Friday Fulham Stuff - 12/08/22...

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Manor Solomon set for knee surgery in major blow to Fulham as club continue Justin Kluivert chase

Manor Solomon is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines as the Fulham winger prepares for knee surgery.

The 23-year-old made his Premier League debut against Liverpool as Marco Silva's side claimed an impressive point at Craven Cottage despite a difficult summer for the club.

Silva has constantly called for further signings, with Solomon one of the more eye-catching additions so far after leaving Shakhtar Donetsk.

"It's his knee... last Sunday in the session. Probably he will get surgery in the next few days," Silva told reporters ahead of Saturday's trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

"Then we will have more news about it and be more sure of the timeline for him to come back.

"But it looks like he'll be a long time injured. Let's see, I think it's better we wait for the surgery, and after we will know more details about it."

Fulham are keen on an £8m move for Nice winger Justin Kluivert and hope to wrap up a deal this week, while Bayern Munich forward Joshua Zirkzee remains another target.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-latest-news-manor-solomon-injury-news-2022-b1018096.html

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£20m international has 'refused' to join Fulham, deal now looks dead

£20 million Juventus defender Luca Pellegrini has 'refused' a move to Premier League newcomers Fulham as he wants to stay in Serie A, as reported by Tuttosport. 

On Thursday morning, Juve fans woke up to the sight they've been dreaming off over the last couple of weeks. Filip Kostic, in a Juventus branded Jeep, arriving at the club's training ground, posing for photos and signing autographs for a throng of adoring fans.

The Serbia international – who missed Eintracht Frankfurt's 2-0 UEFA Super Cup defeat to Real Madrid in Helsinki – will undergo a medical today before being unveiled as a Juventus player ahead of this weekend's Serie A opener at home to Sassuolo.

But while Kostic's arrival looks set to push Luca Pellegrini further down Max Allegri's pecking order, the former Roma youngster is not going to change his stance on a potential late-summer switch to Craven Cottage.

Serie A stalet Luca Pellegrini prefers Atalanta to Fulham

According to Tuttosport, Pellegrini has 'refused' Fulham's offer. The Italy international wants to stay in Serie A, and it seems he could get his wish.

Atalanta are in the market for a player capable of thriving as a left-wing back with Remo Freuler on his way to Nottingham Forest. And Pellegrini ticks a lot of boxes for a club famous for helping talented young players realise their potential; From Duvan Zapata to Cristian Romero, Mario Pasalic to Joakim Maehle.

Sport Mediaset say that Fulham held talks with Pellegrini in July, though they were only willing to pay £9 million. Juventus want closer to £12 million. The Cottagers have also been linked with Celta Vigo's Javi Galan and Real Betis' Alex Moreno. Everton loanee Ruben Vinagre is another.

Time is running out on Marco Silva's hopes of bringing in a new left-back before September's transfer deadline. Antonee Robinson impressed during the 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Saturday, with Joe Bryan waiting in the wings.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/08/11/20m-international-has-refused-to-join-fulham-deal-now-looks-dead/

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Solomon set for knee surgery

Fulham winger Manor Solomon will have surgery on his injured knee in the coming days, head coach Marco Silva confirmed during this afternoon's press conference.

The Israeli international, who only made his debut on Saturday as a substitute in Fulham's 2-2 draw with Liverpool, has reportedly torn his meniscus in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Chelsea the following day. Reports from Solomon's homeland suggest the former Shakhtar Donetsk winger could miss between two and three months of football, although Silva said the length of his exact absence will depend on the success of the surgery and Solomon's rehabilitation.

"It is his knee. Last Sunday in the session. He will probably have surgery in the next few days. But it looks like he'll be a long time injured. Let's see, I think it's better we wait for the surgery, and after we will know more details about it."

Solomon joins Harry Wilson on the Fulham injury list after the Welsh winger was also suffered a knee problem in a friendly against Aston Villa. Silva estimates Wilson could miss as many as ten games.

"We have to see week by week. Let's see what will happen. It doesn't look so long as Manor Solomon, but six, eight weeks it could be. It's a long time injured for us. We're talking about probably 10 games."

The absence of those wide players means Fulham will likely enter the transfer market for replacements, although Silva would not be drawn into commenting on reports that the Whites were close to concluding deals for former Chelsea and Arsenal winger Willian as well as Justin Kluivert.

"We are talking about many games that we cannot just have two wingers to play. Bobby [Decordova-Reid] and Neeskens [Kebano], they did really well (against Liverpool), but we cannot, at this level, not have solutions on the bench for that position. They are able to do it, of course, but it's a position we normally have to put fresh legs on in a match. Even if they are performing really well, normally you need fresh legs in that position.

It is a position that we demand a lot from, the players in that position, with the way we play. We can adapt some players to there, but it's not the same thing and it is of course something urgent for us."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/08/solomon-set-for-knee-surgery/

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Fulham: Collins urges club to sign Justin Kluivert

Podcast presenter Jack Collins has claimed that it would make sense for Fulham to sign Justin Kluivert this summer.

According to The Times, Fulham are interested in signing Kluivert and Roma representatives have reportedly flown to England to begin negotiations with the Whites.

Kluivert spent time with OGC Nice on loan last season from the Giallorossi, featuring 27 times in Ligue 1 for the French side, where he found the back of the net four times and chipped in with five assists.

With Kluivert being linked with a move to Fulham, Collins spoke on the Fulhamish podcast and claimed it would be a transfer that makes sense.

He said: "I like him as a player. I think he is a very, very direct, tricky winger who's able to get into the box and make things happen.

"Now, he's not the best crosser of the ball in the entire world, but he is a smart footballer who I think Silva will really like, because he presses well, presses hard, and he's the kind of player that you look at and go, 'ok, this makes sense', and actually, considering the injury options we've got, I can imagine this transfer has taken a big step forward in recent times."

TIF Thoughts on Collins' comments...

It was recently announced that recent arrival Manor Solomon had picked up an injury in a behind-closed-doors match, so it will be interesting to see if Marco Silva looks to really push for Kluivert in the transfer market before the window shuts, as they are particularly short in that area of the pitch.

Harry Wilson is another winger for Fulham that is sidelined at the moment, and with Kluivert going out on loan last season, this could be an indication that he is out of favour at the Italian club, so a move to Fulham could be one that is suitable for all parties.



https://thisisfutbol.com/2022/08/blogs/premier-league/fulham/fulham-justin-kluivert-winger-addition-deal-offer-loan-transfer-complete/

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West Ham can now sign £15m star on loan after Fulham held recent talks

AS Roma are now warming to letting Justin Kluivert leave on loan in the final weeks of the transfer sales after talks with Fulham, amid a backdrop of interest from West Ham United.

Roma now open to loan exit for West Ham eyed Justin Kluivert after Fulham talks

According to TuttoMercatoWEB, AS Roma are now considering letting Justin Kluivert leave the Serie A side on loan after holding talks with Fulham regarding a transfer in recent days, following interest from West Ham United in the Dutchman heading to the Premier League.

Giallorossi sporting director Tiago Pinto travelled to London to meet Marco Silva's Craven Cottage natives earlier this month. The west London natives are looking to add Kluivert to the Portuguese's fold after securing promotion, and sensing a need for attacking arrivals.

Negotiations are ongoing between Fulham and Roma to discuss Kluivert leaving the Stadio Olimpico before the sales slam shut. Talks had initially focused on a permanent move, but Pinto is now prepared to consider a temporary arrangement that carries an option to buy.

Roma will demand an onerous loan fee to delay Kluivert's potential permanent departure by a year. The 23-year-old may also have to agree a contract extension before leaving on loan, as the two-cap Netherlands forward is currently due to become a free agent in June 2023.

Kluivert moved to the Italian capital from Ajax for an initial £15m plus add-ons in 2018 on a five-year contract. But the versatile forward has only featured 68 times since, while scoring just nine goals plus 10 assists. He has also spent each of the past two seasons out on loan.

RB Leipzig hired Kluivert, son of Dutch icon Patrick, for the 2020/21 Bundesliga campaign. He then spent 2021/22 in Ligue 1 with OGC Nice, where the Ajax product struck four goals and five assists over 27 games. He also struck two and created one in the Coup de France.

Fulham were 'very close' to securing permanent Justin Kluivert transfer

Fulham were 'very close' to securing a permanent transfer for Kluivert following their talks with Roma, but West Ham may now increase their interest with Pinto open to a loan. Prior reports by TuttoMercatoWEB noted the Cottagers were approaching a €10m (£8.5m) deal.

It was Gazzetta dello Sport (p13, 7/7) who cited West Ham's interest in signing Kluivert off Roma this summer. The Irons were also tipped to target a €15m (£12.5m) move to bolster David Moyes' creative options. So, he could even fill the void Nikola Vlasic has now created.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/08/11/west-ham-can-now-sign-15m-star-on-loan-after-fulham-held-recent-talks/

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Early signs have Fulham fans believing Premier League survival may finally be possible
Fulham's opening day draw with Liverpool not only bucked a trend that has plagued their last two top-flight campaigns but has already led some pundits to re-evaluate their survival chances.

The Cottagers not only avoided losing at home in the first game of the season at the third attempt but their tenacious approach and positive start against Jurgen Klopp's much-fancied side has brought cause for optimism.

Players showed no fear and were at Liverpool from the first minute – not in a haphazard, chaotic way but calculated, precise and efficient – the attitude you'd normally expect from Klopp's men.

Fulham were undoubtedly assisted by a lazy Liverpool performance with the generally imperious Virgil van Dijk particularly looking off the pace and cavalier at times.

The Dutch defender was continually harassed by Fulham's new signings Joao Palhinha and Andreas Pereira, backed up by the omnipresent Harrison Reed.

At the other end, everything was glued together by an Aleksandar Mitrovic masterclass in hold-up play with Fulham fans not only excited by his brace but by his consummate attitude throughout.

Speaking after the game, Fulham head coach Marco Silva said: "I know the quality Mitro (Mitrovic ) has. I'm here to get the best out of my players and we're continuing with that from last season with all of them.

"Of course, he has his own profile as a football player, but we have to keep believing he will produce his best, but Mitro is not just about goals.

"If someone thinks Mitro is just about goals, forget it. The job he did this afternoon was for the team – his pressure, helping the midfielders, helping the back line and after if you leave it for him, he'll score."

Before the game, there were the usual voices talking about the inevitable immediate return to the Championship but, despite the Premier League presenting enormous challenges every day, the performance will have subdued some of those sceptics.

Games against potential relegation rivals such as Leeds, who have lost two of their best players in Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips, West London rivals Brentford and also Bournemouth will be crucial and, should any of those sides hit rocky patches, Fulham will need to capitalise.

A defensive unit of Tosin Adarabioyo, Kenny Tete, Kevin Mbabu, Antonee Robinson, Shane Duffy and Issa Diop is, on paper, unlikely to be the worst defence in the league with the game against Liverpool proving Silva can quickly facilitate new signings into his uncompromising style of play.

Silva's last Premier League stint as Everton boss saw him spend around £200m on transfer targets. Richarlison was one success story, but £30m was also spent on Alex Iwobi and £25m on Jean-Philippe Gbamin, who managed just three games for the Portuguese manager.

The Fulham boss has not received the same level of financial backing from the owners as he did at Goodison Park and made it clear before the Liverpool game he is not yet satisfied with the tools at his disposal.

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

"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 something else as well...No-one can prepare for one season with just two central defenders. We have two central defenders at this level."

However, Fulham's owners have learnt the hard way that throwing money at a problem does not necessarily solve it, and Silva will do well to heed this lesson.

Nevertheless, he has still managed to plug holes in last season's Championship-winning side, with more personnel expected to arrive before the window shuts.

Of his business so far, signing Bernd Leno from Arsenal for £8m looks a very shrewd move, as does £20m for the former Sporting Lisbon midfielder and new fan favourite Joao Palhinha, who covered every blade of grass against Liverpool.

Even Pereira, who cost Fulham around £10m, made a case to squash his unsolicited Manchester United nickname of 'pre-season Pirlo'.

As the season opener approached, Fulham fans were wincing at the thought of Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez going up against 34-year-old centre back Tim Ream. But the captain on the day more than held his nerve against a truly world class attack.

Although Diop's arrival for £15m on a five-year deal is likely to see Ream reduced to a more cameo role going forward, the performance against Liverpool proves he still has much to offer in the way of experience and composure.

Put it all together and Fulham fans certainly have more than one reason to believe things could be different this time around.

Hedging your bets this early would be an exercise in futility, but Silva and his team could settle the nerves of the Fulham faithful much earlier than anticipated if they do what they did against Liverpool every week.



https://londonfootballscene.co.uk/2022/08/11/early-signs-have-fulham-fans-believing-premier-league-survival-may-finally-be-possible/

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Manager explains why he was desperate to sign 'quality' West Ham man

Fulham coach Marco Silva is delighted to finally add West Ham United defender Issa Diop to his Premier League roster, speaking via Football Daily ahead of Saturday's trip to Wolves.

Only a couple of days ago, the former Everton boss was bemoaning the lack of central defensive options at his disposal. Fulham, Silva said, had just Tim Ream and Tosin Adarabioyo to choose from, with Terence Kongolo out of sight and very much out of mind.

Since then, the Cottagers have doubled their number of defensive additions. Talk about answering your coach's call.

After signing Shane Duffy on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion on Friday, one of Fulham's most long-standing targets signed a five-year deal at the West London outfit too.

Diop – who cost West Ham £22 million when arriving from Toulouse back in 2018 – joins Fulham at a £7 million loss after struggling for fitness and form in claret-and-blue.

Silva is not concerned by Diop's disappointing time at West Ham, however; Identifying the Frenchman's versatility and two-footedness are two key reasons why Fulham were so keen to bring him in.

Fulham sign West Ham United defender Issa Diop in £15m deal

"He was a target from the moment we started planning for this season; Issa," Silva says. "It was a long process but finally we have him with us. He is a player who, for sure, will add something different. Like with Shane (Duffy) as well.

"He can play easily on both sides – right-side and left-side – even if recently he's been playing more on the left. He can play on both sides of our central defensive. That is really important for us. And that experience, that quality (he has)"

Fulham actually agreed personal terms with Diop back in July. But, like with Joao Palhinha, Andreas Pereira and especially Manor Solomon, they were made to wait to get their man. West Ham appeared to get cold feet after learning that new £30 million signing Nayef Aguerd needed surgery to correct an ankle problem.

Diop's belated departure, then, suggests that the Hammers are confident about signing a replacement before September's deadline. The adaptable Thilo Kehrer of PSG appears to be their top target. 



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/08/11/manager-explains-why-he-was-desperate-to-sign-quality-west-ham-man/

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Fulham: Cottagers in negotiations to sign Joshua Zirkzee

According to SportBILD journalist Christian Falk, Fulham are in negotiations to sign Bayern Munich forward Joshua Zirkzee this summer.

The Lowdown: Bayern exit expected
The 21-year-old has returned to the German giants following a successful loan at Anderlecht, but is expected to depart the Allianz in the weeks ahead due to entering the final 12 months of his deal.

His impressive displays under Felice Mazzu don't seem to have left him short of potential suitors, and there appears to be plenty of interest being ignited in the Premier League, particularly from Craven Cottage.

The Latest: Fulham in talks for Zirkzee
Taking to Twitter, Falk confirmed that Fulham are in contact with Bayern regarding a move for Zirkzee. He wrote:

"TRUE✅ The Management of Joshua Zirkzee @FCBayern negotiate with @FulhamFC, also FC Southampton & FC Bournemouth are interested."

The Verdict: Competition for Mitrovic
Marco Silva will be keen to add to his attacking ranks and provide competition for Aleksandar Mitrovic to ensure that his side maintain their top-flight status, and Zirkzee would be a fantastic signing for the Cottagers.

The Dutchman, hailed for his 'remarkable' development by former Bayern manager Hansi Flick, was directly involved in 23 goal contributions in just 32 Jupiler Pro League appearances for Anderlecht last season, via Transfermarkt.

Standing at 6 foot 3, Zirkzee could add a huge physical threat in the box for Fulham, and after their exciting performance in the 2-2 draw against Liverpool last weekend, there's no reason why he wouldn't be encouraged and want to make the switch.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/fulham-fc-news/fulham-joshua-zirkzee-bayern-munich-silva-latest-transfer-news-rumours-updates/

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Fulham step up talks with Roma for Kluivert

Fulham have stepped up negotiations with Roma to sign Justin Kluivert, as their player Manor Solomon sustained an injury in training.

The talks had already been in progress, but the situation has now become more urgent for the Cottagers.

According to La Stampa newspaper, Fulham are accelerating the progress in order to get 23-year-old Kluivert as soon as possible.

This is a deal expected to be a loan with obligation to buy for circa €9.5m.

Solomon could well require knee surgery and be ruled out for as much as three months.

He only joined Fulham last month on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk and made his debut off the bench in a 2-2 draw with Liverpool.

Kluivert was purchased from Ajax for €17.25m in the summer of 2018 and failed to make an impact at the Stadio Olimpico.

He went out on loan experiences at RB Leipzig and OGC Nice, but they were not prepared to take up the option to buy.

‼️ Il Fulham accelera per Justin #Kluivert. Il neo acquisto Solomon sarà operato al ginocchio e dovrà stare fuori per tre mesi

Leggi l'articolo 👉 https://t.co/JPCta9WglQ pic.twitter.com/iOOahPzjRr

— asromalive.it (@asromaliveit1) August 11, 2022

https://football-italia.net/fulham-step-up-talks-with-roma-for-kluivert/

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Report: Jose Mourinho to battle Fulham for signing out-of-favour Manchester United star

Jose Mourinho wants Manchester United defender Eric Bailly at AS Roman before end of transfer window

Eric Bailly is on the wishlist of former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese wants the Ivorian at AS Roma this summer before the end of the transfer window, according to La Repubblica via Inside Futbol (h/t Manchester Evening News).

It seems Mourinho has identified Bailly as his priority target to bolster the Serie A outfit's backline. The 28-year-old has an uncertain future at the club with the arrival of Erik ten Hag.

It was the former United manager who was in the dugout when Bailly made his way through the doors at Old Trafford from Villarreal in 2016. Roma have been one of the sides the Ivory Coast international has been linked with. Fulham have also been credited with an interest in the centre-back.

The Manchester-based club have bolstered the defence this summer with the additions of Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez. Especially with the arrival of the Argentine, it looks like Bailly will find it difficult to get into Ten Hag's XI this campaign.

Competition for places
Harry Kane, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof are the other options at the new gaffer's disposal. The three shared a considerable amount of minutes amongst themselves last season. The Ivory Coast international barely got to play any minutes.

Bailly has been decent for United when he's been fit enough to feature for the team. The 28-year-old seemed to have the minerals to succeed with the Red Devils. However, injuries have hampered the player's career in Manchester.

Fans are of the opinion that United have enough cover in the centre-back area. While our defensive record wasn't the best in the previous campaign, hopefully, Ten Hag can make the backline more organised and robust.



https://weallfollowunited.com/2022/08/12/jose-mourinho-wants-manchester-united-defender-eric-bailly-as-roma-btransfer-window/

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Wolves Vs Fulham Preview

At the risk of upsetting a lot of Leeds supporters, I don't think they're very good.

As a consequence I expect the further we get away from that game the worse the result is going to look.

They pressed well and were generally tenacious out of possession but it's concerning how little they had to do with the ball to get the win.

Our attacking players should have done more damage with the possession they enjoyed and we should have managed things better in our own half to avoid inviting them onto us in dangerous areas of the pitch.

Perhaps home advantage and the addition of another useful attacking player will help deliver a more favourable outcome on Saturday.

Fulham
You never want to play a newly promoted team early in the season and especially coming in off a great performance against Liverpool.

Their tails will be wagging so Wolves have to nullify that exuberance and control the game. We couldn't do it against Brentford last season in one of the more pitiful home performances of the campaign.

Aleksander Mitrovic scored more goals in the Championship last season than Wolves managed in the Premier League and he's also out to an early lead this season following a brace on opening day. I've always felt he was a top-class striker and 46 goals in 74 for Serbia backs that up.

João Palhinha seemed destined for Wolves and I was shocked to see him sign for Fulham. I'm keen to get a good look at him on Saturday and see what he brings to their midfield.

They'll be without Harry Wilson and summer signing Manor Solomon at Molineux with Marco Silva lamenting their lack of cover in attack this week. They did add Man Utd midfielder Andreas Pereira and he has plenty of talent.

In defence, they've recruited Issa Diop from West Ham and they'll need to be tighter defensively than they've been in the past to have any chance of staying up. I do think they'll be towards the bottom of the table by the finish.

Wolves
Coady out and Guedes in does balance the squad better – whatever else you want to say about those deals. I'd expect the new guy to go straight into the side.

Is he the definitive answer to our goalscoring problems? It's hard to feel confident about another out-to-in attacker but he did lead the line well for Valencia last season.

The team conjured up a great goal against Leeds and several other good chances so I feel confident they can improve the goal-a-game average we've seen in recent seasons. There's certainly a commitment to attacking with greater purpose.

I'm not sure about the fitness of Moutinho, Hwang or Traore but it would be handy to have any of them available if only to give Bruno a few options from the bench.

Predictions
Nobody correctly predicted the 2-1 scoreline at Elland Road but a few did get on the board by guessing the outcome.




https://www.wolvesblog.com/16772/wolves-vs-fulham-preview-10

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Fulham join Wolves in the chase for Bordeaux striker Hwang Ui-Jo, with the Ligue 2 club demanding £4m for the South Korea international

    Hwang Ui-Jo has been Bordeaux's highest goal scorer for the past two seasons
    The 29-year-old also has also scored 16 goals in 47 games for South Korea
    He is now being chased by Premier League sides and could be a cheap option
    Former Chelsea and Arsenal winger Willian is eyeing a move back to Europe

Fulham have joined Wolves by expressing interest in Bordeaux striker Hwang Ui-Jo.

Wolves have offered £2m so far but Bordeaux want £4m for the South Korea international.

Hwang has been the French club's top scorer in each of the last two seasons and has picked up 29 goals in 97 games since signing in 2019.


Ligue 2 side Bordeaux value South Korean striker Hwang Ui-jo at £4 million

He couldn't keep Bordeaux in Ligue last season though, as the club was relegated to France's second tier for the first since since 1991 amid financial issues.

His record for South Korea is also impressive. Hwang has 16 goals in 47 international games and was named the Korea FA player of the year in 2018.

Bringing in a cheap but proven goal-scorer could make a big difference in a tight-looking mid-table this season.


Willian is looking for a return to European football after a year at Corinthians

Fulham have not yet held talks with Corinthians' former Chelsea forward Willian who is looking to return to Europe.

The 34-year-old knows English football well after playing close to 400 games with the Blues and Arsenal.

He looked a fading force in his last season in the Premier League, though, scoring just once in 37 games for the Gunners.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11104301/Fulham-join-Wolves-chase-Bordeaux-South-Korea-striker-Hwang-Ui-Jo.html

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Fulham Have Added Another New Name to the Roster

Fulham are seven first-team players heavier after agreeing to a reported £15m fee for West Ham United defender, Issa Diop.

Issa Diop joins, Joao Palhinha, Andreas Pereira, Manor Solomon, Kevin Mbabu, Bernd Leno, and Shane Duffy as the London club's summer additions. The Craven Cottage outfit got off to a flying start when they entertained Liverpool to a 2-2 draw on Saturday past, on the opening weekend of the Premier League football.

It could have been a lot better for them and they could have easily picked up all three points against the Reds. Sadly, they conceded two easy and cheap goals, hence the reason the club has brought in additional protection for the backline in Issa Diop.

The club released a statement of the transfer with an undisclosed fee, while The Athletic believes the total amount to be around £15m with no additional costs included in the transfer. The Frenchman has signed a five-year deal, keeping him at Craven Cottage until 2027.

    Fulham have confirmed the signing of Issa Diop from West Ham United.

    The former France Under-21 international joins for a fee understood to be worth £15million, with no add-ons.

    The 25-year-old centre back completed a medical at Motspur Park on Tuesday and has signed a five-year contract.

    (Via: theathletic.com)

It Was Time for Diop to Leave West Ham United
After making the switch from Ligue 1 side Toulouse, Diop only displayed glimpses of his brilliance while in East London on a few occasions. He went from making 35-plus appearances for West Ham in his first two seasons to making just 21 and 26 appearances, respectfully, in his follow-up campaigns.

Unfortunately, once the Hammers added Kurt Zouma to their ranks, Issa's game time has become more limited. The signs were always there, that his time at the London Stadium was drawing to a close.

Last summer already, he was linked with a summer exit, but nothing materialised with the Hammers opting to keep him on for one more season rather. Now they have cashed in and all parties involved are winners in this transfer.

Fulham Were in Need of More Defensive Options
Despite a mammoth 106 goals scored last season in the EFL Championship, the Cottagers still conceded the third most goals with 43 conceded, out of the top-five finishing clubs.

This coupled with the fact it took Jurgen Klopp's men just 16 minutes to score two goals and Fulham lose their lead twice in the game, better defensive options were needed. This is why the inclusion of the French defender, who showed world-class promise while at Toulouse, makes all the sense in the world.

Issi Diop on his move to Fulham:

    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.

    (via: fulhamfc.com)

Next up for them is a Premier League outing against Wolves on the road. The Wanderers got off to a questionable start, losing 2-1 to an improved Leeds United side.




https://thetopflight.com/2022/08/12/fulham-added-another-new-name-roster/

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'I expect to stay': Fulham target rules out potential £12m Cottagers switch

Jannik Vestergaard believes he is now set to stay at Leicester City after turning down a potential £12 million move to Premier League rivals Fulham, speaking to Danish publication BT.

You might have noticed that Brendan Rodgers' Foxes have not signed a single new player this summer. But you only have to think back to 2021 to realise that, sometimes, a fleet of new faces creates more problems than it solves.

Ryan Bertrand made next-to no impact in Leicester blue. Boubakary Soumare has been linked with a return to France already. And, according to The Athletic, Rodgers may consider offers for Vestergaard too, after just six Premier League starts in 12 months at the King Power Stadium.

Fulham, per the Daily Mail, have offered £12 million for the former Southampton and Borussia Monchengladbach giant. But, with two years left on his contract, Vestergaard is not going to give up quite so easily on his ailing Leicester City career.

Fulham target Jannik Vestergaard wants to stay at Leicester City

"I am fully dedicated to Leicester, which is a great club with passionate fans," the Denmark international says. 

"I don't know anything about those rumours and honestly don't follow all the chatter in the transfer windows. I don't spend my energy on that sort of thing. (I) have all my focus being the best possible version of myself when the season starts. 

"If there are inquiries, my agent will take care of it. But I expect to stay in Leicester."

Vestergaard was outstanding during the 2020/21 season at Southampton; His wonderful crossfield passing and formidable aerial presence attracting the interest of Tottenham Hotspur and others before Leicester made their move.

The 30-year-old looks like a square peg in a round hole under Rodgers, however; A lack of mobility and a tendency to switch off under pressure quickly forcing him down the Leicester pecking order

But Vestergaard remains determined to prove his doubters wrong.

"It has gone well in the pre-season for me," he adds. "And it is great that, unlike last year, after the Euros, I have had a full and good preparation for the season. 

"It gives me optimism and good reason to believe that I will have a better season than the last one. I believe in a better season this year and that I will stay here and play my part in a successful project in Leicester."



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/08/12/i-expect-to-stay-fulham-target-rules-out-potential-12m-cottagers-switch/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham could land own Antoine Griezmann by signing Ludovic Ajorque

Fulham have been rather productive in terms of bringing new players to the club throughout this latest summer transfer window.

One area of the squad, however, that has not been particularly focused on in terms of adding extra strength and depth is their attack, as Manor Solomon is the only offensive player to have joined the west London club this summer.

With there still being some time left before the transfer window closes, this period could give the Cottagers the chance to top off what has been a busy summer of business by adding a new attacking figure to Marco Silva's ranks.

One figure that has been linked with a move to Craven Cottage that would fit the bill is Ludovic Ajorque.

After scoring 20 goals in 70 appearances for his previous side Clermont Foot, the 28-year-old joined his current club Strasbourg back in the 2018 summer window.

Since then, the £14k-per-week centre-forward has racked up 50 goals and 19 assists in 139 appearances across all competitions.

Last season saw the attacker make 36 league appearances for Strasbourg, in which he managed to have 25 shots at goal, the joint-highest at the club.

One big-name figure that is included on FBref's list of similar players to Ajorque is Antoine Griezmann, which only goes to highlight the dangerous nature of his play style.

Having made a total of 595 appearances for Real Sociedad, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, the 31-year-old has 227 goals and 92 assists under his belt, which just goes to show how deadly he's been in such a significant amount of time.

Thus, having a player of similar goalscoring ilk to the France international in the shape of Ajorque could be a very exciting move for Fulham to make. Both left-footed sensations, it's clear to see where the biggest similarity lies.

That said, the Strasbourg striker's conversion rate (25%) significantly beats Griezmann's (7.69%), which highlights how dangerous the Fulham-linked centre-forward is and why he'd be a very useful addition to their squad.

Described as a "complete player who has developed his palette over time", according to Julien Stephan, Ajorque certainly has the credentials to not only provide cover for current Fulham striker, Aleksandar Mitrovic, but also potentially add some competition for his place in Silva's team.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-transfer-rumours/fulham-antoine-griezmann-ludovic-ajorque-transfer-news-premier-league-ffc-marco-silva-update-gossip-rumour

[WhiteJC]

Cheeky builders hide Chelsea flag inside Fulham's new stand at Craven Cottage

Fulham supporters are up in arms after a video emerged of a couple of builders hiding a Chelsea flag inside the wall of Craven Cottage's newly-refurbished Riverside Stand

A couple of Chelsea-supporting builders have sparked outrage among Fulham fans after filming themselves hiding a Blues flag within the foundations of one of the stands inside Craven Cottage.

In a clip shared to social media, the builders are pictured on top of the recently-renovated Riverside Stand when the camera pans to one of them gleefully holding a Chelsea flag.

The supporter then stuffs the flag into an empty section of panelling in the side of the wall while the camera man says: "There you go, for the boys. That's there forever," before the duo share a laugh. "Good luck getting that out," the second builder adds, before the other replies: "You're not allowed up here."

The cheeky stunt didn't go down too well among Fulham fans on social media, with some of them even demanding the stand be torn down.

"But Chelsea claim they don't see us as rivals... ok," one tweeted. "Someone sort this out please," said another, while a third demanded: "Tear down the bloody stand!"

The cheeky stunt didn't go down too well among Fulham fans on social media, with some of them even demanding the stand be torn down.

"But Chelsea claim they don't see us as rivals... ok," one tweeted. "Someone sort this out please," said another, while a third demanded: "Tear down the bloody stand!"

Renovation work on Fulham's Riverside Stand began back in 2019, with Craven Cottage's capacity set to increase from 25,700 to 29,600 - though work was halted due to the pandemic.

The stand was officially reopened over the summer, though expansion is set to continue into next year with the project set to be fully completed in time for the start of the 2023/24 season.

Chelsea play Fulham at Craven Cottage in less than a month... let's hope they manage to dig the flag out before then.




https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/builders-chelsea-flag-fulham-stadium-27721701

[gang]

I thought the idiot had been sacked for this stunt. He who laughs last ect.