Thursday Fulham Stuff - 11/08/22...

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In profile: Justin Kluivert

Jack Stroudley looks at the latest attacking option reported to be coming through the door.

The transfers appear to be coming thick and fast now! Just days after Shane Duffy it appears that Justin Kluivert could be the next recruit over the line. The 23-year-old is reportedly signing on loan with an £8 million, and with both Harry Wilson and Manor Solomon injured, he will probably have a pivotal part to play. While we all know a lot about Patrick Kluivert, the ability and capability of his son Justin is unknown to many. So, who is Justin Kluivert?

The fact file
Kluivert came through the Ajax youth system starting off at the Dutch club in 2007 before making his debut for Jong Ajax (Ajax II) in 2016 playing against MVV. The 23 year old continued to develop as a young player and was given his first taste of first team football for Ajax in January 2017 where he played in their 3-1 away win over PEC Zwolle in the Eredivisie. He continued to impress for Ajax and went on to make over 40 appearances for the club.

His 2017/18 season for Ajax caught the attention of Roma, Kluivert's 15 goal contributions were enough for the Italian side to take an interest in the Dutch international who they signed for €19 million. Kluivert became the youngest Roma player to score in the Champions League, netting against Viktoria Plzen. His time at Roma has been fairly fragmented making just over 50 appearances and achieving 16 goal contributions.

He has also found himself out on loan on two different occasions since making the move to Italy. Kluivert spent the 2020/21 season at RB Leipzig where he made just under 20 league appearances and scored three goals. He spent last season in France playing for Nice where he delivered a respectable return of goal contributions with four goals and five assists across 28 appearances.

A deeper dive
Firstly, looking at his heat map below from last season at Nice, Kluivert operates more as a left winger but can also move over to the right hand side if necessary. The heat map indicates that he likes to stay wide as much as possible and doesn't tend to venture into the box on a regular basis.


Kluivert's heat map last season thanks to WhoScored

Despite spending most of his time outside the box, you'll be able to see on the graphic below that nearly all of his open play goals in the past four seasons have come from when he's inside, showing us firstly a potential clinical nature he has when he finds himself in the right position but also potential limited ability to be able to create something out of nothing and lack a potential dynamism you would want from a winger when playing in the Premier League.


Kluivert goals from open play

When you look at his stats as a whole, they aren't particularly good reading. In the graphic below it shows his stats for his final full season at Roma in 2019/20. Firstly, his ability to regain the ball from the opposition is noteworthy placing him in the top 20% of players in his position with 2.12 regains per 90. Despite this, he is below average in the stats that you'd want a winger to excel in (shots, touches in box, passing %) with him being slightly above average for successful dribbles.



I thought I'd look at the stats from the most recent season to see if any of this has changed. This is what I found.

    An extremely poor pass completion rate at 64.4%
    Very average returns in progressive carries and dribbles completed
    Well below average touches in the opposition penalty box
    Above average interceptions for someone in his position
    A winger who isn't particularly clinical

Yes or no?
Looking at the stats it is very difficult to make a case that Justin Kluivert is the right fit for Fulham – but on loan it might just be a smart deal.

One positive I will add is Kluivert is only 23 and has a lot of time on his side to improve his game, we are clearly in the market for another winger with Harry Wilson out for the next two months and Manor Solomon reportedly out for even longer. Marco Silva has got the best out of players during his time at Fulham and having a manager who has your full trust and belief could be what Kluivert needs to get his career back on track. It would be a risk and I'm not sure it would pay off.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2022-08-10-in-profile-justin-kluivert/

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Foundation Celebrating Euros Success

England's Lionesses showed great pride, determination, and hard work in winning a thrilling game of football recently in the Women's EURO Championship Final.

These footballers are such amazing role models for many girls and women across the country, inspiring them to be the next generation of female participants in football continuing their legacy.

This Tuesday, Fulham FC Foundation hosted a special event for girls aged 5-14 to celebrate England's EUROs success. Starting the morning off with some Lionesses themed football sessions, where the girls aspired to be like their role models, followed by a health and wellbeing workshop about how footballers can keep their mind and body fit as well as knowing "it's ok not to be ok", learning from Fran Kirby's story.

The afternoon was packed full of Russo backheel goal recreations after which we were privileged to have a Q&A session with some special guests; Helen Ogle, Fulham FC Women's First team player, Emma Eaton, Surrey FA's Female Football Development Officer, and Fulham celebrity Billy the Badger!

At Fulham FC Foundation we want to inspire and empower all women and girls to engage in our activities and events.

    This summer we are offering a range of holiday courses, including: Mixed, Girls Only and Girl's Development Centre camps.
    We also offer Mixed and Girls only Skills Clubs for girls aged 3-14 years to create more opportunities to enjoy the game, and the life skills that come with it.
    Our popular Girls Kicks programme is for ages 11-19 years, provides a safe and friendly environment for young females to engage in a fun football session focusing on develop individual skills and improve well-being.
    Alongside this we offer programmes for disabled young people and adults, including: Down's Syndrome Badgers Club, Active Autism, Blind and Partially Sighted Football and Pan Disability Football Clubs.
    For girls who wish to progress their skills further or receive extra training alongside their grassroots team we host a Girls Development Centre for ages 8-16 years. This programme aims to develop a player's technical and tactical knowledge of the game through top level coaching.
    We have a range of adult health and wellbeing programmes for women which focus on physical and mental wellbeing such as Walking Football, Fulham Fit and Fulham Memories session.

Niamh Barnett, Female Development Officer, explains her Fulham 'See it to Believe it' journey: "In 2017, I completed my work experience at Fulham FC Foundation where I supported the female football development officer in post at the time. This opportunity inspired me to want to work in football and in particular the female game.

"I have since graduated from UCFB Wembley after studying Sports Psychology while I worked coaching girl's football, after school clubs, PE lessons, mental health in schools and PAN disability.

"When I saw this role advertised for Fulham FC Foundation, I jumped at the chance and today I feel very fortunate to now be working in this role where I get to promote and inspire young girls and women to develop their football and create genuine and meaningful opportunities for them to have a lifelong love of the sport.

"It's a privilege to be working in a sport that I love and particularly for Fulham, the club inspired me to follow my ambitions."

Feedback from our recent Girls Development Centre sessions

    "I love being able to go to football every week. The coaches are really great! Since I've been going they've helped me to get so much better at football, and I have been showing off my skills to my friends at school."
    "I like the way the coaches at Girls Development Centre train us with motivation and practice how to become a better footballer."

FIND FEMALE FOOTBALL AT FULHAM FC FOUNDATION

BECOME A SUPPORTER OF FULHAM FC FOUNDATION



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/august/10/foundation-celebrate-euros-success/

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Fulham accelerate talks to sign £8m Justin Kluivert after Manor Solomon injury blow

Fulham are attempting to close a deal to sign Justin Kluivert on loan this week with an option to buy the Roma forward for £8million.

The son of legendary former Barcelona, AC Milan and Newcastle striker Patrick Kluivert is keen to move to the Premier League, with talks accelerating in recent days.

However, the move is complicated by the 23-year-old having just one year left to run on his contract, which could see Roma lose out financially if the option to buy is not used.

Fulham's need to add a winger has grown after new signing Manor Solomon suffered a knee injury in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Aston Villa.

The Israel international, who has joined on a one-year loan deal from Shakhtar Donetsk, is now expected to be out for six weeks.

Fulham boss Marco Silva had already called on the owners to bulk up his slim squad before the injury blow and they are attempting to please him by negotiating to sign players on multiple fronts.

Bayern Munich's Joshua Zirkzee remains another attacking target but defensive reinforcements are the real priority at Craven Cottage.

A £15m fee has finally been agreed to sign West Ham's Issa Diop after over a month of talks, with discussions over personal terms ongoing.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/justin-kluivert-fulham-latest-transfer-news-b1017711.html

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Fulham to rival Sevilla for Victor Nelsson transfer

Fulham could be set to bolster their defence with a shrewd transfer...

What's the word?

According to Tutto Mercato Web, the Cottagers are preparing to match Sevilla's bid for Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson.

The reported fee is around €14m (£11.8m), suggesting that they will have to add to their ever-growing summer spending of £34.7m.

Perhaps the draw of the Premier League, or an impressive financial package, can tempt the defender to join Marco Silva's side rather than the Spanish giants.

He can help keep them up

Although Fulham do boast a solid starting centre-back partnership in Tosin Adarabioyo and Tim Ream, one player who could come in and push them both to the edge is this Danish defender.

Having featured an astounding 48 times last season for Galatasaray across both domestic and European competition, he has already proven himself as a stalwart and a reliable performer for his side.

Across his league campaign, the €18k-per-week (£15k) ace boasted some impressive stats that outlined him as one of his side's top performers.

What stands out is his astounding 3.9 clearances per game, which will be extremely useful for a Fulham side that will likely be under sustained pressure throughout the season.

He also made no mistakes leading to a goal in all of his 36 appearances, compared with Ream's two errors and Adarabioyo's one.

The last thing a side desperate to stay in the division needs is to gift goals to the opposition, so this will be something that can help them ensure survival.

His bravery and defensive contributions led to one of the Galatasaray board of directors labelling him their "Danish Lion".




https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-transfer-rumours/victor-nelsson-transfer-galatasaray-fulham-marco-silva

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Aston Villa And Fulham Boosted As Sevilla Won't Meet Target's Price Tag

Aston Villa and Fulham are facing strong competition for Victor Nelsson's signature from Sevilla, but the Spaniards are not willing to match Galatasaray's asking price for the centre-back.

Nelsson's future at the Turkish giants is under the scanner as he has attracted transfer interest from a host of clubs across Europe.

Spanish side Sevilla are keen on snapping the defender up as they look to fill the vacant spots in their backline while Premier League new boys Fulham and Aston Villa also have him on their radar.

The Cottagers are still in the market to further bolster their squad as they look to avoid dropping down to the Championship again this season while the Lions are claimed to be one of the clubs expected to slap in an offer for him.

Sevilla saw Galatasaray knock back their initial offer worth €12m, including bonuses, for Nelsson as they are holding out for a fee not below the €20m mark.

However, according to Spanish daily Estadio Deportivo, Sevilla are not planning to match Galatasaray's asking price for the defender, while the Turks are determined to not lower their demands.

Nelsson is claimed to have already agreed on terms over a deal with Sevilla and is waiting for his club and the La Liga outfit to reach middle ground.

The Dane communicated to Galatasaray that he wishes to join Sevilla, but he is not short of suitors with the likes of Aston Villa and Fulham also looking on with prying eyes.



https://insidefutbol.com/2022/08/10/aston-villa-and-fulham-boosted-as-sevilla-wont-meet-targets-price-tag/572669/

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Fulham: Palhinha should have been in with a shout for MOTM on Saturday

Podcaster Drew Heatley has claimed that he is looking forward to seeing what Joao Palhinha will be like for Fulham this season.

Fulham have made six signings in this summer transfer window, but just two of them – Palhinha and Andreas Pereira – started in the opening Premier League fixture against Liverpool when they impressively drew 2-2.

Palhinha signed at Craven Cottage from Sporting for £18m this summer and impressed in the opening fixture of the season for Fulham, after receiving a 7.1 rating – the third-highest in the squad – with the two-goal Aleksandar Mitrovic stealing the headlines with a 9.4 rating, as per Sofascore.

Despite Mitrovic getting both the goals at the weekend against Liverpool, Heatley spoke on the Fulhamish podcast and claimed that Palhinha should have been named Man of the Match.

He said: "I absolutely love the work rate, it's the work rate combined with the quality.

"He has been absolutely incredible in what I saw [on Saturday] and I'm buzzing to see what he will be like in the rest of the season.

"I think he really helped out Ream and Tosin as well, letting them have a bit more of a comfortable game.

"Mitrovic gets the headlines, but when you're looking for Man of the Match, I think look no further than Joao."

TIF Thoughts on Heatley's comments...

Palhinha was one of the standout performers for Fulham in their impressive opening day of the 2022/23 Premier League season, as he had the second-most accurate passes (20), lost possession of the ball the least amount of times out of the players that started (8) and he completed the most tackles in the side (6), as per Sofascore.

It will be interesting to see how Fulham do in the remainder of the Premier League season after having a fine start against the runners-up from last term, and after the outstanding start to life in England for Palhinha, he could play a key role for the rest of the season in Fulham's survival hopes.



https://thisisfutbol.com/2022/08/blogs/premier-league/fulham/fulham-joao-palhinha-could-be-key-performance-vital-man-of-the-match/

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Fulham labelled 'most likely destination' for winger – Club president confirms chances of move

Since Corinthians winger Willian started getting linked to Fulham  FC last week, the Brazilian press claimed that the club would wait until the Copa Libertadores tie against Flamengo to take a decision on his future.

Just as expected, the Timão couldn't get the qualification for the semi-finals, and it didn't take long until the local media confirmed that the player is likely to leave the club.

One of the reports comes from Goal. The outlet confirms that Fulham are the 'most likely destination' for the 34-year-old, as both he and his family would like to return to Europe this summer.

It's said the Whites' offer 'pleases the player', and since he has a clause which facilitates his move out of Brazil, he should trigger it soon.

ESPN Brasil comes up with a similar story. They claim his departure from Corinthians should happen both because of his big wages as due to the lack of adaptation from his family to Brazil.

They also claim it's Fulham who'd like to bring him back to the Premier League.

Following the loss to Flamengo last night, Corinthians president Duilio Monteiro Alves said: "I don't want to talk about this subject so as not to omit anything, we scheduled a conversation for after this game. Tomorrow morning we will have this conversation. If nothing changes, he has a contract until the end of next year. There is, there is (the possibility of leaving)."



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-labelled-likely-destination-winger-club-president-confirms-chances-move/

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Rodrigo Muniz's situation at Fulham amid Middlesbrough links: What is the latest news?

Despite expectations being high heading into the season, Middlesbrough are yet to pick up a win this campaign.

Their Championship opener ended in a 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion, and last weekend, Chris Wilder's side were unable to overturn the three-goal first half deficit that QPR placed on them, with Boro running out 3-2 losers in the end.

One area we know that Middlesbrough have been keen to bring in additions this summer is the striking department, with their options up front looking rather thin.

We saw the arrival of Finnish striker Marcus Forss ahead of the season, but another man linked with a move to the Riverside this summer has been Fulham forward Rodrigo Muniz.

With that said, here, we've examined the latest updates on the Brazilian with the season now underway.

The latest news

In all honesty, things have gone rather quiet on the Muniz to Middlesbrough front.

The last major update came a fortnight ago, when it was claimed that Fulham were willing to allow Muniz to leave on loan this season, but only once they had brought in a replacement at Craven Cottage.

As per The Sun's report, Fulham want Muniz to get minutes this season and therefore are open to loaning him out, however, Marco Silva is keen that another forward arrives before sanctioning any exit for the Brazilian.

As of yet, Fulham are yet to bring in another striker, which is perhaps why Muniz remains at Craven Cottage.

The latest update, of sorts, came at the weekend when the Premier League campaign got underway.

Fulham earned themselves a very respectable draw at home versus Liverpool, and, interestingly, Muniz was on the bench. The 21-year-old was an unused substitute.

With Marco Silva's side linked with a move for Justin Kluivert, another attacking option, it will be interesting to see whether or not, if that goes through, Muniz's move to the Riverside is finally given the green light.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/rodrigo-munizs-situation-at-fulham-amid-middlesbrough-links-what-is-the-latest-news/

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Fulham And Southampton Face Fresh Competition In Joshua Zirkzee Hunt

Bayern Munich's fellow Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart have joined the race to sign Southampton and Fulham target Joshua Zirkzee.

Zirkzee came to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2017 but has not established himself in the first team of the Bavarian giants.

He spent the previous season on loan with Belgian side Anderlecht and after impressing for them has garnered Premier League interest.

Both Fulham and Southampton are interested in the Bayern Munich striker, but now new competition has arisen for the Premier League duo.

Stuttgart are interested in adding the young striker to their squad this summer should they face a key loss, according to Sky Deutschland.

The German club are fearing losing Sasa Kalajdzic this summer, who has been linked with Manchester United and Everton, and will pursue Zirkzee if that happens.

Stuttgart have had a talk with Bayern Munich on the phone regarding Zirkzee, although at this stage there is no agreement between the player and them.

Bayern Munich are demanding a sum of around €20m for the striker who scored 16 times and provided eleven assists in the Belgian top flight last season.



https://insidefutbol.com/2022/08/10/fulham-and-southampton-face-fresh-competition-in-joshua-zirkzee-hunt/572733/

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Fulham target set to rescind contract with club – Talks with Craven Cottage side yet to start

As the Brazilian media continues to share updates on Fulham target Willian, it seems he's really leaving his club Corinthians.

Journalist André Hernan reports that following the Timão's elimination from the Copa Libertadores, the winger is about to rescind his contract and return to Europe.

Despite claims regarding an unsatisfaction with manager Vitor Pereira, the story claims Willian's only reason to leave is the lack of security in Brazil.

He's been getting threats from Corinthians fans, and not only do his daughters no longer feel safe going to the stadium, his wife also had to go through surgery due to stress issues.

Now even though many outlets insists Fulham are in talks to sign the 34-year-old, Hernan claims that the player doesn't have ongoing negotiations with any club for now.

He does, however, mention Marco Silva's side, but says there are still no discussions.

The good news for the Craven Cottage side is that Willian is being released instead of sold, so he can return to London as a free agent and should have few costs other than a wage, agent fee and signing on fee.

With the end of his contract about to happen, then Fulham should soon have open doors to start talks for the signing.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-target-set-rescind-contract-club-talks-craven-cottage-side-yet-start/

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Fulham In Talks To Land Southampton Target

Fulham are in talks with Bayern Munich about a deal for Southampton target Joshua Zirkzee, according to German daily Bild.

Zirkzee impressed while on loan in Belgium at Anderlecht last term, but is down the pecking order of attackers at Bayern Munich and is expected to be moved on.

He has interest from the Premier League where Fulham, Southampton and Bournemouth are all fans of what he brings to the table.

Fulham have already opened talks with Bayern Munich to try to agree a deal for Zirkzee and it remains to be seen if Southampton and Bournemouth follow suit.

The trio could have competition from the Bundesliga though.

Stuttgart are also admirers of Zirkzee and if they lose the services of striker Sasa Kalajdzic, they will launch a bid to snap him up.

He made 47 appearances for Anderlecht last term during the course of his spell in Belgium and scored 18 times, along with providing 13 assists.

It remains to be seen where Zirkzee, 21, is playing his football when the transfer window shuts on 1st September.



https://insidefutbol.com/2022/08/10/fulham-in-talks-to-land-southampton-target/572775/

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Fulham in talks to sign striker from CL club – Southampton and Bournemouth also 'interested'

Fulham are in negotiations with Bayern Munich striker Joshua Zirkzee, with AFC Bournemouth and Southampton also 'interested'.

That's according to SportBILD journalist Christian Falk, who says there is also a chance VfB Stuttgart could enter the bidding.

Zirkzee returned to Bayern Munich this summer after a successful loan spell at Anderlecht last season which helped to reignite his career, which had been somewhat flailing.

He's now in the final year of his deal and expected to leave on a permanent basis this year, although where to remains to be seen.

A move to the Premier League has been mooted and all three of Bournemouth, Fulham and Southampton have been named as potential destinations.

It seems Fulham have now gone one step further, with Falk reporting they are negotiating with the player's management about a switch to Craven Cottage. Bournemouth and Southampton meanwhile, are just interested parties.

They could also be joined by Stuttgart, but only if they were to sell Sasa Kalajdzic, who has been linked with a move to Manchester United.

There's no mention of a bid being placed with Bayern as yet, but that could always change, particularly if Fulham's talks with Zirkzee's management go well.




http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-talks-sign-striker-cl-club-southampton-bournemouth-also-interested/

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Issa Diop joins Fulham

West Ham United can confirm Issa Diop has joined Fulham on a permanent transfer for an undisclosed fee.

The 25-year-old centre-back departs after four years with the Hammers, having moved to east London from French club Toulouse in June 2018.

Diop totalled 121 appearances in Claret and Blue, including seven during the Hammers' run to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals last season, and scored eight goals.

The Club would like to thank Issa for his contribution and wish him the best for his future career.



https://www.whufc.com/news/issa-diop-joins-fulham

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Issa Diop: Fulham sign defender from West Ham for £15m on five-year deal

Issa Diop, whose contract at West Ham was due to expire next summer, has signed for Fulham after completing a medical this week and agreeing personal terms; the 25-year-old must be registered before midday on Friday to feature in Saturday's Premier League trip to Wolves

Fulham have signed defender Issa Diop from West Ham for £15m.

The 25-year-old, whose contract at the London Stadium was due to expire next summer, completed a medical this week and agreed personal terms before signing a five-year deal.

Fulham must have Diop registered before midday on Friday to have him available for Saturday's game at Wolves. He will wear the No 31 shirt for the club.

As if by magic... 🪄#IssaKindaMagic | #FFC pic.twitter.com/awX8k0ublu

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) August 10, 2022

Speaking to FFCtv, Diop said: "I'm very happy, very happy to join Fulham. I hope it's going to be a very good chapter of my career.

"It's all official now, so I'm happy. I just want to train with the team now, and let's get to work."

Diop made 119 appearances for West Ham in all competitions and scored eight goals after joining from Ligue 1 club Toulouse in 2018. However, he only featured in 13 Premier League games last season.

He has been a long-term target for Fulham, who tried to sign him four years ago before he joined the Hammers.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/12670013/issa-diop-fulham-sign-defender-from-west-ham-for-15m

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Breaking: Issa Diop seals £17m Fulham transfer and leaves West Ham after refusing to play

West Ham United have completed the sale of centre-back Issa Diop to Premier League rivals Fulham in a deal worth £17million, ending his four-year stay at the London Stadium

West Ham United have completed the sale of centre-back Issa Diop to Fulham in a deal believed to be worth £17million.

The French defender has signed a five-year contract at Craven Cottage and ended his time at the London Stadium following a four-year stint in east London, making 121 appearances in all competitions and scoring eight goals.

Diop's exit comes after not putting himself forward to play in recent matches, leaving the Hammers with only one centre-back available for their Premier League defeat to Manchester City on Sunday afternoon, with Ben Johnson having to play as a makeshift centre-back next to Kurt Zouma for David Moyes' side.

The exit sees him become the first permanent exit after the summer since the club's retained list was published. However, both Arthur Masuaku and Nikola Vlasic have departed the Irons on season-long loan deals to Besiktas and Torino respectively. Both deals have the option to become permanent transfers at the end of it.

West Ham are eyeing up a new centre-back before Sunday's meeting with Nottingham Forest due to their current injury issues. Craig Dawson and Nayef Aguerd both missed the defeat to City with respective thigh and ankle injuries, while Angelo Ogbonna is still working towards his recovery from a long-term anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained last November.

The Hammers have put in an offer to sign Paris Saint-Germain's Thilo Kehrer to help solve their defensive issues. However, a number of clubs are also interested, with Spanish Sevilla linked with interest in the 25-year-old.



https://www.football.london/west-ham-united-fc/breaking-west-ham-fulham-transfer-24719492

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Diop Signs For Fulham

The Club is delighted to confirm the signing of Issa Diop from West Ham United for an undisclosed fee.

The 25-year-old centre-back has agreed a five-year deal, tying him to Craven Cottage until the summer of 2027.

Speaking to FFCtv after signing, Diop said: "I'm very happy, very happy to join Fulham. I hope it's going to be a very good chapter of my career.

"It's all official now, so I'm happy. I just want to train with the team now, and let's get to work."

Tony Khan added: "I'm very excited that we've brought Issa Diop to Fulham.

"Issa is a talented and imposing defender whom we've pursued for a long time, and his experience and formidable presence will be important to our squad in this Premier League season and for us to build a bright future in the years ahead!

"Come on Fulham!"

A towering, athletic defender, Diop came through the ranks at his local side Toulouse, making his senior debut for the side as an 18-year-old in November 2015.

He subsequently kept his spot in their backline for the remainder of the campaign, helping them to nine clean sheets in his 23 appearances.

A consistent presence again the following season, Diop skippered his club for the first time in a year which saw them finish 13th in Ligue 1, before being installed as full-time club captain in 2017/18, aged just 20.

After 95 appearances and six goals for Toulouse, Diop joined West Ham for a club record fee, reported at £22m, in June 2018.

Immediately installed as one of the first names on the teamsheet, Diop made 38 appearances in his maiden campaign in East London as the Hammers secured a top-half finish in the Premier League.

2019/20 was not as prosperous for the team, but they were on an upward trajectory following the appointment of David Moyes, with Diop playing his part in sixth and seventh place finishes.

The highlight of last season was undoubtedly reaching the Semi-Finals of the Europa League, with Diop featuring in seven of their 12 fixtures.

He departs the London Stadium with a decent goal record, having found the net eight times in 119 appearances.

Diop has 40 international caps for France from Under-16 to Under-21 level, and was a key member of the side that won the 2016 Under-19 European Championship.

He scored in the Final – a 4-0 win over Italy – as well as being named in the team of the tournament, alongside the likes of Fikayo Tomori, Ruben Dias and Kylian Mbappé.

Diop will wear the number 31 shirt for Fulham.

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/august/10/issa-diop-signs-for-fulham/

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Fulham complete signing of Diop from West Ham

Fulham have completed the signing of defender Issa Diop from West Ham.

Talks have been ongoing and a deal was recently agreed, with Fulham paying an initial £14.5m for the 25-year-old.

Diop has signed a five-year contract at Craven Cottage.

Fulham have been keen to strengthen in central defence, having previously expressed an interest in Manchester United defender Eric Bailly.

Last week they signed Shane Duffy on loan from Brighton.

"I'm very happy, very happy to join Fulham. I hope it's going to be a very good chapter of my career," Diop told Fulham's website.

"It's all official now, so I'm happy. I just want to train with the team now, and let's get to work."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-west-ham-issa-diop-move-complete

[WhiteJC]

Fulham confirm Issa Diop signing as defender makes £15m switch from West Ham

Fulham have completed the signing of West Ham centre-back Issa Diop in a deal worth around £15million.

Marco Silva has been desperate to bolster his defence having seen much of preseason play out with just two senior centre-backs on his books, Tosin Adarabioyo and captain Tim Ream.

Brighton defender Shane Duffy was brought in on loan last week, while goalkeeper Bernd Leno was signed from Arsenal, but Diop's arrival will further lift the mood around Craven Cottage following Saturday's superb 2-2 draw against Liverpool, in which new signings Andreas Pereira and Joao Palhinha both excelled.

Diop brings proven Premier League quality, having made more than 90 League appearances for West Ham across four seasons after joining the club from Toulouse in 2018.

The 25-year-old was a regular during his first two seasons at West Ham but made only 10 League starts last term and had slipped further down the pecking order at the London Stadium following the £28m arrival of Nayef Aguerd from Rennes.

Following Sunday's defeat to Manchester City, David Moyes revealed Diop had declined to make himself available for selection amid speculation over his future, despite the Hammers having just one fit centre-back.

West Ham have managed to recoup a fair proportion of the £22m they paid to sign the Frenchman four summers ago and are now targeting a move for German international Thilo Kehrer, having held initial talks with PSG.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-issa-diop-west-ham-b1017466.html

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Diop completes Fulham move

Issa Diop has completed his move to Fulham, ending his four-year association with West Ham United.
The French defender moves to Craven Cottage in a deal understood to be worth in the region of £15million, signing a five-year contract.

Diop, who cost West Ham £22million when moving from Toulouse in the summer of 2018 will wear the number 31 shirt for his new club.

"I'm very happy, very happy to join Fulham," he told the south west London club's website. "I hope it's going to be a very good chapter of my career.

"It's all official now, so I'm happy. I just want to train with the team now, and let's get to work."

Fulham vice chair Tony Khan added: ""I'm very excited that we've brought Issa Diop to Fulham.

"Issa is a talented and imposing defender whom we've pursued for a long time and his experience and formidable presence will be important to our squad in this Premier League season and for us to build a bright future in the years ahead."

West Ham reacted to the news by wishing the 25-year-old well. "The club would like to thank Issa for his contribution and wish him the best for his future career," read a statement on the club's website.

Diop made a total of 119 appearances for West Ham during his time in east London, scoring eight goals and providing three assists. He was booked on 18 occasions during his 9,950 minutes of game time in a claret and blue shirt, but never sent off.



https://www.kumb.com/story.php?id=137232

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Fulham seal Diop deal

Fulham have tonight confirmed the capture of West Ham central defender Issa Diop for a fee believed to be around £15m.

The French centre half has signed a five-year contract at Craven Cottage and becomes Marco Silva's second defensive addition in the space of six days after the arrival of Shane Duffy on last week. The 25 year-old, deemed surplus to requirements by David Moyes this summer, made 119 appearances for the Hammers, scoring nine goals – including a header in Fulham's 3-1 defeat at the London Stadium back in 2019.

Diop told FFC TV tonight:

"I'm very happy, very happy to join Fulham. I hope it's going to be a very good chapter of my career. It's all official now, so I'm happy. I just want to train with the team now, and let's get to work."

Fulham had tried to sign the 6ft 4in defender following their promotion to the Premier League in 2018 but he opted to join West Ham in a £22m deal after emerging as a teenager in the Toulouse first team. He made his Ligue 1 debut for Les Violets against Nice aged 18 in November 2015 and scored in his second appearance, a 3-0 win at Troyes. Diop helped Toulouse keep eight clean sheets and survive relegation on the final day of the season and made thirty league appearances the following year before being named club captain in 2018, when Toulouse reached the last eight of the Coupe de France and again narrowly avoided the drop.

Fulham's summer-long pursuit of Diop, who only made thirteen league appearances for West Ham last term, sees them acquire an aerially dominant and speedy centre half, who will offer much-needed competition for Duffy, Tosin Adarabioyo and Tim Ream following the release of Michael Hector and Alfie Mawson at the end of last season. Diop, who scored in the final of the 2016 Under 19 European Championships which France won, has been capped for his country at every youth level and will be handed the number 31 shirt. He will be available for Saturday's first away fixture of the season at Wolverhampton Wanderers.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/08/fulham-seal-diop-deal/