Wednesday Fulham Stuff - 07/09/22...

[WhiteJC]

Haaland, Salah, Kane: The top 30 Premier League players so far according to stats

Erling Haaland is tearing the Premier League to shreds.
While nobody was under any illusion that Manchester City had signed anyone short of a phenomenon, there is always still that doubt in the back of your mind as to whether or not that quality will translate to England's top-flight.

However, we can feel pretty certain now that Haaland won't be following in the footsteps of Andriy Shevchenko and Radamel Falcao because he's flown out of the blocks in sky blue this season.

Haaland tearing up the Premier League
Having been prematurely lambasted for a lacklustre display in the Community Shield, Haaland silenced the doubters by scoring a fabulous brace at West Ham United on his Premier League debut.

The Norwegian poacher then popped up with a goal on the road at Newcastle United, before becoming just the sixth player to ever score back-to-back hat-tricks in the English big time since its 1992 rebranding.

And not satisfied with having hit both Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest for three, Haaland elevated his record to a dizzying 10 goals in just six matches by notching a strike at Villa Park.

All in all, it's one of the most frightening starts that any summer signing has ever made in the Premier League – and boy is that reflected in the statistics too.

Now that we're able to come up for air after a busy weekend of action, we've had the chance to look at Haaland's goal-rich start to life at the Etihad Stadium in the context of the entire division.

Top 30 Premier League players so far
To do so, we've turned to the average match ratings at WhoScored, which are calculated and aggregated for every Premier League player across the season based on key metrics from each of their performances.

In layman's terms, it's near enough the closest we can come to an objective ranking of players based on their output in a season – and the early standings in the Premier League are fascinating.

In fact, they couldn't possibly paint a clearer picture of just how much of an impact Haaland has made on the nation's blue riband division, so be sure to check out how the top 30 stacks up at the time of writing down below:

30. Phil Foden (Manchester City) – 7.25

29. Bernd Leno (Fulham) – 7.25

28. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) – 7.25

27. Jordan Pickford (Everton) – 7.26

26. Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace) – 7.27

25. Nick Pope (Newcastle United) – 7.27

24. Rodri (Manchester City) – 7.28

23. Jack Harrison (Leeds United) – 7.28

22. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – 7.28

21. Reece James (Chelsea) – 7.29

20. Joao Cancelo (Manchester City) 7.32

9. Pascal Gross (Brighton & Hove Albion) – 7.32

18. Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) – 7.36

17. Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United) – 7.37

16. Ruben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers) – 7.37

15. Martin Odegaard (Arsenal) – 7.38

14. Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City) – 7.41

13. Joelinton (Newcastle United) – 7.42

12. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Tottenham Hotspur) – 7.44

11. Fabian Schar (Newcastle United) – 7.45

10. Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal) – 7.48

9. Luis Diaz (Liverpool) – 7.48

8. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) – 7.53

7. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) – 7.53

6. Allan Saint-Maximin (Newcastle United) – 7.67

5. Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) – 7.75

4. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) – 7.75

3. Ivan Toney (Brentford) – 7.76

2. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) – 7.88

    Erling Haaland (Manchester City) – 8.20

Haaland sets the pace
The difference in match rating between 2nd and 10th place is 0.40. The difference between 1st and 2nd place is 0.42. Madness.

If that statistic alone doesn't underline just how far above everyone else Haaland is right now, then we don't know what will because his astonishing goalscoring record has clearly lit up the algorithm like a Christmas tree.

Even the similarly impressive finishing exploits of Mitrovic and Toney simply aren't in the same league, while the in-form platoon of De Bruyne, Jesus, Firmino and Kane are also merely watching Haaland ride off into the distance.

In fact, the City hitman is ranked as the sixth-best player in Europe's top five leagues with only the Ligue 1 quartet of Neymar, Armand Laurienté, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, as well as Joshua Kimmich, flying higher in the data.

So, there really can be no denying Haaland's omnipotence either in the statistics or eye test, which is yet another crushing reminder that Premier League defences are in for a brutal few years.



https://www.givemesport.com/88056528-haaland-salah-kane-the-top-30-premier-league-players-so-far-according-to-stats

[WhiteJC]

How Exeter City managed to sign Jay Stansfield from Fulham

It was 70 days in the making before the deal was finally done and he could return home

It was all the way back in June when Exeter City began work on bringing Jay Stansfield back to Devon. 70 days they waited from the initial discussions and agreement before finally the green light was given by Fulham, in the dying hours of September 1 for the loan signing to go ahead.

City's interest in the striker was an open secret around St James Park for weeks, if not months. But even those who had been told that it was on the cards, the move almost felt too good to be true – until on Thursday night it became clear the emotional signing was going to happen.

When the 19-year-old was taken on the Premier League's club's pre-season tour, it set back initial plans that could have seen him arrive with the Grecians before the start of the campaign. And then when Marco Silva didn't get the attacking targets he wanted, Stansfield was first named on the bench for the Cottagers – and then started against Brentford.

Within 60 seconds he had an assist – and it could have been his goal after the former academy product had hit the woodwork. But City held firm in their belief that they could complete the deal.

Then, on transfer deadline day, Willian, Carlos Vinicius and Dan James all arrived at Fulham. It gave the London side the options they needed in attacking areas – and the loan deal could be complete.

There was still one more hurdle for City to overcome as Stansfield's start to the season had sparked interest at Championship level. But Fulham agreed to stick to the original deal and allow him to come back to Exeter.

Late on Thursday night the deal was agreed and he was signed. But it wasn't until 5pm the following day in which it was officially announced by the club and the social media meltdown over City's transfer business turned into joyous delight – and those of us who knew the deal had been done but were sticking to the embargo time we had been given could publish the news.

England Under-20s striker Stansfield was born in Exeter at a time when his dad Adam was a player at St James Park. He played more than 140 games for the Devon club across four seasons, scoring 37 goals – with Jay joining the academy as a seven-year-old. But tragically, Grecians favourite Adam, died aged just 31 in 2010 from bowel cancer.

Jay progressed through the Grecians academy but moved to Fulham in August 2019, and in January 2020, Stansfield made his debut for Fulham in an FA Cup third round match against Aston Villa. Later that month, he made his league debut as an 88th-minute substitute in Fulham's EFL Championship match away at Charlton Athletic.

He scored his first goal for the club in EFL Cup against Birmingham City in August 2021, but only featured once in the Championship-winning Fulham side. But after three Premier League outings this season, he joined the League One club on a season-long loan on Friday, and then on Saturday, Stansfield got a standing ovation as he came off the bench to replace Sam Nombe in the 79th minute – wearing the number nine shirt his dad wore.

"It is a footballing move, but it is not just a footballing move," Taylor, who played alongside Adam, said. "It is on the back of the tragic story and one we were part of, but not as much a part as Jay and his family. I hope it doesn't bring back too many memories and emotions locked away.

"His family will support him and they came to watch and a huge moment for the family. "To see him on the pitch and like that, it brought back memories, about Jay and his family and his development to the outstanding young man which he is.

"I'm never an emotional person but that was one where you start choking up a little bit. I don't think I can describe it in terms of words, to be honest to you.

"It means everything to us so it must mean even more to him. What a proud moment for himself, his family and everyone associated with the Stansfield family and I know Wayne Carlisle will have been the same [choked up] because we played with his dad.

"We were around the club when his dad passed away and that was a tragic moment for everyone involved, but none more so than the family. To see them in the strength of the position they're in at the moment, and with Jay playing Premier League football and now coming on loan to us, hopefully we've added a little bit of joy to their lives.

"It's not just about today, it's about his future impact on the club. He seemed to cope with the emotion and he impacted the game, and he kept on going, and to bring an asset on like Jay, we were a constant threat.

"He will add the quality we need, will be a willing runner and affect games, and the feeling and the buzz, and rightly so, it was emotional when he came on and lifted us."

The deal had been a long time coming. Taylor confirmed that it was back in June when the initial discussions over the move began – and that they had to be patient and hold their nerve when several setbacks hit – and not panic and move onto alternative targets. In the end, it paid off, and the manager said that fans needed to trust what the recruitment department was doing.

"He is so strong technically and when I first spoke to him in June, I didn't need to sell the football aspect of coming here" he said. "It was all about how he would feel and how his family would feel with the publicity and the attention he would be getting and rightly so.

"But he seems to have a level head, and there will be times when we need to support him. We have to help him and love him as much as we can, but looking forward to seeing how he develops

"The only way we felt it wouldn't happen is if played in the Premier League and scored or contributed more than he did. He played well in those games but the communication was constant that if they got the attacking players they desired then he was coming to us.

"The beauty of speaking to him in June and it was 70 days ago, so that shows how much we wanted to bring him back to the club and we had a plan – and we stuck to the plan and we trusted it.

"A lot of things could have changed as he played in the Premier League and made his debut and then Championship interest came but Fulham stayed true to their word and Jay wanted to come to us. That speaks volume for what we are as a club and credit for Fulham.

"We are looking forward to it. He has not got used to us yet, but will now have a week of training, and can settle into life back in Devon as the last 24 hours a whirlwind."

"It will be a bit strange for my family, but when Matt called me, it was the best move for me," Stansfield said. "There will be pressure but I will take it on my shoulders. I always dreamed of playing in the number 9 shirt, so I hope to wear it and make him proud.

"The number 9 shirt means a lot to me. I know the pressure will be high, so I thought the right thing to do was to take the shirt. I will be proud to wear it and hope to follow in the footsteps of what he did – and then go beyond it.

"The number 9 shirt means a lot to me," he said. "I know the pressure will be high, so I thought the right thing to do was to take the shirt. I will be proud to wear it and hope to follow in the footsteps of what he did – and then go beyond it.

"I got called onto the tour with the first team and played a couple of big teams and did well. The aim for me was to go and get game time but with squad numbers it wasn't the right time.

"Then to play in the Premier League, that was something I dreamed of as a kid, and now achieved that, this is a stepping stone and then try and play regularly in the Premier League when I go back. I used to sit and watch it when I was a kid and for the dream to come true, there are no words for it."

Stansfield became Exeter's fifth summer signing when the deal was finally completed. He joins fellow loanees Harry Smith, Rekeem Harper and Kegs Chauke, as well as goalkeeper Jamal Blackman who arrived on a free, as new arrivals.

It wasn't until July 26, just five days before the season began, the first of the five were recruited, and Smith also arrived on deadline day. But Taylor said that had no-one arrived this summer, he would have been content with the squad.

"Propaganda is incredible and a lot has been made of the inability to recruit players," he said. "But had we not signed one player, I would have been content with that group of players because I love them to bits and I trust them.

"We have to understand collectively what we are and we cannot compete, but that's ok not being able to compete, and we will still find a way as we have a fantastic group of players and staff and who keep finding those rough diamonds who will work for us.

"I like to think we have an idea of what we are doing and people need to trust us more than they have the last couple of months."

He added: "In terms of the general group, I am pleased with where we are. We have done the best business we could possibly obtain. We were pleased with the goalkeeper, and we had to wait for that profile. And we are really pleased to bring Rekeem to the football club.

"Kegs is a development loan, and at the top of the end pitch, we have the balance we are looking for. We have missed out on other signings but Jay is the one we targeted a long time ago and we had to be so so patient.

"I wish I could have given more updates other than to those in the know, not to stop the questions but to put everyone at ease, but we have been expecting it to happen. As it happens, it went down to the wire and that was out of our control, but we were delighted that he has joined us. We have everything at the top end of the pitch so we have to put out a team that is functional and competitive.

"There are free agents out there and I want more options on the edge of the pitch, but have to be careful of budgets, but in terms of what we have, I am delighted."



https://www.devonlive.com/sport/football/transfer-news/how-exeter-city-managed-sign-7550009

[WhiteJC]

The Tony Gale Column

The result at Spurs on Saturday meant we've now won two, drawn two, and lost two. That game was disappointing, but I still believe that it's not just been a solid start, it's an excellent start. And not just in terms of the results, but the performances as well. Even from the first game, I think what Fulham did to Liverpool paved the way for other teams to have a go at them. That's the Manager's philosophy, this front foot football is so much better than just trying to survive.

I was lucky enough to commentate on the Brentford game, and what a match that was. It was a fantastic header from Aleksandar Mitrović to win it. I mentioned in commentary that I played with Alan Shearer, and it was a Shearer-esque header. You could see it coming as soon as Kevin Mbabu shaped up to cross it, you knew that Mitro would be on that at the far stick. That's clearly something that Marco has instructed his team to do – if you're in a crossing area, cross it.

It's six in six for Mitro now, and it's all kinds of goals as well which shows how good a player he is. We know how good he is in the air, but he's better than just that. He's playing for the team, holding the ball up, winning it back. He's showing that he's comfortable taking players on as well, as we saw when he won a penalty off van Dijk on the opening day. He's grafting. We can say "I told you so" as well because he's proving he belongs at this level. It makes the fact that he didn't play last time we were in the Premier League all the more crazy.

Transfer deadline day was typically lively last week. With Joe Bryan going out on loan, we needed cover at left-back, and Layvin Kurzawa adds pedigree there. Antonee Robinson has had a great start to the season but you need strength in depth at every position, and he certainly provides that.

Dan James is good, I've always liked him. I think he needs to be somewhere that he's loved. He gives us another option as well in the wide positions, which is especially important with Harry Wilson out injured. That said, Bobby De Cordova-Reid has done really well when he's been selected in that right wing role.

I remember Carlos Vinicius when he was at Spurs. That's vital backup. Obviously Mitro is top man, but he needs someone else behind him to keep pushing him, and I think Vinicius will do just that.

Willian is a quality player. Proper quality player. Ball carriers are essential in football now, especially in the Premier League, and he's excellent. If you give him the ball he won't give away possession. He maybe won't have the pace that he had when he was at his best, but he'll have kept himself fit and can be a good asset for us.

Our home form has been excellent so far, with seven points from a possible nine. You suspect keeping that up could be vital for us this year. What is helpful is the new stand opening up, as that's really helped the atmosphere. The bottom's been open since the start of the season, and now 700 seats are going to be open in the upper tier for Chelsea. It all looks terrific. I've been lucky enough to commentate from there, and looking back from my side where I'm commentating, Fulham has still retained the old look, as well as having the new look. It's an excellent bit of architecture and what's going to be in it when it's finished is going to be second to none.

There's the small matter of the SW6 derby on Saturday. I was talking to my West Ham spies, pals of mine who went to their game on Saturday, and they can't believe they didn't get anything from the game. Marco Silva won't want to sit back, he'll want to get at them, and hopefully there is a mistake waiting to happen. The back three haven't played together very long so they're still gelling. Chelsea are in a bit of a transition at the moment, it's the changing of the guard a little bit, so I think it could be a good time to play them.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/september/06/the-tony-gale-column/

[WhiteJC]

GW7 Ones to watch: Aleksandar Mitrovic



The Scout says the Fulham forward has the fixtures and form to keep thriving in front of goal

The Scout is tipping five players to produce big points in Gameweek 7 of 2022/23 Fantasy Premier League.

Aleksandar Mitrovic (FUL) £6.8m
The Fulham forward has been one of the most consistent players in Fantasy in the first six Gameweeks of the season.

Mitrovic has scored six goals and earned seven bonus points, blanking only once.

That has helped him to 39 points, placing fourth in his position in Fantasy.

The underlying numbers highlight Mitrovic's huge goal threat.

His 27 shots are more than any other player this season, while his 15 shots on target are joint-top with Erling Haaland (£12.0m).

6️⃣ games. 6️⃣ goals. 🔥#FFC pic.twitter.com/vzO1nCBZqI

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) September 4, 2022

Furthermore, his eight big chances and 22 shots inside the box both place second overall to Manchester City's Norwegian.

Those numbers fare particularly well when assessed against his team-mates.

Indeed, no other Fulham player has managed more than three shots on target this term.

The Cottagers' home meeting with Chelsea this weekend looks encouraging for Mitrovic's prospects.

He has already scored four goals in his three meetings in 2022/23 with opponents who finished in the top five last term.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have struggled in defence in their recent road trips.

They have conceded five goals in their last two outings against Leeds United and Southampton.

Fulham's subsequent schedule further raises the potential of Mitrovic over the long term.

From Gameweek 8 onwards, five of their seven matches score only two in the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR).

GW	Opp.	FDR
8	NFO (A)	2
9	NEW (H)	3
10	WHU (A)	3
11	BOU (H)	2
12	AVL (H)	2
13	LEE (A)	2
14	EVE (H)	2

As the focal point of Fulham's attack, Mitrovic look set for more success over the coming Gameweeks.



https://www.premierleague.com/news/2782717

[WhiteJC]

Fulham first rejected chance to sign defender – Returned for him when other options failed

As you know, Fulham, in need of a left-back, were looking around for the right man.

In the end, the Craven Cottage side decided to take a gamble on Layvin Kurzawa, who as hugely out of favour at Paris-Saint German.

Marco Silva is said to have wanted the player, and Fulham agreed to bring him in on loan for the season with an option to make the move permanent.

However, if Media Foot in France are to be believed, the negotiations to get Kurzawa weren't as smooth as first reported.

Represented by Base Soccer Agency, the defender was 'first offered mid-August without a positive answer from Fulham'.

Then, after failing to find anyone else despite trying quite a bit, the English club 'ended up activating the option leading to the Frenchman'.

The hope from Fulham's end is that he doesn't have a similar trajectory to the one he had in Paris, where he was barely used, sitting on the bench or in the stands while cashing in his hefty paycheque.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-first-rejected-chance-sign-defender-returned-options-failed/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham attacker 'sparked interest' from the Championship before deadline day decision

Latest Fulham news emerges

Fulham attacker Jay Stansfield reportedly attracted interest from the Championship in the last transfer window.

However, the Cottagers decided to stick with their original plan and loan him out to Exeter City in the end.

The League One side had to wait for the deal to go through on deadline day as Marco Silva's side waited to bring in attacking reinforcements.

As detailed in a report by Devon Live, the player 'sparked interest' from teams in the second tier before his switch to St James Park.

Exeter move
Stansfield made his debut for Exeter over the weekend and fittingly wore the number nine shirt, becoming the first person to do so since the death of his father, Adam.

His switch to the Grecians is a great opportunity for him to get some first-team experience under his belt in the Football League this term.

The 19-year-old has made four appearances for Fulham so far this season, three of which have come in the Premier League.

However, following their recent signings of Dan James, Willian and Carlos Vinicius, his game time would have probably dried up.

Stansfield will be pushing for a start this weekend as his new side prepare to face Charlton Athletic away.



https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/fulham/fulham-attacker-sparked-interest-from-the-championship-before-deadline-day-decision-3833254

[WhiteJC]

Dan James joins Fulham: Why did Leeds United move him on? Is there a permanent option on the loan deal?

Leeds United allowed Dan James to seal a deadline day move to Fulham as the club failed to bring in a senior attacker.

Leeds' end to the transfer window left a lot to be desired with the side arguably in a weaker position than when they entered the final few days of the window.

As Willy Gnonto arrived at the club past the 11th hour, Leeds also sanctioned the transfer of Dan James to Fulham, with yet more deadline day drama for the Wales international.

It was a move that raised a lot of questions, and here, we explore everything we know about why Leeds agreed to his exit...

What type of move is it?
Around a year after James sealed his £25million move to Leeds from Manchester United, he penned a one-year loan deal with Fulham, making his debut in their 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend:

Is there an option of a permanent deal?
There is no mention of an option for the Cottagers to make the deal permanent in the summer of 2023, but all signs are pointing towards Leeds being content to part ways with the winger.

The Athletic's Phil Hay believes he has played his final game for Leeds:

    "I don't think I see Dan James coming back, or it feels like a long shot.

    "James is 24. He's not especially young and Leeds have essentially said to him that they can do without him this season."

How did Marsch react to the exit?
With Leeds unable to bring in a real replacement for the Wales man, it seems as though Marsch wasn't best pleased with the club's sanctioning of James' departure.

Marsch's answer seems to suggest that he was keen on staying at Leeds, but with the club happy to move him out in order to make space, they couldn't really back out of the deal, like Swansea City did back in 2019.

The Leeds chief had this to say (via BBC):

    "It was clear that if we were going to be able to add something, then we needed to move something – and I hate speaking in that way about it because I love Dan James and he's an incredible person.

    "He always gives everything to the group, but we were trying to work out how to get the balance right.

    "Dan was garnering the most interest and doing this was the only way to create flexibility to get in the striker we felt we needed.

    "The way it went down was tough for him, though. I wish him luck – hope he has a good season, a good World Cup and then hopefully we see him next summer."



https://www.leedsallover.com/dan-james-joins-fulham-why-did-leeds-united-move-him-on-is-there-a-permanent-option-on-the-loan-deal/

[WhiteJC]

Bad news for Newcastle United fans hoping to go to Fulham

Newcastle United play Fulham at the start of October at Craven Cottage.

However, bit of a blow for many Newcastle fans hoping to get to the game.

The official allocation is only 2,300 and those tickets are currently on sale to Newcastle United members and season ticket holders who have 150 loyalty points or more.

The thing is, Fulham was a popular destination for many reasons and those included the bonus tickets away fans could get.

Fulham operating a 'neutral' part of Craven Cottage, where anybody could buy tickets.

In effect, for the best supported clubs such as Newcastle United, this simply meant a far bigger away following, rather than 'neutrals' getting their hands on these tickets.

Especially for many Newcastle United fans based in the south, Fulham representing one of the best chances of getting to see NUFC play in London.

Only problem is that there now isn't any neutral part of Craven Cottage, part of the ground is getting redeveloped and now no neutral part of the stadium.

I haven't read anything about a neutral section to be reinstated after the redevelopment work is complete, so it could be gone forever.

Fair to say though at these prices (unless you have a ticket in the official NUFC away end), many Newcastle fans in the south might think twice if they are offered tickets for the match by Fulham supporting mates etc.



Yes, top price £90 in the lower tier of the Riverside stand for any Newcastle fans (adults, pensioners, young adults) who might get hold of one somehow...though 'only' £60 for kids!

Indeed, apart from their family section at Craven Cottage, the cheapest adult tickets are £60 and upwards, as you can see above.

Things are all a bit crazy with these ticket prices when at the same time you have a Premier League initiative running, that prevents away fans paying any more than £30 in the official away section of any PL ground.

Interesting to see as well, that there is a £10 surcharge on prices for Fulham fans for the Newcastle United game, compared to their upcoming Bournemouth game.

I had a look at the Fulham website and interesting to see the prices for other upcoming Fulham matches. When Everton visit Craven Cottage the home fans are paying the same as for the Newcastle game, however, with massive club Aston Villa they are grouped with Bournemouth...



https://www.themag.co.uk/2022/09/bad-news-for-newcastle-united-fans-hoping-to-go-to-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

Premier League winner and Tete's former teammate: 5 Free Agents Fulham should be all over

The transfer window is over, but that doesn't mean that every team's squad list is finalised at this point.

Indeed, the free agent market is still ripe for the picking, and there are a few free agents out there that will surely catch the eye of a few Premier League clubs.

One team that could dip into this market is Fulham. The Whites added 11 new players this summer, but they still only have 23 senior players registered as the likes of Ivan Cavaleiro, Anthony Knockaert and Josh Onomah have been frozen out.

With two squad places left to fill, we're going to look at five Free Agents Fulham should be looking at over the next few weeks.

Fabian Delph
This one would make the world of sense.

Signed by Marco Silva at Everton, Fabian Delph is a player the Fulham manager knows well, and he would provide some quality depth in key areas.

After Antonee Robinson's injury, Fulham are once again looking light at left-back, where Delph can fill-in, while his natural central midfield position is also lacking bench options.

Delph would be a great understudy to Harrison Reed and this is a free transfer that could work well for all parties.

Adel Taarabt
They say never go back, but the timing for an Adel Taarabt return to Fulham could be perfect.

It's been seven years since Taarabt has played English football, and it's fair to say that a lot has changed since then.

The tricky Moroccon has gone from being a swashbuckling number 10 to a deep-lying number six, and he could act as a brilliant Jean Michael Seri replacement at Fulham.

Yes, the Whites have changed tact with Joao Palhinha now acting as more of a destroyer than a playmaker in that role this season, but against lesser opponents, Fulham may want to dictate possession and that's where a Taraabt/Seri type could come in handy.

Taarabt would be a decent depth option if nothing else for Fulham.

Zakaria Labyad
From one former Moroccan Fulham loanee to another, Zakaria Labyad spent an unhappy six months at Fulham back in 2016.

However, since his last stint at Craven Cottage, Labyad has impressed at both FC Utrecht and Ajax where he has even played Champions League football.

While Bobby Decordova-Reid is needed out on the wing, Fulham could do with some more attacking-midfield cover, and they could do a lot worse than bringing Labyad back to west London.

Jason Denayer
Fulham only have four senior centre-backs in their ranks right now, and while Tim Ream is performing above all expectations at the moment, if he returns to the player we saw in 2018/19 and 2020/21 Fulham will be in trouble.

A proven player on both international and European level, Denayer would add some real quality to this team, and the fact that he knows Kenny Tete from their time together at Lyon is an added bonus too.

Dan-Axel Zagadou
Speaking of quality defenders, it's hard to believe that nobody has picked Dan-Axel Zagadou up yet after his release from Borussia Dortmund.

Once linked to Arsenal, Zagadou is a fantastic young defender whose career has been hampered by injuries.

However, it must be noted that Borussia Dortmund suffered a ridiculous number of injuries under Marco Rose, so this may be down to the manager rather than the player.

Fulham have a few defensive options already, but Zagadou could genuinely be the best of the bunch if he manages to stay fit.

This one is certainly worth a gamble from the Whites.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/09/06/premier-league-winner-and-tetes-former-teammate-5-free-agents-fulham-should-be-all-over/

[WhiteJC]

Fossey completes permanent Standard Liege switch

Fulham full-back Marlon Fossey has completed a permanent move to Belgian side Standard Liege.

West London Sport reported last week that the 23-year-old was set to move to Standard Liege, having rejected the offer of a new deal with Fulham.

Fossey has attracted interest from a number of Championship clubs this summer after impressing on loan at League One side Bolton Wanderers last season.

The right-back came through Fulham's academy and has signed a three-year deal with the Belgian club.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-defender-completes-permanent-switch

[WhiteJC]

Fossey signs for Standard Liege
Fulham full back Marlon Fossey has completed his permanent move to Standard Liege.

The American defender, desperately unlucky with injuries in recent years, only made his senior debut for the Whites last month in the League Cup defeat at Crawley Town. Now 23, Fossey had seen recent loan spells with Shrewsbury Town and Bolton Wanderers cut short by injury. The US under-20 international, who had shone coming through the ranks as a speedy winger, has opted to move to Belgium for more regular first-team football to reignite his career.

Fossey told Fulham's official website this evening:

"It's a sad moment leaving Fulham and saying my goodbyes a few days ago was emotional. I've been in and around the club for about 12 years so I'm comfortable with everyone. It's also exciting that I'm stepping into a new environment at a higher level than I was playing at last season. The key for me was to play at a higher level consistently, and hopefully if I put the work in I can achieve that now.

"Initially, I was coming over every weekend for like a month and thankfully I did sign with my family there with me. My time here has been amazing. I really appreciate the many fans who have been looking out for me over the years and giving me words of encouragement when it came to injury progress."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/09/fossey-signs-for-standard-liege/

[filham]

A great move back home for Jay Stansfield, we must wish him well and hope he gets game time and that he returns to us an improved player next season.