Wednesday Fulham Stuff - 03/08/22...

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Report: West Ham receive 8-figure bid for Issa Diop from London rivals

Fulham have made another bid for West Ham United centre-back Issa Diop, this time worth around £15 million.

That's according to a report from The Athletic who claim that Diop, 25, is keen to join Fulham in the summer transfer window.

Diop wants out of the London Stadium and West Ham actually had an agreement in place to sell him before Nayef Aguerd suffered a serious ankle injury two weeks ago.

The ex-Toulouse defender has proven time and time again over the past couple of years that he isn't good enough to be playing at the very highest level.

Because of that, we think Moyes should just move him on and be done with it...

Fulham make bid for West Ham centre-back Issa Diop

According to The Athletic, the Cottagers have lodged a £15 million offer for the Hammers defender.

We believe that the Hammers should just move him on. We're not going to get much more than £15 million for the 25-year-old next year and we have more than enough cover in the centre-back department, in spite of Aguerd's injury.

Moyes still has Kurt Zouma, Angelo Ogbonna and Craig Dawson to call upon. Aaron Cresswell and Ben Johnson can play at centre-back as well if need be.

After arriving at the London Stadium in the summer of 2018 for around £25 million (The Express), Diop was one of the very best central defenders in the Premier League during his debut season.

The 25-year-old, who earns around £63k-a-week according to Football League FC, experienced a poor 2020/21 campaign though and was nowhere near his best last season either.

The 6ft 4in defender really hasn't been great for West Ham at all over the past two years in all fairness.

Diop has played just 50 Premier League games under David Moyes in two-and-a-half years (Transfermarkt).

Diop is said to have a close connection with Declan Rice (WHUFC.com), so it could be argued that that may be enough to keep him around.

In spite of that, keeping him at the London Stadium would still be a really strange move from the Scot this summer.

However, it remains to be seen whether Fulham's latest bid for Issa Diop is accepted by West Ham.



https://www.hammers.news/transfer-news/report-west-ham-receive-8-figure-bid-for-issa-diop-from-london-rivals/

[WhiteJC]

Bournemouth and Fulham 'are both keen to snap up Liverpool defender Nat Phillips', as the Reds demand more than £10m to allow the centre-back to leave this summer

    Fulham and Bournemouth both reportedly keen to sign Liverpool's Nat Phillips
    The 25-year-old is expected to leave the Reds for regular football this summer
    Phillips is behind four other players in the pecking order for game-time at Anfield

Fulham and Bournemouth are both reportedly keen on signing Liverpool defender Nat Phillips this summer.

The 25-year-old is expected to leave Anfield in search of regular first-team football, but the Reds want a reasonable fee in order to sell the centre-back.

Phillips, however, is low in the pecking order as he remains behind the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate, and Joe Gomez.


Nat Phillips is expected to leave Liverpool this summer in search of regular first-team football

The two newly-promoted sides Fulham and Bournemouth are both extremely keen in signing Phillips, according to Goal.

The same report suggests that the Reds are keen to bring in at least a fee of £10million for Phillips.

The English defender spent the second-half of last season on loan at the Cherries in the Championship, after joining them in the January transfer window.


The English defender spent the second-half of last season on loan at Bournemouth

The move came after he made himself something of a cult hero at Anfield during the 2020-21 campaign, after stepping into Liverpool's central defence following a ravaging spate of injuries to first-team players.

In his five months at Bournemouth, Phillips became an integral part of the club's success which saw them promoted automatically to the Premier League next season.

In the 17 league appearances Phillips made after joining, the Cherries kept eight clean sheets.

It is no surprise Cherries boss Scott Parker is keen to bring Phillips back to the club after playing an influential role in helping his side gain promotion back to the top-flight. 

Fulham manager Marco Silva has bemoaned a lack of squad depth at Craven Cottage, pointing out the Cottagers have only two fit, senior centre-back options ahead of their season opener, which ironically is against Liverpool on Saturday.

Silva has a good relationship with Julian Ward, Liverpool's new sporting director, and is understood to be a fan of Phillips' no-nonsense style.

Both clubs have competition for his signature with two unnamed Serie A clubs also showing an interest.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11072085/Bournemouth-Fulham-keen-snap-Liverpool-defender-Nat-Phillips.html

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Should Premier League football clubs travel so far for pre-season?

The Premier League's unrivalled global appeal has seen sold-out stadiums across the world this summer - with fans spread across various continents getting to see their heroes in real life.

After two years of Covid-restricted travel, most clubs in the English top flight chose to play matches overseas on money-spinning tours, while some opted for more low-key training camps abroad.

But after calls for sport to use the pandemic as a chance to reset around its role in climate impact, the return to vast amounts of plane travel has raised questions on the cost to the environment.

Villa top of CO2 emissions
This table displays a BBC Sport estimate of each club's emissions in order of who has generated the most CO2 from air travel.

BBC Sport has not included emissions from domestic fixtures for the purposes of this comparison, given air travel - mile for mile - is the most damaging way to travel for the environment.

Premier League teams    Air miles travelled in pre-season   C02 emissions per passenger (in Kg)   Carbon emissions per football team in Metric Tons
Aston Villa   22419   2921   87.63
Leeds United   21858   2736   82.08
Manchester United   21507   2642   79.29
Crystal Palace   22819   2583   77.49
Liverpool   14160   1804   54.12
Tottenham Hotspur   15330   1770   53.1
Chelsea   13421   1639   49.17
Arsenal   9808   1247   37.41
Manchester City   9505   1123   33.69
Everton   8297   980   29.4
Nottingham Forest   3258   534   16.02
Newcastle United   3253   460   13.8
Wolverhampton Wanderers   2503   392   11.76
Fulham   2174   349   10.47
AFC Bournemouth   1994   302   9.06
Brighton & Hove Albion   1916   296   8.88
West Ham United   1206   278   8.34
Brentford   1318   269   8.07
Southampton   1548   264   7.92
Leicester City   564   134   4.02
Grand Total   178858   22721   681.6
BBC Sport calculations are based on an estimated average of 30 people - players and staff - travelling per club

The club to produce the most CO2 during their pre-season tour was Aston Villa.

Their Australia tour included fixtures against Leeds United, Brisbane Roar and Manchester United, while Steven Gerrard's side also flew to France to play Rennes today.

In total, Villa have emitted 87.63 metric tonnes of CO2, equating to 2,921kg per passenger, from five flights this summer - with the longest journey from the UK to Brisbane.

Villa's total squad carbon emissions figure is the equivalent of driving from London to Manchester 790 times; or one person flying from London to Los Angeles 136 times; or 17 times the average UK citizen's annual emissions (pre-pandemic).

Leeds, who travelled to Australia to play Brisbane Roar, Villa and Crystal Palace, were second highest. Their tour resulted in the Yorkshire club emitting 82.08 metric tonnes over four flights, which is the equivalent of 15.8 times the average UK citizen's annual emissions.

Forest Green Rovers owner Dale Vince told the BBC that his League One club had an annual footprint of just 70 tonnes last year, meaning it would take them almost a decade to generate the equivalent total emissions of the Premier League club's pre-season tours.

Some clubs appearing at the bottom of our table, such as Brighton and Bournemouth, flew to Europe for training camps and low-key friendlies.

Brighton's chief operating officer Paul Mullen told BBC Sport that sustainability was "not a major consideration" in their pre-season plans, but added the club was in the "very early stages" of developing a strategy "to be a sustainable business".

Mullen told BBC Sport that many clubs will have overseas tours built into commercial agreements designed to "further extend the brand" in global markets.

He said: "I think there's an expectation to be a good citizen, to be a leader in this and show good practice where we can but, at the same time, recognising our business does also pose certain challenges.

"We realise it's a collective responsibility. The Premier League is developing its own sustainability strategy and I suspect from that will come a strategy whereby clubs entering the Premier League have certain minimum commitments that they have to adhere as part of that obligation.

"I think the football is always going to be the driving force in terms of the business and we have to realise that and the environment that we're operating in, but I think we can align and integrate, improving our sustainability and green credentials through that."

BBC Sport contacted several clubs for comment as they plan and deliver their own pre-season tours, rather than the Premier League.

The league - which is signed up to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework - has a sustainability strategy which includes sharing best practice with its clubs.

'Clubs' climate claims judged on behaviour'
Dr Russell Seymour, chief executive of Basis - the British Association for Sustainable Sport:

"Flying to distant countries for pre-season friendly matches surely isn't about preparation for the upcoming season, but is about extending the reach of the brand and increasing the fan base, and hence revenue, in these countries.

"It is interesting that just six clubs made up two-thirds of the total CO2 emissions. Two of these clubs were tied as equal top of the Sport Positive Sustainability League in 2021 and so recognised for the good work they are doing at their own venues.

"Air travel is often demonised; its impacts are significant and we, as a society, should fly less. It is more complex than simply condemning all flying, but clubs should understand that the credibility of their sustainability claims will be judged on their most visible behaviours and actions.

"Football, in particular, has significant influence over which behaviours are accepted and which are not.

"Ultimately the decision to undertake a tour in a distant country should comply with the vision and values of the club itself and whether, as the impacts of the climate and ecological emergency continue to increase, it fits with the attitudes and expectations of the public and the club's own fans."

Why do clubs fly so much?
The Climate Change Committee, the UK government's advisor on the issue, has called for

an urgent plan to reduce the amount of flights.

Manchester United, another of the clubs with the highest emissions this summer, said it "recognises the impact of international travel on climate change" and had offset its carbon emissions by investing in a reforestation project

in Western Australia.

Carbon offsetting has its critics because it doesn't help reduce emissions; while the reforestation project United are investing in becomes more effective only when the trees reach maturity.

A spokesperson acknowledged to BBC Sport that "you could argue that all travel is avoidable", but added pre-season tours "provide vital preparation time for players and management ahead of a new season".

They added: "In addition they are an important commercial opportunity, not just for Manchester United but the wider appeal of English football.

"This is why for the first full pre-season tour since the start of the pandemic we have offset the carbon emissions generated by air travel.

"We understand that this does not have an instant impact on the environment but we are committed to taking necessary steps to lessen our carbon footprint. We also believe if we continue to promote this work we can educate others and help protect our planet."

Premier League clubs lost a total of £1bn in revenue during the 2019-20 season and across Europe's top-flight clubs, losses for the two years impacted by covid between 2019-2021 were put at 7bn euros (£5.83bn) by Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin.

These losses were from empty stadiums, a reshaped calendar, TV rebates and commercial and sponsorship reductions.

In addition, supporters who may not be able to travel to England to see their clubs in action had the opportunity to attend matches.

The United spokesperson added: "Manchester United are a globally-supported football club and, while providing the opportunity for our millions of fans worldwide to see the team in person, we also recognise the need to do this responsibly."

How have we worked out the figures?
These BBC Sport calculations are likely to be a very cautious underestimation of the actual figures.

We have not factored in the unknown quantities of luggage or probable extra staff on the larger-scale tours. We have also assumed economy class on commercial planes as a base level, whereas Premier League clubs may have flown:

    business class - which can increase emissions by a factor of around 2.75*
    first class - which can increase emissions by a factor of around 7.4*
    via private jet which multiplies emissions and generates additional flights compared to existing commercial airline routes

We have calculated the air miles and emissions using this website

- but have not added the multiplication method for capturing "the maximum climate impact" at high altitude, known as 'radiative forcing'.
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How sustainable do Premier League clubs claim to be?
Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool were the joint-top clubs in the 2021 Green League - a table measuring the sustainability of all 20 top-flight sides. Tottenham players travel to domestic matches on coaches powered by biofuel, reducing squad coach travel emissions by more than 80% and Liverpool have committed to decarbonising fuel through the use of sustainable aviation fuel in the future, which would also reduce emissions by 80%.

Other clubs have committed to lowering their emissions too.

Brentford also announced last November they would keep the same home shirt for two seasons, saving money and helping the environment.
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BBC Sport sent two journalists to Thailand, Australia and United States to cover several of the Premier League clubs on parts of their tours, alongside some other media outlets and press agencies.

Additional reporting by Dave Lockwood, Editorial Lead for Sustainability, BBC Sport



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62280394

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Fulham make offer for 28-year-old Man United fan-favourite

Premier League newcomers Fulham are continuing their impressive summer transfer window.

The newly promoted Cottagers have already made three permanent signings, including attacking midfielder Andreas Pereira from Manchester United, and according to recent reports, the Londoners are targeting a second Red Devil.

That's according to Football Insider, who claims Marco Silva is keen to bring in defender Eric Bailly and has recently made the 20-time league winners an offer.

Having been signed to United from Villarreal by former boss Jose Mourinho back in 2016, Bailly, 28, is one of the club's longest-serving senior first-team players.

However, following a torrid run of injuries and fitness issues, the 28-year-old, although loved by fans, has barely featured.

Last season saw Bailly make just three Premier League starts, and the recent arrival of Lisandro Martinez from Ajax is set to see the Ivorian fall even further down the team's pecking order.

Despite the African's contract not expiring until 2024, this summer is likely to see him offloaded, and although reportedly wanted at Roma by Mourinho again (Mirror), Fulham have now emerged as a possible destination should the centre-back wish to continue in the Premier League.



https://www.caughtoffside.com/2022/08/02/fulham-make-offer-for-28-year-old-man-united-fan-favourite/

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Marco Silva admits Fulham "not ready" for Premier League opener vs. Liverpool

Marco Silva is desperate to see new players added as his current squad means Fulham are "not ready" for the Premier League, ahead of their opener against Liverpool.

The Reds were quick to get their business done this summer with the arrivals of Fabio Carvalho, Darwin Nunez and Calvin Ramsay, but Fulham are still on a desperate search for transfers.

The new season is less than four days away and while the Fulham boss knows the players he currently has are ready for the top flight, as a squad they are not prepared for what is to come.

Fulham have made six signings this summer but have bid farewell to more than 10 of the players they had in their squad from the Championship-winning campaign.

And Silva needs "at least five or six more players" to feel as though his side can be competitive on their return to the Premier League, but that is unlikely to come before Liverpool's arrival on Saturday.

"No," Silva responded when asked if Fulham are ready for the new season. "These players, they are ready for the Premier League.

"The players that we have right now, I congratulate them for the work they have been doing. I'm always behind them, they did fantastic last season.

"We, as a squad, we are not ready. These players, they are ready.

"I have to tell you, and I don't want to speak for too much time about the situation, I want to be clear with you; now we have 16 senior players in our squad.

"No one competes at this level with 16 senior players in your squad.

"I will tell you one more. No one can prepare for one season with just two central defenders. We have two central defenders at this level.

"I can continue and not stop, but I don't want to talk more about it, I'm talking because you asked me about it.

"I have to congratulate our players because they have worked really hard but anyone that understands football can see that we need at least five or six more players, that is clear."

Fulham cannot afford to wait too long into the transfer window to add to their squad and could be without ex-Red Harry Wilson for a number of weeks thanks to a knee injury.

And while Jurgen Klopp is more than happy with his contingent, he will be without a handful of names on Saturday.

Diogo Jota, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are certain absentees, while Curtis Jones, Ibrahima Konate and Kostas Tsimikas all have knocks and are in doubt.



https://www.thisisanfield.com/2022/08/marco-silva-admits-fulham-not-ready-for-premier-league-opener-vs-liverpool/

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Rodrigo Muniz latest: Middlesbrough's striker search rumbles on but links to Fulham man take a backseat

Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz has been heavily linked with a move to Middlesbrough in recent weeks.

Middlesbrough went into this summer in desperate need of a goal-scorer.

Chris Wilder's side narrowly missed out on a spot in the top-six last season but seem determined to not let that happen again, after an impressive summer in the transfer market so far.

Muniz has been linked with a move to the Riverside after Fulham's promotion to the Premier League, but what's the latest on his situation?

The latest...
Over a week ago now, The Northern Echo's Scott Wilson wrote:

"Middlesbrough are hoping to get the green light to sign Rodrigo Muniz from Fulham this week, although Cottagers boss Marco Silva will only allow the striker to leave once he has secured an attacking signing of his own."

And since then, Fulham have brought in attacker Manor Solomon. But Middlesbrough have seemingly moved on to other targets, with Marcus Forss having joined on a permanent deal from Brentford.

Boro have also been closely linked with USMNT striker Matthew Hoppe, who was said to be in advanced talks to join Middlesbrough last week, but is now being linked with a move to Sunderland.

Last Friday though, reports (via London World) revealed that Middlesbrough have made an official move to bring in Muniz.

So it seems like Middlesbrough are certainly eyeing another striker signing this summer, but they're keeping their options open.

Muniz and Hoppe look to be on the two main names on their radar but Boro have been linked with a number of strikers this summer, and so new names could yet emerge on their radar this month.

For now though, Muniz is a Fulham player, and the Londoners' focus will be on the opening round of Premier League fixtures this weekend.



https://the72.co.uk/2022/08/02/rodrigo-muniz-latest-middlesbroughs-striker-search-rumbles-on-but-links-to-fulham-man-take-a-backseat/

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Fulham Join Race To Sign Manchester United Defender

Fulham are in the race to sign Manchester United defender Eric Bailly, who is also a target for Roma and Sevilla, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.

Despite impressing during pre-season, Bailly has been deemed surplus to requirements at Manchester United this summer.

Erik ten Hag is happy to move him on from his squad and several clubs are interested in getting their hands on the Ivorian defender.

Roma are exploring a deal to sign him on loan and he has also been linked with a move back to Spain where Sevilla want Bailly as a replacement for Jules Kounde.

It has been claimed that an offer is on his table from newly promoted Premier League side Fulham as well.

Marco Silva wants more defensive reinforcements and is interested in Bailly due to his Premier League experience.

Fulham have made an approach to sign the defender but are facing stiff competition.

Both Sevilla and Roma will be involved in Europe, while Fulham are likely to be in a fight for survival in the Premier League.

It remains to be seen whether Fulham can convince the defender to move to Craven Cottage this summer.



https://insidefutbol.com/2022/08/02/fulham-join-race-to-sign-manchester-united-defender/571066/

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Fulham in talks for £13m ace after Harry Wilson blow, he's training alone

Premier League newcomers Fulham are stepping up their pursuit of £13 million Roma forward Justin Kluivert with Jose Mourinho keen to sell the Serie A misfit, as reported by Tuttomercatoweb.

With Marco Silva already concerned about the size of Fulham's squad heading into the new campaign, the last thing he needed was to see Harry Wilson limp out of the recent behind-closed-doors friendly with Aston Villa after picking up a potentially serious knee injury.

"We're waiting on the medical staff but it doesn't look good," Silva sighs, bemoaning the loss of his most creative outlet ahead of this weekend's oh-so daunting curtain-raiser against Liverpool.

Now, Fulham's interest in Kluivert appears to be independent of Wilson's sudden absence. The Cottagers were linked with the Dutch international before their £12 million assist-machine was consigned to the treatment table after all.

But it certainly doesn't feel coincidental that, after reports of Wilson's most ill-timed of injuries emerged, Fulham appear to have slammed their foot onto the accelerator, revving up their pursuit of a former Ajax youngster who beat Phil Foden, Jadon Sancho, Gianluigi Donnarumma and co to Goal.com's Nxt Gen award back in 2018.

Fulham step up chase for Roma's Justin Kluivert

According to Tuttomercatoweb, Kluivert is no longer part of Jose Mourinho's plans at the Stadio Olimpico. After hit-and-miss loan spells at Nice and RB Leipzig, the 23-year-old winger is training away from the rest of the Roma squad. He's also been omitted from their pre-season plans.

The son of legendary striker Patrick Kluivert, Justin's reputation has taken a beating during a frustrating spell in Italy. But the fleet-footed wideman only turned 23 in May.

A footballer dubbed one of Europe's most exciting teenagers a couple of seasons ago – after exploding onto the scene with Ajax – still has plenty of time on his side, and rich reserves of potential just waiting to be tapped into.

"I look up to Cristiano Ronaldo," Kluivert told FourFourTwo a couple of years ago. "Not just because of his qualities, which are obvious. But also the way he lives and eats and how hard he trains. He is really an example for me.   

"Barcelona is my dream club. Within seven years, I would like to be at Barcelona. Before that I would like to play in England as well. I really like that competition (the Premier League)." 

Kluivert is reportedly available for a cut-price £13 million.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/08/02/fulham-in-talks-for-13m-ace-after-harry-wilson-blow-hes-training-alone/

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Terrence Kongolo to Stoke City: Is it a good potential move? Would he start? What does he offer?

With Stoke City looking to try and push on up the Championship table this year, it looks like they could be trying for a transfer deal for Terence Kongolo.

The defender plays his football for Fulham but with the club having been promoted to the Premier League and the player already struggling to play games at Craven Cottage, he could now be on his way out of the club.

Rather than the Cottagers letting Kongolo sit on the sidelines though, he is training with Stoke and could seal a move to the Potters if the club like what they see of the player on the field.

Ahead of a potential transfer deal then, is it a good move for Stoke? And would he get gametime at the bet365 Stadium?

Is it a good potential move?

Considering all the experience that Kongolo has as a player and the likely transfer fee, it could be a solid move by Stoke to bring him in.

With 46 Premier League games under his belt and over 100 in the Eredivise, he has shown he is well capable of playing at a higher level than the Championship. Having played in the second tier before with Huddersfield too, he knows the league well and what he would play against in the Championship.

Even with Stoke having solid options at the back already, he would be a good signing. He provides a different option as a defender and the player would also likely thrive given regular first-team football again.

If Stoke and Fulham can agree to a bargain fee too, it could be a really shrewd deal.

Would he start?

With all the Stoke defenders fit, there is not a guarantee that he would start when you consider the other centre-backs they have at the club.

However, if Stoke want to be contenders for promotion, they need to have good depth options in their squad. The Championship season is a long campaign and if they have injuries, they need to have decent players to come into the first-team.

Kongolo as a player would be a superb option at the back considering his knowhow of the league and in rotation, you would be happy with the defender coming into the team.

Kongolo might play a bit more than he does with Fulham but probably not every game for Stoke.

What does he offer?

Kongolo is a solid centre-back that offers excellent tackling ability and vision to stop opposition strikers getting chances on goal.

He has a good eye for intercepting the ball from other players and when it comes to being a rock at the back, Kongolo can be just that. He plays well without the ball, being able to watch opposition strikers and then step in and make a tackle when needed.

Whilst the player isn't your typical ball-playing defender, he can certainly keep a clean sheet and could be a solid option for Stoke this season.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/terrence-kongolo-to-stoke-city-is-it-a-good-potential-move-would-he-start-what-does-he-offer/

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Fulham 'pressing hard' for player – 'Ongoing contacts', player 'looking for a new adventure'

AS Roma forward Justin Kluivert is holding 'ongoing contacts' with Torino and Fulham as he looks set to leave the Italian side.

That's according to TuttoMercatoWeb, who say Kluivert is 'looking for a new adventure' after a season on loan at Nice.

He is aware that he does not fit into Jose Mourinho's plans at Roma and, because of this, Roma chief Tiago Pinto is 'working on a solution' to find him a new club.

At the moment there are 'two hot tracks'. One of those is in Italy with Torino, who like the 23-year-old and are eyeing up a move.

Fulham are also keen and 'pressing hard' for the forward's signature too as they look to continue bolstering their squad after a return to the Premier League.

They've bolstered their forward line with Andreas Pereira and Manor Solomon already and are now seemingly targeting a move for Kluivert as well.

There is no mention of the kind of fee that Fulham would have to pay, just that they are pushing for a deal for the Dutchman, so we'll wait for more information, which we're sure will appear sooner rather than later.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-pressing-hard-player-ongoing-contacts-player-looking-new-adventure/

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From France: Fulham and Nottingham Forest both interested in Ligue 1 player

Fulham and Nottingham Forest are both interested in signing Lille midfielder Yusuf Yazici, according to claims from France.

The information is today brought by La Voix Du Nord, who point out that the 25-year-old is one of the players who could be on the way out of the Ligue 1 side this summer.

Yazici spent the second part of the 2021/22 season on loan at Russian side CSKA, and now back at Lille, he may not find a place in the team for the upcoming year.

So the outlet points out that Fulham and Nottingham Forest are two candidates to land him, even though there are no details on how advanced the talks are between them and the French club.

Despite seeming to be in a situation where he's being edged out of his club, Yazici is still well rated by Transfermarkt, who give him a market evaluation of €17m.

La Voix Du Nord doesn't say how much Lille will demand for the midfielder to go, but it seems Fulham and Nottingham Forest must know there's a deal there to be done.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/france-fulham-nottingham-forest-interested-ligue-1-player/

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Fulham table bid for Eric Bailly amidst Sevilla interest in the defender

Newly promoted side Fulham have submitted a bid for Manchester United defender Eric Bailly.

According to Football Insider, the Cottagers are interested in adding the 28-year-old to their defensive ranks as they look to bolster their backline in a bid to beat the drop.

Fulham however face strong competition for the Ivorian's signature from Spanish side Sevilla who are also keen to land Alex Telles in a double swoop.

The Sevillistas Rojiblancos are keen on the defensive pair, who are deemed surplus to requirements by Erik ten Hag, as direct replacements for Jules Kounde who joined Barcelona.

The West London club, as per Football Insider, are hellbent on signing proven centre-backs, also lining up West Ham's Issa Diop and Chelsea's Malang Sarr as possible targets.

Jose Mourinho is also said to retain an interest in a reunion with Bailly at Roma, although the Italian giants are prioritizing other target areas before making a strong push for the United defender, who extended his contract in April last year.

Bailly, who is a fan favourite, barely played for United last season under both former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and interim boss Ralf Rangnick, with both preferring a centre-back pairing of skipper Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof.

It could be argued that the arrival of Lisandro Martinez is the final nail in the coffin for Bailly's hopes of becoming a regular starter under the new man in the Old Trafford dugout.

Martinez's arrival may mean that the 28-year-old falls further down the pecking order and as such, a move away in search of first-team minutes could be in the best interest of the player.

The Ivory Coast international has been at Old Trafford for six years, making 113 appearances in that time.

His spell at the club has been downcast with numerous injuries and niggles that have kept him on the sidelines multiple times in his United career.

Bailly would represent the second signing from United for Fulham, who already picked up playmaker Andreas Pereira in an £8.5m move a month ago.  It remains to be seen whether a move to the London club – or indeed to Sevilla – materializes, or if the player is granted a chance to fight for his career at the Theatre of Dreams.



https://thepeoplesperson.com/2022/08/02/fulham-table-bid-for-eric-bailly-amidst-sevilla-interest-in-the-defender-250405/

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Fulham keeping tabs on Jhon Lucumi

Newly-promoted Premier League side Fulham have set sights on KRC Genk centre-back Jhon Lucumi.

According to journalist Pipe Sierra, KRC Genk centre-back is a hot property in the transfer market right now, with multiple clubs showing interest in securing the 24-year-old defender's services. Newly-promoted Premier League side Fulham have now joined the race for the Colombian international's signature.

Jhon Lucumi joined KRC Genk in the 2018 summer transfer window and has since grown into an important player at the Belgian club. In four seasons with Genk, the 24-year-old has made 136 appearances at the heart of the defence, also scoring three goals and providing two assists.

But with just a year remaining on his contract with the Belgian giants, the Colombian international is attracting interest from all around Europe. So far, just one club, Bologna, have made an official approach for Lucumi, submitting a bid worth €5 million plus €1.5 million in add-ons. Genk are yet to react to the bid, leaving other interested parties in with a shot.

Bournemouth and Atalanta are among the clubs monitoring the Colombian defender's situation, along with Fulham, and a transfer battle could be on the cards if Bologna's offer is turned down by Genk.

The Cottagers gained promotion to the English top-flight this year after finishing atop the Championship table in the 2021/22 season. Fulham have had a busy summer transfer window trying to strengthen various positions in the squad and have completed four signings so far.

Portuguese midfielder Joao Palinha has joined Fulham from Sporting Lisbon. In addition, Brazilian playmaker Andreas Pereira has been signed from Manchester United as well, along with Swiss right-back Kevin Mbabu and Israeli winger Manor Solomon, who has arrived at Craven Cottage on loan.

Central defence is another area Marco Silva is keen to add reinforcements to, and Fulham see Lucumi as a feasible target. If Bologna's opening offer is anything to go by, the 24-year-old Colombian international should be available for around €10 million, considering he has just a year remaining on his contract.

Fulham have the likes of Chelsea's Malang Sarr and Leicester City's Jannik Vestergaard on their radar as well. It will be interesting to see who the London club will bring in to bolster the heart of their defence this summer.



http://www.thehardtackle.com/transfer-news/2022/08/02/fulham-keeping-tabs-on-jhon-lucumi/

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Roy Hodgson On Fulham, Inter Milan And International Management

An interview with Roy Hodgson, by Callum McFadden for WFi.

During your career in football – which we will come to shortly – you have learned to speak five different languages. Have you always had a passion for languages and culture from a young age?

"I would not call it a passion but at school, I was much more on the arts side than the science side.

"I studied French and Latin at school which we were obliged to study in those days.

"I did not have any real mastery of French until I lived in Switzerland if the truth be told because we were not taught in a conversational style.

"The other languages that I have learned have been through necessity because I needed them to be able to communicate properly in the countries that I worked in.

"I learned each language in different ways. Italian was the most difficult for me because I never had any formal lessons. I learned Italian by listening as I went along and it is by far and away the worst grammatically that I speak as a result.

"The languages in which I am truly fluent are English, French and Swedish. With the others, I can converse in terms that are linked to football rather go too far outside of that."

You have had great success managing in Scandinavian football at club level in Sweden, Denmark and Norway. You won titles with two different clubs in Sweden and with FC Copenhagen in Denmark. What inspired you to move to Scandinavia and how do you reflect on your spells with Halmstads BK and Malmö in particular?

"What got me to Sweden was the offer of a job when I was really young at Halmstads BK in 1976. I had played football in South Africa then had just returned home to the UK and was playing in non-League football while also coaching PE at a school in London.

"Then, suddenly this offer came in from Halmstads BK. It was tough to give up what I was doing but I also wanted to grasp the opportunity to become a full-time coach in the top division of Swedish football.

"The club had narrowly survived relegation the year before I arrived. It could have been seen as a hopeless task because I believe many other Swedish managers turned the job down because they did not think that the job was doable.

"I went in more naively at that stage of my career because I was happy to be offered such an opportunity.

"What happened after that meant a lot to me as we won two titles in five years, the first title was one in our first season which was a Cinderella story in Sweden. Akin to Leicester winning the Premier League if you like.

"Of course, I am not suggesting that it was the same level of achievement as Swedish football is not the Premier League but in terms of how that title win was looked upon, it was similar.

"I had jobs at Bristol City, and Orebro SK back in Sweden after moving on from Halmstads BK before taking the Malmö job in 1985. My time at Malmo was a wonderful time as we won five league titles in a row and win the cup twice.

"It was a golden period and led to me going to manage in Switzerland and then Italy. Malmö was the catalyst for launching my career to a more well-known level so I owe both Halmstads BK and Malmö an awful lot for the success that I had over in Sweden."

You have managed one of the biggest clubs in European football history at Internazionale on two occasions. What was it like to manage in Serie A during a time of real quality in Italian football at the time?

"Inter Milan was my first opportunity and experience of managing a club where the spotlight is on you every single minute of the day and night.

"Even pre-season friendlies are scrutinised with enormous interest. I had never really had that before in my career although I did have a lot of experience coaching and managing players.

"The political side — mass media and the pressure from anyone who appears to be near the club — was new to me at that time and it was an important experience to get given how the rest of my career would pan out.

"I was lucky that the chairman of the club, Massimo Moratti — and Giacinto Facchetti who was his right-hand man — really took me under their wing and supported me.

"The players were also good because they took to the work that we were doing and helped me through my time at the club."

What was it like to walk out into the San Siro as Inter Milan manager at each home game?

"Unfortunately, I fear that when you are in a job, a lot of those wonderful experiences which should be indelibly printed on your memory such as walking out at San Siro are not there because you solely focused on the game ahead, the tactics that you have employed and the opposition that you are facing.

"It is a privilege to be in that position but in the heat of the moment, you do not really take in those wonderful moments. It is only now upon reflection that you start to realise what momentous occasions they were."

You have extensive experience managing at international level with Switzerland, the UAE, Finland and England. How does international football compare with managing at club level?

"Apart from the actual coaching, which is the same as it is at club level albeit with a shorter timeframe due to the international breaks that are spread out across a season, it is very different.

"You actually have more choice of who you want to work with because at club level, you walk into a club and you inherit between 25 and 35 contracted players. All of whom are under contract, which you cannot do much about.

"You can try and move players on that are not going to be in your plans to generate money to reinvest in recruiting your own players but that can be easier said than done.

"At international level, you also do not have to deal with agents to any great extent and you are able to invite the players to the national team that you believe are the right players for you which is not the case at club level.

"The actual job is the same in terms of working with the players and your staff to win football matches albeit without being able to build the same sort of bond that you can at club level due to the time constraints of the international breaks.

"As a result, the job becomes somewhat more ambassadorial because you are representing the nation you are in charge of as a footballing nation in many different capacities.

"You become a figurehead for the nation's football, which is not the case at club level because no matter how big the club that you are managing is, within the country that you are in there are other high profile clubs.

"The nature of the fans is also different at international level. At a match for one of the Manchester clubs or Merseyside clubs, the fans at the game will still mostly be Mancunian or Liverpudlian.

"Whereas at international level, the fans in the stadium may be majority local to a given area where the game is but the result impacts fans across the full nation."

Staying on the theme of international football, how did managing your native England compare with managing other nations? Does extra emotional investment come into play at all or did you approach the role as you normally would?

"I tried to approach the England job in a way that I normally would but, of course, it is the greatest honour to be invited to manage the nation's football team of your native country.

"I was very much aware of that. I was also aware of this honour when I was in Switzerland and Finland but not being Swiss or Finnish, I would admit that I felt it more when I was managing England.

"That being said, I still invested all of my time to succeeding with Switzerland and Finland just as a Swiss or Finnish manager would have done for his country.

"One can't deny that being offered the job of managing your native country is a different feeling because you grow up dreaming of playing for England which I was not able to do as a player.

"So, when the opportunity arises as a manager, it is an important moment in your life as a whole, not just your footballing life."

One of your most memorable jobs in football management was at Fulham whom you led from fighting a relegation battle to the Europa League final in just two and a half seasons. What were the key factors to that turnaround and how proud are you of what you achieved at Fulham?

"It was a very big achievement. There is no doubt about that.

"It was down to a management structure that supported me. I worked with two CEOs in David McNally and Alastair McIntosh with whom I had great relationships.

"Mohamed Al Fayed was the owner of the club and he put a lot of responsibility on both CEOs to run the club financially and in an administrative sense.

"That support then filtered down to me and my suggestions were taken on. Fulham was probably the only club that I managed in England — to some extent, also West Bromwich Albion — where I was able to recruit players that I wanted to work with and who I thought would make the team better.

"My time at Crystal Palace was also excellent and the support there was very good too but there was not a lot of money to buy players.

"What we were able to do was okay and I was very much involved in the recruitment process despite us not being able to afford players that could make a vast difference.

"Thankfully, that changed last season under Patrick Vieira. Palace have been able to recruit players to improve the squad and increase the chances of success."

You have managed many world-class footballers such as Ronaldo Nazario, Javier Zanetti, Steven Gerrard and Roberto Baggio to name just a few. What is it like as a coach when you are working at great teams with world-renowned individuals like those? Do you have to manage them in a particular way at all?

"Looking back, I should have treated them in a different way than I did.

"I only worked with Baggio and Ronaldo for a short time in my second spell at Inter. Around three and half months.

"It was at the end of Baggio's career when the club was in a little bit of turmoil.

"Unfortunately, Ronaldo was injured while I was at Inter. Of course, I could claim that I worked with the great Ronaldo but we did not have the chance to work together often due to the new injury that he suffered at the time which subsequently ended his career in years to come.

"When working with top players, one should do them the service of recognising that their talents are greater than others within the team.

"Of course, you still treat everyone fairly and with respect equally but you cannot suggest that every player is of equal importance within a football team because we know that if you lose one or two key individuals that it can make a massive difference.

"A team that is challenging for a title can easily fall closer to mid-table if they lose two of their key players.

"Fellow players also recognise that. They know that everyone has to be treated fairly but that there are different levels of leeway granted to players because you have to make sure that your top players are happy and want to be at your club. Otherwise, everyone loses if they leave and your team becomes a weaker group.

"Respect has to be shared equally and professionalism has to be shown by all equally too. Although, you do sometimes need to be more tolerant of behaviour at certain times from your star players because your intolerance can create unnecessary conflict.

"You do not want to create a conversation of who is more important: the star player or the manager, because anyone that has worked in football at a high level knows that football players win football matches. They are the most important pieces in the chess set that is the football club."

Last but not least, Roy, given your extensive experience as a manager and head coach, I have to ask you about working with a strong backroom staff. How important is it to strike a balance between leading by example as head coach and being able to delegate to your staff? Did your approach to this evolve over the course of your career or remain relatively similar?

"My approach has evolved over the years.

"At Halmstads BK, which was my first club, I did not have a staff. I was then given an assistant manager who was appointed by the club.

"He was from the sports platoon of the local army barracks and although he was a wonderful help and foil for me, he was not hired for his footballing knowledge because football was not his first sport nor did he have any footballing qualifications.

"I rarely had the luxury of building a staff that I wanted until relatively late at Fulham. For example, I inherited staff at Blackburn who I had a strong working relationship with and who were great.

"I was fortunate that the staff at many of the clubs that I worked at were very good and that I inherited them when I got there.

"When it comes to delegation, I paid more attention to it as my career progressed. I realise that I should have delegated much more even at Fulham.

"I would recommend to any manager who is putting their own staff together to delegate especially if you are selecting coaches with particular strengths and talents.

"It is imperative that they are given the room to showcase those talents and that is something that I have been able to do much better in recent years.

"However, as I say, I have not always been able to choose a staff that I particularly want. It has been more of a case of me going into a job that I want to do and inheriting staff whom I then build relationships with in order to allow them to jump on board with me. That has been the case for the bulk of my career."



https://worldfootballindex.com/2022/08/roy-hodgson-on-fulham-inter-milan-and-international-management/

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Former Fulham and Forest Green Rovers forward Isaac Pearce joins Bishop's Cleeve

Bristol-born 23-year-old attacker has played on loan for Bath City, Larkhall Athletic and Gloucester City along with spells at Forest Green Rovers and Weston-super-Mare since leaving Fulham


Isaac Pearce in action for Weston-super-Mare

Bishop's Cleeve have signed attacking midfielder or forward Isaac Pearce. The 23-year-old will be in the squad to face Cirencester Town at home in their final pre-season friendly on Tuesday evening (7.45pm).

Pearce started his career at Bristol Rovers before being picked up by Fulham in 2015. He spent time on loan at Bath City and Larkhall Athletic before joining Forest Green Rovers in 2018.

He scored on his second appearance for Forest Green, in a 4-0 EFL Trophy win over Cheltenham Town at the New Lawn. He appeared on loan for Gloucester City before joining Weston-super-Mare. He will now add competition in Cleeve's attack, with the likes of Jack Watts, Jordan Annear, summer signing George Box and Sam Blackie already in Paul Collicutt's squad.

The Mitres start the 2022/23 season with an FA Cup extra preliminary round tie against Wantage Town at Kayte Lane on Friday evening. The winners will be at home to either Brimscombe & Thrupp or Fairford Town in the preliminary round on the weekend of August 20.

Cleeve enjoyed a cricket match against an Elmley Castle side including Collicutt on Sunday. There was much hilarity as Collicutt fell for a golden duck, bowled Annear, caught at slip by Freddy Ward as the footballers ran out winners. Goalkeeper Lewis Clayton took three wickets and scored an unbeaten 35 with the bat.



https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-fulham-forest-green-rovers-7411563

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Fulham battle West Ham United for Abdou Diallo

West Ham United are reportedly set to face competition from Fulham for the signing of Paris Saint-Germain defender Abdou Diallo this summer.

According to reputed Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, West Ham United are set to face competition from newly-promoted Premier League club Fulham in the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain defender Abdou Diallo. Serie A giants AC Milan are also said to be interested in landing Diallo, making it a three-way battle for the PSG centre-back's signature.

Abdou Diallo joined PSG in the 2019 summer transfer window but has failed to cement a starting spot at Parc des Princes since then. He has managed a total of 75 appearances for the French club across three seasons, and the Ligue 1 giants are now said to be keen on offloading him this summer.

Last season, he made just 16 appearances across all competitions for the Ligue 1 champions, and he would himself prefer a move to a club where he would play much more regularly. Fulham, West Ham United and AC Milan are all willing to provide him with a way out of PSG.

West Ham United hold a long-standing interest in the 26-year-old defender and were linked with him in the January transfer window as well. After failing to acquire his services in the winter, the Hammers have now returned to the market for him but face competition from other potential suitors, including Fulham.

The Cottagers are keen to strengthen their defence and are looking at multiple options, including Chelsea's Malang Sarr and Leicester City's Jannik Vestergaard. Fulham boss Marco Silva wants to bring in a centre-back to his squad before the summer transfer window slams shut.

PSG want to sell the 26-year-old defender permanently as they prepare for the potential arrival of Inter Milan's Milan Skriniar. Both West Ham and Fulham are open to the idea. However, AC Milan currently prefer a loan move, which could push them out of the race to sign the Senegalese international.

None of the clubs have reached an advanced stage of negotiations with the French club yet, which still leaves everyone with the opportunity to sign him this summer. Diallo still has two years left on his contract with PSG. It will be interesting to see where he ends up amid interest from West Ham, Fulham, and AC Milan.



http://www.thehardtackle.com/transfer-news/2022/08/02/fulham-battle-west-ham-united-for-abdou-diallo/

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Carlisle United sign Aldershot's ex-Fulham midfielder Jayden Harris on three-year deal


Jayden Harris with Paul Simpson (photo: Amy Nixon)

Carlisle United have made Aldershot midfielder Jayden Harris their ninth summer signing.

The 22-year-old former Fulham man has signed a three-year deal at Brunton Park.

The Blues have paid the National League club an undisclosed fee to secure the arrival of Harris.

The new arrival could now be in the squad for United's trip to Colchester United in League Two this weekend.

Harris impressed over 34 appearances for the Shots last season.

He now gives boss Paul Simpson a further midfield option as the Carlisle boss bolsters his squad early in the new campaign.

Harris came through Fulham's academy from 2009 and was with the club until 2021.

He had a loan spell at Woking in 2020 before joining Aldershot permanently, whilst he also had a loan spell at Hampton & Richmond Town last season.

Simpson, speaking on United's website, said: "I'm really pleased that we've been able to get Jayden signed.

"He's a big, physical, mobile box-to-box style midfielder who has a lot of growth potential.

"I think he's a very good addition to our squad and hopefully, with bringing him here, he will add value to the club."

Aldershot manager Mark Molesley told his club's website: "The move presents a a good deal for both the player and the club.

"As a club we want to create a pathway for younger players to progress in their careers and Jayden leaves with our best wishes for the future and our thanks for all his efforts whilst at the club."



https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/20596296.carlisle-united-sign-aldershots-ex-fulham-midfielder-jayden-harris-three-year-deal/

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Fulham sign Leno

Fulham have tonight confirmed the signing of Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno for a fee that could rise to £8m.

The 30 year-old German international has signed a three year contract at Craven Cottage, with Fulham holding a year's extension option. Leno made 125 appearances in four years with the Gunners but had dropped to third choice under Mikel Arteta and was desperate to secure regular first-team football ahead of the World Cup.

The former Stuttgart and Bayer Leverkusen custodian told FFCTV:

"It feels amazing to finally be here. I can't wait to join the team, to train and play with the team. I'm relieved that everything is done. I'm just happy to be here. It took a little bit of time but in the end we made it, and that's the most important thing."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/08/fulham-sign-leno/

[WhiteJC]

Leno Joins Fulham

The Club is delighted to confirm the signing of Bernd Leno from Arsenal for an undisclosed fee.

The 30-year-old goalkeeper has agreed terms on a three-year deal, with a Club option to extend by a further 12 months.

Speaking to FFCtv, Leno said: "It feels amazing to finally be here. I can't wait to join the team, to train and play with the team.

"I'm relieved that everything is done. I'm just happy to be here. It took a little bit of time but in the end we made it, and that's the most important thing."

Tony Khan added: "Bernd Leno is the goalkeeper whom we have pursued steadfastly throughout this transfer window, and we're very excited that we've reached a transfer agreement and he's now fully committed to Fulham!

"He has played at the highest level, and he'll bring this experience and his leadership to our team. He'll be a great addition to Marco's squad, who are all excited for the season ahead! Come on Fulham!"

Having come through the ranks at VfL Stuttgart, Leno joined Bayer Leverkusen on loan at the age of 19, and immediately established himself as the club's number one.

Leno performed at a level that belied his young age, becoming only the third goalkeeper in Bundesliga history to secure clean sheets in his first three matches, before breaking the record for the youngest 'keeper to appear in the Champions League shortly after.

Leverkusen soon made the deal permanent, and Leno went on to enjoy seven excellent seasons at the BayArena, making 304 appearances and keeping 100 clean sheets.

The lowest the club finished, in six of those seven campaigns, was fifth.

His consistency in Germany prompted Arsenal to bring Leno to London for a fee reported to be north of £20m ahead of the 2018/19 campaign.

Leno quickly displaced Petr Cech between the sticks, and ended his first season at the club with a Europa League runner-up medal, before finishing second in the club's player of the season vote a year later.

He departs the Emirates with plenty of Premier League experience under his belt, and also claimed 37 clean sheets in his 125 appearances across all competitions.

Manuel Neuer's stranglehold on the national team's No.1 jersey has meant opportunities for other German goalkeepers has been limited over the years, but Leno has still represented his country on nine occasions, and was in the squad for last summer's European Championship.

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/august/02/leno-joins-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

Bernd Leno joins Fulham

Bernd Leno has joined Fulham in a permanent transfer.

Since joining us from Bayer Leverkusen in June 2018, Bernd made 125 appearances for us in all competitions.

During the 2020/21 season, the 30-year-old goalkeeper made 49 appearances, more than any other Arsenal player. During the campaign, Bernd kept 16 clean sheets in all competitions and brought up his 100th Arsenal appearance in February 2021 in our 3-2 UEFA Europa League win over Benfica.

A model professional. A credit to The Arsenal.

Thank you for everything and good luck, Bernd ❤️

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 2, 2022

During his time with us, Bernd became a regular in the German national team set-up and was named in his country's squad for Euro 2020.

In his debut season at Emirates Stadium, Bernd soon endeared himself to our supporters with some match-defining performances, notably with a series of world-class saves against Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Leicester City. This form continued into his further seasons with us, where Bernd demonstrated his superb reactions and ability to produce the very best on the biggest stage.

We thank you Bernd for your contribution to the club during your four years with us.

Everyone at Arsenal wishes Bernd and his family all the very best in their new chapter.



https://www.arsenal.com/news/bernd-leno-joins-fulham