Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 31/01/23...

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Acronis seals cyber protection partnership with Fulham FC

Acronis have announced a three-year partnership with London´s oldest professional football club, Fulham FC. EveryCloud.co.uk will support Acronis as its 'Strategic #Cyberfit' delivery partner providing its cyber protection solutions and cloud backup service to the club.

Under the 'Strategic #Cyberfit' delivery partner EveryCloud.co.uk, Acronis will provide Premier League side Fulham FC with a full suite of cyber protection solutions.

Arturs Banks, Head of IT of Fulham FC, said: "We are very pleased to be working with Acronis and EveryCloud UK, and we look forward to incorporating them into our cloud backup and file security infrastructure. Their support and expertise will be invaluable to Fulham FC and the Fulham FC Foundation as we continue to prioritise data and cyber security at the club."

Ronan McCurtin, VP of Sales Europe, Israel and Turkey, Acronis, said: "We are proud to be partnering with Fulham FC, a club that understands the importance of keeping their data protected. With EveryCloud.co.uk we have the right partner who will support us in providing the team with a full suite of Acronis cyber protection solutions to protect the team's data assets and optimise data workflow, facilitating the team performing at its best both on and off the pitch."

Paul Richards, Director of Technology, EveryCloud.co.uk, added: "EveryCloud.co.uk is delighted to partner with Fulham FC alongside our partner Acronis to deliver a complete suite of Cyber Protection services. Our proven track record of working with Acronis will enable Fulham FC to further protect their data, systems and infrastructure with the reliability and performance of Acronis' products and services. Even the strongest defence needs backup."



https://www.electronicspecifier.com/industries/security/acronis-seals-cyber-protection-partnership-with-fulham-fc

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Onomah set to terminate Fulham deal
Josh Onomah is in final discussions with Fulham over a mutual termination of his current contract, according to reports this afternoon.

The midfielder's Craven Cottage deal has six months to run and the Whites are willing to release the 25 year-old early in order to ensure he can gain first-team football elsewhere outside of the January transfer window, which closes on Tuesday. Onomah, who arrived at Fulham as part of the deal that took teenage starlet Ryan Sessegnon to Tottenham Hotspur in 2019, has made just two substitute appearances for Marco Silva this season – with the Portuguese head coach preferring Harrison Reed and Joao Palhinha in midfield.

Onomah, who has scored five goals in 76 appearances for Fulham, was also a bit-part player in Silva's first campaign at Craven Cottage, making 22 appearances as the Whites won the Championship title. He was close to joining West Bromwich Albion on loan in the summer transfer window – but the paperwork finalising the deal was not completed in time.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/01/onomah-set-to-terminate-fulham-deal/

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In Profile: Sasa Lukic
Jack Stroudley takes a deeper look at our potential new midfielder.

A right-back and a central midfielder. Those are the two positions that Fulham fans would've felt strongest about improving this January transfer window. Cedric Soares seems imminent to fill the first of those positions but the other and arguably more exciting player will plug the gap needed in midfield.

That man is Sasa Lukic, a 26 year old Serbian midfielder who looks to have agreed a deal to sign from Torino in the region of €10 million on a four year deal. I'm sure like many others I've not really heard a lot about Lukic and won't claim to be an expert on Italian football so figured I'd head online to see what he can bring to Fulham.

The fact file
Sasa Lukic started his career at Serbian side Partizan Belgrade where he was in the youth set-up from 2009, the now Serbian international played his first professional minutes on loan at FK Teleoptik in the Serbian third division where he spent two seasons picking up 39 appearances in that time and scoring nine goals.

Lukic returned to Belgrade and immediately was put into the Partizan side making his debut in 2015 against Novi Pazar. The 26-year-old became a staple of the Partizan midfield for the year he was there making appearances in the UEFA Champions League as well as captaining several games.

His impressive season in Serbia caught the attention of Italian outfit Torino and he was signed by the Italian side in 2016. In his first season, the youngster struggled to get minutes and was loaned out to Spanish side Levante where he played 16 times over the course of a season.

As the years progressed and Lukic gained more experience, his minutes in Italy increased and now in 2023, Lukic is a pivotal member of the Torino squad and has now managed to pick up over 150 appearances in Italy aged just 26. Lukic is also a main stay for Serbia and played in all three of their World Cup games in Qatar.

A deeper dive
Looking at Lukic a bit closer, he looks like he could play pretty much anywhere in the midfield! Someone who's got technical ability and has played previously in the 'number 10 role' who's not afraid to pop up with a goal or an assist. Further back he could deputise for Palhinha adequately with solid defensive numbers being above the average for clearances and ariels duels won but the position he is most likely to pick up is similar to Harrison Reed in the 'number eight role'.


Lukic and Reed comparison thanks to Soccerment.

Above I have attached an image comparing Sasa Lukic to Harrison Reed and it is quite apparent that Lukic is statistically a more improved version of the English midfielder. His passing range is much better both at short and long distances and he looks to be better at recovering the ball than Harrison Reed (ironically one of Reed's strengths) while maintaining similar levels to Reed in tackling and chance creation. Lukic arguably has also not hit his full peak either being only 26 the best is yet to come. He has also become Torino's penalty taker scoring four out of four over the last two seasons.

Yes or no?
This is without a doubt a good signing in my opinion. We're desperately in need of depth in midfield and having a player who can play anywhere in the midfield three is someone that ticks a lot of boxes for Silva. Lukic's statistics are fantastic and with Harrison Reed arguably being below his usual performances in the last few weeks bringing in a younger (and arguably more talented) midfielder provides the Englishman with much needed competition. His penalty taking ability alongside the relatively small price tag of €10 million and the long contract it seems like a good move for all parties.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2023-01-30-in-profile-sasa-lukic/

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Arsenal are on course to complete Cedric transfer as Premier League confirm rules for loan move

Arsenal are on the verge of allowing Cedric Soares to complete a loan move to fellow Premier League outfit Fulham, thus confirming their third major deal of the January transfer window

Cedric Soares' loan switch to Fulham from Arsenal is yet to be announced, but there is an explanation for the delay.

As reported by football.london, the experienced defender is on course to complete his loan move to the west London outfit by the end of last week. However, the transfer - albeit a temporary one - hasn't been confirmed, thus promoting some Gunners supporters to question if the 31-year-old could be staying put.

As a result, because this is only a loan deal, it's worth pointing out the rules in the Premier League Handbook for the 2022/23 season, specifically the restrictions on how many players Premier League clubs can loan from other Premier League/English clubs which are as follows.


    Premier League clubs may not register more than two players on loan at any one time.
    The maximum number of loans registrable in the same season is four, and, under no circumstances, shall more than one be from the same club at any one time.

    Premier League clubs cannot loan to another Premier League club a player they have acquired in the same transfer window.

    A Premier League club may loan not more than one of its goalkeepers to another Premier League club.

*With the exception of Welsh clubs competing in the competitions listed under Rule V.6.2, loans from a club in membership of another National Association do not count towards the above quotas.

As things stand, only the first rule applies to Fulham, as they already have two players on loan from two different Premier League clubs in Daniel James and Shane Duffy from Leeds United and Brighton & Hove Albion, respectively, which means they've used up their allocated quota.

Now, this doesn't mean a deal for Cedric can't be completed, although unless the Cottagers are planning to turn one of the aforementioned loans into a permanent transfer, then one has to be terminated in order for the 31-year-old to be registered in their Premier League squad.

football.london understands, Fulham are hoping to turn Duffy's loan deal into a permanent one and if and when that happens, they will get the green light to complete the signing of Cedric

Where the Gunners will mostly benefit from this deal is with Fulham covering the defender's wages - which are estimated to be in the region of £100,000-per-week - in full, as Marco Silva gets his wish to be reunited with the 31-year-old having managed him at Sporting CP.

In truth, this move makes sense for all parties involved. For Arsenal, they are freeing up some money on the wage bill - even if it's only for a few months - Cedric has the chance to play regularly having been behind Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu in the pecking order this season, and the Cottagers gain an experienced player who offers versatility in both full-back positions.

It's been a busy month for the Gunners thus far with Arthur Okonkwo, Miguel Azeez, Brooke Norton-Cuffy and Ovie Ejeheri being recalled from their respective loan spells before joining new clubs, whilst Harry Clarke has joined Ipswich Town on a permanent deal after his time with Stoke City came to an end.

Meanwhile, in terms of the Arsenal first-team squad, manager Mikel Arteta has bolstered his options across the forward line and in defence with the signings of Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior for a combined fee of £42million.



https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/transfer-news/arsenal-cedric-transfer-premier-league-26068408

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Middlesbrough holding discussions about departure of Rodrigo Muniz

MIDDLESBROUGH are working with Fulham to try to engineer an exit strategy for Rodrigo Muniz in the final two days of the transfer window.

Senior Boro officials have held ongoing discussions with their counterparts at Craven Cottage to try to pave the way for an early curtailment of Muniz's loan deal on Teesside.

The Brazilian signed a season-long loan when he joined Boro in the summer, and as things stand, the Teessiders are committed to honouring the loan agreement, which sees them paying a proportion of the striker's weekly wages.

However, Muniz has been frozen out of the first-team picture under Michael Carrick, and ideally, the Boro head coach would like to send the South American back to his permanent employers.

Muniz did not feature in the matchday squad for Saturday's 2-0 win over Watford, with his most recent start having come in October's 2-1 win over Preston.

The recent arrival of Cameron Archer has relegated him even further down the pecking order, with Boro also boasting Matt Crooks, Marcus Forss, Chuba Akpom, Matthew Hoppe and Duncan Watmore as attacking options.

Fulham are aware of the situation, and do not really want Muniz kicking his heels in Boro's reserve ranks for the remainder of the season.

However, Cottagers boss Marco Silva does not want to restore the 21-year-old to his own first-team squad for the final four months of the campaign.

Ideally, Fulham would like to send Muniz back out on loan to another club in the Championship as they have not given up on him and continue to regard him as an important long-term investment.

However, while there has been some interest from clubs in the second tier, there has not been a formal offer from any of Boro's rivals at this stage.

There have been formal approaches from abroad, but Fulham are not especially keen on Muniz heading overseas for the next four months.

Brazilian club Gremio held discussions at the start of the year, but were effectively told that Fulham will not be sending Muniz back to South America just a year-and-a-half after he was signed from Flamengo.

Tentative discussions have taken place with a couple of European clubs, and there is a chance they could be pursued further ahead of tomorrow's deadline.



https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/23285840.middlesbrough-holding-discussions-departure-rodrigo-muniz/

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Juventus rival Fulham for Roma defender Rick Karsdorp

The Dutch defender had a falling-out with Jose Mourinho and could depart before the deadline

Juventus have contacted Roma about a loan deal for Rick Karsdorp, who has barely featured after a fall-out with manager Jose Mourinho.

The Turin club are looking to revitalise their season after a 15-point deduction in the so-called "plusvalenza" case, with that also causing uncertainty about what next, especially given the near-certainty they won't be returning to the Champions League next season.

That has consequently necessitated looking at other options in the market as they may also be forced to sell key assets, and Karsdorp has emerged as a potential option at full-back due to his own circumstances.

The 27-year-old joined the Giallorossi from Feyenoord in 2017 but has played just nine times in Serie A this term, with his last appearance coming on 9 November as a substitute against Sassuolo.

While Mourinho has spoken about potentially re-integrating the 27-year-old Dutch international, Roma are naturally open to moving him on, and had previously spoken to Fulham about a deal.

"Karsdorp is frozen out for as long as he wants to be," Mourinho said. "It doesn't take much to change the situation.

"Someone lied about what happened, giving a bad impression of me and the club that we did not deserve. It's up to Rick."

Juve are currently only interested in a temporary deal, though.

Interest is anticipated in Danilo, who is one of their more saleable assets.



https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/rick-karsdorp-juventus-fulham-roma-b2271949.html

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Fulham to terminate deal of former West Brom target, putting Championship clubs on high alert

Championship clubs have been put on alert as reports emerged suggesting Josh Onomah is in talks to terminate his contract with Fulham.

Football Insider is reporting that the former Tottenham Hotspur playmaker is in talks to cancel his contract, allowing him to leave on a free transfer and speak to other clubs as a free agent.

Onomah is in the final six months of his Fulham deal and both parties are ready to agree a termination to allow the midfielder to become a free agent. This comes after West Brom failed to sign the midfielder in the summer after a move fell through at the last minute.

The former Aston Villa loanee has found football hard to come by this season, making just two appearances for Fulham since their return to the Premier League, with Silva preferring Joao Palhinha and Harrison Reed in Fulham's usual two midfield roles.

He was a squad player last season in their Championship promotion campaign, playing 22 times, including eight league starts as the Londoners secured the title. In total, Onomah has made 76 appearances since signing for the club in 2019, with his next move likely to be an important one.

This is likely to put Championship clubs on high alert, with the potential to sign a playmaker with promotion-winning pedigree too good of an opportunity to pass up.

The Verdict
Onomah boasts plenty of experience at Championship level and that will likely sway plenty of clubs when it comes to adding him to their team.

Whether West Brom make a move or not can't be ruled out, as Corberan has already alluded to adding another midfielder to his side, as well as needing to fill the void left by Matt Phillips after his injury.

Whilst there hasn't been solid interest in Onomah at Championship level, it's likely to not be long before he becomes available.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-to-terminate-deal-of-form-west-brom-target-putting-championship-clubs-on-high-alert/

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Fulham FC announces "cutting-edge" partnership with cyber protection firm

Acronis, a global cyber protection company, today announced a three-year partnership with London's oldest professional football club, Fulham FC.

EveryCloud.co.uk will support Acronis as its 'Strategic #Cyberfit' delivery partner provides its "cutting-edge" cyber protection solutions and cloud backup service to the club. Under the Strategic #Cyberfit delivery partner EveryCloud.co.uk, Acronis will provide Premier League side Fulham FC with a full suite of cyber protection solutions.

Arturs Banks, head of IT of Fulham FC, commented: "We are very pleased to be working with Acronis and EveryCloud UK, and we look forward to incorporating them into our cloud backup and file security infrastructure.

"Their support and expertise will be invaluable to Fulham FC and the Fulham FC Foundation as we continue to prioritise data and cyber security at the club."

Ronan McCurtin, VP of sales Europe, Israel and Turkey, Acronis, added: "We are proud to be partnering with Fulham FC, a club that understands the importance of keeping their data protected.

"With EveryCloud.co.uk we have the right partner who will support us in providing the team with a full suite of Acronis cyber protection solutions to protect the team's data assets and optimise data workflow, facilitating the team performing at its best both on and off the pitch."

Paul Richards, director of technology, EveryCloud.co.uk, concluded: "EveryCloud.co.uk is delighted to partner with Fulham FC alongside our partner Acronis to deliver a complete suite of Cyber Protection services.

"Our proven track record of working with Acronis will enable Fulham FC to further protect their data, systems and infrastructure with the reliability and performance of Acronis' products and services. Even the strongest defence needs backup."



https://bdaily.co.uk/articles/2023/01/30/fulham-fc-announces-cutting-edge-partnership-with-cyber-protection-firm

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FA Youth Cup Date Confirmed

Fulham Under-18s' FA Youth Cup fifth round tie against Southampton will take place on Tuesday 7th February, with kick-off at 7pm.

Our youngsters will play at St Mary's against a side who knocked out last year's winners Aston Villa in the previous round.

Ali Melloul's lads produced a strong display against a decent Sunderland outfit last month to ensure progression.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2023/january/30/FA-Youth-Cup-Date-Confirmed/

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Arsenal loan to Fulham held up by Brighton

Cedric Soares' loan move from Arsenal to Fulham is still on, but both clubs are still waiting on Shane Duffy's transfer from Brighton.

Football.London report that Cedric Soares is still on course to complete a loan move to Fulham in the January transfer window, but the deal is still being held up by Shane Duffy's likely transfer from Brighton.

If and when Fulham turn Duffy's loan into a permanent deal, Football.London report that Fulham will then get the green light to complete Cedric's signing.

The hold-up is due to the face that Fulham have Duffy and Dan James on loan, and the Premier League has a cap of two loanees from other Premier League clubs.

As a result, they can't loan Cedric unless they either make one of their current loan deals into a permanent move, or terminate the loan early.

The Daily Mail initially reported that Fulham would solve this problem by signing Duffy on a permanent deal.

That deal is the cheaper of the two to complete, compared to bringing in James permanently, so it's the preferred option this month.

Fulham and Arsenal have already agreed on a six-month loan deal, and Fulham will cover Cedric's current wages in full. Cedric reportedly earns close to £100,000-a-week at Arsenal.

Charles Watts reports that it was a tough decision for Cedric to leave this month, given Arsenal's position in a title race. But his desire to play regularly and Marco Silva's determination to sign him won out.

Now it's a race against time to get the deals done before the deadline.



https://dailycannon.com/2023/01/cedric-fulham-brighton/

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Games for the Week-end 03/02
We make the short trip to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea for the second time in 3 weeks

What a night at the Cottage the last game was!, Carlos Vinicius wrote his name in Fulham's Hall of Fame scoring the winner against our closest rivals.
I'm sure this game will be different from the last, Chelsea will be looking for revenge, a win will see them leapfrog us, they'll have a number of their injured players return. However we'll have Mitro' available, it's about time he got back on the score-sheet! and this game would be the perfect time for yet another Mitro' winner?
At this point, Fulham haven't announced any new signings, two or three are imminent?, so I don't think we'll see any of the new players for this game, perhaps the Sunderland FA Cup replay?

Interestingly Chelsea, to date, are the biggest global spenders on transfers having spent £489million on 15 players, with more to follow in the last days of this window? Chelsea have, so far, managed to circumnavigate Financial Fair Play rules by signing players on extended contracts enabling them to spread the transfer fee over the life of the deal, for example the £89 million for Mykhailo Mudryk will be valued at £11 million a year. UEFA has said that it will change the rules, starting in the summer window, to limit the length a fee can be spread to 5 years.

Current Form:
Chelsea – DLLWD
Fulham – WWWLL

Our recent record against Chelsea, got a little better after the last game, is still woful with 2 wins, 12 losses and 4 draws, wouldn't it wonderful to do the double over them?

Assuming no further injuries would be...

COYW's

An important reminder for any Fulham fans attending Stamford Bridge, please remember to wipe your feet on the way out of the stadium.

Games of Interest...

Friday 3rd
Chelsea v Fulham

Saturday 4th
Everton v Arsenal
Brentford v Southampton
Brighton v Bournemouth
Man Utd v Palace
Newcastle v West Ham

Sunday 5th
Forest v Leeds
Spurs v Man City

come on over to the forum and join in the conversation...
https://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?board=36.0



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=2505

[WhiteJC]

Player 'didn't train today' ahead of Fulham transfer – Expected to travel to London 'tonight

As Fulham continue their search for a new midfielder to bolster their squad, it appears they are closing in quickly on Torino's Sasa Lukic.

The Italian media have been on top of the situation for a while now, and the most recent reports explained an agreement had been found, while a doctor from the Craven Cottage side was heading to Italy to carry out the medical.

Well, this has led to the latest update from TuttoMercatoWeb, who explain the Serbia international 'didn't train today' after a €13m deal was struck between the two sides, with Fulham paying €10m up front with €3m in bonuses.

As for the player, he has yet to leave for London, but 'should do it tonight', meaning he could be in England by the end of the day.

Whether this signing puts an end to Fulham's pursuit of Sander Berge remains to be seen, but it's certainly a good deal for the Premier League side, who want to continue their great first half of the campaign, as they currently sit seventh in the table after 21 games, with a game in hand on Brentford and two on Liverpool.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/player-didnt-train-today-ahead-fulham-transfer-expected-travel-london-tonight/

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Newcastle prepared to exceed Fulham's £25m bid for Sander Berge

Newcastle United are prepared to exceed Fulham's £25 million bid for Sander Berge with a loan-to-buy offer for the Sheffield United midfielder, according to a report from 90min.

Berge could perhaps be one player who is on the move on the final day of the January transfer window. It would appear that Fulham are on pole position to land the Norwegian.

His contract expires at the end of next season. And 90min reports that Fulham have offered around £25 million for the 24-year-old.

Newcastle prepared to exceed Fulham's bid for Berge
Newcastle do want Berge. However, it appears that they are about to leave the Championship promotion-chasers with something of a dilemma.

90min reports that Newcastle want to take Berge on loan in a move that would become permanent in the summer. And it is claimed that the Magpies would be prepared to spend more than £25 million to keep him at the end of the season.

That has left Sheffield United weighing up whether that is the offer they wish to accept. Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see whether Berge has a preference.

Clearly, both Newcastle and Fulham have been outstanding in the Premier League this season. You would imagine that the Magpies will have the much better chance of sustaining their success.

Berge is an intriguing target. He has a lot of quality. Chris Basham suggested that he is 'fantastic' and labelled him a Rolls Royce. But it is probably also fair to say that he has not realised his full potential with the Blades.

However, there is a reason Premier League sides are willing to part with at least £25 million to do a deal. So it would be no surprise to see him move before the deadline.



https://tbrfootball.com/newcastle-prepared-to-exceed-fulhams-25m-bid-for-sander-berge/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham edge closer to £11.5m Sasa Lukic deal as report drops exciting update

Sasa Lukic did not train with the Torino squad today as the Serie A enforcer prepares to pack his bags and head to the Premier League with Fulham, according to Tuttomercatoweb.

At his Friday press conference, in the build up to Il Granata's 2-2 draw with Empoli, head coach Ivan Juric insisted that Torino would bounce back stronger from the departure of their former captain. Behind the scenes, however, the Croatian coach does not appear to be quite so relaxed.

Sport Italia say that Juric is 'furious' about Lukic's impending departure. One of the longest-serving players at Torino, the Serbia international has started 13 Serie A games this season. His leadership, reliability and set-piece prowess will certainly be missed. Torino's loss very much Fulham's gain.

According to TMW, Marco Silva's side will pay £11.5 million; £9 million up front. Lukic will sign a four-and-a-half year deal until the summer of 2027, while taking home almost £40,000-a-week at Craven Cottage.

The report adds that Lukic should board a flight to London Monday evening. The former Partizan Belgrade man was conspicuous by his absence during Torino's training session earlier today. Lukic, who featured at the Qatar World Cup, will link up with compatriot Aleksandr Mitrovic at Fulham. 

"I was with him in Turin," Juventus' former Granata defender Gleison Bremer tells Mozzart Sport of Lukic. "He is an excellent midfielder."

Fulham are closing in on Torino midfielder Sasa Lukic
A rangy and physical presence at 6ft, the one-time Levante loanee should provide some much-needed strength in depth at Craven Cottage, Fulham lacking genuine cover for the outstanding Joao Palhinha.

The seldom-seen Nathaniel Chalobah, meanwhile, could join West Brom before Tuesday's deadline.

In addition to Lukic, Fulham have also made big-money bids in the region of £20 million for Sheffield United's Sander Berge and Fluminense starlet Andre Trindade.

"He's not here," Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom told The Star; Berge left out of Sheffield United's 3-3 FA Cup draw with Wrexham. "We've been asked not to use him. Our club's speaking to other clubs regarding him. 

"It doesn't mean Sander's going anywhere. Sander is happy here. But the situation we find ourselves in – mid-takeover with a transfer embargo, no clarity which way it's going and financial issues – one way to potentially resolve some issues is selling a player."

Newcastle United are also chasing Norway international Berge.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2023/01/30/fulham-edge-closer-to-11-5m-sasa-lukic-deal-as-report-drops-exciting-update/

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West Ham now want to sign £6.5m right-back Kevin Mbabu from London rivals – report

West Ham are reportedly keen to sign Kevin Mbabu from Fulham before tomorrow's 11pm transfer deadline.

That's according to transfer specialist Dean Jones who told Give Me Sport that the Hammers are exploring a deal to sign the 27-year-old Fulham defender.

Hammers boss David Moyes desperately needs to bolster his right-back ranks at the London Stadium before the January transfer window slams shut tomorrow at 11pm.

The Scot needs to bring in an upgrade on Vladimir Coufal, and it seems as though Fulham's Mbabu is an option...

West Ham eying Kevin Mbabu swoop
Dean Jones has told Give Me Sport that Mbabu is one option being explored by the Hammers.

The 27-year-old hasn't really made an impact with the west London outfit as yet.

The 22-capped Switzerland international moved to the Premier League last summer when he joined Fulham from Wolfsburg for around €7.5 million (£6.5 million) according to The Athletic. However, he has only made six league appearances for the Cottagers, with five of them coming off the bench.

In spite of that, the Swiss right-back does have the attributes needed to succeed in the Premier League. He stands at 6ft tall, and has a stocky build. Mbabu is actually very strong in the challenge too, and in my opinion, he would be a big upgrade on Vladimir Coufal.

The Fulham man possesses real pace and is an attacking full-back in every sense – something that Moyes is in desperate need of.

In my opinion, Kevin Mbabu would be a decent signing for West Ham.

Having said that, there are definitely better, younger and more exciting possibilities out there for the Hammers this month.



https://www.hammers.news/transfer-news/west-ham-now-want-to-sign-6-5m-right-back-kevin-mbabu-from-london-rivals-report/

[WhiteJC]

Chalobah poised for West Brom move
Nathaniel Chalobah is inching closer to a permanent move to West Bromwich Albion, according to a report from the Athletic this evening.

The Fulham midfielder had been linked with a loan switch to the Hawthorns last week and, initial discussions between the two clubs had included talks over a potential loan with an option to buy, but a permanent transfer looks most likely now. The one-time England international has struggled for game time at Craven Cottage this season, making only four appearances – one of which saw him sent off within seven minutes against Newcastle United in October.

Marco Silva is keen to strengthen Fulham's midfield options with moves for Sasa Lukic and Sander Berge well under way.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/01/chalobah-poised-for-west-brom-move/

[WhiteJC]

Sunderland or Fulham to play Leeds United at home FA Cup fifth round after replay

Sunderland or Fulham will face Leeds United at home in the fifth-round of the FA Cup.

Sunderland play Fulham at the Stadium of Light in a fourth-round replay after the two sides played out a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage last Saturday, Jack Clarke putting the visitors ahead before Tom Cairney's equaliser.

The Black Cats thought they had nicked a late and memorable equaliser when 15-year-old Chris Rigg scored in front of the 5,000-strong away end before it was ruled out.

The winner of the replay will then face Leeds United of the Premier League. Fifth-round ties will be played in the midweek commencing Monday, 27 February. Sunderland pocketed £105,000 after beating Shrewsbury Town in the third round and will scoop £120,000 should they overcome Fulham. Winners of fifth-round ties win £225,000

Sunderland are next in league action against Millwall this Saturday at The Den, facing Fulham in the replay three days later on Wearside.



https://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/football/sunderland-afc/sunderland-or-fulham-to-play-leeds-united-at-home-fa-cup-fifth-round-after-replay-4007320

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Fulham set to complete Lukic deal as Chalobah heads to West Brom

Fulham are set to complete the signing of Torino midfielder Sasa Lukic.

The 26-year-old Serbian – an international team-mate of Whites striker Aleksandar Mitrovic – is expected to arrive in London on Tuesday morning to finalise his move.

Fulham are paying around £8m for Lukic, further boosting the midfield options the club bolstered during the summer.

It will lead to at least one departure, with Nathaniel Chalobah set to join West Brom.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-set-to-complete-lukic-deal-as-chalobah-heads-to-west-brom

[WhiteJC]

Fulham want permanent Cedric deal, negotiating price

Cedric is off on loan to Fulham and the Cottagers are now trying to negotiate a price with Arsenal to sign him permanently in the summer.

ulham and Arsenal have reached a loan agreement for Cedric Soares until the end of June.

According to Sky Sports, Fulham are keen to sign the Arsenal 31-year-old on a permanent basis when his loan expires in the summer.

The club is reportedly exploring the option of making his transfer permanent in June if they can agree the right price with Arsenal.

What that might be is hard to tell.

Arsenal vastly overpaid for the defender who has been injured or disappointing for his two-and-a-half years with the club but, for whatever reason, Fulham have doggedly pursued him since at least November.

Cedric's loan move from Arsenal to Fulham is currently pending due to a Premier League rule limiting Premier League clubs to two loaned players from other Premier League clubs.

Fulham need to either make one of their current loan deals permanent or end the loan early before they can loan Cedric.

A permanent move for Shane Duffy from Brighton is seen as the preferred option as it would be cheaper when compared to trying to sign their other loanee, Dan James.

Both clubs have agreed on a six-month loan deal with Fulham covering Cedric's wages £100kpw wages.



https://dailycannon.com/2023/01/arsenal-fulham-cedric-2/

[WhiteJC]

West Brom have fresh hope to sign Fulham midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah

West Brom reportedly have fresh hope of sign Fulham midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah on transfer deadline day.

According to Birmingham Live [30 January], the Premier League outfit are eyeing a host of midfielders this month and will be looking to sign someone on the 31st.

This makes Chalobah, a player the Baggies have enquired about, free to leave once a replacement is sorted.

Get it done
It seemed that in the past few days, West Brom were prioritising a move for Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O'Brien.

However, they no longer seem to be in pole position to sign him as Sheffield United are likelier to secure his services.

It's smart on the Baggies' end to not put all their eggs in one basket as they've now shifted focus to Chalobah.

He seems a more attainable target and hopefully, all goes well and they end up getting that deal over the line before the deadline passes.

In the summer, Josh Onomah looked all set to move to the Hawthorns, but the paperwork wasn't sorted in time and the move ended up falling through unfortunately.

They've got to get things done in the first half of the day so afterwards, most of what's left will be a formality.



https://www.westbromnews.co.uk/2023/01/30/west-brom-have-fresh-hope-to-sign-fulham-midfielder-nathaniel-chalobah/