Wednesday Fulham Stuff - 01/06/22...

[WhiteJC]

Tyrese Francois named Australia captain for upcoming AFC U23 Asian Cup

21-year-old Tyrese Francois will lead Australia during June's AFC U23 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan.

Interim Head Coach Trevor Morgan has handed Francois the armband ahead of the tournament, which kicks off on June 1 as Australia take on Kuwait.

Born in Campbelltown, Francois traded Sydney for London as a teenager when he joined Fulham's academy in 2013.

In the years that followed, he rose through the ranks to debut at senior level in 2019, before becoming the 53rd Australian to play in the English Premier League following his first league appearance in May 2021.

A few weeks later, Francois linked up with the Australia U23's in Marbella, Spain, where he pulled on the Green and Gold throughout three international friendlies.

The youngster shared why he is grateful for the opportunity to lead his nation into the upcoming tournament.

"It's an honour," he said. "Obviously it's a proud moment for myself and my family and it will mean a lot more if we can go deep into this tournament as well.

"It's a great bunch of lads, with younger boys and older boys involved. We've got a great attitude and the vibe around the camp is very good.

"We're eager to kick off on Wednesday, and all want to stand out in this tournament."

After a productive week's pre-camp in Tashkent, Francois and his teammates are now in the city of Qarshi, which will host Australia's first two group games against Kuwait and Iraq, on June 1 and 4 respectively.

The squad will then return to Uzbekistan's capital for their final group fixture against Jordan on June 7.

Australian audiences can watch all of the U23's action live on Paramount+, with Trevor Morgan side's first three fixtures all kicking off at 11pm AEST.



https://www.socceroos.com.au/news/tyrese-francois-named-australia-u23s-captain-upcoming-asian-cup

[WhiteJC]

The Leeds United fan guide to the three new Premier League teams that will visit Elland Road next season
Leeds United will face three new Premier League opponents during the 2022/2023 season.

Fulham

Fulham won the Championship title and earned automatic promotion to the top flight.

The West London side are managed by Marco Silva, who has four seasons' worth of Premier League experience in charge of Everton, Hull City and Watford.

In their last encounter in September 2021, Leeds knocked the Cottagers out of the Carabao Cup with a 6-5 penalty shootout win after the game ended in a goalless stalemate.

The last time Fulham visited Elland Road, the Whites claimed a dramatic 4-3 Premier League win against a fellow newly-promoted side at the start of the 2020/2021 season.

The key Fulham player to look out for is goal-scoring machine Aleksandar Mitrović; after netting a ridiculous 43 times this season, the Serbian was crowned the EFL Player of the Season.

For the away day, Leeds fans will travel nearly 200 miles to Craven Cottage, a small stadium which overlooks the river Thames with a capacity just shy of 20,000.

Bournemouth

With a points total of 88, Bournemouth placed second in the Championship this season and were automatically promoted.

The Dorset side are managed by Scott Parker, who guided Fulham to promotion via the play-offs in 2020 before his first managerial role came to an end as the London side were relegated from the Premier League the following season.

The sides haven't met since 2015, when Luke Murphy's first-half strike was enough to end United's winless run with a 1-0 over the Championship leaders Bournemouth.

The Cherries boasted the best defensive record in the second tier this season, in no small part due to talented young 'keeper Mark Travers, who had big shoes to fill following the departure of Aaron Ramsdale but stepped up to keep an impressive 19 clean sheets.

For the away day, Leeds fans will travel more than 250 miles to the South Coast where the Vitality Stadium seats just 11,379 fans.

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest finished fourth in the Championship and beat Sheffield United and Huddersfield Town in the Play-Offs to secure their Premier League place.

The Midlands side are managed by Steve Cooper, who has no experiencing of managing in England's top flight. Leeds have faced a Cooper-led team twice - Swansea and United claimed a 1-0 win apiece during the Whites' promotion-winning season of 2019/2020.

The last time Leeds played Forest, the Reds claimed a 2-0 win on the Whites' road to promotion in February 2020, while Nottingham's most recent Elland Road visited ended in a 1-1 draw earlier that season.

Winner of the Championship Young Player of the year award, winger Brennan Johnson will be an attacking threat to watch out for at Elland Road next season, while his talented young teammates Djed Spence and James Garner are likely to return to their parent club after eye-catching loan spells in Nottingham.

For the away day, Leeds fans will travel 70 miles to a 30,000+ seater stadium on the bank of the River Trent - Forest's historic City Ground.



https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/the-leeds-united-fan-guide-to-the-three-new-premier-league-teams-that-will-visit-elland-road-next-season-3714472

[WhiteJC]

Fulham: The summer transfer window and what they need to do

Who could be heading towards the exit at Fulham? And what are the areas in need of strengthening? Analysis, insight and opinion on what the Cottagers need to do in the transfer market this summer...

Which positions are Fulham targeting in the summer transfer window? What has Marco Silva said? And what do the stats say?

Which positions are Fulham targeting?

Fulham want to strengthen all areas of their team after achieving their third promotion to the Premier League in five years.

They are keen to get it right too in order to stay up this time, after spending more than £100m in the summer of 2018 before a more cautious strategy in 2020 still ended with relegation the following May.

Sky Sports News has already reported that Man City's Ko Itakura is a player of interest as they look to strengthen at centre-back, with Michael Hector and Alfie Mawson both released.

With Jean Michael Seri also leaving, they want another top playmaker and among the names they like is Braga's Almoatasembellah Al Musrati.

The Cottagers also want updates in goal, full-back positions and up front as they look to help Aleksandar Mitrovic bang in the goals to keep them up this time.

What do the stats say about Fulham?
The Cottagers might have scored the most goals by a Championship team in an individual season, but they are losing one of their chief assist providers to Liverpool, Fabio Carvalho. The 19-year-old had the most goals (10) and assists (eight) by a teenager in the top four English divisions last season.

Although Harry Wilson provided the most assists and created the most chances in last season's second tier, Carvalho had the most expected assists in open play per 90 minutes with 0.32. Fulham will need someone to share Wilson's creative burden.

What has manager Marco Silva said?
Fulham manager Marco Silva told The Athletic at the end of May:

"We know what happened two years ago [when Fulham got relegated], what happened four years ago. And there are some things we can't repeat if we want to be successful again. This is a moment for the players to be on holiday but we have to work really hard. We have to take some positives - we did some good things as well - but we cannot repeat some things that we did.

"Our philosophy will not change. What we do in the market will have a big impact. I will not hide that. It's important everyone knows that.

"If my voice is not important, what can I do here? I cannot see football in a different way. We have a project. I'm not the type of guy to come here and from the first day start to change everything - change the gate, change the car park, change everything up to the top. I like to analyse, to see what is really important for the club and improve step by step."

What should Fulham do this summer?
Fulham have made huge additions to their squad in their last two attempts at the Premier League - signing 11 players in the summer of 2018 and again in 2020. Neither were particularly successful in keeping the club in England's top flight.

This time around though, there is the core of a talented squad to build around and listening to Marco Silva, this looks to be the course he wants to take.

But there's no doubting Fulham will need back-up in a number of areas if they're to take on the unrelenting pressure of a Premier League season. They already have to replace the talented Fabio Carvalho, who has joined Liverpool, although finding a player of the same ilk will not be easy.

When looking at players this summer, you would expect them to target quality over quantity. Having experience in the squad is vital.

A number of current players are coming to the end of their contracts this summer, or in the next 12 months, and will be another tightrope for Silva to walk as he balances his team for the upcoming campaign.

Fulham need to work smarter and faster this summer if they want to compete properly in the Premier League for the first time in many years.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/12619754/fulham-the-summer-transfer-window-and-what-they-need-to-do

[WhiteJC]

Sevilla 'join the race to sign Tottenham's £25m-rated Harry Winks' after Newcastle, Everton, Fulham and Southampton were put on alert that out-of-favour midfielder is available

    Sevilla are reportedly considering a bid for Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks
    The 26-year-old has been told he can leave for around £25million this summer
    Southampton and Newcastle have also shown interest in the England midfielder

Sevilla are reportedly considering a shock move for Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks this summer.

The Spurs academy product, who has 10 England caps, has played a peripheral role under Antonio Conte since the Italian manager's arrival in November and is expected to depart north London ahead of next season.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will listen to offers for the 26-year-old this summer, and it is believed a fee of between £20m-£25m will be enough to land a player who has been at Spurs since the age of five.


Sevilla are reportedly considering a shock move for Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks

The LaLiga side are willing to offer the playmaker a chance to revive his career in a league that would suit his technical ability, according to The Sun.

There seems to be plenty of potential takers for Winks with Southampton and Newcastle understood to have interest in the midfielder.

The report also suggests Fulham and Everton are also interested in the England international.

Winks, who has made over 200 appearances for Spurs and played in the 2019 Champions League final, became a key part of England boss Gareth Southgate's plans during Mauricio Pochettino's reign at Tottenham.

But his lack of action at Spurs means he is stuck on 10 international caps, despite showing glimpses of his quality early on in Conte's reign, especially in their 2-2 draw with Liverpool in December.

He has since fallen well down the pecking order with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and January recruit Rodrigo Bentancur shining in the midfield as Spurs qualified for the Champions League.

Oliver Skipp also appears to be ahead of Winks, therefore it could be a good time for him to leave north London, especially if he wants to give himself any hope of making England's World Cup squad.

Winks' current contract runs until the summer of 2024, but it seems unlikely that he will stay at the club until his contract expires.

Spurs will look to offload a number of players this summer. Tanguy Ndombele, Bryan Gil and Giovani Lo Celso, who all spent the second half of the season on loan, are expected to be sold.

Likewise, the futures of Steven Bergwijn, Sergio Reguilon and Joe Rodon are also unclear heading into the summer transfer window as boss Conte looks to rebuild his squad.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10870341/Sevilla-join-race-sign-Tottenhams-25m-rated-Harry-Winks.html

[WhiteJC]

The dilemmas facing Marco Silva this summer transfer window at Fulham

Fulham will be hoping that they can avoid the Premier League drop when they return to England's top flight for the 2022/23 campaign.

Proving to be a level above all season at Championship level, they will be striving to avoid a repeat of when they were promoted for the 2020/21 season.

Marco Silva will now be preparing his side for the rigours of Premier League football, with the Portuguese manager possessing the summer to assemble a squad that will be ready for the challenge.

Here, we take a look at three dilemmas facing Silva this summer...

Too much change

Perhaps the downfall, when they were relegated during the 2020/21 campaign, was down to the fact that they added so many players that they lost what they had when they won promotion.

This is something that Silva would have been made fully aware of and something that he will be eager to avoid as the summer ticks on.

Of course, he will need to bolster the squad, however, he does not need too many signings, with the majority of his players possessing the necessary attributes to step up.

Miguel Almiron battle

Fulham are interested in a move for Newcastle United's Miguel Almiron, as per a report from Paraguayan reporter Roberto Rojas.

Everton, Napoli and Sevilla are also interested in the exciting attacking midfielder, meaning it could turn out to be a difficult deal for the Cottagers to complete this summer.

As the Magpies head in a new direction following their mega takeover, Almiron could quite easily be heading for pastures new over the next couple of months.

Striker search

Aleksandar Mitrovic enjoyed a record-breaking 2021/22 campaign with the Whites, finishing the Championship season with 43 goals in 44 appearances.

Whilst it seems an impossible task for Fulham to improve their talismanic figure this summer, they appear to be looking for cover and future competition.

One player they are interested in is Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres, with the Sky Blues forward showing excellence last season.

It remains to be seen if the Premier League outfit could lure the Sweden international to Craven Cottage, with the young Coventry striker having excellent potential.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/the-dilemmas-facing-marco-silva-this-summer-transfer-window-at-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

Latest Fulham news: International midfielder becomes latest target, winger transfer collapses + more

Fulham have been hitting headlines a lot since their promotion to the Premier League, with Marco Silva's side looking set for a busy summer.

Fulham have been linked with a clutch of players since their return to the Premier League was confirmed last month.

The Londoners have spent big in previous Premier League pre-seasons and they look as though they're ready to spend once more, but perhaps more shrewdly this time round.

In fact, Fulham are being linked with a couple of free agents, with one of them being Joe Rothwell.

The one-time Manchester United man is out of contract next month and has a number of suitors, with Fulham joined by Bournemouth in their pursuit of the 27-year-old.

And another free agent linked with a move to Craven Cottage, or in this case a return to Craven Cottage, is Ryan Fredericks.

The former Fulham man is out of contract at West Ham next month and reports have strongly backed Fulham to bring the 29-year-old back to the club, though Fulham now face fresh competition from Southampton for his signature.

One player who's also been strongly linked with Fulham so far this summer is Manor Solomon. He looked set to become Fulham's first summer signing after securing promotion, but the move has slowly fallen through, with Fabrizio Romano completely ruling out the move at the end of last week:

The latest transfer rumour coming out of Craven Cottage though is an exciting one. Fulham are being linked alongside Bournemouth in the race to sign Manchester City and Japan midfielder Ko Itakura.

He's just helped Schalke claim the Bundesliga 2 title after an impressive stint on loan in Germany, but now he's being backed for a return to England, and Fulham could snap him up this summer.

There's a lot of exciting rumours for Fulham fans to digest at the moment, but those fans will want to see some of those rumours become actual signings in the coming weeks.



https://the72.co.uk/274630/latest-fulham-news-international-midfielder-becomes-latest-target-winger-transfer-collapses-more/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham keeping tabs on 26-year-old amid Sevilla interest

Promoted side Fulham are keeping a close eye on Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks ahead of the summer window.

The 26-year-old has been told by officials at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium that he is free to depart the top-tier outfit this summer after only making 19 Premier League appearances for Spurs during the 2021/22 campaign.

With the club set for a revamp under Antonio Conte this summer, he looks set to be one of the first casualties and there is no shortage of interest in his signature either if reports are to be believed.

The Sun are reporting that the Cottagers are one side thought to be keeping tabs on his situation at this stage, though they may face competition with Everton and Southampton also thought to be interested in the Englishman along with La Liga outfit Sevilla.

However, his contract doesn't expire until the summer of 2024 and that will allow Spurs to hold out for a sizeable £20m fee for his services, a price tag that interested sides may be unwilling to meet according to Football Insider.

However, Marco Silva's side are in need of addressing this position after losing Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa to Napoli on a permanent basis this summer.

The Verdict:

This could be the type of signing that can help them remain afloat in the division with so much top-tier experience under his belt, also representing England at a senior international level.

It may be a tall order for him to force his way into Gareth Southgate's plans now – but injuries to others and regular first-team football elsewhere could put him in contention for a place on the plane to Qatar later this year.

The Three Lions will be desperate to go all the way following their heartbreak against Italy in the European Championships last year, so it may end up being an exciting international campaign for him if he can force his way into contention once more.

At Craven Cottage, he's likely to be a regular starter despite their other options in central midfield, potentially being a particularly important player at the former with Jean Michael Seri also departing along with Anguissa.

£20m may be too steep for them though, so Spurs may have to lower their price tag if they are to move the 26-year-old on before the end of August, a sacrifice they may be willing to make if it frees up more funds for an ambitious Conte.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-keeping-tabs-on-26-year-old-amid-sevilla-interest/

[WhiteJC]

West Ham ready to sign Fulham target Alphonse Areola

West Ham United are ready to snap up Fulham transfer target Alphonse Areola, reports Fabrizio Romano.

Fulham will have to look elsewhere if they want to sign a goalkeeper this summer.

Areola, 29, has been linked with a return to Craven Cottage ahead of next season.

However, reporter Romano claims the Hammers will be exercising their option to buy clause to lure him to the London Stadium on a permanent basis (see tweet below):

Invalid Tweet ID

Fulham goalkeeping situation

Fulham have a two senior options in their goalkeeping department at the moment in the form of Marek Rodak and Paulo Gazzaniga. They also have a couple of youngsters on their books like Taye Ashby-Hammond, Luca Ashby-Hammond and Jacob Adams.

You can see why they would want to bring Areola back to the club. He impressed for the Cottagers during the 2020/21 season despite the club's relegation and is a goalkeeper who has a lot of pedigree having played for both Real Madrid and currently PSG.

He spent the past campaign on loan at West Ham and was used by David Moyes in all their cup games which saw him amass 18 appearances in the end.

Fulham will have to move on to other targets this summer as they look to bolster their ranks ahead of their return to the Premier League.

Marco Silva's side stormed the Championship but need to ensure that they get their recruitment right over the coming months to avoid a season of struggle next term.



https://the72.co.uk/274632/west-ham-ready-to-sign-fulham-target-alphonse-areola/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham want £12m Prem captain who won a trophy under Marco Silva

Fulham could sign a Premier League captain this summer with Luka Milivojevic potentially set to leave Crystal Palace for Craven Cottage, as reported by The Athletic.

Marco Silva knows the veteran midfielder well, too.

Milivojevic was one of the most integral cogs in the Olympiakos side who won the Greek Super League title under Silva back in 2015/16.

"In my opinion, (Crystal Palace) have really high quality in their attacking line with one player who is the key player who I know very well," the now-Fulham boss said back in 2019, ahead of a top-flight clash between The Eagles and his Everton side.

"Luka will play in the midfield and can support their forward line really well."

Is Crystal Palace's Luka Milivojevic heading to Fulham?

At the age of 31, Milivojevic is no longer the irrepressible force of old. He started just nine Premier League games during Patrick Vieira's debut season at Selhurst Park, with some 'supporters' unfairly singling their long-serving skipper out for criticism during Crystal Palace's end of season awards recently (The Athletic).

A move to Fulham would hand Milivojevic the chance to silence his doubters alongside a familiar face in Silva.

"In my opinion, (Crystal Palace) have really high quality in their attacking line with one player who is the key player who I know very well," the now-Fulham boss said back in 2019, ahead of a top-flight clash between The Eagles and his Everton side.

"Luka will play in the midfield and can support their forward line really well."
Is Crystal Palace's Luka Milivojevic heading to Fulham?

At the age of 31, Milivojevic is no longer the irrepressible force of old. He started just nine Premier League games during Patrick Vieira's debut season at Selhurst Park, with some 'supporters' unfairly singling their long-serving skipper out for criticism during Crystal Palace's end of season awards recently (The Athletic).

A move to Fulham would hand Milivojevic the chance to silence his doubters alongside a familiar face in Silva.

'Outstanding'

"He's been absolutely excellent in every respect," former Palace and Fulham boss Roy Hodgson told the Daily Mail a couple of years ago. "Outstanding.

"As a football coach, the biggest compliment you can pay a player is that you go out on the field and do your job every week and do it well. And then, after the game is over, you get back to training on Monday and get ready for the next one. Those players are the ones that I am looking for.

"Reliability and consistency of performance are two factors in a football player that I praise unbelievably highly. 

"The reader might say; 'Shouldn't all players be like that? Shouldn't they all be consistent and have the ability to recover from injury and get out on the field again?' But they can't all do that. Luka can."



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/05/31/fulham-want-12m-prem-captain-who-won-a-trophy-under-marco-silva/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham keen on Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks

Fulham are keen on Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks, as detailed in a report by The Sun.

Fulham have identified the England international as a potential summer addition.

Winks, 26, still has a few years left on his contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

However, he is being linked with a move away with Sevilla, Everton and Southampton also credited with an interest.

Fulham gearing up for the Premier League

Fulham are back in the Premier League and could see Winks as someone to bolster their options in the middle of the park.

The Cottagers would be able to guarantee him regular game time but would have to see off competition from elsewhere to lure him to Craven Cottage.

He made 30 appearances in all competitions in this past campaign, with 19 coming in the league for Antonio Conte's side.

Winks has been on the books at Spurs for his whole career to date and rose up through the youth ranks of the London outfit.

He has since made 203 appearances for the top flight club over the past six years, scoring five goals from midfield.

His long-term future is up in the air right now and it isn't beyond the realms of possibility that he may depart over the next couple of months to take on a new challenge somewhere else.

A move to Fulham would make sense for him and he would be a shrewd addition for Marco Silva's side. However, Everton, Southampton and Sevilla are in the frame too.



https://the72.co.uk/274638/fulham-keen-on-tottenham-hotspur-midfielder-harry-winks/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham set sights on Crystal Palace midfielder Luka Milivojevic

Fulham are eyeing up a move for Crystal Palace midfielder Luka Milivojevic, The Athletic (via HITC Sport) has claimed.

Fulham are gearing up for life in the Premier League after winning the Championship title.

The Cottagers' poor recruitment in previous top-flight seasons has seen them fail to maintain their place in England's top tier, so Marco Silva will be determined to right those wrongs this summer.

Now, ahead of the transfer window, it has been claimed Fulham have Crystal Palace's Milivojevic on their radar.

The Athletic (via HITC Sport) has said that Silva is keen to reunite with Milivojevic, who worked together at Greek giants Olympiacos.

The Eagles skipper could be on the move this summer after struggling to nail down a starting spot under Patrick Vieira. His contract runs out at the end of next season too, potentially leading to a cut-price deal.

Premier League pedigree...

Premier League experience will be vital for Fulham in their bid to finally nail down a place in the Premier League moving forward, so Milivojevic could prove to be a smart addition for the Cottagers.

His leadership has seen him become a key player at Selhurst Park. Milivojevic has played 177 times for Crystal Palace over the course of his five-and-a-half-year spell with the club.

In the process, he has chipped in with 28 goals and six assists, with his set-piece ability making him a threat from dead-ball situations.

Not only will his Premier League experience be of value to Fulham, but the fact he has already worked with Silva should help him bed in quickly if a move materialises.

He would know exactly what to expect from the Fulham boss and what he demands of his players, making for a smooth transition from Crystal Palace to the Cottagers.



https://the72.co.uk/274640/fulham-set-sights-on-crystal-palace-midfielder-luka-milivojevic/

[WhiteJC]

International Call-Ups

Details of the Fulham players who will be representing their nations this summer.

Senior squad

Neeskens Kebano (Congo) - Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers

Aleksandar Mitrović (Serbia) - Nations League

Antonee Robinson (United States) - Friendlies & Nations League

Marek Rodák (Slovakia) - Nations League

Harry Wilson (Wales) - World Cup Play-Off Final & Nations League

Under-23s

Tyrese Francois (Australia) - Asia Cup

Under-21s

Ollie O'Neill (Republic of Ireland) - UEFA European Championship Qualifiers

George Okkas (Cyprus) - UEFA European Championship Qualifiers

Under-20s

Ziyad Larkeche (France) - Toulon Tournament

Alex Borto (USA) - Concacaf U20 Championships

Under-18s

Michael Olakigbe (England) - Friendlies

Harvey Araujo (England) - Friendlies



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/may/31/international-call-ups/

[WhiteJC]

21/22 Academy Talking Points

Following another wholly successful Academy season, let's take a look at some of the key talking points.

A core group used to winning

With 11 points separating the young Whites with second place Wolves, it's fair to say our Under-23s managed to make fairly light work of PL2 Division Two. One thing to bear in mind, is that many of our current 23s squad enjoyed similar successes at the lower age groups, with the likes of Jay Stansfield, Ollie O'Neill, Idris Odutayo, Luciano D'Auria-Henry, Adrion Pajaziti and Kieron Bowie all playing their part to lead our Under-18s to a second successive title last season. The first two names on that list were also heavily involved in the title winning 19/20 season.

Steve Wigley's squad have played with a swagger and a know-how throughout the campaign, and that's potentially partly down to the result of a group extremely used to playing alongside one another.

Effective use of the loan pathway

It's been a particularly successful season for our group of Academy loanees, who have all picked up plenty of invaluable experiences while also capturing the hearts of fans across an array of different clubs. Marlon Fossey's spell at Bolton Wanderers was cut short, much to the despair of their supporters. The right-back was utilised in a more attacking position under Bolton boss Ian Evatt, and shone throughout his time there, scoring one incredible goal and recording five assists in his 16 appearances across all competitions.

Closer to home, goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond kept 16 clean sheets in his 30 Boreham Wood appearances, while also enjoying a historic FA Cup run. His side produced an epic shock win over Bournemouth before putting in a battling performance at Goodison Park, which was where their journey came to an end. Our young stopper caught the headlines at the Vitality Stadium, making a truly unbelievable double save to deny the hosts a leveler.

George Wickens and Connor McAvoy were loved at National League side Wealdstone, and became regular starters in goal and at the centre of defence respectively. The duo made 68 appearances between them, with McAvoy scoring two goals in the process. Their consistently high level of performances saw them scoop up a combined three awards at the End of Season Awards Evening.

Our players were making impacts for their clubs all over, with Sylvester Jasper, Terry Ablade, Luca Ashby-Hammond and more all enjoying some senior football.

Strong Academy presence in First Team training

Marco Silva has made his desire to develop our young players clear since day one of his tenure. It's easy to spot the inclusion of Jay Stansfield, who netted for us during our Carabao Cup win over Birmingham City, and Fabio Carvalho who featured heavily throughout. What potentially slides under the radar is his regular use of youngsters during training sessions at Motspur Park. From the older, more familiar lads like Fossey, Sonny Hilton and Ollie O'Neill to the newest batch of scholars including Delano McCoy-Splatt, Harvey Araujo and Michael Allen, most of our Academy boys have featured at one stage or another.

A few of the lads have also had the opportunity to travel with the senior squad, with O'Neill featuring on the bench and Alex Borto and Luke Harris brought along to learn amongst some of our older players.

Luke Harris turning heads

It's been a particularly impressive season for young Welshman Luke Harris, who, after a brilliant spell with the Under-18s last season was quickly pushed up to the 23s. Despite only recently turning 17, Luke has amassed a remarkable 13 goals and one assist in just 18 PL2 games. Seven of those came within just 180 minutes of football, with the attacking-midfielder scoring a nine-minute hat-trick away at Newcastle before smashing four past Burnley in our final league game of the season.

He has already caught the eye of Silva, who expects the youngster to play a part in some regard next season. It's still very early days for the serial scorer, but he'll be hoping to come back even stronger after the Summer break.

Three in a row for Steve Wigley

While the players have performed brilliantly, plenty of credit must also go to Head Coach Steve Wigley, who won his third title on the bounce after securing the Division Two top spot. He guided our 18s to league titles in both the 19/20 and 20/21 seasons before proving he could do the same at a higher level. With his team ethos centred firstly around hard work and fighting for one another, that was clear to see from the offset. A remarkable achievement for a very popular figure at Motspur Park.

Plenty of talent amongst newest scholars

An impressive total of nine young players were introduced into the Under-18s setup at the beginning of the season, and the impact they've made cannot be underappreciated. While Harris' contributions have already been noted, the likes of Harvey Araujo and goalkeepers Michael Allen and Alfie McNally have been consistent performers under Head Coach Ali Melloul. Centre-back Charlie Robinson earned himself a solid amount of Under-23s football having impressed with his excellent passing ability and composure.

It's exciting to think about our next potential cast of scholars for the 22/23 season.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/may/31/21-22-Academy-Talking-Points/

[WhiteJC]

5 Fulham players who could attract transfer interest this summer – will they leave?

Fulham are returning to the Premier League as the Championship title-winners, with Marco Silva's side looking set for change in the summer transfer window.

And Fulham have been linked with any and every player since their promotion was confirmed last month.

The Londoners have spent big in the past and they could do again this summer, but there could also be some departures this summer too.

Here, we look at five Fulham players who could attract transfer interest this summer...

Marek Rodak
Fulham look set to bring in a new no.1 this summer with Lazio's Thomas Strakosha being strongly linked.

And for Rodak, that could signal the end of his Fulham career. He was overlooked in the Premier League last time and he says he won't settle for a spot on the bench again.

He's a solid Championship goalkeeper and could easily find a new home if he wants to leave Craven Cottage.

Antonee Robinson
Robinson has split opinion among Fulham fans in the past. But that's not stopped him from being regularly linked with a move away, with West Ham having last been linked back in December.

Silva has been linked with a number of full-backs so far this month, and like Rodak, if Robinson doesn't have the guarantee of regular football next season then he could consider a transfer exit – he's a good player and he too would have plenty of interest.

Anthony Knockaert
For this one, Fulham may well be hoping that Knockaert does have transfer interest this summer. He's well out of contention at Craven Cottage, but again, this is a player with bags of experience, especially so in the Championship.

If Fulham will let him go, even on loan and pay part of his wages, he'd surely have no problem in finding a temporary home for the 2022/23 campaign.

Ivan Cavaleiro
Like Knockaert, Cavaleiro is an experienced player, likely to be on high wages at Fulham, but low in the pecking order.

And with his side heading to the Premier League, Cavaleiro may be wondering how much, if any, football he'll be playing next season.

With that in mind, clubs could look at Cavaleiro as a potential transfer target, with Fulham surely willing to let the Portuguese leave after he made just 18 Championship appearances last season.

Aleksandar Mitrovic
Mitrovic proved himself to be one of the hottest strikers in Europe last season. He scored an incredible 43 goals in 44 league outings for Fulham, and he now looks prepared to finally take that form into the Premier League.

But his form last season saw him linked with the likes of Newcastle United and Arsenal, and Fulham fans may be weary of that interest cropping up again at some point this summer, with plenty of top flight teams bound to be after a prolific striker.



https://the72.co.uk/274677/5-fulham-players-who-could-attract-transfer-interest-this-summer-will-they-leave/

[WhiteJC]

Comment: Fulham should look at eye-catching bargain deal for Bayern Munich's departing star this summer

Fulham will be in the market for reinforcements this summer, and Marco Silva should be casting his net wide and setting his standards high.

Fulham's recruitment when in the Premier League hasn't been good enough in previous seasons.

Failed gambles have seen big fees spent on players who haven't proven their worth, so Cottagers boss Silva should be setting his standards high while looking to be shrewd where possible.

With that in mind, one man that should be on Fulham's radar is midfielder Corentin Tolisso.

Pedigree aplenty...
Tolisso emerged from Lyon's youth academy in France and broke into their senior side at a young age, going on to play 160 times for the Ligue 1 giants before earning a move to Bayern Munich in 2017.

Much of his time with the German titans has been spent as a bit-part player, though the well-rounded central midfielder has still notched up 21 goals and 15 assists in his 118 appearances.

In the process, he has won five Bundesliga titles in as many years as well as the Champions League and numerous domestic trophies.

A bargain move on the cards...
A player of Tolisso's pedigree will be sought-after at the best at times.

Given that he has confirmed he will be leaving Bayern Munich when his contract expires this summer too, his situation will have alerted many clubs.

A new page is turned... A big THANK YOU for these 5 beautiful years which brought me so much on a sporting and personal level ! I wish the best to @fcbayern for the years to come! #MiaSanMia #TeamTHM pic.twitter.com/SkP6fwiY4u

— Corentin Tolisso (@CorentinTolisso) May 30, 2022

Tolisso has the pedigree, and the ability, to play for a more established top-flight club than Fulham. However, the Cottagers are well backed financially, and offering him the prospect of becoming a key player for an ambitious club in the Premier League could be an attractive one.

The 27-year-old, who turns 28 in August, will surely have attractive options this summer.

However, it would be smart for Fulham to look at a possible swoop to prove just how serious they are about finally cementing a place in the Premier League after years of bouncing between the top-flight and the Championship.



https://the72.co.uk/274696/comment-fulham-should-look-at-eye-catching-bargain-deal-for-bayern-munichs-departing-star-this-summer/

[WhiteJC]

Sports Law Update: Fulham Football Club v Jones [2022] EWHC 1108 (QB)

Sports injuries present a challenge to personal injury practitioners. The difficulties of establishing liability were recently examined by Mr. Justice Lane in the High Court judgment of Fulham Football Club v Jones [2022] EWHC 1108 (QB). This article set out the facts of the case, the approaches taken by the Recorder and the High Court, and finally provides concluding thoughts on the impact of this judgment.

The Facts

On 10th December 2016, a football match took place between the under 18 teams of Fulham Football Club and Swansea City Football Club. Towards the end of the first half of the match, Mr. Harris tackled Mr. Jones from his side. Mr. Jones suffered a serious injury to his right ankle, which ended his professional footballing career. Before the issuing of the claim, no complaint had been made in respect of tackle. Further, there had been no investigation, nor was any disciplinary action enforced.

At the hearing, both parties instructed expert witnesses. Namely, Mr. Hackett for the Claimant and Mr. Cumming for the Defendant.

Judgment of the Recorder

Recorder Craven highlighted the following rules of football from the expert report of Mr. Hackett:

    Using excessive force is when a player exceeds the necessary use of force and endangers the safety of an opponent.
    A player, a substitute or substituted player who commits [serious foul play] is sent off.

In paragraph 56 of his judgment, he noted that breach of the rules is not determinative of liability, but that actual serious foul play which endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality would very likely amount to negligence. He found that Mr. Harris tackled the Claimant by launching himself off the ground, such that he would not have "control over his flight except to some extent being able to move where his legs went" [45]. This was a reckless manoeuvre involving excessive force which he should have realised would bring Mr. Jones down.

This was a serious error of judgement. He noted that the referee did not penalise Mr. Harris for a foul, but found that it did not negative his views about what actually happened. With respect to the expert evidence, the Recorder stated that he accepted the Claimant's expert evidence, and rejected the evidence of the Defendant.

Judgment of the High Court

Mr. Justice Lane allowed the appeal on all four grounds outlined by the Defendant.

Ground 1: The Recorder's Self-Direction

The appellant submitted that it was wrong for the recorder to give a self-direction that actual serious foul play would "very likely amount to negligence". Counsel for the appellant suggested that a two-stage analysis was required. First, whether the defendant breached the rules of the game. Second, whether there was negligence.

It was agreed that the rules of football were not drafted with civil liability in mind. They were not concerned with whether the sanctions correlated with the law of negligence. The fact that such violations are the subject of sending-off did not mean that any send-off is very likely to amount to negligence.

Mr. Justice Lane found that Ground 1 was made out. He did not accept that a two-stage test was required. However, he did accept that the Recorder had closely aligned serious foul play with actionable negligence in paragraph 56 of his judgment. He wrongly reduced the ambit of the inquiry in order to answer the question of whether Mr. Harris's tackle was negligent. Given this finding, the Recorder had suggested that it did not matter whether Mr. Harris made the tackle in a fast moving 'heat of the moment context'. On the contrary, this was an important matter to ascertain whether Mr. Harris's tackle was truly negligent.

Ground 2: Failure to give adequate reasons

The appellant complained that the recorder failed to give any reasons why he rejected outright the evidence of the Defendant's expert. He merely concluded that he rejected the Defendant's expert, but accepted the Claimant's expert. The respondent suggested that the reasons for rejection were plain from reading the judgment as a whole. The recorder had accepted that the Claimant's expert was right about Mr. Harris having leapt into the air, which even Mr. Harris accepted would be dangerous.

Mr. Justice Lane found that the fact that Mr. Harris leapt into the air could not be a reason for rejecting the expert view of Mr. Cumming. Even if it was such a reason, then it needed to be expressed in the judgment. Mr. Harris was not conceding that he was negligent. Further, Mr. Justice Lane found that the recorder merely formed his own view about the video evidence and concluded that it was contrary to the view of Mr. Cumming. This was inappropriate treatment of the Defendant's expert evidence.

Ground 3: Failure to understand the realities of professional football

The appellant averred that the recorder imposed a counsel of perfection on Mr. Harris. He suggested that it did not matter whether the tackle was made in a "fast moving heat of the moment context". Further, the recorder suggested that, in making the tackle, Mr. Harris "could not be sure what he might contact or do". Mr. Justice Lane found that the recorder's analysis set a standard of reckless behaviour which was far below what was needed to establish liability.

Ground 4: Failure to take relevant evidence into account

The appellant contended that the recorder failed to take into account relevant evidence. Namely, (1) the fact that the referee did not consider that a foul had been committed, nor had he issued a sanction, and (2) there was no adverse reaction from the spectators or other players.

Mr. Justice Lane found that he erred in law by failing to take into account the view of the referee. This was an important policy consideration when considering whether Mr. Harris's tackle was negligent. It was not determinative, but it was part of the evidential landscape which the recorder had to traverse. However, the recorder did not fall into error by not considering the lack of adverse reaction from other players and spectators. Both experts agreed that it would be normal to expect no adverse reaction from any of the spectators.

Accordingly, Mr. Justice Lane held that the recorder's judgment had to be set aside. He rejected the appellant's submission that judgment must be entered in its favour.

Commentary

There are two points which practitioners should draw on from reading this judgment. First, a mere breach of sporting rules does not equate to negligence. This is difficult, especially given the language of sporting rules is very similar to the language used when assessing civil liability. Indeed, in Caldwell v Maguire and Fitzgerald [2001] EWCA Civ 1054, the Court of Appeal firmly affirmed the difference between 'response by regulatory authority and response by the courts in the shape of a finding of legal liability'.

Second, the threshold for a finding of civil liability will be high. In the unreported judgment of Pitcher v Huddersfield Town Football (unreported, Queen's Bench Division, 17th July 2021), Mrs. Justice Hallett describes successful cases as 'football crimes'. Indeed, in Tylicki v Gibbons [2021] EWHC 3470 (QB), HHJ Walden-Smith found that the defendant had been negligent on the basis that there had been a 'reckless disregard' for the safety of others. As Alistair McHenry notes in Football and the Law (De Marco QC, 2018), it will only be cases which are clearly unacceptable and beyond the playing culture of the sport, that such claims will succeed.



https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=6cadcc30-2c91-4967-be22-33a8ecd77569

[WhiteJC]

£13m ace left out of squad as Fulham discuss deal, has 'immense quality'

Premier League newcomers Fulham are in talks with Al-Musrati and the £13 million Braga ace has been left out of the Libya squad as he negotiates a move away from the Portuguese outfit, as reported by the BBC.

It's still early days, of course, but you can understand why there's a hint of frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

Fulham, after all, were supposed to have a couple of new deals done and dusted by now. But, despite holding talks with the likes of Thomas Strakosha and Manor Solomon, the Championship champions are still awaiting their first signing of the summer.

There may be light at the end of the tunnel, however, with talks underway regarding 6ft 4ins midfield mountain Al-Musrati.

Fulham kick-started negotiations a couple of weeks ago (O Jogo). Marco Silva is a big fan of the deep-lying colossus and, what's more, Al-Musrati is aware of Fulham's interest. 

"I saw many of his games in the Portuguese league and many others in the Europa League. You could see his importance to the team. He had a great season," Libya coach Corentin Martins tells A Bola.

"He has quality, gives rhythm to the game, calms the play or provides fast passes forward. We also see his tremendous ability for covering the ground. He recovers a lot of balls. He makes me think a little about Danilo, from PSG."

Fulham in talks to sign Braga's Al-Musrati

Al-Musrati reportedly asked to be left out of Libya's squad ahead of June's African Cup of Nations qualifiers as he negotiates a move away from Braga.

And Martins, rather than express his disappointment at losing one of his key players, is backing the 26-year-old's pursuit of a fresh start in a more competitive, high-profile division.

"The great season (he had) can take him to a bigger club," Martins adds. "I think it deserves a better club than SC Braga. For Libya, it would be great to see him increase in size and value."

If a lack of defensive security was the main reason why Fulham flopped during their last couple of seasons in the big-time, then a colossal defensive midfielder who averages an impressive 2.1 tackles per game would be a very welcome addition (WhoScored).

Al-Musrati reportedly has admirers in France's Ligue 1 too.

"I only hope that he leaves (for a club) abroad, preferably for a great team," Braga reporter Antonio Costa writes in his ZeroZero column. 

"This Libyan monster deserves (a big move), due to his immense quality."



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/05/31/13m-ace-left-out-of-squad-as-fulham-discuss-deal-has-immense-quality/

[WhiteJC]

Al-Musrati inches closer to Fulham move

Braga midfielder Al-Musrati has been left out of the Libyan squad for the opening set of African Nations Cup qualifiers in order to try and complete a move to Fulham.

The Premier League newcomers registered their interest with Braga a fortnight ago and are hopeful of concluding a deal to sign the 6ft 4in defensive midfielder, who has impressed Marco Silva with a series of dominant displays in the Primeira Liga. The 26 year-old, who helped Braga win the Taca de Portugal last year, was an integral part of Libya's 2014 African Nations Championship triumph – where they beat Ghana on penalties in a dramatic final.

Al-Musrati is well known to Silva as he has spent five years in Portuguese football after beginning his career with Al-Ittihad Tripoli. The powerful midfielder has made 89 appearances in two years with Braga, scoring six goals, and is intrigued by the prospect of playing in England.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/05/al-musrati-inches-closer-to-fulham-move/

[WhiteJC]

Season Tickets Off-Sale

The deadline for Season Ticket renewals has now passed, with a fantastic uptake from supporters!

With record-high levels of renewals and new sales, as well as the sell-out of the new Riverside Stand Lower Tier, we thank supporters for their commitment as we all look forward to the start of our 2022/23 Premier League campaign.

2022/23 Season Tickets are now no longer available to purchase online.
SEAT MOVE WINDOW

Supporters who have signed up to the 2022/23 season will have the opportunity to take advantage of a Seat Move Window from 10am tomorrow, Wednesday 1st June.

The Seat Move Window will take place over the phone on 0203 871 0810, or in person at the Fulham FC Ticket Office at Craven Cottage.

Fans are advised that new seats within Craven Cottage are now very limited in availability, and as such the Club will not be able to accommodate any sales to brand new customers on Wednesday – this day will strictly be to accommodate any 2022/23 Season Ticket Holders wishing to move to a new location and buy additional seats within their group, subject to availability.

Further information regarding any final Season Tickets which become available for general sale will be made in due course.
KEEP YOUR CARD

Supporters are reminded that unless they have moved seat or age category, they should keep their season card for the 2022/23 campaign. This card will be re-activated ahead of the new season.

All seat moves are subject to availability.

Seats in Blocks A, AL, K, KL, E, EL, F, FL, G and GL of the Johnny Haynes Stand are not available to purchase for new sales.




https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/may/31/season-tickets-off-sale/

[WhiteJC]

Premier League side present transfer chance for Crystal Palace man after 'confused' season

Patrick Vieira, Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman are busy trying to bolster their squad ahead of the new campaign but could see several players move on

Crystal Palace captain Luka Milivojevic is reportedly a transfer target for Premier League newcomers Fulham.

The Serbian midfielder has fallen out of favour at Selhurst Park following the arrival of Patrick Vieira as manager last summer, with the Frenchman handing Milivojevic just nine league starts across the campaign. Instead, Vieira has preferred to utilise James McArthur, Chiekhou Kouyate and Will Hughes ahead of him, with the club captain seemingly unable to meet the demands of Palace's highly-mobile style of play.

Milivojevic arrived in south London in 2017 and has gone on to wrack up 177 appearances in red and blue across five and a half seasons for the club. His most prolific campaign was in 2018/19 when he managed 12 Premier League goals to lead the scoring charts for the club, following on from his ten strikes the previous year.

He has slowly dropped further out of favour though and was even booed by small sections of Palace fans during the club's end of season awards night in May before giving a speech. That has opened the door on a potential exit for the Serbian international, who still has a year left remaining on his contract in SE25.

Speaking to the Crystal Palace website about his situation in March, Milivojevic said: "This season is a little bit confused, but I'm very honest with myself. I think I'm doing great in training, giving my best. In the game I played in the cup [vs Hartlepool] I was satisfied with how I did. As the captain of the group, I have to always show always an example, especially in difficult moments, because there are plenty of young guys who can be in a similar situation in the future.

"Honestly, at the moment I haven't decided what I want. I think soon I will have to start [deciding], but I'm not in a rush. If I want to stay in football I will try to be involved. If I don't want to stay in football I will try to enjoy life with my family. I have a lot of hobbies, fishing, and a lot of stuff, and want to maybe spend time in Serbia. So we will see. I'm not in a rush and there are plenty of years in front of me.

"I'm very happy at the moment, enjoying playing football, very thankful to God that I'm healthy, in one of the best leagues in the world. We as a club do amazing for the players –the club tries to prepare everything for us and to give us just one thing in our mind: to be the best on the pitch. Everything around us is top class and as a professional football player you can't ask for more than we get at the moment."

Fulham, who were promoted back to the Premier League as Championship winners this year, are keen to bolster their squad for the upcoming season in a bid to ensure they don't suffer what would be a third relegation in as many top-flight seasons. The Whites have recently released midfielder Jean-Michael Seri and allowed Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa to move to Napoli in a permanent deal following a successful loan spell in Italy.

That leaves a hole which manager Marco Silva would like to fill with an experienced player, with the west Londoners reportedly casting their net wide and looking at several players who could come in for the new season. Silva has previously worked with Milivojevic at Olympiacos where the pair won the Greek Superleague together in 2016/16.

If the deal does happen it would also unite Milivojevic with close friend and international teammate Aleksander Mitrovic, who will be out to prove he has what it takes to fire Fulham to safety following an underwhelming season in the top-flight last time out under Scott Parker. Mitrovic responded by breaking the record for the highest-scoring English league season in the current 46 game format by scoring 43 goals in 44 Championship appearances.



https://www.football.london/crystal-palace-fc/transfer-news/premier-league-crystal-palace-transfer-24114451