Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 17/05/22...

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Latest Fulham news: Silva eyeing Championship talisman, Dutch midfielder linked + more

Fulham are barrelling into the summer transfer window where Marco Silva's side look set to spend the cash.

Fulham have been linked with swathes of new signings all season. And with promotion now in the bag and the club making their preparations for the 2022/23 Premier League season, those transfer rumours seem to be at an all-time high.

Derby County skipper Tom Lawrence sees his contract at the club expire next month. With the Rams' financial situation still ongoing, it looks as though Lawrence's stay won't be renewed, and Fulham have been linked with a summer move for the Welsh alongside Leeds United and Everton.

Elsewhere, Fulham are said to be closing in on the signing of Oldham Athletic starlet Damon Park, whilst separate reports have backed Fulham to sign Mainz's Jean-Paul Boetius on a free this summer, with Middlesbrough, Norwich City and Watford also interested in the Dutchman.

Another name who's been linked with a move to Craven Cottage recently is Schalke 04's Rabbi Matondo. The Welsh international has been linked with both Bournemouth and Fulham but now, it's said that Club Brugge are interested in a permanent signing after his impressive form on loan at the Belgian club this season.

Lastly, Cyrus Christie looks set to leave Fulham when his contract expires next month, with fresh reports linking the Irishman with all of Watford, Nottingham Forest and Fenerbahce (Sky Sports Transfer Centre, 14.05.22).

There's plenty of rumours to be excited about for Fulham fans right now, with optimism rife ahead of another Premier League showing for the Londoners.



https://the72.co.uk/273219/latest-fulham-news-silva-eyeing-championship-talisman-dutch-midfielder-linked-more/

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Player 'seems willing' to accept Fulham proposal – Only 'official confirmation' missing on transfer

Thomas Strakosha is on the verge of a move to Fulham, report La Repubblica, via SerieBNews.

The report sounds very confident indeed about the transfer, and it's explained the goalkeeper 'seems willing' to accept a proposal from the London club.

Strakosha has had a difficult season with Lazio, with the Italian club preferring veteran Pepe Reina. He wants more minutes and a move to the Premier League has been rumoured for months.

Newcastle United were repeatedly linked at one stage, and then it was thought West Ham were keen on the 27-year-old Albanian.

The Hammers are expected to try and sign Alphonse Areola on a permanent basis, having had him on loan from PSG this season. Newcastle have other options, and it's thought Strakosha would have a better chance of regular football at Fulham.

The claims are so confident, it's stated negotiations are at an advanced stage, and he'd be arriving as a free agent given his Lazio contract is expiring.

Only 'official confirmation' is missing, and this is one which looks like it could go Fulham's way relatively quickly.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/player-seems-willing-accept-fulham-proposal-official-confirmation-missing-transfer/

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The winner of the PFA Vertu Motors Championship Fans' Player of the Month - April

Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrović has been voted the PFA Vertu Motors Championship Fans' Player of the Month for April.

The Serbia international has enjoyed a record-breaking season at Craven Cottage and helped them secure promotion back to the Premier League last month.

The 27-year-old kicked off the month with a match-winning brace against west London rivals Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road before scoring a late winner away at Middlesbrough four days later.

After firing blanks in losses to Coventry City and Derby County, Mitrović bounced back with two more strikes at home to Preston North End to secure Fulham's promotion back to the top flight.

He grabbed the opening goal in a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth, though there was controversy as to whether the ball had crossed the line, and was unable to help the Cottagers in their 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest.

Mitrović was the clear runaway winner of April's award, taking home 51% of the public vote. Second to the former Newcastle man was teammate Harry Wilson with 13% having grabbed three assists, with Nottingham Forest's Brennan Johnson in third with 12% (four goals, three assists).

Finishing behind this trio were Bournemouth star Dominic Solanke, Forest's Sam Surridge (both with six goals and one assist) and Swansea City's Joel Piroe (seven goals, two assists).



https://www.90min.com/posts/aleksandar-mitrovic-pfa-championship-fans-player-of-the-month-april-2022

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'Would be great': Free-agent suggests he'd love to join Fulham or Watford

Norwich City, Middlesbrough and Premier League newcomers Fulham want Jean-Paul Boetius with Mainz confirming that the winger is set to leave the Bundesliga outfit on a free transfer, via Bild.

When discussing the reasons behind his impending departure from the MEWA Arena, Boetius did not miss the opportunity to point out that he'd relish the opportunity to ply his trade on English soil for the first time in his career.

The 28-year-old Dutchman, a £3 million signing from Feyenoord in 2018, will be a free-agent in July.

According to The Telegraph, recently-relegated Watford and Norwich are interested.

As are a Middlesbrough side who finished one point outside the play-off places in the Championship.

But should Fulham step up their interest, via West London-based publication Hammy End, one suspects that a move to Craven Cottage may be too good to turn down. Marco Silva's side are, after all, the only Premier League club amongst a throng of suitors.

Fulham want Jean-Paul Boetius

"I was here for four years, longer than anywhere else after my youth days at Feyenoord," Boetius said over the weekend

"Now that I'm 28, I'm just in the mood for a new challenge, a new country, a new culture. Yes, England is a great league. That would be great."

Boetius contributed four assists and two goals for high-flying Mainz in 2021/22, including a wonderful long-range strike in the 3-2 comeback victory over Bayer Leverkusen a couple of months ago. 

The former Basel and Genk ace was compared to Steven Gerrard in his younger days but has evolved into more of an attacking midfielder than a barnstorming, box-to-box general..

"We would have loved to keep him," adds Mainz director Christian Heidel, via Voetbal Primeur.

"He was a very important player who gave everything, but he is also a mature person who makes a different choice. We have to accept that."

Fulham are reportedly closing in on Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha, while Shakhtar Donetsk's Manor Solomon has confirmed that a £7 million move to Craven Cottage is edging closer.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/05/16/would-be-great-free-agent-suggests-hed-love-to-join-fulham-or-watford/

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Mitro Wins PFA Player of the Month!

Aleksandar Mitrović has been handed April's PFA Fans' Player of the Month award, after scoring six goals in seven matches.

QPR (2), Middlesbrough, Preston (2) and Bournemouth were all subjected to the same fete that many Championship sides have been this season when Mitro added to his incredible goal tally throughout the month.

Mitro pipped Bournemouth's Dominic Solanke, Sam Surridge and Brennan Johnson of Nottingham Forest, Swansea City's Joel Piroe and our very own Harry Wilson to the award.

April's addition means that Mitro has collected an impressive five PFA Fan's POTM trophies this season out of a possible nine.

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/may/16/Mitro-Wins-PFA-Player-of-the-Month/

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Nathaniel Chalobah speaks out on debut season at Fulham

Fulham were able to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking with little fuss this season in the Championship.

Bolstering the depth of their squad in the summer transfer window, by bringing in players of the quality of Nathaniel Chalobah, as effectively a fringe player, gave them something extra this time around, helping to avoid the dreaded play-offs to kick on to a comfortable league title.

The Cottagers' toughest test under Marco Silva is yet to come, in pursuing Premier League survival next season, but the foundations have been put in place to give them the best possible chance.

Chalobah only started 11 league games for the Cottagers this season, but will be hoping that his top-flight experience can convince Silva to give him a more integral role next term.

The 27-year-old took to Instagram to express his emotions after an impressive campaign for the club.

He wrote: "Season was a success.

"Enjoyed every minute in the shirt.

"Bring on next season."

Silva's previous experience managing Hull City, Watford and Everton in the Premier League will give supporters some comfort heading into next season, and it is sure to be a competitive pre-season with the players growing in hunger to establish themselves in the first team.

The Verdict

There is a lot of competition for places in midfield areas at Fulham, almost unprecedented strength in depth at Championship level, therefore with the return of Jean-Michael Seri, and the leadership qualities of Tom Cairney, it was not surprising to see Chalobah used sparingly this term.

Silva is more likely to shuffle his pack next term, with 2022/23 set to pose some more pressing challenges and the former Chelsea man could be utilised with greater regularity in combatting those.

As an out and out defensive midfielder, out of possession, Chalobah is probably the most adept option on Fulham's roster at the moment, and potentially with a more 'horses for courses' approach, Chalobah could see increased game time next season.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/nathaniel-chalobah-speaks-out-on-debut-season-at-fulham/

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Strakosha 'set to sign' for Fulham

Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha is likely to sign for Fulham on a free transfer in the coming days, according to reports from Italy.

The Albanian international is due to leave the Italian giants after losing his place in the first team to former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina. The 27 year-old is 'willing' to move to the Premier League and accept Fulham's offer, according to a report in La Repubblica.

Strakosha, who has won eighteen senior caps for Albania has made 206 senior appearances in a decade with Lazio. He played 21 Serie A games for Lazio earlier this term, keeping seven clean sheets, before being replaced by Reina. The experienced goalkeeper had been linked with Newcastle and West Ham, but appears to have been persuaded by Fulham's offer of first team football.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/05/strakosha-set-to-sign-for-fulham/

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Lazio's Thomas Strakosha willing to accept Fulham offer ahead of potential free transfer move

Lazio's Thomas Strakosha is reportedly willing to accept a move to Championship title winners Fulham this summer.

The Albanian Serie A goalkeeper has been a starter at Lazio for the vast majority of his career, but he has been linked with a move to the Premier League with Fulham ahead of the summer window.

Other top-flight clubs such as Newcastle United have been linked with the impressive goalkeeper.

But now, a report from La Repubblica (via Hammy End) has said that Strakosha is ready to make the move to the Premier League and is 'willing' to accept the offer from Fulham ahead of a free transfer move.

Marco Silva will be determined to strengthen his ranks where possible this season in a bid to keep Fulham in the Premier League, and a player of Strakosha's pedigree would be a great start to their summer recruitment.

A safe pair of hands

Strakosha has seven clean sheets in 21 league appearances so far this season and he also boasts a clean sheet record of 50% in the Europa League this campaign.

He has been trusted as Lazio's number one for much of his time with the club. He has played 206 times for Lazio across all competitions, keeping 52 clean sheets in the process.

His experience in the top flight of Italy will help him make the move and adapt to the Premier League and this sort of signing is one that will certainly get Fulham fans hopeful of maintaining a spot in the top tier of English football.



https://the72.co.uk/273246/lazios-thomas-strakosha-willing-to-accept-fulham-offer-ahead-of-potential-free-transfer-move/

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Latics youngster linked with Fulham

Teenage Latics starlet Damon Park has been linked with a potentially exciting move into the Premier League with newly-promoted Fulham.

National newspapers reported over the weekend that 16-year-old Park, who has yet to make a first-team appearance at Boundary Park, looks set to depart Latics for Marco Silva's Cottagers.

They soared to the Championship title this season having been in the promotion frame for almost all of the 2021/22 season.

It has been reported that any agreement for the highly-rated Park centres around a basic £150,000 fee for the teenager, with further performance and appearance fees linked in.

Given their relegation to the National League, the finances Latics would receive from this deal could be crucial to the club going forward, meaning this could be an important deal for all involved.



https://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/157/latics/145995/latics-youngster-linked-with-fulham

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Tom Lawrence to Fulham: What do we know so far? Is it likely to happen?

Despite being part of a struggling Derby County team this season, Tom Lawrence has had a fruitful season.

In 38 appearances for the Rams this season, Lawrence scored 11 times and contributed five assists too.

He is out of contract with Derby this season and since their relegation to League One it would not be a surprise to see the captain of the side depart the club.

What do we know so far?

The Daily Mail recently reported that Lawrence was attracting attention from a number of clubs.

Fulham, Burnley and Norwich are the latest teams to emerge with an interest but teams such as Bournemouth and Leeds United have also been named.

According to the Daily Mail's report, things for the player will become clearer once teams have budgets in place for next season.

However, given the player is a free agent and therefore clubs that want him don't have to negotiate with Derby, this will make Lawrence a more attractive prospect for teams.

Is it likely to happen?

It is likely we will see Lawrence move on from Derby this summer after five years at the club.

Since the club have been relegated, the 28-year-old will want to carry on playing at a higher level and at his age that's a decision he has to make now rather than pondering over it for another season.

Fulham will probably be the offer that interests Lawrence the most as that is his opportunity to play in the Premier League next season, and he could prove to be the perfect tonic to Aleksander Mitrovic, with Lawrence able to consistently supply chances.

However, Fulham may choose to take more time looking at the market to see if there is a more proven attacker at a higher level available first.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/tom-lawrence-to-fulham-what-do-we-know-so-far-is-it-likely-to-happen/

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Fulham in talks but 'extraordinary' player may join Southampton instead

Southampton are still in the race for Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha despite Premier League newcomers Fulham entering talks last week, as reported by Corriere dello Sport.

It's not a decision that everyone on the banks of the Solent would have agreed with.

According to The Athletic, Southampton have informed Fraser Forster that his contract will not be extended, his current deal expiring in a matter of weeks.

The former England international may have been Ralph Hasenhuttl's most consistent performer during a miserable run of form – Southampton's only win, against Arsenal, was achieved thanks to Forster's Man of the Match performance – but it seems his age, rather than his ability, is hammering the final nail into the shot-stopper's St Mary's coffin.

The report adds that Southampton are looking to bring in a younger model between the sticks.

Strakosha certainly ticks that box. At 27, the Greek-born Albanian is seven years Forster's junior.

Southampton and Fulham want Thomas Strakosha

Corriere dello Sport say that Strakosha has no intention of extending his contract, the long-serving goalkeeper set to depart on a free in July. Fulham entered talks on Friday but CdS claim that Southampton's interest is 'more nuanced' at this stage.

What that actually means, however, is not exactly clear. Perhaps they are referring to the fact that this isn't the first time Strakosha has registered on Southampton's radar. The Saints were linked last summer too, when Strakosha was valued in the region of £25 million.

12 months on, with that very same player available for absolutely nothing – and with Southampton's desire for a new shot-stopper greater now than it was in 2021 – you can understand why Strakosha is once again emerging as a topic for discussion on the south coast.

'Extraordinary'

"I'm not an expert in goalkeepers but I'd give him 10/10," former Lazio youth coach Alberto Bollini said of Strakosha.

"He has extraordinary athleticism. He is tenacious and has a cool head."

Strakosha's agent, the influential Pini Zahavi, counts Fulham striker Aleksandr Mitrovic and former Southampton skipper Pierre-Emile Hjobjerg among his clients.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/05/16/fulham-in-talks-but-extraordinary-player-may-join-southampton-instead/