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Friday Fulham Stuff - 09/07/21...

Started by WhiteJC, July 09, 2021, 12:02:12 AM

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WhiteJC

Newcastle United join Fulham in race to sign Will Hughes

Newcastle United are 'asking about' Watford midfielder Will Hughes – Fulham have recently been linked with the Englishman.

Hughes, 26, has spent the last four seasons with Watford. Formerly of Derby County, the central midfielder has been a prominent member of the Hornets' side in recent seasons having racked up 30 or more league appearances in each of his last three seasons.

Now though, new Fulham boss Marco Silva – who brought Hughes to Watford in 2017 – is supposedly keen on signing him at Fulham this summer:



But The Sun's Alan Nixon claims that Newcastle United are enquiring about Hughes, who'd come within Magpies boss Steve Bruce's summer budget:



Having broken through the youth ranks at Derby County, Hughes would make his league debut for the club way back in the 2011/12 campaign. In six years at the club he'd go on to rack up 187 first-team appearances in all competitions, featuring 23 times for the England U21 side in that time too.

He's a very rounded midfielder in that he can offer both defensive and attacking qualities, he's sprightly and tenacious when he needs to be and at 26, he still has his best years left ahead of him.

It's not know how much Watford might command to let him leave this summer but with Newcastle now showing an interest, Fulham's chances of bringing Hughes to Craven Cottage this summer might have taken a serious dent.

It'd be a really keen signing for Silva if he could pull it off, though it remains to be seen what'll come of Hughes' summer.



https://the72.co.uk/241649/newcastle-united-join-fulham-in-race-to-sign-will-hughes/

WhiteJC

Jack Wilshere and four other sought-after players without a club ahead of new season

Ex-Arsenal and England star Wilshere heads the list of free agent players still to decide their future and who EFL clubs may well be sounding out

There's less than a month to go before the new EFL season gets underway.

Bournemouth host West Bromwich Albion on Friday, August 6 in the Championship's curtain-raiser.

After more than a year of playing games without crowds, clubs will be looking forward to welcoming back supporters next season after the roadmap out of lockdown was outlined by the Government earlier this week.

Meanwhile, clubs are busy behind-the-scenes with squads being put together and trialists put through their paces.

The free agent market, now more than ever, is particularly appealing as teams look to snap up hidden gems without having to fork out transfer fees. And there are plenty of high-profile players yet to decide their futures.

Here, we look at five high-profile players who are still searching for a new club.

Kamil Grosicki

The Polish winger impressed hugely for Hull City, form which prompted West Brom to fork out a seven-figure fee for him in early 2020.

But his move to the Hawthorns didn't work out and after just 19 games he has been released.

He hardly kicked a ball in their forgettable Premier League campaign last year but at 33, he is still capable of doing a job.

His old club Hull have been tentatively linked with a surprise swoop but there is likely to be plenty of interest in Grosicki from other Championship sides. Has also been linked with a switch to Turkey.

Marcus Bettinelli

Bettinelli has left Fulham after contract talks stalled. It brought to a close a 15-year stay at the club.

The 29-year-old hadn't turned out for the Cottagers since November 2019 and spent last season on loan at Middlesbrough.

With boss Scott Parker having moved on, Bettinelli - who earned a senior England call-up in 2018 - may also be on the lookout for pastures new.

He played 42 times for Boro last season and is likely to be sought-after in the second tier.

Upon official confirmation of his release earlier this week, Fulham co-owner Tony Khan said: "We'll miss Marcus very much, and he'll always be considered part of the Fulham family."

Jack Wilshere

Wilshere signed a six-month deal with Bournemouth in January.

That hasn't been renewed and the Cherries, now under new boss Scott Parker, are going in a different direction.

Despite it seeming as if he's been around forever, Wilshere is still only 29. He seems to be over his injury nightmares too, featuring 17 times for Bournemouth as they fell short at the play-off semi-final stage last season.

The only stumbling block for any potential suitors is likely to be his wage demands.

Andre Ayew

The Ghana international is likely to earn a big move elsewhere in Europe but that won't stop Championship sides sniffing.

The forward saw his contract with Swansea expire following the conclusion of the 2020/21 campaign, which culminated in City losing the play-off final to Brentford.

Celtic have regularly been tipped to make a move for the 31-year-old but he has yet to make a decision.

Speaking about his future this week, Ayew said: "I feel that I have what it takes to play in the best divisions, in England, France or Italy... I have no preferences at the moment.

"There are also offers from the Gulf, Asia, etc. So I have to take my time and make the right decision for myself, but also for the national team, with whatever happens."

Ayew scored 17 Championship goals for Steve Cooper's side last term.

Phil Jagielka

He may be 38, but Jagielka appears in no mood to hang up his boots just yet.

The centre-half returned to his first club, Sheffield United, in 2019 but has played just 22 games in two years.

Last week it was reported that Jagielka was training with newly-promoted League One side Bolton Wanderers.

But that was purely to keep up his fitness and since then it's been revealed he is training with Wayne Rooney's Derby.

He was spotted taking part in pre-season training with the Rams. The Rams are currently under a transfer embargo but could sign free agents with the approval of the EFL this summer.



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/jack-wilshere-free-agents-efl-24489188

WhiteJC

EFL prepare iFollow service changes with 3pm kick-offs gone to protect attendances

Clubs have generated much-needed income since the onset of the pandemic by streaming behind-closed-doors games

The EFL's in-house streaming service, iFollow, is expected to return to a format similar to the one employed pre-Covid in order to protect returning matchday attendances.

The onset of the pandemic in early 2020 meant all sports stadiums were slammed shut to spectators.

Since then, only a small portion of clubs in the EFL have had the chance to welcome supporters, albeit in restricted numbers..

The vast majority of fans have been locked out completely since March 2020.

The iFollow service, which allows fans to stream games from home via their phone, laptop or tablet, proved a lifeline for supporters of the 72 members clubs.

Temporary streaming laws were introduced that allowed clubs to brodcast games - providing a much-needed income albeit considerably less than normal gate receipts.

Fans not permitted to travel or enter grounds could still catch their sides' match by paying a one-off fee per game or subscribing on a monthly or season basis.

Now, with the UK finally on the road out of lockdown and capacity limits set to be scrapped after July 19, preparations are being made by the EFL in order to cater for supporters in grounds once more.

The knock-on effect of that is that the iFollow service is largely expected to return to its pre-pandemic format. That means games outside the usual Saturday 3pm slot will not be televised, although midweek matches will be - provided they are not being televised on Sky Sports.

The move is designed to protect matchday attendances at a time when clubs need income more than ever after almost 18 months of turnstiles being shut.

An EFL spokesperson said: "Discussions remain ongoing in respect of a variety of different matters in preparation for the new season following the Government's announcement that restrictions on capacity are expected to be lifted later this month.

"While a number of matters including general preparations, protocols in place across the league and the streaming of matches require further discussion, we know that all EFL Clubs are ready to re-open their doors and welcome back their supporters."

The iFollow service flourished during the pandemic. In the season just gone, 55 of the 72 clubs employed the service (The others used their own in-house platforms) with over 360,000 fans in 175 different countries tuning in.

In total, revenue exceeded more than £42million thanks to streaming games.

It also saved clubs millions in refunds to existing season ticket holders.

Next season will see more clubs depart away from the iFollow service, with the likes of Blackburn and Peterborough launching their own in-house digital brands which fans can subscribe to.



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/efl-ifollow-changes-protect-attendances-24490150


WhiteJC

Charlton to face Fulham in pre-season friendly

Charlton will take on Fulham in a pre-season friendly at Craven Cottage on Saturday, July 31st (3pm).

    Game to be played in front of supporters
    Further information on tickets and streaming to be confirmed in due course

The game is set to be played in front of supporters and further information on ticketing will be confirmed in due course.

The clash against Fulham will form part of the Addicks' preparations ahead of the 2021/22 Sky Bet League One campaign and is the fifth pre-season fixture to be confirmed.

Nigel Adkins side take on Celtic in a behind-closed-doors match on Saturday, July 10th, before heading to Princes Park to face local Vanarama National League South outfit Dartford on Saturday, July 17th. The Addicks then face Championship side Reading on July 24th and travel to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace on July 27th.

The four previously-announced friendlies will be available to watch live on CharltonTV – click here for more details.

Information on live streaming for the game against Fulham will be confirmed in due course.

Confirmed 2021/22 pre-season fixtures

Saturday, July 10th: Charlton v Celtic – Dragon Park (3pm) LIVE on CharltonTV

Saturday, July 17th: Dartford v Charlton – Princes Park (3pm) LIVE on CharltonTV

Saturday, July 24th: Reading v Charlton – Madejski Stadium (2pm) LIVE on CharltonTV

Tuesday, July 27th: Crystal Palace v Charlton – Selhurst Park (6pm) LIVE on CharltonTV

Saturday, July 31st: Fulham v Charlton – Craven Cottage (3pm)



https://www.cafc.co.uk/news/view/60e6db7b0242a/charlton-to-face-fulham-in-pre-season-friendly

WhiteJC

Fulham face Charlton in Craven Cottage friendly

Fulham have announced a pre-season friendly against Charlton Athletic at Craven Cottage on Saturday 31 July.

The club have confirmed that the warm-up against Nigel Adkins' side will be open to supporters. Ticketing information will be available via the club's website in due course.

Fulham also revealed revealed that other friendly games against 'Premier League, Championship and League One opposition' will be played behind closed doors at various training grounds.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/07/fulham-face-charlton-in-craven-cottage-friendly/

WhiteJC

Fulham to allow Fabricio Agosto departure

Fulham are willing to let Fabricio Agosto leave Craven Cottage this summer.

What's the talk?

That's according to a report by Sky Sports (via Football League World), who claim that Marco Silva would be willing to let the goalkeeper leave the club on a temporary basis in the summer transfer window.

The 33-year-old goalkeeper arrived at Fulham from Besiktas JK in what was a £5m move back in 2018, and has one year remaining on his current contract in west London.

Fans will be buzzing

It would appear to be a fair statement to make that Fabricio Agosto has not quite lived up to his price tag since making the move to Craven Cottage three years ago, having made a total of just two first-team appearances for the club.

In fact, the shot-stopper has not featured for the club since 2018, having made his debut in the Cottagers' season-opening 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace in the club's 2018/19 Premier League campaign, with his second appearance coming in the very next game, a 3-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.

The former Spain U20 international was then sent on loan to RCD Mallorca in 2019/20, where the £45k-per-week 'keeper made just one appearance in LaLiga, in which he conceded a penalty, three goals and made an error leading to a shot, seeing him earn a dreadful SofaScore match rating of 5.3.

As such, considering the fact that the 33-year-old is taking home such an enormous weekly wage, as well as simply not appearing to be up to the standard required to feature for Fulham week in week out, the fact that Marco Silva is hoping to loan the Spaniard out this summer should have fans of the club buzzing, as it would very much seem as if Fabricio Agosto is a considerable waste of money.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-transfer-rumours/fulham-transfer-news-fabricio-agosto-fabri-marco-silva-the-championship


WhiteJC

Opinion: Fulham should look to beat West Brom to 22-year-old signing

Championship outfit West Bromwich Albion are preparing to launch a bid for Chelsea midfielder Trevoh Chalobah according to Football Insider, with the 22-year-old unlikely to receive many first-team opportunities at Stamford Bridge.

The midfielder spent last season on loan at Ligue 1 side Lorient, making a respectable 30 appearances and helping the French side to stay in the top division.

Chalobah is now on the search for his next move and has been out on loan from the Champions League winners three times already. At 22-years-old now, the Blues could be willing to let the academy graduate leave permanently.

With Conor Gallagher, Okay Yokuslu and Ainsley Maitland-Niles all returning to their parent clubs this summer, West Brom have registered their interest in Chalobah and Newcastle United midfielder Matty Longstaff in an attempt to bolster their midfield.

But another side who may need to add to their central midfielder area this summer are Fulham, who could face losing Jean Michael Seri, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Tom Cairney.

After seeing Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mario Lemina leave Craven Cottage after the expiration of their loan spells, losing two or three of the trio could be disastrous for the west London side, but beating promotion-chasing rivals West Brom to the permanent signing of Chalobah could help to solve their woes in the middle of the park.

Reported target Will Hughes is another option for the Cottagers to pursue, but with Newcastle also in the race for the Watford midfielder and Isaac Hayden to potentially use as a makeweight in a potential swap deal, they may have already been ruled out of the race.

The rumoured £12m fee is also steep and with Chalobah seemingly surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, they could probably negotiate a slightly cheaper deal for the 22-year-old – a player who will have a higher resale value and already has a decent amount of experience in the Championship with Ipswich and Huddersfield.

However, the one league he is yet to prove himself in is the English top tier. Will Hughes already has that experience in the past few years with Watford, so he has nothing to prove.

With the Chelsea midfielder, he will be desperate to impress with this fresh start and get to the Premier League to prove why the Blues should have taken more of a chance on him.

To get this fresh start, Chalobah may be willing to negotiate a reasonably modest wage package and with the midfielder already based in west London, this Fulham move could be more tempting as opposed to a move to the West Midlands.

Will Hughes might be a good player, but they already have a potential steal laying at their doorstep. It's time for Marco Silva to pursue it.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/opinion-fulham-should-look-to-beat-west-brom-to-22-year-old-signing/

WhiteJC

Liverpool 'considering move for Championship trio to replace Georginio Wijnaldum'

Liverpool are reportedly monitoring Championship trio Sander Berge, Matheus Pereira and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, as they look to replace Georginio Wijnaldum this summer.

The Dutchman decided to leave Anfield after five years with the Reds when his contract expired in June, with the 30-year-old signing for Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.

Jurgen Klopp initially signed Wijnaldum from Newcastle United when they were relegated to the Championship, and the German head coach is now considering another swoop for a player from the second tier.

According to the Liverpool Echo, Sheffield United's Berge is one target the Reds are monitoring, with both Arsenal and Napoli also interested in the 23-year-old.

West Bromwich Albion's Pereira is another player who is attracting Premier League suiters, with newly appointed boss Valerien Ismael admitting that it will be difficult to keep hold of the Brazilian playmaker this summer.

The final target on Liverpool's list is Fulham's Zambo Anguissa, who resurrected his career at Craven Cottage and impressed under Scott Parker last season, after previously being sent out on loan to Villarreal in 2019-20.

Berge is believed to be valued at around £35m, while the asking prices for both Pereira and Zambo Anguissa are understood to be lower figures.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/arsenal/news/liverpool-considering-move-for-championship-trio_454548.html?newsnow