, he is up against soul singer Celeste.

Celeste, whose new track 'Little Runaway' is out now, was born in California and grew up in Brighton but is an Arsenal fan.

"I am not that clued up on football but I know a bit," she told BBC Sport. "My grandad watches a lot so, from when I was younger, I would always watch games - but I think most of the players I know are sort of legends now, rather than still playing.

"Why Arsenal? Well, when I was growing up, my uncle supported West Ham and one of my mum's best friends supported Arsenal. I was close with all of them and they were vying for me to follow their team.

"Then I remember my mum's best friend's husband, he bought me a kit - an Arsenal kit - and I was like 'this is cool' and that was enough to win me over. From then on I was always leaning towards Arsenal."

The 26-year-old, who won BBC Music's Sound of 2020 award in January and was the 2019 Brits' Rising Star, got used to the sound of Arsenal fans when she lived in north London.

"I used to live in Holloway, near the Emirates Stadium, and you would always know when there was a game on. It was almost like you could feel it, from the top of the road to the bottom," she explained. "People would be doing these massive long walks on their way to the game and go past us."

"I never went myself but, when the fans are allowed back, I'd love to go to a game. It would be really cool to experience it, especially after this year when you have seen the difference in empty venues.

"There is something different about playing in front of a crowd, whether you are a singer or a footballer. I can't wait until the moment when I can go back and sing a song in front of people again - that will be quite amazing.

"It kind of gives you this exhilarating energy that helps you perform - and you do things you don't even know you can do because you are filled with this adrenaline that comes from having an audience.

"It can take you to new heights. I am sure footballers feel the same way."

LAWRO'S PREDICTIONS
Fulham v Arsenal (12:30 BST)

With no fans allowed into grounds, Fulham will not get any of the usual buzz or lift that newly promoted teams get from their fans when they are at home on the opening day of the season.

The Cottagers must know most people think they will go straight back down, but their manager Scott Parker can use that as a way of motivating them.

I saw quite a bit of them in the Championship last season and they try to play good football, with the option of using Aleksandar Mitrovic as a target man too.

I just think Arsenal will be ready for them, though. For obvious reasons, it does not seem like very long at all since the Gunners won the FA Cup final.

Since then, they have won the Community Shield too, which is as competitive as it gets for a friendly. I'd expect them to be sharp.

Lawro's prediction: 0-2

Celeste's prediction: 1-2




https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54027472