Monday Fulham Stuff - 21/06/21...

[WhiteJC]

Eddie Howe 'may fancy London' after Celtic snub with Fulham linked

Fulham have put Steve Cooper 'at the top of their wanted list' but The Sun on Sunday also report that Eddie Howe 'has support'.

The Sun on Sunday (20.06.21, pg. 65) write that 'Howe has support after being left on the shelf during the summer', as Fulham look set for a managerial switch in the coming weeks or so.

Current boss Scott Parker looks to have fallen out-of-favour with the cub and is now nearing a switch to Championship rivals Bournemouth.

Alan Nixon has backed the Whites to replace him with Swansea City boss Cooper but has also hinted that former Cherries boss Howe is on their radar, and that he 'may fancy London' after snubbing Celtic at the last minute.

Howe is famed for his previous work on the south coast, taking Bournemouth from League Two all the way to the Premier League in the space of five years.

His side eventually crumbled in the top flight and Howe would leave last summer upon the club's relegation back into the Championship, following a five-year spell in the top flight.

Unsurprisingly, he's been linked with almost every job available in England since but was mostly closely linked with Celtic – a move was reportedly agreed before the Englishman pulled out at the last second.

Whether or not he'll take a job on this summer remains unclear but the Football League needs Howe to return soon – he remains one of the nation's best young managers and Fulham could be a perfect fit, but Cooper seems closer to that job as it stands.



https://the72.co.uk/239874/eddie-howe-may-fancy-london-after-celtic-snub-with-fulham-linked/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham plot move for Championship rival as Scott Parker to Bournemouth links gather pace

Fulham are considering a move to appoint Steve Cooper as their new manager, according to fresh reports from The Sun.

The West London side are in a tricky position at the moment with Scott Parker's future very much up in the air with initial reports from The Guardian claiming that his days at Craven Cottage were numbered.

That speculation has gathered pace over the last week with the same publication reporting that Bournemouth were keen to appoint Parker as their new head coach, with Jonathan Woodgate's contract at the club due to expire.

Fulham seem to be preparing for life without Parker and have identified the Swansea City boss as the man to take them forward.

The Sun report that the Whites are big fans of Cooper as he 'would be ideal as he plays good football with young teams, as they aim for a quick return to the top flight', while also adding that his compensation fee of £3.5million won't be a problem for the recently-relegated side.

While a number of other candidates are being considered by Fulham, it's claimed that Cooper is the club's first choice target and so their interest could intensify as the Scott Parker situation looks to get resolved in the coming days.

The verdict

This would be an ideal appointment for Fulham.

Steve Cooper has really showed his worth as a young manager during his time in the England youth ranks and then moving on to his current role with Swansea City where he's come so close to guiding them to promotion.

The Swans will surely be in contention to go up this term, but there's no doubt that moving to Craven Cottage could be beneficial for his Premier League aspirations.

I think that Cooper will be an ideal fit for Fulham due to his open style of play and if they can pull it off I think that he could be the man to lead the Cottagers back to the top flight.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-plot-move-for-championship-rival-as-scott-parker-to-bournemouth-links-gather-pace/

[WhiteJC]

Comment: Fulham, Bournemouth and Swansea City in possible manager swap triangle – Eddie Howe key

Fulham, Bournemouth and Swansea are three teams that many observers think will challenge for promotion from the Sky Bet Championship next season.

Fulham, Bournemouth and Swansea all have that pedigree and potential. The Cottagers were relegated from the Premier League last season; Bournemouth the season before. Swansea failed to gain promotion last season, losing out to Brentford in the play-off final at Wembley.

All three sides should be there or thereabouts next May when the promotion places are decided. It's not a given, there are strong sides such as Sheffield United and West Brom to consider as well.

Another thing that will make the mix interesting with these three sides is they are involved in a manager-swap triangle.

Bournemouth have long been linked with Fulham's Scott Parker who has proved strong in the Championship but failed in the Premier League. That would leave Fulham short a boss.

No fear, the Cottagers are said by The Sun's Alan Nixon to have a liking for Swansea City boss Steven Cooper who has shone at the Liberty Stadium. He's only been there two seasons but has taken the Swans into the play-offs both times.

Not that Fulham needs to fear as Nixon also added that Howe "may fancy London." This comes after he was snubbed for the Celtic job after a protracted chase. That position is now gone and Howe will require another avenue back into management and Fulham could provide that.

Comment: one man key to the triangle

This triangle would leave Swansea City as the odd-one-out. In an ideal world, Bournemouth would get Scott Parker and Fulham would move for Swansea City boss Cooper. The Swans would be left managerless but with a reported £3.5million compensation according to Nixon.

£3.5million buys you a lot of manager – it really does. With that money in their pocket, Swansea City could go shopping. In the ideal world of Bournemouth/Parker and Fulham/Cooper then one man stands out.

Eddie Howe. Howe would be available and Swansea would be a project with most of the pieces already in place. Howe's appointment would lead to just minor tweaks being needed.

This could very well be a scenario that plays out in the coming weeks. It is already bubbling up to be an interesting one.



https://the72.co.uk/239893/comment-fulham-bournemouth-and-swansea-city-in-possible-manager-swap-triangle-eddie-howe-key/

[WhiteJC]

It'd be no surprise to see these 2 Fulham players leave in the next month or two

Fulham are facing an important summer period where they will need to make the right changes to their squad to help them bounce back from their relegation form the Premier League.

The summer preparations for Fulham will not be being helped by all of the uncertainty surrounding Scott Parker's potential future as their manager.

It is being reported that he could be set to leave Craven Cottage shortly and that Bournemouth is a possible destination for him to move to.

That would leave the club needing to identify and appoint the right manager to lead their quest to get back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. It is now believed that Steve Cooper is on their shortlist.

Fulham though can not let that situation affect what they are doing in terms of recruiting the right players because it will be vital that they make the right changes to their squad.

It will also be crucial that they manage to sort out the long-term futures of one or two players that are attracting interest from elsewhere.

With that in mind, we take a look at TWO Fulham players you would not be surprised to see leave Craven Cottage in the next month or so...

Antonee Robinson
One player that could be heading for the exit door at Fulham this summer is defender Antonee Robinson. The left-back only arrived at Craven Cottage last year from Wigan Athletic.

He managed to enjoy a solid debut campaign in the Premier League making 28 appearances in the league and showing that he potentially belongs at that level.

That has seen the 23-year-old start to attract plenty of transfer attention already this summer, and it has been reported by The Sun that Manchester City are considering making a move for the left-back as they aim to enhance their options in that position.

It is thought that City would be prepared to pay a fee of around £10 million to secure his services.

The Premier League champions are being rivalled in their interest in Robinson by Italian giants AC Milan. According to a report from Calciomercato, Milan have reignited their interest in the 23-year-old after they had previously agreed a deal with Wigan for his signature back in January 2020. That move though fell through due to medical issues.

Given the level of interest in Robinson and the calibre of clubs that are in for him, it would not be surprising to see him get snapped up by someone before the transfer window closes.

Aleksandar Mitrovic
Another player that it would not be a major surprise to see leave this summer if forward Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The Serbia international has already started to draw a lot of transfer attention this summer and according to a recent report from The Sun he is thought to be open to leaving Craven Cottage.

The same report outlined that Fulham are wanting to ensure that the striker remains with the club and spearheads their attempt to get back into the Premier League.

However, they have already had to turn down an offer of around £16 million from Dynamo Moscow and West Ham are believed to be the latest side to register an interest in him.

That comes after previous reports have indicated that AS Roma could also be interested in the forward this summer with Jose Mourinho thought to be an admirer of his.

Amid all that transfer interest, it would not be too much of a shock to see Mitrovic leave the club this summer, even if Fulham would rather keep hold of him for next term.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/itd-be-no-surprise-to-see-these-2-fulham-players-leave-in-the-next-month-or-two/

[WhiteJC]

Leeds United stance on linked Fulham man shared by reporter

Fulham have been a bit of a yo-yo side over recent seasons. Promoted to the Premier League to suffer relegation straight away is what has happened.

Fulham battled through the Championship play-offs in 2019/20 to head back to the promised land of English football's top-tier competition.

However, reality soon struck them and they were relegated straight back down alongside Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion.

Gearing up to face another Championship campaign, the Cottagers know that they will need to restructure and reshape their side. Players will be brought into the club and players will leave.

Away from the playing side of things, there is also thought to be upheaval with boss Scott Parker seen as a favourite by rivals Bournemouth. With all that yet to play out, the key for Fulham fans will be what the squad will look like next season.

Harrison Reed: one man linked with Leeds United
One player linked with a move away from Craven Cottage has been midfielder Harrison Reed. This link regarding an Elland Road swoop was put forward earlier this month by the Mail Online's David Kent.

In his article, Kent reported that Leeds United were watching Reed "with a view to a summer swoop."

That would leave Fulham having to source a replacement for the midfielder who featured in 31 of Fulham's Premier League games last season.

The fact that Reed features predominantly as a holding midfielder is thought to be one of the positions that Leeds United are looking at.

However, Yorkshire Evening Post reporter Graham Smyth writes that this is not the case. The Whites are looking for midfielders to strengthen the ranks, Smyth says as much in his recent article.

Yet, he also reports that Reed is not being considered despite being linked. Smyth writes that the Worthing-born midfielder "is not on the list of likely targets."

Such is the categorical nature of what Smyth says, it looks like Harrison Reed isn't going anywhere for the immediate future. At least not to Leeds United, anyway!



https://the72.co.uk/239975/leeds-united-stance-on-linked-fulham-man-shared-by-reporter/

[WhiteJC]

Report: Celtic hold transfer interest in English League One standout defender

Celtic hold a transfer interest in Oxford United defender Rob Atkinson, it is reported by The Sun on Sunday. [20/06 print edition, page 65]

Oxford have set a £1.6m asking price for the 22-year-old. English Championship side Bristol City are also keen on the player and would be ready to pay that kind of fee.

Atkinson is said to be keen on making a step up to a bigger club after missing out on promotion from League One last term.

The centre-half was a standout in that division, making 41 appearances in the regular season and playoffs.

He was subsequently named in the league's team of the year alongside former Celtic favourite Aiden McGeady and striking transfer target Charlie Wyke.

The youngster was delighted with the recognition, telling The Oxford Mail: "This time last year, I wouldn't have imagined I'd be in the team of the season for League One. Personally, it's quite an achievement.

"The start of the season was tough, there was the red card and the injuries. I'd never been sent off before and although it's not great, it's an experience and something I can learn from.

"With every game, I feel like I learn something – whether that's from the coaching staff, my teammates or even the opposition strikers. Every game you come up against something different and it's always a challenge, but one I relish."

Rob Atkinson holds potential and could help Celtic problem position

Atkinson has had an interesting career path already despite his young age. Although born in Chesterfield, he actually spent most of his youth in France. He's a product of the Cannes academy.

His first experience of football in England was with Basingstoke Town in the non-league part of the pyramid.

It was there he caught the eye of Fulham, who swiftly snapped him up for a low fee of just £30,000. [Daily Echo] He worked under Peter Grant in the U23 side, playing regularly for the former Celtic midfielder.

Spells at Braintree Town and Eastleigh followed in the National League before Oxford United give him a big League One chance in 2020. He's shown significant progress at the U's and now looks destined to shine on a bigger stage.

Will it be at Celtic? Considering our problems in defence right now, we shouldn't rule out the move.



https://www.67hailhail.com/transfers/report-celtic-hold-transfer-interest-in-english-league-one-standout-defender/

[Bill2]

Why does everyone think all of our talent is available for £10 Mill. Unless there is a buy out in their contract, which I don't think Reed or Robinson will have having only signed last year we can ask what we like.  Reed aged 26 will only be a bench warmer for Leeds but Robinson I believe is an exciting young talent and we could ask.the.likes on Man City for considerably more. We are not in a firesale and for that sort of money we are not a selling Club

[Tabby]

Nice to see that Rob Atkninson is doing well.