Friday Fulham Stuff - 02/06/23...

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Fabio Carvalho transfer decision for Liverpool after Philippe Coutinho change and harsh 342-minute truth

The ECHO takes a closer look at Fabio Carvalho's Liverpool situation as loan interest intensifies

For a manager who rarely gives anything away in his press conferences, Jurgen Klopp's frankness when discussing Fabio Carvalho's future represented a major surprise last week.

Even more so given the Liverpool e boss was not even prompted to talk about the young attacker when he revealed that he would open to loaning him out this summer.

Having earlier been asked about some of the younger players at his disposal and the opportunities that might present themselves next season for a squad in the Europa League, Klopp talked up the likes of Stefan Bajcetic, Ben Doak, Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones.

The revelation of the plans for Carvalho only came later when the manager was asked about transfer targets for next season and the Reds boss belatedly had his memory jogged about the 20-year-old.

"By the way now, I forgot about Fabio Carvalho when I spoke about young players," Klopp began. "I forgot about him but it's just that maybe there is a possibility that Fabio will go on loan or whatever, we will see.

"I think there is maybe a possibility Fabio goes on loan but the thing is this was not Fabio's best year in his career, clear, but it might have been his most important.

"No player has impressed me more than Fabio, it is the truth. This talented boy came here with big dreams and big expectations and it didn't work out – it was OK in the beginning but it didn't work out in the end. But his work ethic will give him a fantastic career because he trained with getting nothing.

"Players have only one issue each week: you line me up or you put me in the squad. It's the only thing to satisfy a player. If I don't do that it is about how the player reacts and his reactions – in a row - I never saw before. Unbelievable. I'm not sure if he will go on loan but if we keep him we will see that."

Having started just one game since Christmas - in the FA Cup against Wolves in January - Carvalho, whose entire season lasted just 342 minutes, could see his future away from Liverpool in the coming weeks. The question is whether it will be permanent or not.

Whatever happens this summer, it's fair to say Carvalho has simply been a victim of circumstances in his maiden season at Anfield. Few predicted the alarming drop-off in performances and results last term for a team who had won both domestic cups before finishing their season with 92 Premier League points and a Champions League runners-up spot.

It was hoped that Carvalho's development and progress could come in a stable squad that was full of proven winners who had lifted every major trophy available across the three years previous. Instead, he found himself having to adjust to his first season in the Premier League, at a giant like Liverpool, during a period of shock regression while still in his teens. It was a difficult environment for him to thrive.

There can be little doubt, though, that his opportunities started to significantly dwindle the further Liverpool went in their season. Just five appearances of the 21 he made last term came after the World Cup and his last Premier League start was the 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in October.

One of the difficulties, perhaps, is knowing where best to utilise his talents. Klopp's decision to start him in a midfield three alongside Elliott and Fabinho in a Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in September fell flat and he was withdrawn at half time with a dead leg.

His diminutive frame, tight close control and ability to pick the key pass in the final third maybe point to a player best suited to a No.10 role that Liverpool haven't played with since Philippe Coutinho moved to Barcelona over five years ago.

A 98th-minute winner against Newcastle United in late August has been the highlight of Carvalho's time to date, while his sweetly-struck volley in the 9-0 thumping of Bournemouth earlier that month was also a snapshot of his undoubted technical acumen, but overall, last season was just bad timing more than anything for the former Fulham youngster.

Liverpool worked hard to secure their agreement with Fulham at the start of last year. Having failed in their efforts to sign him as a transfer deadline day addition, an agreement was quickly reached in February of that year but with the Reds mindful of Fulham's promotion push, confirmation was not made public until after the campaign when the Cottagers were promoted as runaway winners of the Championship.

"He's a player we have always rated, coming out of the academy and we would have loved to have kept him," said Fulham owner Tony Khan in May last year. "But we have made a deal that is best for the club and since that agreement, it's worked out wonderfully because he has been such a valuable part of promotion."

Liverpool were desperate to avoid a tribunal with Fulham, having seen relations between the two clubs sour as a result of the Harvey Elliott pursuit in 2019 and instead, an agreement was reached to see the Reds pay the Londoners an initial £5m sum with a further £2.7m in add-ons, despite the prospect of snaring him for cheaper had they waited.

Sporting directors Julian Ward and Michael Edwards and Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon all worked on the deal to secure Carvalho and were said to be hugely impressed with how their Fulham counterparts of owner Khan and CEO Alistair Mackintosh handled the negotiation process.

Liverpool insist they have no desire to lose Carvalho on a permanent deal this summer and it is fair to reflect that there are major figures within the club beyond the manager who believe the versatile forward can be a difference maker in time at Anfield.

It is understood the Reds have already turned down one offer from an unnamed club with RB Leipzig reported to be keen. The Reds also fended off competition from abroad to land him last year with both Porto and Borussia Dortmund among those interested in the former Portugal Under-21 international.

A 20% sell-on clause that was inserted into the deal with Fulham is perhaps another factor for why Liverpool are insistent they don't want to lose Carvalho on anything other than a short-term loan deal when the transfer window opens.

They are, however, sympathetic to the player's wish to get more game-time on the pitch next season and despite the departures of James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Roberto Firmino and Naby Keita, the expected arrival of further reinforcements means that is something Klopp simply can't promise.

Interestingly, though, despite being a former Portugal youth international and the fact he was born in Porto, Carvalho qualifies for homegrown status and that is something the club have started to consider more prominently in recent times, even more so now Oxlade-Chamberlain and Milner have departed.

Carvalho's age and potential was also a factor. He was one of nine first-team signings made since September 2020 that were all aged 25 or under and while Liverpool need instant results going forward as they aim to rebuild and get themselves back into the Champions League spots next season, there is no real appetite to cast aside Carvalho indefinitely this coming summer as they get set for a wave of interest in a young player with vast potential.

"It's a long road to become your best version," Klopp said in that same press conference in specific reference to Curtis Jones. "Because you are young, there are big expectations, massive criticism from outside and all these kinds of things. To find yourself a way through all of that is not easy." He could quite as easily have been talking about Carvalho.

With several loan offers already on the table from Premier League clubs, an intriguing summer now awaits. Picking the right one could be vital to his long-term future, be it at Anfield or not.



https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/inside-fabio-carvalhos-first-season-27033870

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Marco Silva joins Ange Postecoglou and Luis Enrique on Tottenham manager shortlist

Postecoglou has plenty of admirers after his efforts at Celtic while Silva was one of the managers of the year with Fulham this season

Tottenham Hotspur are understood to be considering three candidates for their long-vacant manager's job: Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou, Fulham's Marco Silva and the former Spain coach Luis Enrique.

The expectation is that all three will be fully considered by Daniel Levy, the Spurs chairman who is leading the process, and that the appointment will come before the club bring in a successor to Fabio Paratici as sporting director. Levy also has the support in the appointment process of the club's chief football officer, Scott Munn, who will be joining Spurs from City Football Group.

Postecoglou has been a success at Celtic since finally getting a major break in European football with Celtic two years ago. His team will complete a treble of domestic trophies if they beat Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Cup final on Saturday, and no talks will take place until after that game. The 57-year-old was appointed by Celtic during Covid while manager of Yokohama F Marinos in the Japanese J-League and had long wondered whether his chance at a big club in Europe would ever come.   

The Australian came to Celtic without any coaches or assistants who had worked with him previously and he then wrestled back the title from Rangers in his first season, as well as winning the League Cup. He is also attracting interest from other English clubs including Leicester City, relegated to the Championship at the weekend. Crystal Palace are admirers but are unlikely to make that appointment this summer.

When pushed on his links to Spurs, Postecoglou insisted on Thursday he has a one-track mind on Saturday's Scottish Cup final. The former Australia head coach played down suggestions he is primed for a move to the Premier League, and raised the ever-changing landscape at Spurs as a way of distancing himself from the job ahead of Celtic's shot at the treble.

"Somebody else was favourite last week, wasn't he? So, it doesn't register," Postecoglou said. "I get all the interest and why people love to speculate on these things but we have worked really, really hard to get ourselves into this position and for me to let my mind wander about anything else than getting our team prepared for a big day on Saturday, is just not who I am.

"If a cup final isn't enough to draw all my attention to that, then nothing will be."

Silva has one year left on his deal at Fulham and is in discussions to extend that contract after an impressive 10th place finish this season. It is unclear whether Fulham would be prepared to deal with Spurs should the Portuguese coach wish to leave. The compensation clause for the final year of his Fulham deal is understood to be worth around £6 million.

Luis Enrique was under consideration for the Chelsea job in the early stages, until Mauricio Pochettino became the obvious frontrunner. The former Spain, Barcelona and Roma coach has been interested in managing in the Premier League. He is also a contender for the job at new Serie A champions Napoli, with Luciano Spalletti to leave this summer.



https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/06/01/tottenham-next-manager-marco-silva-ange-postecoglou-enrique/

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Report: Tottenham could still appoint 45-year-old PL manager instead of Postecoglou, he's on Levy's shortlist

Marco Silva is still in Tottenham's thinking to become their next manager.

It was reported on Thursday that Spurs are closing in on the appointment of Ange Postecoglou as their new Head Coach, but The Telegraph report that Spurs still have a three-man shortlist that they're working through.

Postecoglou, as we know, is on that final shortlist, while long-term target, Luis Enrique, is also still in the frame.

However, Marco Silva has also made the final cut, and that is a very intriguing update to say the least.

The Fulham boss has always been mentioned as a potential candidate, but there have never been what you would describe as concrete suggestions that he could get the job, but now, it looks like he has a real shot at it.

Silva would cost Tottenham around £6m in compensation, but that could well be worth it considering the job he has done with Fulham over the last two years.

A 10th-placed finish this term has caught the eye, but his work in the Championship was perhaps more impressive.

His free-scoring Fulham team romped to the title last year, winning three separate games 7-0 along the way.

Silva has consistently proven that when he is handed a strong side he gets results. Just look at his work at Olympiakos as an example.

Yes, the standard is different, but winning football is winning football, and he could be the man to transform Spurs' fortunes.

Unlike Enrique and Postecoglou, Silva comes with a lot of Premier League experience under his belt, and at the age of just 45, he's still a very young manager who could still build a long-term project at the club.

Don't be shocked if you hear more and more about Silva joining Spurs in the coming weeks.



https://tbrfootball.com/report-tottenham-could-still-appoint-45-year-old-pl-manager-instead-of-postecoglou-hes-on-levys-shortlist/

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Grading Fulham's 2022/23 signings
Jack Stroudley rates all the signings from a memorable Premier League campaign.

It's that time of the year again. Fulham have had a season to remember; a top half finish and a record-breaking number of wins during a Premier League campaign. The squad seemed well equipped when we gained promotion last season, but needed a mixture of Premier League quality, experience, and overall squad depth. We made 13 signings over the course of this season; some were hits and some were most definitely... misses. As it's become a yearly tradition, I will be grading each of these signings to see how well we fared in the transfer market during a successful Premier League campaign.

Bernd Leno
When Fulham gained promotion to the Premier League, the question marks once again rose about the quality of Marek Rodak as well as back-up keeper Paulo Gazzaniga. Two years ago, Scott Parker rolled the dice, bringing in Alphonse Areola from PSG and while we were inevitably relegated, the Frenchman certainly helped the cause. This time, Marco Silva took the punt and landed on an out-of-sorts Bernd Leno from Arsenal.

The German moved across London for a deal worth up to £8 million. Despite having limited minutes at Arsenal, Leno found is feet quickly and has proved to be a fantastic asset for Fulham. Leno has the second best save percentage in the Premier League (77.1%) and has saved a ludicrous 13 shots from inside the six-yard area. Leno's importance to Fulham's overall league position cannot be underestimated, and if it wasn't for a certain midfielder (who we will get onto later) he would be my signing of the season, and for an initial £3 million he has proved to be a bargain.

Grade: A

Issa Diop
Continuing on the theme of Premier League experience, Issa Diop signed for Fulham for £15 million in August, and despite West Ham fans laughing at his signing back in the summer, they've certainly been proved wrong. It didn't start swimmingly for the Frenchman, who put in a performance to forget away to Crawley in the Carabao Cup.

Since then, Diop has played 25 times in the Premier League and has built decent partnerships with both Tosin and Tim Ream. Diop's limitations on the ball is the only concerning part of his game. He has proven to be a more than adequate Premier League defender, averaging 0.75 blocks per 90. Issa's only 26 as well, so he'll continue to improve for Fulham throughout his five-year contract. A smart signing that has worked out well for all parties.

Grade: B

Kevin Mbabu
When signing Mbabu back in July, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a very smart piece of business. A 28 year old with pedigree in European football for a cut-price of £5 million had all the makings to provide Kenny Tete with good competition. Those thoughts seemed to make sense in August when he provided the assist for Mitrovic's winner against Brentford. Since then though, it's been a season to forget for Mbabu.

Racking up just 144 minutes of Premier League football throughout the first half of the season, the Swiss defender was sent on loan to former club Servette and has played 15 times since joining in January. At the time of writing, Servette currently sit in second place, and while he may have found his feet in Switzerland, this signing has to go down as a flop. You'd imagine he'll move on permanently in the summer.

Grade: F

Shane Duffy
Coming into the opening game of the season, Fulham had two fit central defenders and were crying out for reinforcements. Just one day before our opener against Liverpool, Shane Duffy came through the door on an initial season-long loan from Brighton. The signing was met with a lot of confusion and concern amongst Fulham fans that we were falling into old habits.

In the end, Duffy turned out to be signed purely for depth, with his most memorable performance coming in an FA Cup replay against Sunderland back in February. The Irish defender's loan was made permanent in order to bring in another Premier League defender on loan (who we'll get to later). It's hard to be overly positive about this one; he has earned cult hero status among some Fulham fans, and while he has served his purpose as a rotation player. He hasn't set the world alight, and once again probably won't be a Fulham player next season.

Grade: E

Layvin Kurzawa
Similarly to Kevin Mbabu, Kurzawa's signing sparked some excitement back on deadline day. His loan move from PSG made sense to provide cover for Antonee Robinson and his pedigree in European football should've put him in good stead.

Sadly for Layvin, the move just didn't work for him. Just 135 minutes of Premier League football was met with a ruptured knee ligament back in March, which ruled him out for the remainder of the season. To be fair to Kurzawa, he played a key part in the early stages of our FA Cup run, bagging two goals and an assist in three games and because of that he will get a better grade than Mbabu. Sadly for him though it just hasn't worked out.

Grade: D

Cedric Soares
Crikey, we signed a few forgettable defenders this season! The final defender on this list is Cedric Soares, a man who was linked with a loan move from Arsenal for the duration of the January transfer window. Eventually, the deal came into fruition on deadline day. I remember writing an article for Fulhamish at the time stating that I wasn't too convinced by this signing and I feel like that statement ended up being correct.

The Portuguese right-back has played 198 minutes of Premier League football for Fulham and hasn't done too much at all. With Mbabu leaving for Switzerland, we needed rotation in that position and while on paper the move made sense, and Marco did dabble in the Cedric experiment, like other players it just hasn't clicked.

Grade: E

Joao Palhinha
In July, I had the pleasure of heading out to Lisbon to watch Fulham's pre-season friendly against Estoril. During that time, we spoke to a few locals who bumped into us wearing Fulham shirts and every person raved about the signing of Palhinha – it didn't take long to see why. At just £20 milion, Palhinha has proven not just to be Fulham's signing of the season, but potentially the best signing in the league!

Our tough-tackling and hardworking Portuguese midfielder has captured the hearts of every Fulham fan. Averaging 4.26 tackles per 90 minutes puts him in the top 1% of players in Europe, the top tackler in the Premier League with 147 (47 clear of second place!) and he has even chipped in with some valuable goals throughout the season. I could write an article on this signing alone and while I want to ramble on, we've got more players to get through. I just hope we get to see him for at least another season.

Grade: A*

Sasa Lukic
With Nathaniel Chalobah and Josh Onomah proving that they weren't adequate Premier League depth, improving our options in midfield was the biggest priority coming into the January transfer window. That option eventually became Sasa Lukic, who was signed from Torino on deadline day for a reported £8.8 million. It's been difficult for the Serbian midfielder coming into a Fulham team where a midfield two of Palhinha and Reed seemed untouchable throughout the season would've been difficult for him. Adjusting to a new league as well couldn't have been easy.

Lukic's time on the pitch has been patchy since coming to Fulham, averaging just 34 minutes per appearance. During those minutes, he's not pulled up any trees, but also hasn't made any glaring errors. I think his time will come at Fulham; at only 26 he still has time on his side and while he hasn't paid back the transfer fee just yet, I'm going to reserve judgement.

Grade: C-

Andreas Pereira
Andreas never really staked his claim at Manchester United, so his signing for around £10 million was certainly cause for concern. Thankfully, he has largely put those concerns to bed and has been a valuable asset to this Fulham side. His ability to press from the front has been key to the way Fulham play out of possession and his set pieces have certainly helped us. Over the course of the season, the Brazilian has picked up a respectable 10 goal contributions.

As we came into the back end of the season, the lack of depth in that 'number 10' role became apparent with Pereira starting to look a bit 'leggy' and questions started to be asked about his attacking output from open play. Sadly an injury put an end to that noise – and his season. I think that we do need additional depth in that position for next year, whether that be Luke Harris, a returning Fabio Carvalho or someone further afield. Nevertheless, I think Pereira has warmed to Fulham and now has a place he can call home, I look forward to seeing him again next season.

Grade: B

Willian
The former Chelsea and Arsenal player came back to London amid a lot of confusion from both Fulham fans and neutrals. But he's silenced all of those critics with some excellent performances this season. His ability to drive with the ball and create chances out of nothing have put both him and Fulham in good stead and is another reason why we finished as high as we did.

Similarly to Pereira, Willian got 10 goal contributions, including the opener against Chelsea at Craven Cottage. There are still question marks over his future at Fulham and while he is 34, I think he still has something to offer to this Fulham side and deserves at least another season. It's hard to argue that this free transfer hasn't been a fantastic piece of business from Fulham.

Grade: B+

Dan James
Similarly to Kurzawa, bringing in Dan James on a loan deal made a lot of sense on paper. A player with Premier League experience coming in to provide Fulham with a different option and offer necessary cover in those attacking positions (especially with Wilson and Solomon both out for the first half of the season) seemed a smart pick-up. Sadly, bar one stand-out performance, James never took the bull by the horns.

The issue was that, stylistically, the signing didn't really make sense. James's best performance in a Fulham shirt was away at Everton where we played a lot more direct to him, resulting in him scoring. However, most of the time Fulham don't play like that. Intricate passing is a key part of Fulham's game and James's limited technical ability doesn't suit the way the Silva sets his sides out. I don't think the signing of James was horrific, I just think that maybe he's the right player at the wrong club.

Grade: D

Manor Solomon
This one is probably the toughest signing to decipher, Solomon came to Fulham on a deal that no one really knows the ins and outs of. The Israeli came with a lot of promise and following a lengthy spell out injured, it became apparent why. His pace and tricky off the bench was a nuisance to any side he would come up against and after scoring five games in a row, we really thought we had a quality player on our hands.

Sadly, it ended up just being a Pavel Pogrebnyak-esque purple patch . Minutes were still limited for Solomon and during those substitute appearances, questions began being asked about his attitude towards the club and while I don't think there's much to read into, I don't think he will stay at Fulham next season.

Grade: C

Carlos Vinicius
With Rodrigo Muniz heading out on loan to Middlesbrough, the need for a back-up striker became quite clear and on the summer deadline day we landed on former Spurs striker Carlos Vinicius. Vinicius took a while to get going with some pretty poor performances during the opening half of the season.

He started to improve during the latter stages of the season and with Mitrovic's suspension he proved himself to be a valuable rotation option for Marco Silva and a bit of a nuisance for defenders. The Brazilian managed to score five goals this season against the likes of Manchester City, Brentford and of course that allusive winner against Chelsea. I think that Vinicius has proven to be a useful member of this Fulham side and at 28 with him starting to reach his peak, we could still see more from him.

Grade: C

The final summary
Well there it is: another season in the books and a very successful one at that. Fulham have managed to solidify themselves in the Premier League and done so with some smart business, the likes of Pereira, Willian and Diop didn't set the world alight but have been crucial cogs to this side with Leno and Palhinha stealing the headlines. There have been some misses as well though (particularly in defence) with the likes of Mbabu, Cedric and Kurzawa all failing to make an impact. We've got a big summer ahead of us and ensuring we build on a successful first season back will be crucial.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2023-06-01-grading-fulhams-2022-23-signings/

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Fulham 'interested' in Man Utd and Wolfsburg pair as they look to bolster squad

Latest transfer news and rumours regarding Fulham as they prepare for next season in the Premier League

Fulham are reportedly keeping tabs on Manchester United midfielder Fred ahead of the next transfer window. The Brazil international is facing an uncertain future at Old Trafford and is not a regular starter under Erik ten Hag.

According to talkSPORT, Marco Silva is 'interested' in luring him to Craven Cottage ahead of next term. The midfielder's contract with the Red Devils expires in 2024.

Fulham could see Fred as someone to inject more quality into their ranks. He has been on the books at United since joining them in 2018 from Shakhtar Donetsk and since scored 14 goals in 212 games in all competitions.

The Cottagers are also being linked with Wolfsburg defender Sebastiaan Bornauw this summer. According to a report by The Telegraph, he has emerged on the London club's radar.

He has played for his current side since 2021 and has been a key player for them in the Bundesliga. He penned a deal until 2026 meaning a transfer fee will be required to lure him out of Germany.

Bornauw, who is 24-years-old, started his career at Anderlecht and was a regular for the Belgian giants at various youth levels after rising up through their academy ranks. He then broke into their first-team in 2018 before he was snapped up by FC Koln a year later.

The centre-back then became a key player at the RheinEnergieStadion and chipped in with an impressive seven goals from defence in his two campaigns there before Wolfsburg came calling. A new chapter may be on the horizon for him again now with Fulham credited with an interest.

Silva's men had an impressive first season back in the Premier League and finished 10th in the table following their Championship title win. They will be hoping for the same again next time around.



https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/fulham/fulham-interested-in-man-utd-and-wolfsburg-pair-4166143

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Fulham: Whites eyeing Fran Navarro
Marco Silva wants to strengthen ahead of 2023/2024.

Fulham are reportedly eyeing Gil Vicente striker Fran Navarro this summer, despite there being no suggestion Aleksandar Mitrovic will leave.

Who could join Fulham this summer?
Whites boss Marco Silva has overseen a successful debut campaign back in the Premier League, with Fulham comfortably avoiding relegation and even finishing above west London rivals Chelsea.

The Craven Cottage side secured one of their highest ever league finishes last campaign with a top half place, and were even contending for European football over a period.

As such, Fulham's exploits haven't gone unnoticed, with Silva even sporadically linked to joining Tottenham Hotspur in the last few weeks.

As well as this, star midfielder Joao Palhinha has been attracting interest from top clubs, with Aston Villa, Tottenham, Liverpool, Man United, Chelsea and Bayern Munich all targeting him.

While there could be outgoings at Fulham, the same can also be said for incomings, as they have been linked with a host of players recently.

FC Porto star Mateus Uribe has been mentioned in recent months, potentially as an alternative to Palhinha, with Man United duo Fred and Harry Maguire also rumoured to be on their radar.

Now, as per The Evening Standard and journalist Dom Smith, it appears Fulham have additions further forward in mind - despite there being no indication Mitrovic or Carlos Vinicius will leave.

Indeed, it is believed that Fulham are eyeing a move for Navarro from Gil Vicente as they monitor him, with the summer transfer window well and truly looming,

The 25-year-old has been in exceptional form in the Primeira Liga, potentially leading to Fulham's interest, and it will be imperative for them to build upon what has been a solid season.

Who is Fran Navarro?
The Spaniard graduated from Valencia's academy and scored a plethora of goals at youth level for them, but couldn't quite break into the first team, eventually moving on to Gil Vicente in Portugal.

He scored 21 goals in all competitions over 2022/2023, standing out as their star striker, and perhaps justifying why both Liverpool and Real Madrid reportedly held an interest back in 2016.

The then-18-year-old was on Madrid and Jurgen Klopp's radar as a promising youngster back then, according to a report by SuperDeporte, but Navarro's stock has now risen significantly after a brilliant season.

There are little mentions of an asking price for the forward, but can you imagine it will be significant, as we can't envisage Gil Vicente will let him go easily.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-transfer-news-premier-league-fran-navarro/

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Report: 'Unbelievable' coach is now one of the top 3 contenders for Tottenham job, £6m clause

It has been reported that Fulham manager Marco Silva is now amongst the three candidates to take over the Tottenham Hotspur job.

This comes from the Telegraph, as Spurs are still on the lookout for a brand-new coach to come in and replace Antonio Conte.

Now, it seems like Marco Silva is on Tottenham Hotspur's radar, as they aim to prise him away from Fulham to become their next manager.

Tottenham shortlist Marco Silva amongst three primary candidates for new manager role
With the Portuguese coach's side finishing in 10th place in the Premier League, he has deservedly received a lot of props for how much he has overachieved.

In February this year, even Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola sang his praises via BT Sport, saying, "What Marco Silva has done this season is unbelievable. To come up from the Championship and look at the season they have done."

Now, it has been reported that Fulham manager Marco Silva, alongside Ange Postecoglou and Luis Enrique is among the main three candidates to take over the Tottenham job.

It has been mentioned that Silva is currently in negotiations to sign a new contract, with only one year remaining on his deal.

Interestingly, it has been claimed that the highly-rated tactician has a, £6 million compensation clause and in the event that he eyes an exit, there is no indication about whether the Cottagers would be keen to 'deal with' Spurs.

Marco Silva would be an astute appointment
Tactically, Marco Silva has proven that he is extremely switched on, which is a basic, yet crucial requirement for any potentially incoming Tottenham manager.

If the Lilywhites improve their recruitment and back Silva with the right players, there is no reason to believe that he would not succeed, as has been the case at Fulham.

With the 45-year-old also playing a fearless brand of football, Tottenham fans would likely fall in love with him, if the move comes to fruition.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2023/06/01/report-unbelievable-coach-marco-silva-is-now-one-of-the-top-3-conteders-for-tottenham-job-6m-clause/

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Silva eyes Bornauw swoop
Fulham are interested in signing the Wolfsburg central defender Sebastiaan Bornauw, according to a report from the Telegraph's Mike McGrath this afternoon.

Several Premier League sides have scouted the Belgian international this season and head coach Marco Silva has identified central defensive reinforcements as crucial in ensuring the Whites build on a fine first campaign back in the top flight. Wolfsburg are braced for several offers for the 24 year-old former Koln centre half after he made 26 appearances and helped VfL finish eighth in the Bundesliga. They have placed a £10m asking price on Bournaw, who has another three years on his current contract.

The 6ft 3in defender, who has made 56 appearances in two seasons with Wolfsburg, came through the renowned Anderlecht youth set-up making his first-team debut for the Purple and Whites aged only nineteen. He moved to FC Köln in August 2019 for around £7m and quickly established himself as a first-team regular – playing 57 games and scoring seven goals – before signing for Wolfsburg in July 2021.

The Wemmel-born defender, who can also operate as a right back, has won four senior caps for Belgium. He made his debut as a substitute in a friendly draw with the Ivory Coast in October 2020, but has recently forced his way back into the international reckoning following an excellent season with Wolfsburg.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/06/silva-eyes-bornauw-swoop/

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Tom Cairney admits he's 'intrigued' by the 'amazing experience' of playing in MLS as he teases future Stateside move ahead of Fulham's US preseason tour

    Tom Cairney will visit Philadelphia, Orlando and Maryland during the preseason
    The midfielder said it would be his first time playing in the USA with Fulham
    DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news

Tom Cairney will be playing Stateside with Fulham this summer - and it might not be the last time the midfielder suits up across the Atlantic.

Fulham will play against Brentford, Aston Villa and Chelsea in July as it visits the USA off the back of an impressive 10th-place finish in the Premier League.

And while Cairney will be focused on helping his side lay the groundwork for another strong campaign, he admitted exclusively to Mail Sport that the prospect of living and playing in America one day is 'very interesting.'

'Never say never,' he told Mail Sport over Zoom on May 18.

'It could be an amazing experience. I think that's the reason why I'm excited to come [this summer]. I'm excited to see the stadiums, see what it's like, see what the fans are like, the pitches. Because I do find it very interesting, intriguing, the MLS. And it's - I don't know, it's a different way of life. It could be amazing to live out there.


Tom Cairney has spent eight seasons at Fulham since joining the London club in 2015
 

But he's found playing time hard to come by of late as he started just two games last season
 

The Fulham midfielder spoke exclusively to Mail Sport towards the end of Fulham's season

'I feel like it's growing fast,' he added of MLS. 'We see it over here, we see it on the tele, we see it in the mornings as we're having breakfast, the highlights. I feel like it's getting better every year, it's growing. It's gonna be interesting to see how far it does go.'

Despite Fulham's rich history of employing American players, as well as the fact they've been owned by American businessman Shahid Khan since 2013, Cairney has never been to the USA during the preseason in his eight years with the club.

Nonetheless, it'd be foolish to overlook the impact Americans have had on Fulham - both past and present.

Following in the footsteps of Clint Dempsey, Brian McBride and Carlos Bocanegra, Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson were integral pieces of Fulham's stingy defense this year, starting at least 33 games each as Marco Silva's side comfortably avoided the drop in their first season back in the top flight.

And Cairney is excited to visit his teammates' country.

'I think it's nice that we're going there. Not many teams, I suppose, have a lot of history with US players,' he said.


Clint Dempsey became a fan favorite at Craven Cottage as he scored 17 goals in 2011-12
 

And Tim Ream (left) and Antonee Robinson are the latest Americans to star for the club

'But Fulham is one of them. We've got two players in the squad right now, two players that play for the USA still. So it's brilliant that we're going there, and hopefully the fans can turn out - probably to see them two, maybe, and then they can jump on board and support us through the season.'

The midfielder also hopes a visit to the Jacksonville Jaguars is in the cards.

Fulham will play in Orlando vs. Villa on July 26 - just a couple hours away from Jacksonville and the NFL franchise that Khan owns.

'It would be interesting to see how they do things, what the training ground's like, facilities, see if we can use them,' Cairney said.

'I wanna see how big the NFL players are!'

When Cairney and Fulham return from their Stateside expedition, they'll be tasked with confirming their Premier League status for a third straight season - a challenge they didn't even get to undertake the last two times they were promoted in 2018 and 2020.

'I think a lot's gone differently,' Cairney said. 'I think the new signings in the summer hit the ground running, they've been very good. I think winning the league the previous year... that gave us more time to plan, and a bit more of a confidence boost [than getting promoted via the play-off] because we won the league.'

Fulham swashbuckled their way to 106 goals and 90 points on their way back to the Premier League but knew reinforcements were still needed to avoid a third relegation in five seasons.


Marco Silva's side finished a comfortable 10th this season after being promoted yet again

Joao Palhinha's name is now being linked with Manchester United after an impressive debut season in defensive midfield, while Issa Diop, Bernd Leno and Andreas Pereira added Premier League pedigree to the squad. And another ex-London footballer was able to turn back the clock at Craven Cottage.

'I feel like the experience and the youth - getting the mix well is key in any football team,' Cairney said.

'I think we've done that. We brought in Willian who's 34 years old but I mean, he's quality, and his enthusiasm and what he's done in his career is exceptional.'

After a stress-free finish to the season, Cairney will be hoping for a repeat next year.

'If you're playing catch-up in this league,' he said, 'it's horrible.'

The Cottagers will look to keep the pace in the USA.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-12125245/Tom-Cairney-admits-intrigued-possibility-playing-MLS-later-career.html

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Cairney commends Fulham's perfect blend
Tom Cairney believes Fulham's blend of experience and youth – as well as making key signings early in the summer – helped Marco Silva's side not only avoid another fight against relegation but thrive in the Premier League this season.

The Whites belied the pre-season predictions of another struggle in the top flight by comfortably surviving in some style and finished above near neighbours Chelsea for the first time in forty years as they ended up tenth in the Premier League. The Fulham captain told the Daily Mail that the club had learned lessons from their previous pitiful Premier League showings.

    "I think a lot's gone differently. I think the new signings in the summer hit the ground running, they've been very good. I think winning the league the previous year... that gave us more time to plan, and a bit more of a confidence boost [than going up through the play-offs] because we won the league.

    I feel like the experience and the youth – getting the mix well is key in any football team. I think we've done that. We brought in Willian who's 34 years old but I mean, he's quality, and his enthusiasm and what he's done in his career is exceptional. If you're playing catch-up in this league, it's horrible."

Cairney is relishing his first chance to play in the United States during the Premier League's Summer Series next month which will see Marco Silva's side play in Philadelphia, Maryland and Orlando. The classy playmaker admits he is intrigued by the prospect of playing in the MLS later in his career.

    "Never say never. It could be an amazing experience. I think that's the reason why I'm excited to come. 'm excited to see the stadiums, see what it's like, see what the fans are like, the pitches. Because I do find it very interesting, intriguing, the MLS. And it's – I don't know, it's a different way of life. It could be amazing to live out there.

    I think it's nice that we're going there. Not many teams, I suppose, have a lot of history with US players. But Fulham is one of them. We've got two players in the squad right now, two players that play for the USA still. So it's brilliant that we're going there, and hopefully the fans can turn out – probably to see them two, maybe, and then they can jump on board and support us through the season."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/06/cairney-commends-fulhams-perfect-blend/