Thursday Fulham Stuff - 07/07/22...

[WhiteJC]

Fulham agree loan deal for Shakhtar Donetsk winger Manor Solomon after discussions over permanent deal collapsed following the introduction of new FIFA rulings

    Fulham are set to confirm the loan signing of winger Manor Solomon
    The 22-year-old is due in London today to finalise a deal from Shakhtar Donetsk
    A permanent deal had been discussed but new FIFA rulings impacted talks
    Contracts of Ukraine-based foreign players can be suspended until June 2023

Fulham have agreed to sign Shakhtar Donetsk winger Manor Solomon on loan.

The 22-year-old winger is set to arrive in London today to finalise a deal to join Marco Silva's side for the season, with his first choice always being the Premier League newcomers.

The two clubs had reportedly come close to agreeing a permanent deal worth around £6million last month, but discussions were affected by a FIFA ruling which would allow Ukraine-based foreign players to suspend their contracts until June 2023.


Manor Solomon is set to sign for Fulham on a season-long loan deal from Shakhtar Donets

Despite the risk of the deal collapsing following the ruling's introduction on June 21, Fulham began to work on a loan deal and the transfer is now set to be completed.

The ruling stipulates that clubs would be deemed unable to reach a mutual agreement with its foreign players if a sale was not concluded before June 30, meaning contracts could be suspended until June 20 2023.

The stipulation was brought in in an attempt to allow players based in Ukraine and Russia to register with another club outside of normal windows.

Solomon, an Israel international, could leave for free for a season if the deadline was not met, and, despite late interest from Ligue 1 side Nice, Fulham are to announce the signing soon.


Solomon is a full Israel international and has made over 100 appearances for Shakhtar


Fulham manager Silva is looking to strengthen his squad after their promotion last season

Temporary changes to employment rulings were introduced in March following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and they were extended for a further year with the June 30 deadline for agreements added.

Solomon's agent had reportedly been spotted in Nice, with the wide man said to be one of new manager Lucien Favre's primary targets.

But Solomon - who has scored 22 goals in 103 games for Shakhtar - will join up with Fulham ahead of the 2022-23 Premier League season.

His current deal with the Ukrainian side runs out in December 2023.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10985759/Fulham-agree-loan-deal-winger-Manor-Solomon-discussions-permanent-deal-collapse.html

[WhiteJC]

Fulham have £10m bid accepted for forgotten Man Utd midfielder who last appeared in 2020

Fulham are keen to boost their squad following promotion to the Premier League and have turned their eyes to a player who has no place in Erik ten Hag's plans at Manchester United

Manchester United have reportedly accepted a bid from Fulham for forgotten man Andreas Pereira, who last played for the Red Devils in the summer of 2020.

Pereira has long been on the fringes at United, spending the past two seasons out on loan at Lazio and Flamengo. And with one year remaining on his current contract, the Red Devils have now opted to let the midfielder leave Old Trafford permanently.

The Brazilian only played the final game of his latest loan spell at Flamengo on Thursday and he is yet to return for pre-season training. But it would now appear that his last appearance in a United shirt will be a 26-minute cameo against Brighton in June 2020 during Project Restart.

That's according to The Athletic, who report that Fulham have seen a bid of up to £10m accepted by the Red Devils. The Cottagers will pay an initial fee of £8m, with an extra £2m coming in potential bonuses.

United will also retain a 20 per cent sell-on clause for the Brazilian, who came through their academy. Pereira will not play a part in Erik ten Hag's plans, with the Dutchman keen to overhaul his squad after taking over at Old Trafford.

Flamengo were thought to have agreed a deal of their own to sign the midfielder permanently, though never exercised that option. Instead, Pereira will now become Fulham's second signing of the summer following their promotion to the Premier League.


Fulham are set to sign Andreas Pereira, who last played for Manchester United in the summer of 2020 (Image: STEPHANIE LECOCQ/EPA-EFE/REX)

Joao Palhinha has already joined from Sporting Lisbon and while a deal for Pereira is yet to be fully signed off, it would be a shock if it did not go through. Fulham boss Marco Silva is said to hope that Pereira can help to replace Fabio Carvalho, who has joined Liverpool.

Silva has grown frustrated with his side's slow start to the summer window, though their business now appears to be picking up pace. The Portuguese manager is understood to be keen to make several additions in order to prevent Fulham going back down to the Championship.



https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-andreas-pereira-transfer-news-27407943

[WhiteJC]

Southampton could now complete three-year transfer mission ahead of Crystal Palace and Fulham

Southampton are now understood to be in negotiations with Rangers over a deal to sign Joe Aribo, who was linked with a move to Saints in 2019 when he left Charlton Athletic

Southampton are now hoping to finally seal a deal to sign Joe Aribo three years after seeing him join Scottish side Rangers.

Saints are one of several clubs to have been strongly linked with a move for the 25-year-old Nigerian international this summer, and The Athletic now report that Southampton are in negotiations over a deal to sign the midfielder for around £10million and are confident of sealing the transfer, despite interest from others. Crystal Palace, Fulham and Nottingham Forest have also been linked.

But Saints' interest is not new, with Southampton linked with a move for Aribo prior to his move north of the border in 2019, just a few months after Ralph Hasenhuttl had taken charge on the south coast. They were not the only Premier League club reported to be interested at the time, with Arsenal and Manchester City also reported to have tracked him when he was at Charlton Athletic, where he had helped the Addicks to promotion from League One.

Southampton were also linked with a move for Aribo ahead of the January transfer window, although Hasenhuttl said at the time that Saints were not likely to be able to spend the money required at that stage to sign players of that calibre.

However, following the takeover by Sport Republic, Saints have been able to spend money this summer already and with Aribo set to be available for around £10million due to a reported release clause in his contract, he is within their financial reach.

Aribo has impressed since moving to Rangers in 2019, scoring 26 goals in 149 appearances for the Scottish giants, including netting in the Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt in May. That was his ninth goal of the season as he made 57 appearances in total, also registering ten assists.

And now, he looks set to make the move to the Premier League, having been wanted by several top flight clubs three years ago. At the time of his switch to Rangers to join Steven Gerrard, having turned down a new contract offer from Charlton, he signed a four-year contract with the Ibrox-based club.

He has played both centrally and out wide as an attacking midfielder, while last season he also played as a striker with Giovanni van Bronckhorst dealing with an injury crisis. His versatility would be a bonus to Hasenhuttl, giving the Austrian another option in midfield and up front, where he currently only has Che Adams and Adam Armstrong as senior striking options. Aribo could also offer Hasenhuttl tactical flexibility, with the Nigerian used to playing in 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 formations during his time with Rangers.



https://www.hampshirelive.news/sport/football/football-news/southampton-transfer-crystal-palace-fulham-7297000

[WhiteJC]

Romagnoli frustrated with Lazio – and could join Fulham

Reports from Italy this morning claim that Italian international Alessio Romagnoli – currently a free agent following his release by AC Milan – has grown frustrated with Lazio's failure to put together an acceptable offer for his services and is ready to enter advanced negotiations with Fulham.

The 27 year-old centre back had been expected to join his boyhood club after leaving Milan and was willing to reject a 'massive' offer from Fulham in order sign for I Biancocelesti. Last week, the Italian press widely trailed a briefing from Romagnoli's representatives that they had been given a deadline to present a proposal that would meet with the defender's approval. Romagnoli reportedly cancelled a flight to London, where he was due to discuss the specifics of a move to Fulham, in order to hear Lazio president Claudio Lotito's latest offer – but was left distinctly unimpressed.

Various Italian sources have suggested that Fulham's offer amounts to £4m over a four-year deal, whilst Lazio's counter proposal is said to represent only half that. Romagnoli was desperate to play for Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico – having come through the Roma youth set up as a fan of their bitter rivals – but he is not willing to countenance a deal that is rumoured to be lower than Milan's offer earlier this year to extend his stay at the Giuseppe Meazza.

Fulham – eager to recruit central defensive reinforcements to Marco Silva's squad ahead of their return to the top flight – made their first approach in March and Romagnoli is thought to be attracted to the idea of playing in the Premier League. Signing an experienced international, who has made 247 Serie A appearances and lifted the Scudetto in May, would represent a real coup for the Cottagers, but there is still some way to go conclude any deal. Lazio may return with an increased offer and the Whites could yet be gazumped by a number of leading continental clubs, who are all seeking new centre backs.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/07/romagnoli-frustrated-with-lazio-and-could-join-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

Report: PL boss thinks 'outstanding' Liverpool man isn't good enough for his system; pulled out of signing him

Fulham have pulled away from the race to sign Liverpool defender Neco Williams because Marco Silva has concerns over him in a back four.

The Athletic report that the club with which the Welshman spent the second half of last season on loan are not keen to buy him this summer.

That has handed Nottingham Forest a freer run at Williams, who are planning to use him as a right wing-back in a five-man defence.

But the report says Silva is not sure about playing Williams in a back four in the Premier League for the newly-promoted Cottagers.

Fulham unsure about Neco Williams

Williams of course played in a back four when he got into the Liverpool team, as Trent Alexander-Arnold's understudy.

Jurgen Klopp sets his side up in a certain way, which gets his full-backs so far forward, but that is not possible for a Fulham side who will be battling relegation.

Alexander-Arnold has never been fully trusted by England manager Gareth Southgate, and perhaps this feeds into the same issue.

Liverpool play a way which gets their full-backs into threatening areas, leaving spaces behind which are covered by teammates, but that is unique and not transferrable to sides with lesser capabilities.

Williams is versatile and plays on the left of a back five for Wales, with whom he will be hoping to go to World Cup 2022 later this year.

He has been described as 'outstanding', but his progress stalled slightly at Anfield, and Calvin Ramsay has now come in as Alexander-Arnold's understudy.

Williams needs a move for the good of his career, and perhaps he can even prove Silva wrong along the way.



https://tbrfootball.com/report-pl-boss-thinks-outstanding-liverpool-man-isnt-good-enough-for-his-system-pulled-out-of-signing-him/

[WhiteJC]

Colour coded fixture list re-launched

With the news that five of Fulham's first eight Premier League fixtures have now been moved either for domestic TV broadcast or, in the case of the away game at Forest, a clash with cricket, now is a good time for us to introduce you to our new, updated, Colour Coded Fixture List.

The Colour Coded Fixture List has been running for a few years now, and aims to help supporters understand the likelihood of fixtures being moved. This is important when many of us are making costly decisions about travel, particularly for away games.

In previous discussions with the Club, it became clear that they could never state with certainty whether a game might be moved, so we decided to do our best to understand the factors involved and make an assessment; the Colour Coded Fixture List is that assessment. It is based on provisional TV announcement dates, TV slots, a look at other Clubs' fixtures and ticket availabilty amongst other factors.

It really isn't an exact science, and TV companies have certainly missed their promised announcement dates in the past or added to TV lists late. As a further example of the challenges we face, even though our game against Chelsea has now been announced for BT Sport at 12:30 on 10 September, it could still move again depending on their Champions League commitments!

Nonetheless, we will keep monitoring the fixtures and update the Colour Coded Fixture List accordingly. As ever, please also do your own research!

This year's Colour Coded Fixture List has been updated to contain more information, and following feedback, is now also accessible to sufferers of colour blindness. It is best viewed on a computer screen or, if using a phone, in landscape orientation.

We hope you find it useful and would be pleased to hear your feedback.




https://www.fulhamsupporterstrust.com/news/2022/07/colour-coded-fixture-list-re-launched/

[WhiteJC]

Andreas Pereira set for Fulham move

Manchester United midfielder and academy graduate, Andreas Pereira, seems to finally have found himself a permanent move away as newly promoted Fulham are set to offer £10m plus and additional £3m in add on bonuses for the Brazilian. According to Fabrizio Romano, the deal is agreed between the clubs, and Pereira will receive a three year contract with an option to extend.

Andreas Pereira to Fulham, here we go! Full agreement in place on player side, three year deal with option for further season. 🚨⚪️⚫️ #FulhamFC

Manchester United will receive £10m plus £3m add ons, deal was already agreed between clubs last week. Now it’s all set to be done. pic.twitter.com/IP3aIVZbxG

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 5, 2022

Pereira has had trouble finding form and continuity in his career after several loan spells away in Spain, Italy, and Brazil, as well as failing in his chances to break through in the Manchester United first team. In both the 2018/19 and 2019/20 campaigns Pereira was given several different roles, but failed to make an impact and win a position outright. After the arrival of Bruno Fernandes in January, 2020 it became clear he was no longer part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's plans, but it has been difficult for the club to find a buyer for him to play first team football somewhere else on a permanent basis.

Pereira spent the past season on loan with Brazilian side Flamengo. There was an option to buy in the loan agreement, but ultimately the club were unwilling to pay the full price, giving Fulham the opportunity to bring Pereira to Craven Cottage. They will attempt to avoid relegation following their promotion from the Championship, and it will be their third attempt in five seasons at doing so.



https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/2022/7/6/23196338/andreas-pereira-set-for-fulham-move

[WhiteJC]

Report: Fulham agree £10m deal to sign Crystal Palace target

According to the BBC, Fulham have agreed a £10m deal with Manchester United to sign Crystal Palace target Andreas Pereira.

What's the story?

Well, it was said that Patrick Vieira wanted the Brazilian at Selhurst Park, with the midfielder's representatives encouraged by Crystal Palace's initial enquiry.

However, it seems Fulham have pulled ahead of their London rivals in the battle to sign the South American.

The BBC believe a £10m deal, including add-ons, has been agreed between the Cottagers and the Red Devils, with Pereira now set to undergo a medical in west London.

His move to Craven Cottage comes after a season on loan with Flamengo last term, who held an option to buy the 26-year-old, but decided against it.

Pereira scored three goals, while also providing two assists, in 29 appearances for the Brazilian giants last term.

In total, across his 11 years at Manchester United, he scored four goals in 75 appearances, while also registering five assists.

Crystal Palace may have pushed Fulham into a deal

In our view, Crystal Palace did not view Pereira as a key target, and their supposed interest in him pushed Marco Silva to complete a deal.

Why do we think that? Well, Pereira obviously isn't being viewed as a primary target for the Eagles, as they have decided to pursue two other midfielders in Cheick Doucoure and Flynn Downes.

In our view, Pereira was potentially shortlisted as a backup option in case these deals fell through.

However, an announcement for Doucoure is set to commence once he receives a work permit, whereas Downes is expected to move to SE25 with Joe Allen returning to Swansea as his replacement, according to the BBC.

Therefore, we believe Fulham acted quickly, just to avoid the risk of Crystal Palace getting involved if their other deals collapsed.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/07/06/report-fulham-agree-10m-deal-to-sign-crystal-palace-target/

[WhiteJC]

Steven Sessegnon: Charlton Athletic sign Fulham full-back on season-long loan

Steven Sessegnon made 10 appearances on loan at Plymouth last season

Charlton Athletic have signed defender Steven Sessegnon on a season-long loan from Fulham.

The 22-year-old can play at both right-back and left-back, as well as across the midfield.

Twin brother of Tottenham left-back Ryan, Sessegnon played 10 games on loan at Plymouth Argyle in League One last season.

He has played 19 matches for the Cottagers since making his debut in 2017.

"Speaking to the manager about the way he wants to play and how positive his message was really sold it for me," Sessegnon told the club website

"He wants to be attacking, he wants to go at teams and not just sit back, and that suits me very nicely. It was an easy choice."



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62057651

[jayffc]

Sadly might want to update the Romagnoli story


https://thelaziali.com/2022/07/06/lazio-tare-romagnoli-accepted-but/

[WhiteJC]

How Fulham could line-up on opening day of 2022-23 season vs Liverpool

Despite enduring a frustrating start to the transfer window, Fulham's summer business looks to have finally clicked into gear.

Like Norwich City, last season's Championship winners have failed to beat the drop on the last two occasions they secured promotion back up to the Premier League and are rapidly gaining a reputation of being a yo-yo club.

The Cottagers are unlikely to splash out over £100m like they did with little success in the summer of 2018, but Marco Silva will be keen to assemble a side that he believes is good enough to survive in the top-flight.

The West London side have signalled their intent with the signing of Portuguese international João Palhinha from Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon.

Shahid Khan's club signed the 26-year-old midfielder, who became the club's first signing of the summer, for £17.2m.

But with Fulham welcoming Fabio Carvalho's Liverpool to Craven Cottage four weeks on Saturday to kick off the new campaign, Silva will be hoping that several talented and experienced stars follow Palhinha through the Motspur Park Training Ground.

With Silva's side facing the acid test in their first game back in the big time, TBR takes a look at how Fulham could line-up against Jurgen Klopp's Reds.

How Fulham could line-up

While a move for Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno hasn't yet come to fruition, Silva will be hoping that staying in London and playing regularly in the Premier League is enough to convince the German to join the Cottagers.

The former Bayer Leverkusen stopper is out of favour at the Emirates following the arrival of Aaron Ramsdale, and he'll be carefully planning his next move to ensure he's guaranteed the number one spot wherever his next destination proves to be.

L'Equipe report Fulham are in talks with Lyon to discuss Silva's interest in the Ligue 1 giant's captain, Leo Dubois.

The 27-year-old looks to have become Fulham's primary target at right-back, ahead of the likes of Neco Williams, Djibril Sidibe and former Newcastle man Kevin Mbabu.

Despite starting every Championship game last season, it's hard to envisage 34-year-old Tim Ream being a first-choice option for Silva in the Premier League.

Fulham have enquired about taking Manchester United centre-back Eric Bailly on a season-long loan, and despite the Ivorian currently being reluctant to make the switch, the lure of regular minutes could sway the former Villarreal man's mind as the season draws nearer.

United's number three would likely partner former Manchester City youngster Tosin Adarabioyo at the heart of City's defence. Although it has been reported that Fulham have joined Newcastle in offering Aston Villa target and former AC Milan captian Alessio Romagnoli a contract.

While Fulham are in talks to sign Juventus' Luca Pellegrini, ex-Wolves man Ruben Vinagre, who could be a cheaper left-back option, is attracting loan interest.

Vinagre spent last season at Sporting Lisbon with Palhinha after joining the Portuguese giants on a permanent deal from Molineux 12 months ago.

Partnering Palhinha in midfield, who has 14 caps for Portugal and played 95 times for Lisbon, could well be Manchester United outcast Andreas Pereira.

Pereira, who has recently finished a loan spell in Brazil with Flamengo, is closing in a on £10m deal – including add-ons to Fulham.

Capable of playing out wide, in an advanced or deep-lying midfield role, Pereira will add graft, quality and experience to Silva's side.

After a long wait, it looks like Fulham will finally sign Shakhtar Donetsk winger Manor Solomon, albeit on loan instead of a permanent deal.

The Premier League newcomers have been negotiating a deal for the 22-year-old Israeli over the last few weeks and they have reached a breakthrough.

Solomon – who has scored 22 goals in 103 games for Shakhtar – will bring an injection of goals and creativity from the wide areas for Silva's side.

Solomon's arrival could see former Liverpool man Harry Wilson take up the attacking midfield position. The Welshman had a scintillating season in the Championship, scoring 10 goals and providing 20 assists from 41 matches.

Fulham are hoping to sign one of Serie A's most talented players in Bologna winger Musa Barrow, as reported by Tuttomercatoweb.

Since making the move from Atalanta, the Gambian has scored 24 goals and laid on 20 assists from 93 matches for Bologna, and the £16m-valued 23-year-old could follow Brentford-bound Aaron Hickey to the Premier League this summer.

Spearheading Silva's forward line and completing how Fulham could line-up will undoubtedly be Serbian superstar Aleksandar Mitrovic, who will be hoping to carry over his blistering goalscoring form from the Championship to the Premier League.

The 27-year-old scored 43 goals in the second tier of English football last season, but in his last Premier League campaign, the former Newcastle United man only managed three top-flight goals.

While Mitrovic has 85 goals from 126 Championship matches, the physically imposing striker has 24 goals from 104 Premier League appearances.



https://tbrfootball.com/how-fulham-could-line-up-on-opening-day-of-2022-23-season-vs-liverpool/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham have bid accepted by Man Utd for Pereira

Fulham have had a £10m bid accepted by Manchester United for attacking midfielder Andreas Pereira.

An agreement is yet to be finalised with the 26-year-old, whose loan spell with Brazilian side Flamengo came to an end earlier this month.

Pereira came through at United as a youngster and has also had loan spells with Lazio, Valencia and Granada.

Fulham are also interested fellow his team-mate Eric Bailly.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-have-bid-accepted-by-man-utd-for-pereira

[WhiteJC]

Fulham in 'concrete negotiations' to sign right-back – Face same competition as for forward

As has been reported around the continent of late, Fulham are in the mix to try and sign Kevin Mbabu from VfL Wolfsburg.

The Switzerland international already knows what playing in England is like from his time at Newcastle, and with last season being a tough one for the player in Germany, a return to these shores could be good for him.

Marco Silva clearly believes enough in him to want to work with him at Craven Cottage, and much like with Manor Solomon, they are facing competition from OGC Nice for the right-back.

Fulham won the race for the Israeli forward, with that signing expected to be completed in the very near future, and Loïc Tanzi is now reporting the two clubs are going head-to-head once again for Mbabu.

It's pointed out the newly promoted side have 'already started concrete negotiations' for the defender, which Nice have yet to do, but should the Ligue 1 side overtake them, they won't panic.

That's because the RMC Sport journalist makes a point of explaining 'the Premier League club have other avenues at right-back as well, including one in France'.

Something to keep an eye on for Fulham fans.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-concrete-negotiations-sign-right-back-face-competition-forward/

[WhiteJC]

Jean Michael Seri Hull City move edges closer as club looks to seal deal before pre-season tour

Fulham's title-winning hero set to become fourth summer signing at the MKM Stadium

Fulham promotion winner Jean Michael Seri was at Hull City's Cottingham training complex on Tuesday to complete his move to the Championship club ahead of the start of their pre-season tour this weekend.

One of Shota Arveladze's key summer transfer targets, City have been working for a number of weeks to clinch the signing of the Ivory Coast international, and despite appearing to see the deal fall down last week, the experienced campaigner has opted to make the move to East Yorkshire and is expected to be confirmed as a Tigers' player shortly, sources have indicated.

Owner Acun Ilicali spent time with Seri in Istanbul last month in a bid to sell the Championship club to the 30-year-old defensive midfielder, with Seri believed to have been impressed with his vision for the Tigers.

Seri will sign a three-year contract with the Tigers, who also hold the option to extend it by a further 12 months, and the player has taken a significant pay-cut from his Craven Cottage salary to make the move happen.

It's understood Seri will complete the formalities of his free transfer switch to enable him to be part of Arveladze's travelling party which leaves for Istanbul on Friday ahead of Sunday night's game with Fenerbahce before the squad fly out to Marbella on Monday afternoon for their week-long training camp.

Speaking exclusively to Hull Live recently, Ilicali admitted at being impressed with the man who played a key role in guiding Marco Silva's Cottagers back to the Premier League last season. "I was with him in Istanbul, and before I was a fan of his football but after I've got to know him, I'm a fan of his character, too.," Ilicali explained. "He is fully focussed on football, he's a family man who has the passion to take us to higher places.

"He will be chief of our orchestra in this team and with this quality of player being the chief in the team, I believe we will be very happy."



https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/jean-michael-seri-hull-city-7298339

[WhiteJC]

Fulham leading Mbabu race

Having reportedly seen off interest from Nice in their pursuit of Manor Solomon, Fulham are battling the Ligue 1 outfit again in the race to sign Wolfsburg full back Kevin Mbabu.

RMC Sport journalist Loïc Tanzi claims this morning that the Whites are ahead in the battle to secure the services of the former Newcastle United defender, who is eager to return to the Premier League. Fulham have had two bids rejected by the Bundesliga outfit for the Swiss international, but the Cottagers are understood to be confident that they can soon agree a fee for the 27 year-old.

Nice are hoping to convince Mbabu, who has previously been on loan at Rangers, to move to France instead but it is Fulham who are currently involved in 'concrete negotiations' for the attacking right back, according to Tanzi. The RMC Sport correspondent also suggests that the Premier League new boys have other French-based targets in mind at right back should they fail to secure Mbabu, with Marco Silva known to be keen on a reunion with free agent Dijbril Sidibe, who he coached at Everton. The Whites have also been linked with a move for Lyon skipper Leo Dubois.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/07/fulham-leading-mbabu-race/

[WhiteJC]

Sessegnon: I can't wait to play at The Valley

In his first interview as an Addick, Steven Sessegnon detailed his excitement to play in front of the Valley faithful.

The versatile full-back, who has been capped by England at every age group between the U16s and U21s, arrives on a season-long loan from Premier League side Fulham to become Ben Garner's fifth summer signing.

Sessegnon arrives in SE7 fresh from an impressive loan spell in the latter half of last season with Plymouth Argyle, where the 22-year-old enjoyed 10 League One appearances.

Steven, welcome to The Valley. How does it feel to be a Charlton player?

"Amazing. I'm happy to be here. I've been waiting for this to get done for a long time, so I'm happy it's finally done."

You definitely would have had options - you had a spell at Plymouth at the end of last season and you've impressed at this level. What was it about Charlton that made it the right fit for you?

"Speaking to the Manager about the way he wants to play and how positive his message was really sold it for me. He wants to be attacking, he wants to go at teams and not just sit back, and that suits me very nicely. It was an easy choice."

You're a very versatile player. You can play right-back, left-back, in midfield and you like getting forward. Tell us a little bit about you as a player and what your strengths are...

"Ever since I was young I've been able to play either side of a defence or even in midfield. I'm just as comfortable in the middle as I am on the left and right. I like to attack players and I like to get at people. It's all about being positive. As much as I can, I like to get forward and really contribute to the team attacking-wise."



You're still a young player, you've just turned 22 but you've got plenty of experience really at different levels - Championship, obviously you played for Fulham as well in those appearances, England U21s and all the way down the youth levels. How do those experiences help you for something like this, where this is very much a promotion charge for Charlton this season?

"I feel very blessed to have experienced what I have and played in the teams that I have. I've played in some good England teams with some real world class players you would say. I've also played with some real legends of the game at Fulham, especially at the club people who are looked at very highly. I've played in some good Fulham teams that play really attractive football, so just my whole experience in my short years as a footballer so far I've learned a lot. I've taken that away with me and I can use that stuff for the rest of my career."

You've got to know a little bit about the club, chatting to people you've played under and worked with in the past who have played for Charlton. You mentioned Scott Parker to me personally - what did he say about why this would be a good move?

"Not just him, I've had many conversations with ex-players and they just say it's a real good club. They look after you well, treat you right and it's a great platform to go and perform, so I thought, 'that's all I needed to hear'. I need to feel that energy, the love the fans have for the club and things like that are important to me. It just makes me want to play even better."

Obviously you've been training today - your first session with the lads. That must have been nice just getting out on the grass, getting to know your new teammates and being involved?

"For sure. It was a very fast session so I got to see a lot of people at full speed. We've got a really good, talented squad here that we can do a lot with, so I look forward to playing with them at this stadium in front of all the fans."

We've got Dartford - our first domestic pre-season friendly - just down the road on Saturday. Are you fit and raring to go for that - maybe your first appearance in a Charlton shirt?

"I like to think I can get some minutes in that game and I look forward to pulling the shirt on and playing with the boys."

As I say we were looking at The Valley out there, you said you've been here with Fulham before but you must be looking to putting a red shirt on and being backed by what is a really good crowd here?

"I've come here twice and I've enjoyed myself here. The fans really get behind their team and it's even better that I'm going to be playing under that, so I look forward to it. There have been big nights here that I've seen in the past so I look forward to being part of that."



https://www.charltonafc.com/news/sessegnon-i-cant-wait-play-valley

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Walsall take former Fulham striker Timmy Abraham on trial

Former Fulham and Newport County striker Timmy Abraham is on trial with Walsall.

Abraham, the younger brother of England and Roma star Tammy, played for the Saddlers in a training match at Birmingham City yesterday.

The 21-year-old is a free agent having left Fulham earlier this summer.

He spent the whole of last season at Newport, having been signed by Michael Flynn before the Welshman left the club in October and then joined the Saddlers as boss in February.

Abraham scored three goals in 17 appearances in all competitions for the Exiles, with most of his game time coming as a substitute.

He has also had loan spells at Scottish side Raith Rovers, Plymouth Argyle and Bristol Rovers.

Abraham may feature as Walsall host Villa in a pre-season friendly at Bescot on Saturday afternoon (1pm).



https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/walsall-fc/2022/07/06/walsall-take-former-fulham-striker-timmy-abraham-on-trial/

[WhiteJC]

League Two club casting eyes over 21-year-old after Fulham release

Walsall have brought young striker Timmy Abraham in on trial after his departure from Fulham, it has emerged.

Fulham confirmed upon the climax of the 2021/22 campaign that Abraham would be among the players heading for pastures new this summer. His deal at Craven Cottage has since expired and now, the 21-year-old is officially a free agent.

The forward will be keen to land a new club and now, he has been given a chance to impress in League Two.

A report from the Express and Star has revealed that Abraham has linked up with Walsall on trial.

He featured in a training match against Championship side Birmingham City on Tuesday, where he will have hoped to make a good impression on manager Michael Flynn. It is added that Abraham could play in the pre-season friendly against Aston Villa too, taking place at home on Saturday.



https://the72.co.uk/2022/07/06/league-two-club-casting-eyes-over-21-year-old-after-fulham-release/

[WhiteJC]

Why women's football matters

I always wanted to be a footballer. I didn't think being with cerebral palsy was any sort of barrier. You see, I've always been naïve. My mum, recognising my love of football, bought me an England replica shirt to coincide with Euro '88. England were rubbish in that tournament, but much better in Italy, two years later, coming within the width of a crossbar of a deserved win over West Germany in the World Cup semi-final. Poor Sir Bobby Robson. By then, I was watching the matches with my neighbours – and devoted Fulham obsessives – and practising finishing like Gary Lineker in my back garden.

My playing career amounted to fiercely competitive games of playground football and the odd kickaround in PE. It was clear by my teenage years that I wouldn't be anything more than somebody who had a good idea of where everyone else should be on the field. As someone remarked the other day, I was playing walking football years before it was fashionable. A near neighbour at the Hammersmith End reckons I replicated Dimitar Berbatov. I'll settle for that.

By the time I was at high school, I'd begun writing about sport – something which led to the formation of a weekly sports paper, called Sportscene, that gained something of a following in west London. It indirectly, thanks to the intervention of the much missed Danny Fullbrook, led to this website. One of my teachers suggested, with my abortive cricket career coming to an early end because of my troublesome knees, that I might try coaching. I finished my FA coaching badges at university and ended up looking after the university women's for a while – but, after entering the world of work, any thoughts of becoming a successor to Roy Hodgson, Slavisa Jokanovic or even Marco Silva had to be put on the backburner.

The point of all this is that the best footballer I ever played alongside was a young woman, who was outstanding technically and a leader you'd definitely follow in the battle with no questions asked. Her talent was lost to the game – because there was no pathway beyond her early teenage years, something which the FA took far too long to rectify. It is a tale as old as time; as Suzanne Wrack's wonderful A Woman's Game tells us in depressing detail. This is all very timely as tonight is the start of the women's European Championship, a tournament held in England, with the potential to be transformative.

We are very proud of our very own Lydia Campbell, who first came across my radar as a reader of this site hailing from Northern Ireland, and quickly became one of HammyEnd's most perceptive correspondents. She will be covering the championships for BBC Sport, where I am sure she will be entirely impartial in her assessment of the ground-breaking performances of the green and white army. Like many women in a majority male world, Lydia has had to deal with the belittling of her considered opinion on gender grounds – which seems especially unjust as she's one of the best judges of a game I've ever met.

All of this matters because there's long been a bias against the women's game in England. It has been mocked, criticised and banned throughout its revolutionary existence. My formal involvement in football these days is exclusively in supporting a couple of sides in London that have sprung up to give women a chance to play at times suitable to them – whether they are still at school, studying at university, balancing the demands of a career or a family. The standard is exceptional even when pitches are scarce and resources are limited. The passion for the game shines through.

We see this close to home in regards to Fulham, who once set the bar in terms of a fully professional women's side that won everything in sight. That team broke up because Mohamed Al-Fayed, a businessman to his core, grew tired of waiting for the FA to fulfil their promises of bringing professionalism to the women's game. Fulham have recently reconfigured their approach to women's football, taking their senior side into the academy set-up, and beginning a quest to climb the pyramid. A wonderful group of role models came very close to promotion last season under Steve Jaye – and, whilst we had the magical moment of lifelong Fulham fan and women's skipper Mary Southgate walking the Championship trophy out for Tom Cairney to lift in May, it surely won't be long before the women's side has silverware of their own to lift aloft.

The team are about to embark on a busy pre-season schedule and I'd thoroughly recommend heading down to Motspur Park on a Sunday afternoon to offer them your support. You might even bump into a few of the Fulham Lillies, who are a new female fans' group founded earlier this month. We'll be sharing more about that organisation later this month. We've always been proud to cover football and Fulham differently here at Hammyend – and we want to spread the word about the women's game.

In closing, as we obsess about the transfer window, and whether Marco will have all the tools he needs to take on the apparently impossible job of establishing the Whites in the top flight, it is worth reflecting on just what remarkable progress we've made in a few short years in women's sport. It should be a genuinely equal playing field in 2022 – there's still some way to go yet – but we are succeeding in eliminating some of the sexist attitudes from the discussion. Fulham's female footballers – who balance full-time jobs as well as their sporting careers – are trailblazers in their own right. Hopefully, this summer will inspire a few more of us to cheer them on to greater things.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/07/why-womens-football-matters/

[WhiteJC]

Brighton, Fulham and Leeds in competition for fullback – 'Best positioned' clubs in race for signing

Brighton & Hove Albion, Fulham and Leeds United are reportedly some of the clubs in the race to sign KRC Genk left-back Gerard Arteaga.

The Mexican media has today been making quite a noise about this story, which was originally published by Marca.

The outlet wrote that Brighton, Fulham and Leeds are the 'best positioned' clubs in the pursuit for the 23-year-old, as the Premier League sides 'follow him very closely'.

The Seagulls, Cottagers and Whites aren't alone in the competition, as the list includes the likes of Salernitana, Real Betis, Villarreal, Celta Vigo and Getafe.

Despite highlighting all this competition, Marca doesn't bring any details if there are any specific clubs in advanced talks to sign the Mexican player, or how much Genk would demand for his sale this summer.

Arteaga, who has 14 caps for the national team, is currently valued by Transfermarkt at only €4m. With the likes of Brighton, Fulham and Leeds all able to pay a lot more, it sounds unlikely that the Belgian side would let him leave for that much.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/brighton-fulham-leeds-competition-fullback-best-positioned-clubs-race-signing/