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Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 28/06/22...

Started by WhiteJC, June 28, 2022, 07:02:29 AM

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WhiteJC

Fulham make £11m bid for Man Utd midfielder as he weighs up his future at Old Trafford

Newly-promoted Premier League side Fulham have made an £11m bid for Man Utd midfielder Andreas Pereira, according to reports.

The Brazilian still has two years remaining on his contract at Old Trafford despite now turning 26 and being some way from being a Red Devils regular.

Pereira made his professional debut for Man Utd back in 2014 after progressing through the youth ranks at Old Trafford.

In his eight years as a professional for the club he has played just 75 times in all competitions with Pereira enjoying his best season in 2019/20 when he made 40 appearances.

A lot of his time at Man Utd has been spent out on loan at other clubs with Pereira enjoying temporary spells away from United at Granada, Valencia, Lazio and Flamengo.

There was speculation that Flamengo wanted to make Pereira's loan deal into a permanent with reports in February claiming there was a 'total agreement' between Man Utd and the Brazilian club for the midfielder.

However, their interest has gone cold and the Daily Mail now claim that Championship champions Fulham could become Pereira's new permanent home.

The Cottagers have 'made an £11m offer' to Man Utd for Pereira – who is currently still on loan at Flamengo – with the newly-promoted side offering £8.6m initially with a further £2.4m in various add-ons.

Pereira could choose to try and impress new Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag but the Daily Mail insists that the Red Devils 'will listen to offers for Pereira this summer as Ten Hag looks to reshape his squad'.

They do also claim that Flamengo are still 'keen on trying to secure Pereira to a permanent deal' but that they have 'found complications in trying to strike a deal' and 'Fulham are now hoping to take advantage of the impasse'.

Speaking about his future in April, Pereira seemed keen to turn his loan at Flamengo into a permanent transfer away from Man Utd.

"I have a contract until June and I will always do my best for Flamengo. I'm focused and positive for whatever comes," Pereira told Globo Esporte.

"I just want to thank the fans, the teammates, and everything they are doing for me and have done. It was really difficult, very difficult after the final, but it's something that inside me I've already overcome. I've already put it back and I'm looking forward more calmly. I'm sure I have enough quality to reverse this situation."

Pereira added: "I don't pay much attention to these things, but everyone knows that I prioritised Flamengo. Everyone in the club knows this. It's hard for me to talk about my own value, but a Manchester United player for 10 million euros... Should I be cheaper? I'm doing my best, but I can't say if it's too expensive or cheap.

"I'm calm and focused. I know there's this indecision. I also have to talk about it with the people close to me, and on the pitch I'm calm. I know it can be resolved in a month, at the end before I leave, but I'm calm and always thinking about the next game.

"I came to Flamengo to show my football and I will show a lot more. Of course, the disappointment of not having won the titles remains, for sure, but I always tried to show my value on the pitch and the fans recognised it. I always told my friends and Flamengo that I always prioritised them, and that Flamengo is very important to me."



https://www.football365.com/news/fulham-make-11m-bid-for-man-utd-midfielder-as-he-weighs-up-his-future-at-old-trafford

WhiteJC

Why Silva won't play five at the back
Evan Lorendo returns to tell us not to expect a return to a super defensive line-up this coming season.


I'll say this straight off the bat: I fully expect that once this is published, Silva will go with five in defence – it's just the way things go.

There's been a lot of talk about Marco Silva moving to a three CBs and two wing-backs next season in the Premier League. In one of their videos explaining Silva's tactics at Watford and Everton, Tifo even mentions that he occasionally plays five at the back.

Conventional logic states that with five at the back, we are likely to concede less than if we play our traditional 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 system.

But it isn't going to happen next season. Silva will stick to what he is used to running.

The TL;DR comes down to three things:

    Silva doesn't have a successful history of playing five at the back
    We don't have the players to play five at the back
    It makes us weaker to play five at the back

Below is a walkthrough of why I think he'll stick to what this team knows.

An unsuccessful history
When I started thinking about this for next season,, it was out of concern for letting in goals. In reality, this is very much a result of the scars of Parkerball.

I did want to know what Silva ran in previous seasons, so I started to look at his previous clubs.

Fast-forward to a few (too many) hours of research later, and I went back as far as I could to look at box scores from previous Silva teams and the results they got with each formation (either four or five  at the back).

Estoril 2011-2014 and Sporting 2014/15
Line-up graphics on box scores are quite a new phenomenon, so as a result, I was unable to get reliable line-ups other than the names. I did cross-check the listed line-ups against the players listed position for about 10 games. For every single game at Sporting I came across, they played four at the back.

I did the same thing for a handful of games at Estoril, and maybe found one game (that they lost) where Silva played five defenders.

In reality, it is tough to tell for the bulk of these, so I think it's fair to leave his games in Portugal out of the count.

Olympiacos 2015/16
Silva's Pajtim Kasami-led Olympiacos squad ran riot the next season in the Greek Super League. They cruised into first with an impressive 28-1-1 record.

From the best that I can tell, Silva stuck with a 4-2-3-1 militantly throughout the season and never played three at the back.

This was also the team that beat Arsenal 3-0 away in the Champions League.

He oddly quit at the end of the season and stayed out of coaching for six months.

Hull 2016/17
It's a bit disingenuous to label this as the whole 2016/17 season for Silva, as he took over a struggling Hull side in January 2017.

It was the first time that I found that he trotted out a back five, but it wasn't right away.

During his Hull stay, Silva started a few habits that would follow him to his other stops in England.

    He brought in players that he knew from previous clubs
    His teams rarely drew
    And after a series of bad results with his preferred 4-2-3-1 he tried a back five for a few games

For the first point, one of his first moves as manager of Hull was to bring in Omar Elabdellaoui, his former right-back at Olympiacos, on loan.

For the second point, his record for the 20 league games he managed was 6-3-9. This team really went for it and would rather give up goals than play for the draw. At the end of the day, the gap to keep the team up was just too large.

Thirdly, it was after a string of bad losses that Silva tried a back five. In all fairness, the back was really solid (especially with a recency bias): David Marshall was in goal, a back three of Michael Dawson, Curtis Davies, and a young Harry Maguire, plus wingbacks Elabdellaoui and Andy Robertson.

Granted, that team had many injuries and not everyone was available every game, but you would think that would be a solid enough defence to get points and stay up.

While deploying a back five during the middle of his tenure at Hull, Silva ended up with a 2-0-3 record using it. From a points-per-game perspective, Hull got 1.2 when playing five at the back and 1.15 with a back four.

However, besides there being no draws with the back five, the games were all close wins or bad losses (like the 7-1 defeat to Spurs on the last day of the season).

Watford 2017/18
After leaving Hull, Silva bounced back to the Premier League within a few weeks when he joined Watford.

Despite lasting only 24 games, Silva continued keeping with his trends of drawing games below the Premier League average and swapping to five at the back after a poor run of games. (He was not at Watford long enough to bring in former players).

Nathaniel Chalobah did start the first five games before sitting on the bench the rest of the season.

After a run of poor results, Silva went to five at the back for eight games before reverting to his preferred 4-2-3-1 in his final few games.

He finished with a record of 3-1-4 while deploying a back five. Interestingly, this is the only time he drew a game with this formation. I actually think that this is important to repeat: Silva's teams are well below the average for games drawn. This is especially true for the periods in which he plays five at the back.

As we all know by now, Everton made eyes at Silva and he got caught looking upwards. By the end of January, Watford let him go.

Everton 2018/19
Silva eventually made his way to Everton and actually completed his first full season in the Premier League.

There is not a ton to say about this season other than the fact that he started to lean more to his 4-2-3-1 system (or 4-3-3) while Everton finished eighth on 54 points.

They did play a few games in a row with five at the back, but after going 1-0-2 during the spell, Silva quickly reverted to his preferred system.

He also kept in touch throughout the season with a young left back out on loan at Wigan by the name of Antonee Robinson, who he wanted to bring into the first team fold (per Robinson at least).

These were bright days for Silva and Everton, though they were not to last.

Everton 2019/20
Sometimes teams get off to a bad start. After 14 points from the first 15 games, Silva was let go.

Silva rolled out five at the back twice, losing both games.

Everton axed Silva in early December after losing 5-2 to Liverpool.

Overall record and points-per-game by formation
Just looking at his time in the Premier League, Silva ended up with an average of 1.06 points per game with five at the back, while getting 1.25 by playing four.

Granted, this is purely an analytical approach, but I believe there are other reasons why we should not try five at the back next season.

We don't have the right players
Good managers play systems that match their personnel. Fulham's squad currently is not set up in a way to play five at the back. For a start, we only have two centre-backs. And one will be 35 in October. To be safe, you need at least five at the bare minimum, if not six.

I think we will have a hard time finding two centre-backs before the season starts, and that's only dealing with depth and not counting bedding into the team and learning the system.

If the purpose of five at the back is to be a bit more defensive, at this point the lack of CBs makes it more of a liability.

Wing-backs is also an issue. While I think Robinson could play as a decent wing-back, I am not as sure about Tete, especially the toll it takes on you getting up and down the pitch for 90 minutes.

I just don't believe we have the depth there either. Granted we can recruit players this summer, but it seems that out-and-out wing backs are more expensive than traditional fullbacks.

Most of the time in central midfield, you need really strong and technical players, with a back five. To be honest, I don't think we have the all around talent required. We can bring it in over the summer, but that would also mean that we need depth there as well.

It makes us weaker
It's often said that teams playing with five at the back in recent seasons have a better chance of staying up. But I think teams, after staying up a season or two, find themselves in a relegation scrap that they just can't win in the long run.

There are two main issues I see with this: we have to give up too much to make the formation work and there's too much of a gap to overcome with the current squad.

We give up too much
With five at the back, we can either play with three central midfielders or five forward players, but not both.

If you are going with three in the middle, that means that you are counting on all your width from the wing-backs. It also means you are playing with two up top.

This begs a couple of questions: who is partnering Mitro (and who do we have as back up)?

And more importantly: what are you doing with Harry Wilson? Yeah, the 19-assist, terror on the right Harry Wilson. Do we try to play him at wingback (NO!)? Do we play him centrally where he isn't as good (God, I hope not!)?

If you play with three up top, say Solomon (we can hope), Mitro, and Wilson. That means we can only have two in the midfield. I love TC and Reid, but they can't control a game in the Premier League on their own.

We honestly don't have the right jigsaw pieces for five at the back to be successful.

Wrapping it up
Let me be clear: let us play the way we played when we won the league.

This isn't a Slavisa team just throwing bodies forward and our recruitment has been much better. I think it is entirely possible to build a team in the 4-2-3-1 formation that we've been using.

Sure, it might mean that we play with two sixes. That's ok; we can work around that. It may mean that we need more production from the left wing and whoever replaces Fab. I can see that being OK.

Let's go with what we know, and that's sticking to what got us promoted.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2022-06-27-why-silva-wont-play-five-at-the-back/

WhiteJC

Fulham beat Wolves to signing of Sporting CP midfielder Joao Palhinha

Fulham have fought off competition from Wolves to land Sporting CP midfielder Joao Palhinha, 90min can confirm.

The Cottagers are busy preparing themselves for their return to the Premier League and are pursuing a number of ambitious targets, with the in-demand Palhinha one of their top priorities.

Wolves were also keen on Palhinha and agreed their own fee with Sporting, but sources have confirmed to 90min that the defensive midfielder has opted for a move to Marco Silva's Fulham instead.

Personal terms have already been discussed and Fulham are prepared to hand Palhinha a five-year contract following the conclusion of his medical, with the 26-year-old due in England on Monday to finalise his move.

Palhinha made 38 appearances for Sporting last season, impressing from the base of midfield as Ruben Amorim's side finished second in the league.

He is now set to take up a similar role for Fulham, filling the void left by Jean Michael Seri's departure this summer.

Should Palhinha's move go through as expected, he will become Fulham's first signing of the summer and could soon be followed through the door by a handful of new faces.

90min understands contact has been made with Manchester United over a deal to sign Andreas Pereira, while talks over Israel winger Manor Solomon continue.

A deal for the Shakhtar Donetsk wide man was agreed back in April but ended up falling through, but Fulham revived their interest earlier this month and remain hopeful of finally getting a deal over the line.



https://www.90min.com/posts/fulham-beat-wolves-to-signing-of-sporting-cp-midfielder-joao-palhinha


WhiteJC

'Top quality' £9m man impressed with Fulham offer, talks will now begin

Manchester United have given Fulham boss Marco Silva permission to speak with Andreas Pereira after the Premier League newcomers submitted a £9 million bid for the midfielder, as reported by ESPN.

If Joao Palhinha feels like an £18 million coup – a Portuguese international arriving at the peak of his powers after helping Sporting Lisbon win the Primeira Liga title for the first time since the early 2000s – then the same cannot really be said about another midfielder who appears to be on his way to Craven Cottage.

If any player sums up the mediocrity of Manchester United in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, it's arguably Pereira. He played no fewer than 40 games during the 2019/20 season alone and the fact that he's still contracted to the club – at the age of 26 – speaks volumes about United's often baffling approach to recruitment.

After spending the last 12 months on loan at Flamengo, Pereira does, at least, appear to be on the verge of a permanent departure. And you get the feeling that £9 million is a sum that would have most United fans chomping Marco Silva's arm off at the joint.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer once described the academy graduate as a 'top quality player'. You won't find many on the Old Trafford terraces who would agree with that assessment. It's fair to say, then, that Pereira will have an almighty point to prove if he swaps the North West for West London.

Fulham want Manchester United's Andreas Pereira

According to ESPN, Fulham have submitted a £9 million offer for Pereira. Erik Ten Hag is keen to have a look at the long-serving midfielder in pre-season. But Man United have now given Silva permission to enter talks with the one-time Lazio and Valencia loanee. 

What's more, Pereira is reportedly 'impressed' with what he's heard from Fulham thus far, and the plans they have for him at Craven Cottage.

Goal add that, in an ideal world, the one-time Brazil international would have stayed at Flamengo full-time. That looks highly unlikely, however, after Flamengo 'broke an agreement' with United.

Ligue 1 outfit Lyon are also keen. But Goal point out that Pereira is only viewed as a potential replacement for Lucas Paqueta at the Stade OL.

As things stand – with Paqueta staying put for the time being – Fulham appear to have a clear run at securing Pereira's signature.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/06/27/top-quality-9m-man-impressed-with-fulham-offer-talks-will-now-begin/

WhiteJC

Fulham set to finalise deals for £20m Joao Palhinha and £7m Manor Solomon in the coming days - but Marco Silva is not ready to meet Liverpool's £15m price for Neco Williams

    Fulham look set to confirm deals for Manor Solomon and Joao Palhinha
    The club have brought no new players since returning to the Premier League
    Israeli winger Solomon is a replacement for Liverpool-bound Fabio Carvalho

Premier League new boys Fulham are confident they will complete their first signings of the summer this week by wrapping up deals for Shakhtar Donetsk winger Manor Solomon and Portuguese midfielder Joao Palhinha.

Marco Silva has so far been unable to add to the squad that won the Championship last season but is hopeful that hard work done behind the scenes is about to bear fruit.

Israeli international Solomon is expected in London soon to complete his £7million move to replace Liverpool-bound Fabio Carvalho.


Manor Solomon has top quality Champions League experience with Shakhtar Donetsk


Portuguese international Joao Palhinha is likely to finalise a move to Fulham imminently


And the Londoners are also optimistic they have beaten Wolves to bring in £20m Sporting Lisbon star Palhinha.

They have also reportedly made a bid for Manchester United's Andreas Pereira but are not ready to match Liverpool's £15m valuation of full-back Neco Williams, who impressed on loan at Craven Cottage last season.

Williams, who recently helped Wales qualify for the World Cup, is also a target for Nottingham Forest.


Neco Williams seems unlikely to join Fulham permanently due to Liverpool's £15m price tag

Among many players who have left Fulham at the end of their successful Championship season include Carvalho, Timmy Abraham, who joined Estoril Praia after being released, and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, who will be joining Napoli for an undisclosed fee.

Fulham begin their new Premier League season against Carvalho, as Liverpool visit Craven Cottage at lunchtime on August 6. 



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10956589/Fulham-set-finalise-7m-Manor-Solomon-20m-Joao-Palhinha-deals-ahead-Premier-League-return.html

WhiteJC

Player expected to miss pre-season presentation as Fulham move gets closer

With João Palhinha set to move to Fulham this summer, the Portuguese press don't count on him to feature for Sporting anymore.

Today, newspaper Record brings a story about the squad the Lions have for the coming season, explaining all the players available for each position.

When speaking of Palhinha, despite including him in the team, the outlet claims he's 'practically sold' to Fulham, pointing out someone should replace him at the Lisbon side.

Record writes that the player already has an agreement with the Cottagers and 'won't even return to work at the academy', which was supposed to happen today, first with medical exams and then with a training session.

As the midfielder went to the Rock in Rio at the weekend, newspaper O Jogo has a story about that, and points out his presence at the music festival was 'before the trip' to join Fulham. They add that the Cottagers will spend €20m on the signing.

So right now, it sounds like the 26-year-old could arrive in London at any time, and then complete his move to Fulham.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/player-expected-miss-pre-season-presentation-fulham-move-gets-closer/


WhiteJC

Liverpool raise asking price for transfer for international defender to £20m

Liverpool are asking for £20m from Nottingham Forest in order to sell defender Neco Williams.

That is according to Sky Sports news, which reports that the two clubs have been discussing a transfer for the 21-year-old, who spent the second half of the 2021/22 season helping Fulham to secure promotion to the Premier League by winning the Championship.

The Wales international, part of the team which has qualified for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar, could replace Djed Spence in the Forest team for their first campaign in the Premier League since they were relegated before the turn of the millenium.

Williams scored two goals in 14 appearances for Fulham in an impressive spell at Craven Cottage, but is unlikely to remain at Anfield despite demonstrating his progress, with teenage Scottish right-back Calvin Ramsay already signed by Jurgen Klopp this summer.

The former Aberdeen player is set to serve as understudy to Trent Alexander-Arnold, which was the squad role Williams' previously occupied before his temporary switch to Marco Silva's side.

Now, Forest could gazump Fulham and make Williams their own.

'Forest are in the market for a right-back,' journalist Rob Jones told Sky Sports news.. 'Djed Spence had a successful loan spell there last season, but it looks unlikely that he's going to return this season with Forest back in the Premier League.'

Previous reports had indicated that Liverpool were looking for £15m in order to part with Williams, but Jones explained that the total financial package the Reds are asking for from Forest would value him at £20m.

'So Williams is one of the targets for Steve Cooper and Nottingham Forest. Liverpool looking for a package that we understand adds up to £20m for the Wales defender.'

Fulham are said to retain an interest in Williams, but Forest manager Steve Cooper is confident he can secure a deal.

Williams has made 33 first-team appearances for Liverpool since making his debut in a penalty shootout win over Arsenal in 2019, but only eight came in the first portion of last season before his loan spell.



https://metro.co.uk/2022/06/27/liverpool-raise-asking-price-for-transfer-for-international-defender-to-20m-16898062/?ito=newsnow-feed

WhiteJC

"Not completely sold on this one" – Fulham weigh up move for Coventry City star: The verdict

This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Fulham are eyeing up a move for Coventry City midfielder Gus Hamer, as per a report from The Sun.


The Cottagers, who are preparing for their return to the Premier League, are considering the Sky Blues midfielder as a player who could help advance their recent progress.

Appearing 39 times for the Sky Blues in the Championship last season, Hamer contributed in an attacking sense with three goals and 10 assists, whilst proving to be intelligent and relentless when out of possession.

Hamer is not the only Coventry player on the Fulham radar this summer, with Viktor Gyokeres attracting interest from West London.

Three of our writers here at FLW have shared their thoughts regarding Fulham's interest in the Coventry midfielder...

Marcus Ally

I am not completely sold on this one.

Fulham need to bring in players that are ready to hit the ground running in the Premier League, particularly in central midfield having lost Jean-Michael Seri this summer.

Hamer does not represent that, and though it could be a smart addition for the long term, the Cottagers' priority right now is achieving survival next season.

With one more season of regular Championship action under his belt, Hamer will be more ready for the step up.

Fulham are already well-stocked in midfield and need to prepare to have far less of the ball than they did in the second tier.

With two years remaining on his contract, Hamer's transfer value may only decrease in the next season or so, unless he signs a new one, and Fulham can wait in the wings to secure his future at a later date.

Simmey Hannifin-Donaldson

At a side like Fulham, Gus Hamer could well make the step up to the Premier League.

Having been fantastic at Coventry last season, the midfielder has earned the opportunity to test himself at a higher level, but you'd have to question whether a move to Craven Cottage would be the best long term option.

Fulham will give it everything to remain in the top flight next season, but given their recent Premier League record, Hamer could find himself back in the Championship within 12 months.

Indeed, If I were advising Hamer, I'd perhaps wait it out at Coventry for one more year, or at least until a more established Premier League side made a move.

Josh Cole

Although Hamer did impress in the Championship last season, he may not be ready to make the step up the Premier League later this year.

Taking this into consideration, it could be argued that Fulham shouldn't be looking to take a risk on the Coventry midfielder.

Yet to play in the top-flight, Hamer may struggle to force his way into Fulham's starting eleven due to the presence of Tom Cairney, Harrison Reed and Josh Onomah.

If the Cottagers are looking to strengthen their options in this particular position, they ought to consider making a move for an individual who has a proven track-record when it comes to delivering the goods at the highest level.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/not-completely-sold-on-this-one-fulham-weigh-up-move-for-coventry-city-star-the-verdict/

WhiteJC

Player has different 'desire' than Fulham – Cottagers need to convince him despite agreement

Following claims from Brazil saying Fulham have reached a deal with Manchester United for Andreas Pereira, there's now big expectation about the player's response.

When reporting the agreement, local outlets made it clear the Cottagers are still waiting for the midfielder's answer, and that has a lot to do with his future at Flamengo.

The Rio de Janeiro side have Pereira on loan for a few more days, and have him in the squad to face Tolima on Wednesday evening, as the 26-year-old is showing good form at the club.

Covering the news about Fulham's agreement with Manchester United, Globo Esporte today highlights that the player would still like to stay at Flamengo.

The Brazilian club had a deal to buy him from the Red Devils for €10m, but have gone quiet since that agreement was reached. That's why Andreas' staff are not happy with Flamengo officials.

Still, the player is said to be a 'lone voice' among his entourage. It's said he has a deal to sign for Flamengo for five years and keeps 'the desire' of staying.

Goal Brasil writes that Andreas likes the Brazilian club so much that he accepted to earn half of what he used to make at Manchester United, and Fulham now try to convince him of moving to London.

Regardless of the player's wish, Flamengo must make their move, and perhaps match the Cottagers' bid to stand a chance in the race.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/player-desire-staying-instead-signing-fulham-cottagers-need-convince-despite-clubs-agreement/


WhiteJC

Fulham close to signing Portugal international Joao Palhinha from Sporting Lisbon

Fulham are close to signing Portugal international Joao Palhinha from Sporting Lisbon, The Athletic understands.

Palhinha, 26, was thought to be a target for Premier League rivals Wolves, but is now close to completing a move to Craven Cottage for a fee thought to be worth around €20 million.

Palhinha was part of the Sporting side that won a league and cup double in 2021 and made 38 appearances last season in all competitions, including six in the Champions League.

He has made 14 appearances for Portugal, including two from the bench during their recent Nation League matches with Switzerland and Czech Republic.

Fulham had earmarked defensive midfield as one of a number of priority positions to strengthen this summer ahead of their Premier League return.

The club decided against extending the contract of midfielder Jean Michael Seri at the end of last season, and he will depart once his contract expires at the end of this month.

Palhinha has recently been on holiday but he is expected to conclude his move to Fulham upon his return. The west London club are also close to signing Manor Solomon from Shakhtar Donetsk, while they are also in talks with Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno and have made an offer for Manchester United's Andreas Pereira.



https://theathletic.com/news/fulham-joao-palhinha-sporting-transfer/c6SeLxiAEPQQ/

WhiteJC

La Liga ace rules out Fulham move, Silva could get £12m man instead

Javi Galan appears to have ruled out a move to Premier League newcomers Fulham though Luca Pellegrini could arrive instead from Serie A giants Juventus, as reported by EFE and Gazetta dello Sport.

With Joao Palhinha and Manor Solomon on their way – terms have been agreed for the Sporting Lisbon enforcer and the Shakhtar Donetsk winger – Marco Silva and co can now turn their attention to other targets as they prepare for August's daunting, opening day clash with Liverpool at Craven Cottage.

Fulham have submitted a £9 million bid for Manchester United misfit Andreas Pereira. AC Milan captain Alessio Romagnoli has been offered a £65,000-a-week contract in West London. A new goalkeeper remains high on Fulham's radar too with Turkey international Ugurcan Cakir linked over the weekend.

And don't be surprised if Antonee Robinson is glancing nervously over his shoulder in the coming months, with the Cottagers also in the market for a new left-sided full-back.

Marco Silva's Fulham like Javi Galan and Luca Pellegrini

It seems unlikely that one-time Leeds and Barcelona target Galan will be fighting Robinson for a starting spot in 2022/23, however.

"I'm very comfortable," Galan says, translated by La Voz de Galicia. "(I want to stay at Balaidos for) many years.

"I try to avoid the rumours, not pay much attention to my mobile phone and disconnect."

El Desmarque reported a couple of weeks ago that Fulham held talks with Celta Vigo, proposing an offer of £10 million. The Cottagers also had a bid rejected by Real Betis for Alex Moreno, and now appear to have moved on from Spain to Serie A.

Both West Ham and Fulham have held talks with Italy international Pellegrini. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, however, Fulham are currently the frontrunners with Juventus demanding around £12 million.

Max Allegri has given Pellegrini's departure the green light. What's more, the former Roma flyer is reportedly open to the idea of continuing his development away from Italy.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/06/27/la-liga-ace-rules-out-fulham-move-silva-could-get-12m-man-instead/

WhiteJC

Wolves transfer news: Joao Palhinha's transfer to Fulham nearing completion

Wolves fans hoping for a positive update on Joao Palhinha will be disappointed this evening.

It has all gone quiet on the Sporting CP midfielder in the last week or so.

But Fabrizio Romano has tonight reported that the 26-year-old is closing in on a move to the newly promoted Premier League side.

He says that it is now just a case of the final details being sorted out on the player's side.

An agreement between Fulham and Sporting was reached days ago.

It is thought that Palhinha would move for around €18 million plus add-ons (£15.5 million).

Some have been hoping Fulham surge into the lead in the race for Palhinha would have prompted Wolves into action.

But it doesn't seem Wanderers are going to rival the Cottagers.

From Romano's update, it seems as though he is set to complete the transfer, with the goal of the clubs to complete a deal as soon as possible.

Joao Palhinha update suggests there will be no Wolves hijack mission

At this point, it will be a surprise if Palhinha doesn't now complete his move to Craven Cottage.

And it's going to seriously sting once those confirmation pictures from Fulham drop.

Wolves have chase Palhinha for a long time.

It is really difficult to understand how Wolves have allowed Fulham to come in and prise him away from Sporting.

The price tag seems very reasonable, which is what is making it very difficult for many Wolves fans.



https://www.molineux.news/transfer-news/wolves-transfer-news-joao-palhinhas-transfer-to-fulham-nearing-completion/


WhiteJC

Gus Hamer from Coventry to Fulham: Is it a good potential move? Would he start? What does he offer?

Gus Hamer had a strong season with Coventry City last season as a mainstay in the side as he made 39 Championship appearances.

In those games, the midfielder was able to contribute three goals as well as ten assists making him a fan favourite at the club.

As a result of the 25-year-old's strong form last season, he has been linked with a move away from the club with The Sun claiming Fulham are considering making a move for him.

Is it a good potential move?

It's not a bad move and it's one that could work out but similarly, it may not be the right decision for both parties at this moment.

Hamer clearly possess plenty of talent and ability and you can see him slotting into a Marco Silva side well allowing him to further progress his skills.

However, given the Cottagers have just gained promotion back to the top flight, their main aim will be on staying in the Premier League yet Hamer doesn't have the experience to support that.

Furthermore, with the club having gained a reputation of being a yo-yo club, Hamer could make this move only to find himself back in the Championship again next season.

However, as a long term option you can definitely see the player fitting into the club well and developing into his next step.

Would he start?

It's hard to say at this point but probably not.

You can definitely see him having a role to play in the side and getting regular minutes therefore meaning if he was to take his chances to prove himself then his involvement in the side could definitely increase.

However, given Fulham's full attentions will be on making sure they can stay in the league they will no doubt favour experienced players in a starting line-up.

What does he offer?

There is no doubting that Hamer is an exciting player and despite being able to assist offensively, he also has a great defensive mindset that can help any side he plays in.

The 25-year-old is always keen to get stuck in, in the middle of a park with a big tackle that can break up play whilst also having the ability to put it in the right positions going forward.

His passing skillset is impressive also.

Hamer has the ability to spray long diagonal balls to support attacks whilst is just as comfortable in tight areas.

Perhaps his most standout attribute is his sheer tenacity and desire with him being a player that wears his heart on his sleeve.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/gus-hamer-from-coventry-to-fulham-is-it-a-good-potential-move-would-he-start-what-does-he-offer/

WhiteJC

Fulham agree deal to sign Andreas Pereira

Newly-promoted Premier League club Fulham have reportedly agreed to a deal to sign 26-year-old Manchester United playmaker Andreas Pereira.

According to UOL, Fulham have agreed to a deal in principle to sign Andreas Pereira from Manchester United. The 26-year-old playmaker is set to return to Manchester United after the completion of his loan term with Flamengo at the end of this month.

Pereira has been with Manchester United since joining them from PSV Eindhoven in 2013 but has failed to cement a spot in the club's first team. He made sporadic appearances for the Red Devils before being sent to Granada, Valencia, Lazio and Flamengo on loan deals.

Pereira is now set to return to Manchester United, but his future is still in the air. Flamengo were reportedly interested in signing the 26-year-old midfielder permanently and had even reached an agreement with Manchester United.

However, the Premier League giants' €10 million valuation of the Brazilian was a tad too much for Flamengo, who backed out of a possible move. Flamengo vice-president Marcos Braz recently admitted their interest in signing Pereira but also highlighted the issues they have faced in getting the deal through.

"Three months ago, it was widely reported that Flamengo had closed with Andreas. A month later they said that Flamengo had left Andreas. And that's not it. Flamengo is still looking for an alternative for the player to stay here. It's very difficult, a very complex situation.:

"He's a new player, who has a lot of market, and from a financially powerful club. So, when you go to discuss some terms, you have limits to advance on this topic, but Flamengo still works to keep the player," Braz told ESPN Brasil.

Fulham, meanwhile, have agreed to pay Manchester United's asking price of €10 million for the 26-year-old midfielder, with €3 million in add-ons. The Cottagers are now set to initiate discussions with Pereira's representatives over personal terms.

The 26-year-old is also exploring the possibility of staying at Manchester United with the arrival of new manager Erik ten Hag. But it looks unlikely that Pereira would be provided with enough game time at Old Trafford and thus a move to Fulham could be the best option for him. Fenerbahce were also said to be showing interest in the Brazilian midfielder.



http://www.thehardtackle.com/transfer-news/2022/06/27/fulham-agree-deal-to-sign-andreas-pereira/

WhiteJC

Fulham bid for Swiss international

Earlier this evening Sky sports news broke the story that Fulham have now made a bid of €10m (£8.6m) for Wolfsburg full back Kevin Mbabu.

The Swiss international has expressed a desire to return to England and prove himself after some felt he was let go prematurely by Newcastle. It's not known if Wolfsburg will accept the bid but after the news earlier Today that Liverpool have upped their valuation of Neco Williams to £20m Fulham look like they have now moved on from the Welshman.

Mbabu is thought to be one of three possible right back targets that Fulham been looking at and now it seems the Pacey Swiss defender is the man Marco Silva wants.

The bid comes as Marco Silva closes in on the double swoop for Solomon and Palhinha as well as having a bid for Andreas Pereira accepted last night by Manchester Utd.

It's clear that with Pre season approaching Silva isn't messing around with his recruitment and it's only a matter of time before Fulham start to add new faces



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/06/fulham-bid-for-swiss-international/


WhiteJC

'Really impressed': Danny Murphy excited by brilliant £18m Fulham deal

Former Fulham captain Danny Murphy believes the Premier League newcomers are set to complete a 'steal' of a transfer with £18 million Sporting Lisbon ace Joao Palhinha, speaking to talkSPORT (27 June, 12.30pm).

There's no room for sentiment in top-level football. And a couple of Marco Silva's Championship winning heroes could be about to find that out the hard way.

Neeskens Kabano, on the back of his finest season on English soil, looks set to lose his place to Manor Solomon. Marek Rodak will probably be consigned to the substitute's bench too. And you could even say the same about Antonee Robinson, the jet-heeled left-back, with Fulham closing in on Juventus' Italy international Luca Pellegrini.

Palhinha, meanwhile, should slot straight into Silva's side without breaking sweat.

One of Europe's most effective defensive midfielders, the 6ft4 ins enforcer will sign a four-year deal worth around £40,000-a-week at Craven Cottage.

"I've seen him play for Portugal. And, I tell you what, I was really impressed with him," says Murphy, who captained Fulham in their Europa League final defeat to Atletico Madrid back in 2010. 

"Maybe he had a couple of games above his normal level because this looks like a steal!"

Fulham set to sign Joao Palhinha and Andreas Pereira

Fulham have fought off competition from Wolves for Palhinha, stumping up a cool £18 million. And while that is hardly a minor fee, it's a damn sight less than Sporting Lisbon were demanding in previous transfer windows.

Palhinha could potentially form a new-look central midfield partnership alongside the more attack-minded Andreas Pereira next season. Fulham have submitted a £9 million bid for the once-capped Brazil playmaker. What's more, Pereira is reportedly very impressed after hearing what Fulham have planned for the Manchester United misfit next season.

"I like Pereira as well," Murphy adds. "He's a talent. It sounds like they're doing good business."

Fulham could also land Bologna winger Musa Barrow and AC Milan captain Alessio Romagnoli. The latter, if he accepts, would join on a £65,000-a-week deal. Romangoli will be a free-agent next month.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/06/28/really-impressed-danny-murphy-excited-by-brilliant-18m-fulham-deal/

WhiteJC

One year of Scott Parker - how does his first season with Cherries compare to his Fulham stint?

TODAY marks a year since Scott Parker took charge of Cherries.

The former Fulham boss was revealed as head coach at the Vitality Stadium on Monday, June 28, signing a three-year deal.

It was a successful first year with Parker at the helm, as the 41-year-old led Cherries to promotion at the first attempt.

In total, Parker has taken charge of 50 games across three competitions, guiding his side to a second-place finish in the Championship.

Although he is only in his second role as a head coach, Parker has two promotions under his belt – with his first coming via the play-offs with Fulham.

Whilst his first steps as a head coach came in the Premier League, we have taken a look at Parker's first 50 games as Fulham boss in comparison to his 50 matches in charge of Cherries.

We have chosen the 50-game mark as it is a nice, round number, but as it encompasses part of Fulham's relegation from the Premier League, we will also compare Fulham's promotion winning season with Cherries' 2021-22 campaign.

As you can imagine, finishing second in the Championship with Cherries was partly due to a better record than the Fulham side that secured promotion via the play-offs.

Compared to his first 50 games in charge at Craven Cottage, Parker won only seven more games – but the biggest difference was the fact Cherries kept it much tighter at the back.

Last season Cherries were defeated 10 times – half the amount of times the Cottagers were beaten during Parker's first steps in management.

When compared to Parker's first full season as a manager, it is again the fact that Cherries avoided defeat that gives them the advantage in terms of points per game (PPG).

The other notable statistic is that Cherries were more potent, alongside keeping more goals out.

In terms of cup competitions, both of Parker's teams were knocked out in the fourth round of the FA Cup – although the fact that Cherries were defeated by non-league outfit Boreham Wood is the biggest blot on Parker's otherwise solid record at the Vitality Stadium.

Those are the numbers on the pitch – but what do those in the stands make of Parker's reign so far?

Earlier this summer, Daily Echo readers kindly took part in an end-of-season survey.

One of the questions asked fans to rate Parker's first year in charge – and predictably, after earning promotion, the head coach scored highly.

On average, he was awarded an overall rating just shy of 8 out of 10, ending up with an average rating of 7.95.

10 per cent of fans awarded him full marks for a job well done in terms of achieving automatic promotion.




https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/20231999.one-year-scott-parker---first-season-cherries-compare-fulham-stint/