Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 23/08/22...

[WhiteJC]

To sell or to keep? The factors Blackpool must weigh up with Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and Fulham target Josh Bowler
To sell or to keep? That's the £2.5m question.

God forbid, if the worst happens and Josh Bowler does depart within the next nine days, let's hope it's for more money than that.

But according to the latest reports, that's what long-time admirers Nottingham Forest are offering for the 23-year-old's services, with Bournemouth and Fulham also still hovering.

With only a year remaining on his contract, you can see why Forest are preparing to table a relatively low bid.

But when they're forking out £42.5m (including add-ons) for Morgan Gibbs-White, Blackpool fans are well within their rights to feel a little nonplussed about potentially losing their star man for comparative peanuts.

I must admit, I'm stuck in two minds.

It goes without saying we all want Bowler to remain at Bloomfield Road: he's a mercurial talent, the likes of which we've not seen at Bloomfield Road since Wes Hoolahan and Charlie Adam.

But we also live in the real world. This is what Blackpool's model is based on: developing talent, in this instance one that arrived on a free transfer, before selling on for a profit, with that cash then being reinvested back into the side.

How galling will it be to lose a player of Bowler's brilliance for absolutely nothing come the end of the season? That's the exact type of thing we want to move on from.

But at the same time, is £2.5m, heck, even £3m worth it? How much is another season of Bowler in tangerine worth to the club? He could be the difference between a relegation fight and mid-table security, he's that good.

Bowler deserves heaps of credit because, despite all the speculation, he's not let it affect his performances at all. Despite what a few idiots might have said after the Swansea game, the winger has been in scintillating form so far this season and is thriving in Michael Appleton's more attack-minded system.

As Appleton said himself recently, it's almost as if Bowler is gladly taking on the responsibility of being Blackpool's creative spark. It's down to him to make things happen.

That's also got to be a concern though, because if he does go, where does that creative spark come from?

It's easy for us on the outside to tell the club to offer a bumper new contract with a release clause in it, but it's not quite as simple as that.

Appleton recently revealed the club have held talks with Bowler and his agent, so of course it's something that has been discussed.

But Bowler holds all the aces here. It appears he's keen to make the step up to the Premier League and who can blame him? He deserves it. So why would he be committing his long-term future to the Seasiders at this particular juncture?

Of course Bowler is enjoying his football on the Fylde coast and I'm sure he doesn't want the club to lose out either. But he's also got his own career to think about, which is why there needs to be an acceptable resolution for all parties.

When asked if Bowler will remain a Blackpool player after September 1, Appleton said: "Who knows?

"There's clearly a lot of interest in the lad and we're aware he's an absolute talent. He did ever so well for the football club last season and we want him to continue to do that this season.

"We've clearly got to be in a position where if he does go, we can act quickly.

"But at the same time, I'm pretty confident my board won't allow him to go for cheap, so you've got to weigh up the risk and the reward in these situations because we know his contract is up.

"Is the reward worth the risk and they're the discussions we'll have in the next 10 days to two weeks."

One thing is for sure, Blackpool need this resolving sooner rather than later. What we don't need is a situation where Bowler leaves on deadline day, giving them precious time to bring in a replacement.



https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sport/football/blackpool-fc/to-sell-or-to-keep-the-factors-blackpool-must-weigh-up-with-nottingham-forest-bournemouth-and-fulham-target-josh-bowler-3815159

[WhiteJC]

Kluivert set for Fulham switch

Reports from Italy this morning suggest that Justin Kluivert's move to Fulham could be completed as early as tomorrow, after the Premier League club reached agreement with Roma over a deal.

Sky Sport's Gianluca Di Marzio claims that, after a few weeks of torturous negotiations, the Dutch international winger is expected to fly to London for a medical ahead of his proposed move to England. Whilst Roma were keen to sell Kluivert permanently, it is understood that 23 year-old will head to Craven Cottage on loan until the end of the season, with an option to buy being dependent on how appearances the former Ajax forward makes in the remainder of the campaign.

Kluivert, who has spoken openly about his desire to follow in the footsteps of his legendary father Patrick and play Premier League football, is believed to turned down offers from clubs in France, Italy and Portugal to move to SW6. The versatile winger, who can operate on either flank as well as playing in the number ten position or up front himself, has struggled to make an impact under Jose Mourinho in Rome and spent the last two seasons on loan with Red Bull Leipzig and Nice.

Kluivert became a top target for Fulham head coach Marco Silva after his plans for the season were disrupted by injuries to first choice wingers Harry Wilson and Manor Solomon. Silva has reportedly taken a lead in negotiating with his fellow countryman Tiago Pinto, the general manager at Roma.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/08/kluivert-set-for-fulham-switch/

[WhiteJC]

Crawley Town v Fulham preview: Can Reds turn form around in the Carabao Cup against Premier League opposition?
Premier League Fulham come to The Broadfield Stadium on Tuesday night as Crawley Town look to progress to round three of The Carabao Cup.

The Red Devils' only win of the season came in this competition in round one as they beat League One side Bristol Rovers 1-0 to earn this tie.

It's been a horrible start to the season for Crawley who haven't managed to get going but a game against Premier League opposition is almost a free hit for Kevin Betsy's side.

Their opponents Fulham have enjoyed an unbeaten start to their return to the Premier League, with draws against Liverpool and Wolves and a first win in their last game against Brentford.

Marco Silva may see the tie as a good opportunity to rest some of his first team players and give minutes to some of his youth and fringe players.

Fulham have been very active in the transfer window signing the likes of Bernd Leno, Kevin Mbabu, Issa Diop and Andreas Pereira. Mbabu and Diop are yet to start a game for Fulham and this cup tie could see them get a first start.

The last two times Premier League teams have come to The Broadfield Stadium ended up with underdogs Crawley winning both times and keeping clean sheets.

The first of these was a 1-0 win over Norwich in this round of this competition when Bez Lubala's first half goal earned Crawley progression.

The most recent was Crawley's unforgettable 3-0 win over Leeds in The FA Cup third round with Jordan Tunnicliffe, Ashley Nadesan and Nick Tsaroulla scoring.

Tsaroulla is expected to be involved against Fulham for the first time this season after recovering from an injury.

Tuesday nights at The Broadfield Stadium in front of a sell-out crowd tend to produce special atmospheres and any result is possible.

A capacity crowd getting behind the team will need something to cheer and the squad will need to produce a better performance than they have been doing to keep the fans on their side.



https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/sport/football/crawley-town-v-fulham-preview-can-reds-turn-form-around-in-the-carabao-cup-against-premier-league-opposition-3815584

[WhiteJC]

Fulham: Silva can form scary duo with Ben Brereton Diaz transfer

Fulham have seen a handful of new players make their way to Craven Cottage during the summer transfer window.

One of those new recruits that has had a solid start to his tenure at the west London club is Andreas Pereira.

Signed from fellow Premier League side, Manchester United, in a deal worth a reported fee of £10m, the Brazilian has started all three of Fulham's league games so far this season.

In those appearances, the midfielder has already grabbed one assist, which came during the club's recent 3-2 win over Brentford.

He has been a handy acquisition but the club still have time in the transfer window to find a player that could form a menacing duo with Pereira.

That player is Blackburn Rovers forward, Ben Brereton Diaz,  who has been linked with a move to west London in recent weeks.

With 131 appearances for the Lancashire club to his name, the striker has found the net 33 times and supplied 13 assists along the way.

Last season saw the Chile international score 22 goals in 37 league appearances, as well as racking up more shots at goal (103) and more shots on target (49) than any other player at the club, showing how deadly he can be in front of goal.

Pereira has averaged more key passes per game (2.3) than any other Fulham player in the league this term, so having a player like him next to Brereton Diaz, who clearly knows how to find the back of the net, could make Silva's side a force to be reckoned with for opposition defences and goalkeepers.

Hailed as an "elite" player by Gary Brazil, the Blackburn star already has two goals and one assist in five league appearances this season.

Having played those five games across the left-wing, left-midfield and attacking-midfield positions, this versatility shows that he could be able to play in a Fulham team that has himself, Pereira and Aleksandar Mitrovic in it at the same time.

Despite a significant reported price tag of £20m, this is an investment that would surely top off what has been a very productive summer period of transfer business from the Cottagers and hopefully boost their chances of having a successful top-flight season.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-transfer-rumours/fulham-marco-silva-ben-brereton-diaz-transfer-news-ffc-premier-league-update-gossip-rumour

[Woolly Mammoth]

Ben Brereton Diaz would fit perfectly into our team, he has all the attributes we are looking for.

[General]

'It's ridiculous and disrespectful... they talk about "football family" but there is NO family': Shakhtar Donetsk accuse Fulham of reneging on a £6.8m deal - after FIFA told footballers they could leave war-torn Ukraine without a transfer

    Shakhtar Donetsk have accused Fulham of reneging on a £6.8m deal for Manor Solomon
    The Israeli winger joined Marco Silva's side for nothing due to a FIFA ruling
    The rule allows foreign-based Ukranian players to temporarily leave their clubs
    Fulham had reportedly agreed a transfer fee before taking Solomon for nothing
    A similar situation happened with Brazilian winger Tete who joined Lyon for free
    Shakhtar recently announced they are suing FIFA for £43m worth of damages

Shakhtar Donetsk have slammed Fulham and accused them of reneging on a £6.8million deal for winger Manor Solomon.

The Israeli international joined the Cottagers on a one-year-deal this summer after a FIFA rule was extended that allowed Ukrainian-based foreign players to suspend their contract and temporarily go elsewhere without penalty.

The ruling came into place when the Ukrainian season was suspended in March due to the ongoing war in the country and will now remain in place for the entire 2022-23 season.


Shakhtar Donetsk chief executive Sergei Palkin has accused Fulham of reneging on a £6.8m agreement for Manor Solomon


The Israeli winger joined Fulham this summer after a FIFA ruling was extended that allows foreign players to temporarily suspend their contracts with Ukrainian clubs

However, Shakhtar had been negotiating an exit for Solomon throughout the summer and claim they had agreed a £6.8m fee with Marco Silva's side before the FIFA ruling which means Fulham signed Solomon for nothing.

The deal, which would have been a financial lifeline for Shakhtar and deliver a vital cash injection to a club who have had their accounts battered by the war with Russia, has caused much anger from the 13-time Ukrainian champions.

'They just talk about the football family,' Shakhtar chief executive Sergei Palkin told the New York Times. 'But in real life there is no football family.'

The anger surrounding Solomon has not been helped by Lyon doing something similar with exciting Brazilian midfielder Tete, after the club had agreed a fee worth double Solomon's proposed sale for the 22-year-old.

Like Fulham, the French side reportedly informed Palkin that they were scrapping the multi-million pound deals after the FIFA ruling and would instead take the player for nothing.

A Lyon spokesperson said the club disputed Palkin's recounting of events, but declined to provide details, while Fulham declined to comment.

While both teams abided by the rules which allows foreign stars who no longer understandably wish to return to Ukraine to move elsewhere, it has created resentment at Shakhtar.


A similar situation happened with Lyon and the signing of Shakhtar's 22-year-old winger Tete


Shakhtar announced earlier this summer that they would sue FIFA for £43m worth of damages

The club announced in July that they will sue FIFA for £43m in damages which they say is the value of transfer fees they have missed out on due to the ruling being extended.

The frustration for Palkin is that it is a long way from all the support and solidarity Shakhtar received when Russia's invasion of Ukraine initially began, while he has been left with a bitter taste for the way some clubs have treated sides like his.

This has been demonstrated with Lyon reportedly recently offering Shakhtar £2.54m for Tete which is less than 20 per cent of what the Ukrainian club believe they had agreed on a fee for him earlier in the summer.

Palkin, who turned down the Ligue 1 side's offer, said: 'It's ridiculous. It's peanuts. It's not respectful from FIFA or the clubs.'

FIFA claim their position of extending the ruling and allowing players to play elsewhere temporarily is better than alternative measures such as players breaking their contracts.

But, with no sign of an end to the war, it looks unlikely that these foreign players will ever play for their Ukrainian clubs again.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-11134321/Shakhtar-Donetsk-accuse-Fulham-reneging-6-8m-deal-FIFA-ruling.html

Don't know what our clubs financial situation is like but I do hope Fulham do the decent thing with this and pay Shakhtar.  £6.8m seems so little given the circumstances and it feels pretty immoral to be taking advantage of a club in a country that's had war thrust on them. Even if it was in smaller installments. Seems strange to create a bitter relationship with a club like Shakhtar over one signing.

[blingo]

'It's ridiculous and disrespectful... they talk about "football family" but there is NO family': Shakhtar Donetsk accuse Fulham of reneging on a £6.8m deal - after FIFA told footballers they could leave war-torn Ukraine without a transfer

    Shakhtar Donetsk have accused Fulham of reneging on a £6.8m deal for Manor Solomon
    The Israeli winger joined Marco Silva's side for nothing due to a FIFA ruling
    The rule allows foreign-based Ukranian players to temporarily leave their clubs
    Fulham had reportedly agreed a transfer fee before taking Solomon for nothing
    A similar situation happened with Brazilian winger Tete who joined Lyon for free
    Shakhtar recently announced they are suing FIFA for £43m worth of damages

Shakhtar Donetsk have slammed Fulham and accused them of reneging on a £6.8million deal for winger Manor Solomon.

The Israeli international joined the Cottagers on a one-year-deal this summer after a FIFA rule was extended that allowed Ukrainian-based foreign players to suspend their contract and temporarily go elsewhere without penalty.

The ruling came into place when the Ukrainian season was suspended in March due to the ongoing war in the country and will now remain in place for the entire 2022-23 season.


Shakhtar Donetsk chief executive Sergei Palkin has accused Fulham of reneging on a £6.8m agreement for Manor Solomon


The Israeli winger joined Fulham this summer after a FIFA ruling was extended that allows foreign players to temporarily suspend their contracts with Ukrainian clubs

However, Shakhtar had been negotiating an exit for Solomon throughout the summer and claim they had agreed a £6.8m fee with Marco Silva's side before the FIFA ruling which means Fulham signed Solomon for nothing.

The deal, which would have been a financial lifeline for Shakhtar and deliver a vital cash injection to a club who have had their accounts battered by the war with Russia, has caused much anger from the 13-time Ukrainian champions.

'They just talk about the football family,' Shakhtar chief executive Sergei Palkin told the New York Times. 'But in real life there is no football family.'

The anger surrounding Solomon has not been helped by Lyon doing something similar with exciting Brazilian midfielder Tete, after the club had agreed a fee worth double Solomon's proposed sale for the 22-year-old.

Like Fulham, the French side reportedly informed Palkin that they were scrapping the multi-million pound deals after the FIFA ruling and would instead take the player for nothing.

A Lyon spokesperson said the club disputed Palkin's recounting of events, but declined to provide details, while Fulham declined to comment.

While both teams abided by the rules which allows foreign stars who no longer understandably wish to return to Ukraine to move elsewhere, it has created resentment at Shakhtar.


A similar situation happened with Lyon and the signing of Shakhtar's 22-year-old winger Tete


Shakhtar announced earlier this summer that they would sue FIFA for £43m worth of damages

The club announced in July that they will sue FIFA for £43m in damages which they say is the value of transfer fees they have missed out on due to the ruling being extended.

The frustration for Palkin is that it is a long way from all the support and solidarity Shakhtar received when Russia's invasion of Ukraine initially began, while he has been left with a bitter taste for the way some clubs have treated sides like his.

This has been demonstrated with Lyon reportedly recently offering Shakhtar £2.54m for Tete which is less than 20 per cent of what the Ukrainian club believe they had agreed on a fee for him earlier in the summer.

Palkin, who turned down the Ligue 1 side's offer, said: 'It's ridiculous. It's peanuts. It's not respectful from FIFA or the clubs.'

FIFA claim their position of extending the ruling and allowing players to play elsewhere temporarily is better than alternative measures such as players breaking their contracts.

But, with no sign of an end to the war, it looks unlikely that these foreign players will ever play for their Ukrainian clubs again.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-11134321/Shakhtar-Donetsk-accuse-Fulham-reneging-6-8m-deal-FIFA-ruling.html

Don't know what our clubs financial situation is like but I do hope Fulham do the decent thing with this and pay Shakhtar.  £6.8m seems so little given the circumstances and it feels pretty immoral to be taking advantage of a club in a country that's had war thrust on them. Even if it was in smaller installments. Seems strange to create a bitter relationship with a club like Shakhtar over one signing.

That 6.8 million could be the difference between buying a really good player or missing out. FIFA made the ruling and so FIFA should pay General.

[FFC1987]

If we stay up and show proper signs of growth, I hope we go back and re-evaluate this, even if its the chairmen alone doing it outside of the football club. Appreciate technically, the rules haven't been broken but there's an element of immoral exploitation here.

[WhiteJC]

Fulham are in talks to sign out of favour PSG defender Layvin Kurzawa after playing just nine minutes of football in the last 12 months for the French giants

    Fulham are in talks over a deal for out of favour PSG defender Layvin Kurzawa
    The 29-year-old has played just nine minutes of football in the last 12 months
    His most recent appearance coming in a victory over Lille back in August 2021

Fulham are in talks with Paris St Germain over a deal for out of favour left-back Layvin Kurzawa, as they continue to bolster their squad this summer.

The Cottagers have made an unbeaten start to life back in the Premier League, with a last-minute win over Brentford and spirited draws against Liverpool and Wolves, since being promoted last term.

They've already dipped into the transfer market to sign the likes of Joao Palhinha, Issa Diop, Andreas Pereira, Kevin Mbabu, Bernd Leno, Manor Solomon and Shane Duffy.


Fulham are in talks to sign out of favour PSG left-back Layvin Kurwaza (pictured) this summer

Marco Silva's side are now turning their attentions to 29-year-old Kurzawa, who did not figure for the French giants last season.

The five-time Ligue 1 champion is not part of the plans at PSG, having only played nine minutes of football since the start of last season.

His most recent appearance coming in the 1-0 Trophee des Champions victory over Lille in August 2021, 12 months ago.


Kurzawa is not part of the plans at PSG, having only played nine minutes in the last 12 months

Kurzawa has also not been part of the PSG squad for any of their Ligue 1 games so far this term.

The 13-cap France international has made 153 appearances for PSG since originally joining in the summer of 2015.

He remains in contract until the summer of 2024, but is free to leave with plenty of clubs interested in the left-back.

Fulham boss Silva is also trying to land the signing of Brighton striker Neal Maupay amid rival interest from the likes of Nottingham Forest and Everton as well as chasing Justin Kluivert from Roma.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11136917/Fulham-talks-sign-favour-PSG-defender-Layvin-Kurzawa.html

[WhiteJC]

McAvoy eyes more first-team football

The Athletic's Peter Rutzler has a superb interview with young Fulham centre back Conor McAvoy this morning, in which the Scottish youth international discusses signing for the Whites aged nine, his progress through the Motspur Park academy, a successful loan spell with Wealdstone last season and getting the chance to play for the senior side during the pre-season tour in Portugal.

It is well worth a read in full, but it is clear that McAvoy, a former Premier League scholar of the year and highly-regarded captain of Fulham's age group sides, feels ready for more first-team football. His retelling of lining up against Nice in the Algarve is pretty endearing:

    "It was weird, it didn't feel real. I didn't actually feel too nervous, I was just so excited, in the zone. I thought I had a pretty good game. There were a few Fulham fans. Just playing with the first-team players that you watch every Saturday, it's just cool. I couldn't do anything more than just enjoy it."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/08/mcavoy-eyes-more-first-team-football/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham predicted starting XI to face Crawley Town in the Carabao Cup: Silva has decisions to make

How could Fulham line up this evening?

Fulham are back in action this evening away to Crawley Town in the Carabao Cup.

Tonight gives Marco Silva an opportunity to freshen up his ranks after their impressive start to the Premier League season.

The Championship champions are unbeaten in their opening three games and have picked up five points.

They beat London rivals Brentford 3-2 at Craven Cottage last time out.

Crawley are winless in their opening five matches in League Two and here is how Fulham could line up against them...

GK: Marek Rodak
He now has competition for his place between the sticks from new signing Bernd Leno.

RB: Kevin Mbabu
The summer recruit could make his first start after coming off the bench against both Wolves and Brentford.

CB: Shane Duffy
Like Mbabu, he has made two substitute appearances since sealing his loan switch from Brighton and Hove Albion.

CB: Issa Diop
The centre-back may well make his debut against Kevin Betsy's side.

LB: Antonee Robinson
He has been with Fulham since 2020 and has made 73 appearances in all competition since then.

The left footer has helped the Cottagers ease to promotion back to the Premier League.

CM: Nathaniel Chalobah
This is a good opportunity for him to get some minutes under his belt.

CM: Tom Cairney
His experience in the middle of the park would come in handy against a Crawley side who will be eyeing an upset.

Another of the division's most highly-rated individuals, Cairney was the outstanding player on a day that Atdhe Nuhiu's late equaliser stole two points from a relatively dominant Fulham. He created a number of chances and controlled the tempo of the clash.

RW: Sylvester Jasper
The winger spent last season on loan at Colchester United and Hibernian to get some experience.

CAM: Luke Harris
He has been on the bench twice so far this term and is being tipped for a bright future.

LW: Bobby Reid
It wouldn't be a surprise to see Silva play some first-team stars to ensure his side have enough quality in their starting XI.

ST: Jay Stansfield
He started on the right wing against Brentford and this is a good chance for him to lead the line and show what he can do.



https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/fulham/fulham-predicted-starting-xi-to-face-crawley-town-in-the-carabao-cup-3815691

[WhiteJC]

Legends Tour With Steve Earle

Join us on Wednesday 31st August at 3pm for an exclusive Craven Cottage Tour hosted by Fulham legend Steve Earle!

With 108 goals from 327 appearances, former striker Steve Earle, has cemented himself as a club legend. He's joining us back at the Cottage to share some brilliant anecdotes about his time here.

Ask questions and take pictures with the man himself as you settle in for a brilliant afternoon uncovering the history of our beautiful home, Craven Cottage.

Tickets for this exclusive Legends Tour are priced at £22 and can be secured online, here.




https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/august/23/legends-tour-with-steve-earle/

[WhiteJC]

Report: Fulham and Bournemouth have joined Maitland-Niles race

Arsenal expect to sell Ainsley Maitland-Niles before the transfer window closes, with the Daily Express reporting that Fulham and Bournemouth have joined the race to sign the 24-year-old.

Maitland-Niles has become a forgotten man at the Emirates. He endured a disappointing loan spell at Roma in the second-half of last season. And he has played no part in this campaign.

Reports this week claimed that West Ham have considered a move for Maitland-Niles. But they are not the only Premier League side keen on the England international.

According to the Daily Express, both Fulham and Bournemouth also want the versatile midfielder. Arsenal expect Maitland-Niles to leave. And he should be available in a cut-price deal due to the academy graduate being in the final year of his contract.

Fulham and Bournemouth have joined Maitland-Niles race
It will be bad news for Maitland-Niles if he remains at Arsenal beyond this window. It would certainly appear that he is only going to remain on the sidelines.

Fulham have already agreed a deal with Arsenal for Bernd Leno this summer. So they may be optimistic that they can now agree terms with Maitland-Niles.

West Ham can offer him some European football in the Conference League. But perhaps, a move to either Fulham or Bournemouth will present him with the clearest route to regular game-time.

It is a sad end to Maitland-Niles' Arsenal spell. There have been times when he looked like a 'fantastic' prospect.

But the writing appears to have been on the wall for some time. And it would surely be best for all parties if an agreement was reached.



https://tbrfootball.com/report-fulham-and-bournemouth-have-joined-maitland-niles-race/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham 'yet to make offer' for defender – Player not prepared to make 'huge financial efforts' to secure move

Almost forgotten at Paris Saint-Germain, Layvin Kurzawa doesn't appear to particularly be in a rush to leave the Ligue 1 side.

He's on a healthy wage and is earning it regardless of whether he plays or not, knowing full well he'll never make Didier Deschamps' squad for the World Cup, which is why he isn't actively searching for a move.

That hasn't stopped Fulham from taking an interest in the player, as the Craven Cottage side continue to look for a left-back.

Their attempts to sign Luca Pellegrini from Juventus never turned into anything overly concrete, meaning Marco Silva and his staff have had to look elsewhere.

Other players are being looked, including Kurzawa, but L'Equipe in France state Fulham 'have yet to make an offer' for the player.

Down his end, Kurzawa 'isn't inclined to make huge financial efforts to help Paris Saint-Germain', making their life a bit miserable.

The idea of a loan 'with part of the wages being covered could be considered in the final days of the transfer window', which could suit Fulham to a T.

Then again, the attitude shown by Kurzawa is a bit of a red flag, because if he doesn't want to leave Paris Saint-Germain, he probably won't be thrilled at the idea of a move to Craven Cottage.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-yet-make-offer-player-not-prepared-make-huge-financial-efforts-secure-move/

[WhiteJC]

https://twitter.com/ianbakersport/status/1561970478461468674

[fulhamfever]

https://twitter.com/ianbakersport/status/1561970478461468674

https://www.adamstansfieldfoundation.com/2013/12/06/jeffanory/

Just wanted to take an opportunity to advertise Jeff Stelling's excellent book; Jeffanory. I am sure many of you know of Jeff's "Lisa will be happy" line on Soccer Saturday every time Adam scored. Jeff donates a whole chapter of his book to Soccer Saturday's unsung heroes and Adam is first in his list. Jeff has very kindly given us permission to quote directly from his book so here are a few excerpts for you.

"Anyone who's been a friend of Soccer Saturday over the years would have been a friend of Adam Stansfield. The one-time Exeter City, Yeovil Town and Hereford United striker became linked to one of the longest-running gags on the show after I'd noticed his surname was identical to the 1980's pop sensation Lisa Stansfield."

"Because of my mucking around, Adam became a cult favourite with viewers and panellists alike. Luckily I got to use the joke quite a lot because scoring goals was something he did with regularity."

Jeff goes on in great depth about Adam and how reading the news about Adam's death on Soccer Saturday was one of the toughest things he has ever had to do. He tells how he attended a Foundation fundraising evening and he finishes his piece with a line from that night; "As I mentioned in a speech at the end, 'Lisa would have been proud'"

The book is an excellent read and is very funny. We were all very touched that Jeff thought so highly of Adam and that he found a place for him in the book. It is well worth a read and is available online and in all good bookstores. It would make an excellent Christmas present for a loved one. xx

Here is the video of when Jeff paid tribute to Adam on Soccer Saturday shortly after Adam's death:

[Bassey the warrior]

'It's ridiculous and disrespectful... they talk about "football family" but there is NO family': Shakhtar Donetsk accuse Fulham of reneging on a £6.8m deal - after FIFA told footballers they could leave war-torn Ukraine without a transfer

    Shakhtar Donetsk have accused Fulham of reneging on a £6.8m deal for Manor Solomon
    The Israeli winger joined Marco Silva's side for nothing due to a FIFA ruling
    The rule allows foreign-based Ukranian players to temporarily leave their clubs
    Fulham had reportedly agreed a transfer fee before taking Solomon for nothing
    A similar situation happened with Brazilian winger Tete who joined Lyon for free
    Shakhtar recently announced they are suing FIFA for £43m worth of damages

Shakhtar Donetsk have slammed Fulham and accused them of reneging on a £6.8million deal for winger Manor Solomon.

The Israeli international joined the Cottagers on a one-year-deal this summer after a FIFA rule was extended that allowed Ukrainian-based foreign players to suspend their contract and temporarily go elsewhere without penalty.

The ruling came into place when the Ukrainian season was suspended in March due to the ongoing war in the country and will now remain in place for the entire 2022-23 season.


Shakhtar Donetsk chief executive Sergei Palkin has accused Fulham of reneging on a £6.8m agreement for Manor Solomon


The Israeli winger joined Fulham this summer after a FIFA ruling was extended that allows foreign players to temporarily suspend their contracts with Ukrainian clubs

However, Shakhtar had been negotiating an exit for Solomon throughout the summer and claim they had agreed a £6.8m fee with Marco Silva's side before the FIFA ruling which means Fulham signed Solomon for nothing.

The deal, which would have been a financial lifeline for Shakhtar and deliver a vital cash injection to a club who have had their accounts battered by the war with Russia, has caused much anger from the 13-time Ukrainian champions.

'They just talk about the football family,' Shakhtar chief executive Sergei Palkin told the New York Times. 'But in real life there is no football family.'

The anger surrounding Solomon has not been helped by Lyon doing something similar with exciting Brazilian midfielder Tete, after the club had agreed a fee worth double Solomon's proposed sale for the 22-year-old.

Like Fulham, the French side reportedly informed Palkin that they were scrapping the multi-million pound deals after the FIFA ruling and would instead take the player for nothing.

A Lyon spokesperson said the club disputed Palkin's recounting of events, but declined to provide details, while Fulham declined to comment.

While both teams abided by the rules which allows foreign stars who no longer understandably wish to return to Ukraine to move elsewhere, it has created resentment at Shakhtar.


A similar situation happened with Lyon and the signing of Shakhtar's 22-year-old winger Tete


Shakhtar announced earlier this summer that they would sue FIFA for £43m worth of damages

The club announced in July that they will sue FIFA for £43m in damages which they say is the value of transfer fees they have missed out on due to the ruling being extended.

The frustration for Palkin is that it is a long way from all the support and solidarity Shakhtar received when Russia's invasion of Ukraine initially began, while he has been left with a bitter taste for the way some clubs have treated sides like his.

This has been demonstrated with Lyon reportedly recently offering Shakhtar £2.54m for Tete which is less than 20 per cent of what the Ukrainian club believe they had agreed on a fee for him earlier in the summer.

Palkin, who turned down the Ligue 1 side's offer, said: 'It's ridiculous. It's peanuts. It's not respectful from FIFA or the clubs.'

FIFA claim their position of extending the ruling and allowing players to play elsewhere temporarily is better than alternative measures such as players breaking their contracts.

But, with no sign of an end to the war, it looks unlikely that these foreign players will ever play for their Ukrainian clubs again.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-11134321/Shakhtar-Donetsk-accuse-Fulham-reneging-6-8m-deal-FIFA-ruling.html

Don't know what our clubs financial situation is like but I do hope Fulham do the decent thing with this and pay Shakhtar.  £6.8m seems so little given the circumstances and it feels pretty immoral to be taking advantage of a club in a country that's had war thrust on them. Even if it was in smaller installments. Seems strange to create a bitter relationship with a club like Shakhtar over one signing.

I think we should agree that we will pay that fee if we stay up, then it could come out of next year's budget and we get to keep Solomon beyond the loan. In the meantime, Fifa need to offer compensation to Shakhtar, as they've treated them very harshly.

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Report: Fulham still haven't matched valuation of player once compared to Neymar, talks to continue today

Fulham still haven't come to an agreement with AS Roma to sign winger Justin Kluivert, according to Gianluca Di Marzio.

The Dutch winger has been linked with a move to Craven Cottage for the past several weeks.

An agreement with the player is already in place, but the two clubs have yet to finalise a fee, with Roma unwilling to accept a £2.5m bid plus add-ons for Kluivert.

Kluivert is said to have offers on the table from clubs in Portugal, Italy and Greece, but has his heart set on coming to the Premier League.

Kluivert's agent is now in London today to try and 'unlock the transfer', with all parties hoping to reach an agreement.

The twice-capped Dutch player is no longer in Jose Mourinho's plans at Roma after going out on loan to Nice last season.



https://tbrfootball.com/report-fulham-still-havent-matched-valuation-of-player-once-compared-to-neymar-talks-to-continue-today/

[WhiteJC]

£20m man with 18 trophies could join Fulham on loan, club want him gone

Paris Saint-Germain would consider letting Ligue 1 champion Layvin Kurzawa join Premier League newcomers Fulham on loan in the final week of the summer transfer window, as reported by L'Equipe.

The last time Kurzawa played in PSG colours, Marc Bola was levelling for Middlesbrough at Craven Cottage on the opening game of the 2021/22 Championship season.

That, for the record, is 12 months ago. 12 months and two weeks, to be precise. The France international's long, long spell on the fringes may be coming to an end at last however. 

L'Equipe, backing up previous claims from The Standard, says Fulham are keen to break Kurzawa free from his Parisian prison.

The Cottagers are yet to firm up their initial interest. But, if they do, PSG may be willing to let the former Monaco man leave on loan provided Fulham are willing to pay a portion of his sizeable £65,000-a-week salary.

Fulham could sign PSG's Layvin Kurzawa

Kurzawa, a £20 million signing all the way back in 2015, has plenty of juice left in the tank. The five-time Ligue 1 winner is not even 29.

He'd have a point to prove this side of the Channel too, although it remains to be seen whether he's willing to join a Fulham side who, despite a terrific start to the Premier League season, may still be seen as a risk for a player who has won a remarkable 18 trophies in the French capital.

Kurzawa also became the first ever 'defender' to score a Champions League hat-trick in 2017. Not that it's his defending that made him one of the first names on the PSG team-sheet under Laurent Blanc and Unai Emery.

An adventurous, attack-minded left-back, Kurzawa would provide competition for the in-form Antonee Robinson at Fulham.

The Cottagers have also shown an interest in Real Betis' Alex Moreno this summer. Luca Pellegrini, meanwhile, rebuffed Marco Silva's advances in favour of Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/08/23/20m-man-with-18-trophies-could-join-fulham-on-loan-club-want-him-gone/

[WhiteJC]

THE OPPOSITION | FULHAM FC

A look at tonight's second-round cup opponents

THE MANAGER

Marco Silva
Born in Lisbon, Silva developed into a professional footballer with local C.F. Os Belenenses. In a 15-year career, he only appeared in two Primeira Liga games, one with that club and another with S.C. Campomaiorense. From 2000 to 2005 he alternated between the second and third divisions, representing C.D. Trofense, Rio Ave FC, S.C. Braga B, S.C. Salgueiros and Odivelas FC.

In the 2005 off-season, Silva joined G.D. Estoril Praia, where he remained until his retirement six years later, always in the second tier. He played his last match on 2 January 2011, a 0–1 home loss against F.C. Penafiel in the group stage of the Taça da Liga.

Silva retired in June at the age of 34, amassing second-division totals of 152 games and two goals for three clubs.

Silva started as a Director of Football before venturing into management. Silva managed at Estoril, Sporting CP and Olympiacos before he was given the job at Hull City in England. Silva came in half-way through the 2016-17 season, with the club sat bottom of the Premier League. Unfortunately, Silva could not save the Tigers from relegation and resigned when their relegation was confirmed.

On 27 May 2017, it was confirmed Silva would join Premier League club Watford as head coach on a two-year contract. After a good start to the season, he was tracked for the vacant managerial position at Everton in November.

During this period and in the subsequent two months, the team's performances became increasingly poor (five points from 30 in ten Premier League matches), with fans citing his loss of focus as putting them at risk of relegation.

Silva was dismissed by Watford on 21 January 2018, with the club citing the "unwarranted approach by a Premier League rival" that caused "significant deterioration in both focus and results to the point where the long-term future of Watford FC has been jeopardised." In February, Everton agreed to pay £4 million in compensation in response to this claim.

After a short spell with the Toffees, Silva joined Fulham at the start of the 2021/22 season. Silva enjoyed a great season with Fulham, clinching the Championship title to secure Fulham's return to the Premier League.

ONES TO WATCH

Bernd Leno
Leno performed at a level that belied his young age, becoming only the third goalkeeper in Bundesliga history to secure clean sheets in his first three matches, before breaking the record for the youngest 'keeper to appear in the Champions League shortly after. Leverkusen soon made the deal permanent, and Leno went on to enjoy seven excellent seasons at the BayArena, making 304 appearances and keeping 100 clean sheets. The lowest the club finished, in six of those seven campaigns, was fifth. His consistency in Germany prompted Arsenal to bring Leno to London for a fee reported to be north of £20m ahead of the 2018/19 campaign. Leno quickly displaced Petr Cech between the sticks, and ended his first season at the club with a Europa League runner-up medal, before finishing second in the club's player of the season vote a year later. He departed the Emirates with plenty of Premier League experience under his belt, and also claimed 37 clean sheets in his 125 appearances across all competitions.

Andreas Pereira
On Monday 11th July 2022, the Club announced the signing of Andreas Pereira from Manchester United for an undisclosed fee. The versatile midfielder agreed a four-year deal, tying him to Craven Cottage until the summer of 2026, with the Club holding an option to extend by a further 12 months. Born in Belgium while his professional footballer father was playing there, Pereira later moved to neighbouring Holland where he joined PSV Eindhoven's academy. At the age of 16, he joined Manchester United, impressing as he moved up the age groups to earn a senior debut in the League Cup in August 2014. A Premier League bow followed later that season in a 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford. Pereira's maiden goal for the club came in his first appearance of 2015/16 when he was handed a full debut against Ipswich Town, ending the campaign with 11 appearances to his name, including a first taste of Champions League football. Pereira was a regular under Jose Mourinho and then Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, featuring 62 times across the next two years.

Aleksandar Mitrović
In July 2018, Fulham confirmed Aleksandar Mitrović's return on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee from Newcastle United. Mitrović originally joined the Whites on loan at the 11th hour on deadline day in January 2018, and went on to have a hugely significant impact in their promotion to the Premier League. Mitrović began his career in his homeland with Serbian giants FK Partizan, making his professional debut with their affiliate club FK Teleoptik. Despite his tender age, Mitrović was top scorer for Partizan's first team in 2012/13 as they claimed the title, and his form soon attracted the attention of Belgian outfit Anderlecht, who broke their transfer record to sign him in the summer of 2013.

Despite Fulham's relegation from the Premier League, Mitro impressed with his 11 goals, and subsequently committed his future to the Club by agreeing a new deal in July 2019. His subsequent two seasons in the Championship, which sandwiched one campaign in the Premier League, were absolutely sensational. Winning the divisional Golden Boot on each occasion, he set first a Championship and then a modern-day second tier record for in 2021/22, ending the season on 43 goals as Fulham won the title. He was named Fulham's Player of the Season both years.

FACT FILE
Name: Fulham FC

Founded: 1879

Owner: Shahid Khan

Manager: Marco Silva

League position: 7th (Premier League)

Nicknames: The Cottagers, The Whites, The Lilywhites

Top goalscorer: Aleksandar Mitrovic (3)

Kit provider: Adidas



https://www.crawleytownfc.com/news/2022/august/the-opposition--fulham-fc/