Wednesday Fulham Stuff - 17/08/22...

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Fulham hold further talks over Justin Kluivert move as they look to agree fee to sign Dutchman on a permanent deal... after winger was frozen out by Jose Mourinho at Roma

    Fulham are holding further negotiations with Roma about winger Justin Kluivert
    The two sides are aiming to agree a fee for the 23-year-old Dutch international
    Cottagers manager Marco Silva, 45, is desperate to add to his attacking options

Fulham have held further talks with Roma over a deal for winger Justin Kluivert.

The two clubs are trying to agree a fee which would see the Dutch star depart on a permanent deal.

Cottagers manager Marco Silva, 45, is desperate to add to his attacking options to help stave off relegation fears.


Fulham have held further talks with Roma over a deal for winger Justin Kluivert (pictured)


Cottagers manager Marco Silva (pictured), 45, is desperate to add to his attacking options

Sportsmail reported earlier this month that the newly-promoted side had spoken to Roma about the prospect of signing the 23-year-old.

At that point, Fulham had moved ahead of West Ham in the race to sign Kluivert, with a fee of around £8million mooted.

The twice-capped international broke through as a teenager at Ajax - like father Patrick, who played for AC Milan and Barcelona - but fell out of favour at Roma and spent the last two seasons on loan at RB Leipzig and Ligue 1 side Nice.

Kluivert has been frozen out by manager Jose Mourinho, who has excluded him from Roma's pre-season training camp and forced to take part in sessions on his own while negotiations over his future took place.

Fulham look short in attack and out wide, with Fabio Carvalho sold to Liverpool this summer, Anthony Knockaert and Ivan Cavaleiro out of favour and new loan signing Manor Solomon unlikely to play until the new year after suffering a knee injury.

The club have also been linked with free agent former Chelsea and Arsenal star Willian, 34, Marseille forward Bamba Dieng and Bordeaux striker Hwang Ui-jo.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11115397/Fulham-talks-Justin-Kluivert-Roma-Cottagers-aim-sign-Dutch-winger.html

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Harris hat-trick crushes Chelsea

The returning Luke Harris scored another sensational hat-trick as Fulham's under 21s beat Chelsea 3-0 last night, sealing a second successive victory since returning to the PL2 top flight.

The Welsh under-19 captain, who missed the win over West Ham last Friday because he was in the first team squad taking on Liverpool, was back at his clinical best to settle the SW6 derby at Kingsmeadow. The seventeen year-old attacking midfielder, who scored thirteen goals in 21 games for the under 23s last season, put an experienced Chelsea side – featuring Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ethan Ampadu and Trevoh Chalobah – to the sword with another display of devastating finishing as Steve Wigley's side eased to victory.

Fulham quickly established dominance in midfielder after a quiet start that saw Omari Hutchinson shoot wide after a purposeful run and Harris gave them the lead midway through the first half, punishing a poor clearance from Ampadu. He drove forward and left Blues goalkeeper Ted Sharman-Lowe beaten by a characteristically ice-cool finish. The teenager soon turned provider with a devastating ball in that flashed across the face of goal – requiring only the slightest of touches to double the lead.

Chelsea didn't heed the warning and were caught out trying to play football in their own defensive third. Good pressure from a ferocious Fulham front line forced Ben Chilwell to play a pass back to his goalkeeper and Sharman-Lowe's weak clearance fell straight to Harris. The midfielder drove a shot between the beleaguered custodian and his near post to give Fulham a healthy lead heading into half-time.

The Whites were in the ascendancy and almost extended their advantage after the interval. Captain Ollie O'Neill found Terry Ablade but the Finnish forward's shot from an acute angle was smartly saved by Sharman-Lowe. The hosts did have chances of their own, most notably when Chukwumeka went round George Wickens only to lose his footing as he attempted to finish, and Ben Elliott's deflected shot flew wide. But Fulham always looked in control and Harris made sure that the points would head back to Motspur Park by completing his hat-trick on 69 minutes.

Ablade turned his marker magnificently and strode into the penalty area. His shot was parried out by Sharman-Lowe, but the predatory Harris – regularly in the right place at the right time – was on hand to fire home a third from close range. The visitors might have made it four as Charlie Robinson stole in at a corner, but were happy to kept their first clean sheet of the campaign – despite a late glaring miss from Lewis Hall.

Wigley's side sit second in the table with two wins from two, behind Crystal Palace on goal difference. The Whites welcome the Eagles to Motspur Park on Friday afternoon in another London derby in what already looks like a mouthwatering encounter.

CHELSEA UNDER 21s (3-4-3): Sharman-Lowe; T. Chalobah, Ampadu, Humphreys; Rankine, Chilwell, Simons, Elliott; Chukwumenka (Hall 66), Hutchinson (Haigh 79), Wareham (Burstow 66). Subs (not used): Mbuyamba, Beach.

BOOKED: Simons.

FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): Wickens; D'Auria-Henry, Odutayo, McAvoy, C. Robinson; Pajaziti, Dibley-Dias; O'Neill, Jasper (Šekularac 84), Harris; Ablade (McFarlane 79). Subs (not used): McNally, Bowat, Williams.

BOOKED: D'Auria-Henry, O'Neill.

GOALS: Harris (22, 40, 69).



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/08/harris-hat-trick-crushes-chelsea/

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Fulham should ditch Ivan Cavaleiro with Willian transfer swoop

Following a solid start to the Premier League season, it seems that Marco Silva is still not satisfied with his ever-growing squad.

With a 2-2 draw to last season's title challengers Liverpool – in which they led on both occasions – and a solid 0-0 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers where they missed a penalty, it could be argued that Fulham would have been good value for two wins.

These shortcomings could be related to their reported interest in former Chelsea and Arsenal winger Willian, who has recently been linked with a move back to the Premier League to aid Silva's side.

Looking for a man to kill off games such as these, Fulham need to look no further than the 70-cap "superstar" – in the words of one former footballer – who was once one of the trickiest wingers in the whole league.

He could come in and replace the mediocre Ivan Cavaleiro, who only recorded two league goals last season despite featuring 18 times for the dominant side in the Championship.

Willian conversely has scored 36 Premier League goals and assisted a further 44 over two clubs in his career, and even offered up five goal contributions last season for Corinthians, suggesting he is yet to lose his magic touch.

He is a household name for modern-day fans of the English top-flight, renowned for his sensational free kicks, speed, trickery, and "exceptional" technical ability in the words of Nigerian manager Sunday Oliseh.

Perhaps a return to the league could be exactly what Silva's side are lacking, and could in the process see him ditch the £24k-per-week dud who has struggled to announce himself at Craven Cottage.

In fact, the Portuguese winger's terrible stint can be further explained through his miserable 0.3 shots on target per game and 59% dribble success rate, outlining him as a non-threat for opposition defences.

In Willian's last season in England, during the 2020/21 season, he still managed a respectable six goal contributions in a struggling Arsenal side.

Not that much time has passed since then, and there is little evidence to suggest that he could not return and do a solid job for Fulham upon their return to the division.

His experience and ability could be exactly what they need, whereas Cavaleiro has offered neither of these things during his stay in west London. He must be ditched at the expense of the experienced Brazilian.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-transfer-rumours/willian-transfer-fulham-marco-silva-corinthians-ivan-cavaleiro

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Chelsea U21 0-3 Fulham U21

An emphatic Luke Harris hat-trick helped give Fulham Under-21s a superb 3-0 win away at Chelsea.

Steve Wigley named two changes to the side that dispatched West Ham United on the opening day. Harris came into the attacking-midfield role in place of Kristian Šekularac, while Idris Odutayo replaced Stefan Parkes at left-back.

The hosts named a pretty strong team themselves, with senior players Ben Chilwell, Trevor Chalobah, Ethan Ampadu and Carney Chukwuemeka all starting.

Chelsea created a decent opportunity in the opening five minutes. Omari Hutchinson created some space for himself through neat dribbling, before lashing a low effort wide.

We hit back soon after, with Ollie O'Neill's excellent cross from the right whizzing just past Terry Ablade. The forward couldn't quite reach the pacey delivery.

After a cagey spell in the game, Harris put us ahead on 22 minutes. The Welshman calmly slotted home after pouncing on a defensive error. As can often be said for Harris, he found himself in exactly the right place at exactly the right time.

The young Whites were purring under the Kingsmeadow lights, and looked dangerous every time they charged forward. The experienced Chelsea back line were scrambling away a number of great deliveries from both sides.

Ben Elliott had a go for the hosts five minutes before the break, when his acrobatic diving header flew wide. The delivery from Dion Rankine was a good one.

Our lead was doubled as we approached the break, and it was that man again. Harris turned in onto his "weaker" left foot before pinging a low drive past goalkeeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe at the near post.

Some first-half brilliance from the youngster ensured that we took a two-goal lead into the break.

The Chelsea stopper was tested almost instantly after the interval. O'Neill fed Ablade through and his powerful strike from an angle was palmed away. Promising start from the young Whites.

The home side threw a punch back as we approached the hour-mark. Captain Bashir Humphreys powered forward before finding Elliott, whose shot was deflected just wide. The resulting corner came to little.

Two became three on 69 minutes, and it was hat-trick delight for Harris. Ablade did excellently to turn his defender and charge towards the Chelsea goal. His initial shot was saved but pushed straight into the path of the Welshman, who slammed in from point-blank range.

Chelsea definitely should have grabbed one back with 10 to play. The ball rolled across the box to Lewis Hall, who somehow fired over despite finding himself with time and space.

A superb display against an experienced Chelsea side means it's six points from six for Steve Wigley's lads.

Fulham U21: Wickens, McAvoy, D'Auria-Henry, Odutayo, Robinson, Harris, Jasper (Sekularac 84'), Pajaziti, O'Neill, Dibley-Dias, Ablade (McFarlane 80')

Subs: Williams, Bowat, McFarlane, Sekularac, McNally



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/august/15/Chelsea-U21-0-3-Fulham-U21/

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£12m ace 'may have to leave' after Nottingham Fulham and Forest talks

Yusuf Yazici 'may have to leave' former Ligue 1 champions Lille amid alleged interest from Premier League duo Fulham and Nottingham Forest, the club's president Olivier Letang tells RTL France.

After scoring eight goals in 10 league games on loan at CSKA Moscow last term, Turkey international Yazici might have assumed he would be returning to France this summer ready for a fresh start and a clean slate.

So far, however, the 25-year-old has played just six minutes of Lille's first two matches under Paulo Fonseca. And with Les Dogues hoping to trim the fat from a bloated squad, Yazici appears to be ripe for the chop.

Nottingham Forest and Fulham held Yusuf Yazici talks

"We don't want to have a squad of 25, 26, 27, 28 players. We need space and we want all the boys in the group – regardless of their age, their status – to have the opportunity to play," explains former PSG chief Letang.

"Today we may have one or two departures. I am thinking of boys like Yusuf Yazici and Isaac Lihadji. (They) may have to leave to find more playing time. 

"If we look at the squads at the top of the table last year, in all these clubs there were three or four players with high contributions. We are looking to see if we can improve in this area."

Earlier in the summer, Yazici's agent claimed that both Nottingham Forest and Fulham had expressed an interest in his £12 million-rated client. The two Premier League newcomers, Adam Chebedzhi said, were 'negotiating' with Lille.

Things have gone quiet since then, however.

Nottingham Forest appear to have turned their attention to another goalscoring midfielder; Atalanta's Ruslan Malinovskyi. Fulham, meanwhile, are prioritising wingers over an old-school, space-invading throwback of a number ten like Yazici.

Justin Kluivert of Roma and veteran free-agent Willian could arrive at Craven Cottage in the coming days.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/08/16/12m-ace-may-have-to-leave-after-nottingham-fulham-and-forest-talks/

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Media Insight: Diop

Sports reporter Tom Clark previously covered West Ham United for Football.London, so we asked him for his thoughts on Issa Diop's transfer to Fulham.

What were your initial impressions when you heard Issa Diop was signing for Fulham?

That this is a signing that works for everyone. Diop was not getting enough football at West Ham but is a Premier League-level centre-back who once had international ambitions, so regular first-team football is a necessity for him. West Ham get to bank a good transfer fee for a player who had fallen down the pecking order and Fulham get an experienced player who can slot straight into their backline. It seems a win for all involved.

Were you surprised to see West Ham let him go?

The short answer is no.

Diop has been a good player for West Ham and was much needed last season due to injuries within the squad, however, with the Hammers signing Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma in the last 12 months, Angelo Ogbonna's soon to be full return from injury, and Craig Dawson's surprisingly successful move to East London, Diop was going to struggle for game time this season.

A couple of seasons ago Diop had been earmarked as a key cog in the Hammers backline but it has not worked out that way and a fresh start and regular matches will be hugely beneficial to the Frenchman.

What are his strengths as a centre-back?

His athleticism stands out. Diop is extremely quick and uses this to his advantage to cover for his fellow centre-back. With Zouma and Ogbonna out injured last season, Diop partnered Dawson for a long spell and it was Dawson's power in the air matched with Diop's pace that helped West Ham go through a long stretch without their main men at the back.

Diop is quick to get his passes away, often looking for a quick ball out wide or into the midfield, he is unlikely to dally on the ball and get caught in possession too often, and as shown with a superb assist against Leicester last season he has the ability to play a long pass when given the opportunity to get his head up and pick one out.

His numbers suggest he's got a goal in him, too?

There is no doubt he is a threat at set-pieces, any man at 6'4 is going to cause the opposition trouble but it will all be about the quality of the set-plays. West Ham in recent seasons have worked tirelessly on making the most of deadball situations and Diop was one of a number of players to benefit from this. Get the ball in the right area and Diop will attack it with gusto.

Does he tend to operate more on the right or left?

For the majority of last season, Diop partnered Dawson and did so from the left centre-back position, and was equally as comfortable in a back-three when David Moyes elected to change formation.

He was West Ham's record signing for a time – he must've arrived with a big reputation?

He did, with Jose Mourinho even referring to him as "a monster who dominated in the duels" when at just 21-years-old he dominated a Hammers game against Manchester United. He never really hit those heights again but if Fulham can get him back to that kind of form they will be very happy with their new defender.

Do you think he'll be a good fit for Fulham?

Absolutely. He is a proven Premier League player with European experience who will slot into the defence and add great physicality and athleticism to the backline. It really does look like a great deal for all three parties and Diop heads to Craven Cottage with the best wishes of the majority of West Ham fans, who liked him as a player but will understand his need for regular starts after falling out of favour with David Moyes.

Have you interviewed him before?

Unfortunately, due to the Covid restrictions Diop was not a player I have spoken to, however, the tiniest of silver lingins to the matches without fans was being able to hear every word the players said on the pitch. Diop was not the most vocal with his teammates but was always happy to take on instructions, with Dawson, Moyes and Kevin Nolan the most likely to be talking to the defender.

Dawson was the leader of the backline at the time and was in constant communication with Diop, who reacted quickly to his partner's instructions. Moyes and Nolan were often talking to Diop throughout the game and it was clear he listened and attempted to put the instructions into action.

With West Ham in the Europa League last season, press were invited to many open training sessions and it was at these I often got to see the players at their most relaxed. Diop was clearly a popular figure in the dressing room and was always smiling and joking around. He speaks multiple languages and within the French speaking contingent at West Ham was often seen joking around. The impression he gave was a happy man who will be a boost not just on the pitch but also to the environment around Fulham.

What do you think his, and Fulham's, targets will be?

First and foremost, Premier League survival. Diop has been involved in a top-four push, a run late into European competition, but also a relegation scrap with West Ham. If Fulham are fighting to consolidate themselves as a Premier League team, this is something Diop has expereince of.

Diop was once quoted as saying he would not consider the approaches of Morocco or Senegal despite his parents' backgrounds and that as a French-born and raised child he would only ever represent them at international level. He was a French youth team international and capped in all age groups up to the U21 setup, but has never made a full international appearance. His ultimate aim will no doubt be to get a cap for his country, but with the strength Didier Deschamps has in that position this may be a level too high for Diop. The benefit for Fulham is he will get a winter break during the World Cup and be fresh for the second half of the season.

Diop's domestic target will be to nail down a starting spot at Fulham, become the fulcrum of the Whites' defence and lead them to another season in the Premier League.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/august/16/media-insight-diop/

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Fulham risk Justin Kluivert transfer hijack amid approaches for Bamba Dieng and Moussa Dembele return

Fulham have still not been able to find an agreement amid protracted talks to sign Justin Kluivert on loan from Roma.

The 23-year-old is seen as a key Marco Silva target with a desire at Craven Cottage to sign a new winger after Israel international Manor Solomon suffered a serious knee injury in training.

Portuguese giants Benfica and Sporting CP are now seeking to hijack Fulham's move, with clubs in Germany and Italy also interested in signing the son of legendary Netherlands striker Patrick Kluivert.

The problem has arisen over Roma's insistence on including an obligation to buy in the deal that would see them earn a guaranteed £8million, with a percentage of a future sale also requested.

A straight sale would be simpler for Roma, who face losing their winger for free at the end of his contract next summer.

Fulham have also made contact with Marseille about signing Bamba Dieng, whom the French giants are ready to sell after signing former Manchester United and Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez.

Dieng would cost more than Kluivert and also has interest from Everton. The Cottagers are weighing up using him in a wide role this season.

Former forward Moussa Dembele has also been contacted by Fulham but snubbed a chance to return to west London from Lyon.

They have also approached Brighton about signing Neal Maupay, alongside Everton, but Nottingham Forest remain in pole position to secure his signature.

Bayern Munich's Joshua Zirkzee and Bordeaux's Ui-Jo Hwang remain alternative attacking targets on Fulham's shortlist with multiple talks ongoing this week.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-transfer-news-justin-kluivert-bamba-dieng-moussa-dembele-b1018839.html

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£8m Fulham deal now at risk of collapse due to one big problem

Fulham's pursuit of Roma winger Justin Kluivert is stalling due to the Serie A club's insistence on an £8 million obligation-to-buy clause included in his Premier League contract, The Standard claim.

With Manor Solomon ruled out until after the World Cup, Marco Silva and co now find themselves in the rather unfortunate position of having to replace someone who was only confirmed as a Cottagers player a couple of weeks ago.

Kluivert, a silky left-winger who loves to cut inside, would certainly help offset Solomon's long-term absence. Talks between Fulham and Roma have been ongoing since July, though an agreement remains frustratingly elusive.

According to The Standard, Jose Mourinho's Giallorossi side are 'insisting' upon an £8 million obligation-to-buy clause in Kluivert's Fulham contract. The Cottagers do not seem quite so keen on the idea.

Will Fulham find an agreement with Roma for Justin Kluivert?

Perhaps they have concerns about splashing out a sizeable sum on a player who, while undeniably talented, hasn't performed with any real consistency since exploding onto the scene as a teenager at Ajax four years ago, named football's most exciting up-and-coming talent by Goal.com back in 2018.

Fulham cannot afford to dither for long, however, with Benfica and Sporting Lisbon waiting in the wings. Kluivert, the report adds, also has interest from clubs in Serie A and the Bundesliga.

"I would like to believe that Roma will take care of it," says Justin's father, the legendary Patrick Kluivert.

"I hope the club will provide (an opportunity to leave). Justin has his own history to write and deserves a club that will play him consistently. It's crucial for his development."

Fulham are also pursuing Bayern Munich's Joshua Zirkzee, Marseille's Bamba Dieng, Bordeaux's Hwang Ui Jo and former Arsenal and Chelsea winger Willian. The 70-cap Brazil international is a free-agent after terminating his contract at Corinthians, and has his heart set on a return to London.

Former Craven Cottage youngster Moussa Dembele has, however, rejected the chance to return to his old stomping ground.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/08/16/8m-fulham-deal-now-at-risk-of-collapse-due-to-one-big-problem/

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Neal Maupay: Everton & Fulham interested in Nottingham Forest target

Everton and Fulham have reached out to Brighton about the availability of striker Neal Maupay, who is also a target for Nottingham Forest.

Brighton have already accepted a bid from newly promoted Forest, who are looking to add some more Premier League experience to their forward line as part of their hectic summer spending spree which has seen no fewer than 15 new faces arrive at the City Ground.

However, they not the only side keen on Maupay and sources have confirmed to 90min that both Everton and Fulham have made contact with the Seagulls about the striker.

Everton are still looking for some more firepower of their own following the departure of Richarlison to Tottenham. There are also concerns about the fitness of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who started just 15 games last season and is currently out with a knee injury.

Over at Fulham, Aleksandr Mitrovic is the sole senior striker on the books, with youngsters Rodrigo Muniz and Jay Stansfield the only alternatives for Marco Silva's side.

Both clubs have made contact with Brighton over the 26-year-old, while Leeds United are also keeping a close eye on the situation - particularly following the latest injury scare to Patrick Bamford.

As far as Forest are concerned, Steve Cooper's side remain in talks with Maupay in an attempt to convince him to join them and join a forward line which has already been bolstered by the arrivals of Taiwo Awoniyi and Emmanuel Dennis for a combined £37.5m.



https://www.90min.com/posts/neal-maupay-everton-fulham-interested-in-nottingham-forest-target

[WhiteJC]

Fulham's Manor Solomon issues injury update

One of Fulham's summer signings has taken to Twitter to issue his own injury update...

What's the latest?

In his pursuit of full fitness, Manor Solomon has suffered a serious setback and will now be missing for the foreseeable future.

He tweeted: "The last few days have been difficult for me. I injured my knee in a friendly game which caused me to have a surgery and miss the next few months. Thank you for your messages and support, I'll be back stronger and better, see you soon."

Based on his verdict of a "few months", the winger will probably not feature again for the Cottagers until after the World Cup in the winter.

Silva will be gutted

Having been given the freedom to leave Shakhtar Donetsk on loan, it seemed that Marco Silva had landed something of a coup to bolster his squad with the 23-year-old.

However, the Cottagers are now back at square one with cover in the wide attacking areas. The club's continued interest in Justin Kluivert could be indicative of how important it was to get in a winger of Solomon's quality.

Last season for Shakhtar, he managed four goals and one assist in just 16 league outings, but with eight of those being substitute appearances, it actually makes for a very impressive return. The Israel international also has earned invaluable experience playing in the Champions League across multiple seasons.

He came to Craven Cottage having played at a higher level than many in Silva's squad, which could have been instrumental in his performances against some of the Premier League's leading lights.

In fact, the forward actually claimed in 2020 that Manchester City had made an attempt to purchase him, which suggests that Silva was shopping off the top shelf with this deal. Indeed, the Israeli gem scored against City in a 1-1 draw the previous year, which shows that he can make his mark against some of the best teams in Europe.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-news/manor-solomon-injury-news-fulham-marco-silva

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Fulham leading race for 23-year-old – Whites have offer that 'pleases him the most'

As Fulham continue with their pursuit for AS Roma's Justin Kluivert, we get to see a positive update on this chase coming from the Portuguese media today.

Before Fulham fans start wondering why the news would come from Lisbon, that's because Benfica and Sporting are both interested in the attacker as well, and according to Record, the city rivals both made approaches for his transfer.

It turns out, however, that Kluivert isn't keen on moving to Portugal, as he'd rather make a switch to England. And that's where Fulham are brought in.

Record writes the player has an offer from the Craven Cottage side, where he'd meet Portuguese manager Marco Silva, and that's 'the one that pleases him most'.

The newspaper claims Kluivert currently has a contract where he makes €2.5m net per year, and would take a pay cut in case he's benefits from bonuses or a long term deal. Still, big numbers like that are unaffordable for Benfica or Sporting, who'd need to pay nearly €5m with taxes included.

The report claims Kluivert knows he's not in José Mourinho's plans, and even though Roma initially demanded €15m for his sale, that price could still go down depending on bonuses or a percentage of a future transfer.

In short, Benfica and Sporting would really like to sign the player, but at this stage, he's a lot likelier to make a move to Fulham.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-leading-race-23-year-old-whites-offer-pleases/

[WhiteJC]

Player said 'yes' to Fulham move – Clubs still working on specifics of agreement

Justin Kluivert has said 'yes' to Fulham, according to claims today.

French outlet Foot Mercato now reports that the AS Roma attacker has agreed to join the Whites this summer, and now waits for the clubs to reach an agreement for the transfer.

Journalist Santi Aouna claims 'all options are still possible', as the player could move on a permanent transfer or a loan with an option to buy.

The report says Fulham's latest effort has been for a loan with an option to make the move permanent for €12m, and the clause would be mandatory in case they stay in the Premier League.

However, Roma have already turned it down, and the clubs shall now continue to negotiate as they try to find a solution.

Earlier today, we had already covered news from Portugal talking about Fulham leading the race for the attacker.

Newspaper Record claimed that despite interest from Benfica and Sporting in signing the player, it's Fulham who had the offer that 'pleases him most', as he favours a switch to the Premier League.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/player-said-yes-fulham-move-clubs-still-working-agreement/

[WhiteJC]

Limited Availability: Brentford Tickets

Tickets for Saturday's West London derby against Brentford at Craven Cottage are now limited in availability!

The Whites welcome The Bees to SW6 for a 3pm kick-off on Saturday 20th August as we look to maintain our unbeaten start to the season.

Fans can secure their seats online at tickets.fulhamfc.com, by calling the Fulham FC Ticket Office on 0203 871 0810 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) or in person from the Fulham Ticket Office (open Mon-Fri 9:30am-4:30pm) with prices starting from £30 for adults and £20 for juniors.

MATCHDAY HOSPITALITY

Enhance your matchday experience with limited on-site and off-site hospitality remaining at Fulham Palace for Saturday's fixture.

Divulge in a complete matchday experience showcasing some of the very best of London's Original Football Club, with packages available to view here.

For further details please contact [email protected] or call 0208 336 7555. Alternatively, you can purchase your package online here.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/august/16/brentford-tickets/

[WhiteJC]

Further Club Join Hunt For Fulham And Southampton Target Joshua Zirkzee

Southampton and Fulham face further competition for Bayern Munich striker Joshua Zirkzee, with Augsburg now having joined the hunt for his signature.

A product of the German champions' academy, Zirkzee has struggled to make himself a first team regular at Bayern Munich.

He spent the last season-and-a-half on loan, with the past campaign seeing him at Belgian club Anderlecht, for whom he impressed.

This summer, Fulham and Southampton are interested in taking on the young striker but they have competition on their hands.

Augsburg are also keen on Zirkzee and have made an enquiry to Bayern Munich about him, according to German daily Bild.

The striker has only a year left on his contract and the German champions are believed to be ready to sell him, with the fee estimated to be between €15m to €20m.

Augsburg are aware though that the competition for the young striker's signature is fierce, as aside from the Premier League duo, fellow German side Stuttgart too are interested.

Zirkzee played 47 times for Anderlecht last season and finished with 18 goals and 13 assists, and it remains to be seen if he ends up in the Premier League this season.



https://insidefutbol.com/2022/08/16/further-club-join-hunt-for-fulham-and-southampton-target-joshua-zirkzee/573625/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham remain interested in Justin Kluivert

Fulham are still in negotiations for a highly-rated European starlet...

What's the word?

According to journalist Bruno Andrade, Justin Kluivert is still on the radar of Marco Silva and his recruitment staff at Craven Cottage in a potential £8.4m swoop.

Taking to Twitter, Andrade claimed:" Justin Kluivert wants to play in the Premier League and is in negotiation with Fulham, but there is still no agreement with Roma, who ask for 10M € + % of future sale.

"Borrowing is out of the question. It is also targeted in Italy and Germany. Benfica and Sporting probed through intermediaries".

He could replace Solomon

With the Dutch winger having been linked with Fulham throughout the summer, Silva may look to accelerate this deal after the long-term injury suffered by their summer signing Manor Solomon.

Kluivert enjoyed a mixed spell in France last season, scoring four goals and setting up six during his loan spell with Nice.

He has struggled to truly get his career off the ground despite a few seasons of promise, but perhaps a move to the Premier League could enable him to realise the potential which saw him labelled a "huge talent" by Daily Express reporter Joe Krishnan.

On top of his assists, the 23-year-old's creativity is further outlined in his match average of 1.3 key passes from last term. Add to that his 1.1 shots per game and you can see why he poses a constant threat for defenders in terms of both scoring and creating chances.

In eight starts last season, Solomon managed four goals and one assist, and his high-level experience from playing in the Champions League could have been invaluable to Fulham.

However, with Kluivert having also played in Europe's elite competition during his career, and across several major leagues in Europe, he has plenty of high-level experience for someone who is still only 23 years old.

His spell in the Bundesliga led RB Leipzig's Twitter channel to label him "perfect", which suggests that at times he has been highly regarded by the clubs he has represented.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-transfer-rumours/justin-kluivert-transfer-as-roma-fulham-manor-solomon

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Report: £10m West Ham target agrees Fulham move, his exit will see Wolves target join Roma

According to Foot Mercato, West Ham target Justin Kluivert has agreed to join Fulham, which should see Wolves lose out on Andrea Belotti to Roma.

What's the story?

Well, this is a transfer merry-go-round in every sense of the phrase.

Foot Mercato believe Kluivert – who was wanted by West Ham – has agreed to join Fulham on loan, where the Cottagers hold a purchase option worth €12m (£10m).

Once the Dutchman's exit from Rome is finalised, a deal for Belotti – who has been offered a contract by Wolves – should be finalised by the UEFA Conference League winners.

Roma has always been the Italy international's first choice after his contract with Torino expired in July.

Now, Belotti looks set to finally team up with José Mourinho, once Fulham complete a deal for Kluivert.

The son of Patrick Kluivert moves to the Premier League after spending the 2021/22 campaign on loan at OGC Nice, where he scored six goals in 31 appearances, while also providing seven assists.

In regards to Belotti, he attracted interest from Wolves after scoring 113 goals in 251 appearances for Torino.

West Ham, Fulham & Wolves should've tried harder for Roma target

In our view, we're not quite sure why West Ham and Fulham didn't join Wolves in making a move for Belotti.

As aforesaid, the Italian scored over 100 goals for Torino, earning a reputation for himself as one of the best finishers in Serie A, as well as comparisons to Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy.

Belotti is a regular in Roberto Mancini's international squads, which is no easy thing to do given the quality options available to Italy – the reigning European champions.

On a free transfer, we are very surprised that more Premier League sides didn't show an interest in the 28-year-old, although Mourinho now looks set to benefit from his free agency.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/08/16/report-10m-west-ham-target-agrees-fulham-move-his-exit-will-see-wolves-target-join-roma/

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Fulham join Everton, Nottingham Forest in Neal Maupay race

Fulham join Everton, and Nottingham Forest are keen on Neal Maupay, who is ready to leave Brighton with a year left on his contract.

According to talkSPORT, the interest in Brighton & Hove Albion striker Neal Maupay seems to be growing with each passing day as more and more Premier League clubs join the race for his signing. Fulham have joined Everton and Nottingham Forest in pursuit of the striker, who will likely depart Brighton with a year left on his deal.

During his spell at the Amex Stadium, Neal Maupay has always drawn divisive attention from fans. The French striker has been a decent acquisition for the Seagulls, scoring 26 goals in 102 games for the club.

With a year left on his contract, Maupay is likely to depart before the window shuts. Brighton reportedly want £15 million, which may be an acceptable price for the 26-year-old forward. There is considerable interest in the striker, with as many as three or four clubs keen.

Everton are prepared to make an eleventh-hour attempt to sign Maupay following the departure of Richarlison and the injury to Dominic Calvert-Lewin. But they are also keeping their eyes on other options. Nottingham Forest are also keen but have now been joined by Fulham in pursuit of the French striker.

Fulham boss Marco Silva is keen on adding another name to their frontline as he looks to build a team that can survive the wrath of relegation. The injury to Manor Salomon may have been a factor in this decision. Despite Maupay being a central striker, he could fit into formations where Silva could try him alongside Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Fulham could be willing to pay up for the 26-year-old, although they face plenty of competition from other Premier League sides. As iterated earlier, Everton remain interested in signing Maupay while Nottingham Forest, who have made several signings in the summer, could look to add another option to their strikeforce. As things stand, there has been no formal approach from them or any other club.

The chances of Maupay departing Brighton are strong, and with three Premier League clubs gunning for his signing, it remains to be seen who among Everton, Fulham and Nottingham Forest clinch his signing.



http://www.thehardtackle.com/transfer-news/2022/08/17/fulham-join-nottingham-forest-in-neal-maupay-race/

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Bowie bags Northampton winner

Kieron Bowie's first senior goal in English football helped Northampton Town clinch a 3-2 win at Crawley this evening.

Fulham's on loan Scottish forward had only been on the pitch for eighteen minutes after replacing Louis Appiere but he made a decisive impact with superb stoppage-time finish, brilliantly controlling a cross from two-goal hero Sam Hoskins, making his 300th appearance for the Cobblers, and firing emphatically into the roof of the net.

The three points lifted Northampton into third in the League Two table, level on points with early pacesetters Salford. Kevin Betsy's Crawley, who are Fulham's opponents in the League Cup in a week's time, are third bottom with a single point from their first four fixtures.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/08/bowie-bags-northampton-winner/

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Tottenham Hotspur Star Rejects Everton And Fulham

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tanguy Ndombele rejected offers from Everton and Fulham in favour of joining Napoli, it has been claimed in Italy.

Ndombele has been frozen out in north London and is not in Antonio Conte's plans.

His representatives have been looking for options for him for this season and a host of sides have shown interest in the former Lyon midfielder.

He appears though to be heading for Napoli and, according to Italian outlet ArenaNapoli.it, has rejected Everton and Fulham.

Ndombele only wants to join Napoli, having set his heart on the Serie A side, and made clear he will not join either Everton or Fulham.

The midfielder spent the second half of last term on loan at former club Lyon.

The Ligue 1 outfit had a purchase option in the loan agreement, but did not trigger it and Ndombele returned to Tottenham this summer.

Ndombele will be looking to play on a regular basis and make an impact in Serie A if Napoli can get a loan for his signature over the line.



https://insidefutbol.com/2022/08/16/tottenham-hotspur-star-rejects-everton-and-fulham/573721/

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Crawley 2-3 Northampton: Substitute Kieron Bowie's stoppage-time goal seals win for Cobblers

Substitute Kieron Bowie hit a dramatic stoppage time winner as Northampton clinched their third win in four Sky Bet League Two games, 3-2 at winless Crawley.

James Balagizi gave the hosts an early lead, but Sam Hoskins scored twice in quick succession to put the Cobblers ahead midway through the half.

Balagizi equalised just after the hour but Bowie settled the issue in the first minute of added time by lashing into the roof of the net from a pass by Hoskins.

Crawley went into the game desperate to end a barren run which had seen them fail to score in six of their previous seven league games and Balagizi struck to give them the perfect start after only four minutes.

The recalled Liverpool loanee steered the ball home from close range after a low cross by Ashley Nadesan.

The Cobblers equalised in the 13th minute when wide man Hoskins marked his 300th appearance for the Cobblers by firing in from just inside the area after an attempted clearance by Tom Nichols.

Hoskins was on target again 10 minutes later, rifling his fifth goal of the season low into the bottom corner direct from a free-kick 25 yards from goal.

The same player presented a danger again shortly after the break when he cut inside, firing a deflected shot just over.

Northampton's former Sunderland keeper Lee Burge denied the onrushing Nadesan, before Crawley drew level with Balagizi calmly steering his second into the net in the 61st minute after being set up by Nadesan.

Nadesan should have done better when put through by Balagizi but he shot tamely at Burge, with Bowie winning it late on.



https://www.skysports.com/football/crawley-town-vs-northampton-town/report/468415