Friday Fulham Stuff - 21/07/23...

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Aleksandar Mitrovic vows to never play for Fulham again after £25m Al-Hilal bid is rejected

Aleksandar Mitrovic has vowed to never play for Fulham again and has accused the club of pricing him out of a move, according to reports.

Fulham have rejected two bids, including an offer of £25 million, from Al-Hilal for the Serbia international.

According to Sky Sports, Fulham are demanding a £52m fee for the striker, who scored 14 goals in the Premier League last season.

The report claims that Mitrovic 'has told relatives he will never play for Fulham again' and is 'angry' with the club's attempt to block his exit.

Mitrovic had considered missing the club's pre-season tour of the United States but has now been convinced by his agent, Pini Zahavi, to join the squad, who travel on Thursday.

Zahavi, however, is asking Fulham to lower their asking price to a minimum of £35m.

Al-Hilal have already been active this summer with three marquee signings in Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

The Saudi Pro League side have spent in excess of £100m so far but remain keen on recruiting Mitrovic, despite Fulham rejecting their approach so far.

Al-Hilal have also targeted Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku.

However, the Belgium international would prefer to remain in Europe and is keen on joining Juventus.



https://metro.co.uk/2023/07/20/aleksandar-mitrovic-vows-to-never-play-for-fulham-again-after-25m-bid-is-rejected-19159301/?ito=newsnow-feed

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Why the Women's World Cup is a watershed
When the Premier League paused in November to accommodate FIFA's latest folly, a wretched winter World Cup in Qatar, we marked women's football month. It allowed this website to be true our founding principles – writing about football fearlessly – from the fans perspective. It meant we give Fulham FC Women's first match at Craven Cottage in two decades the coverage it deserved and seeing Mary Southgate, who I first met when we were both much younger sitting in the Hammersmith End, lead the Whites onto the hallowed turf almost had this correspondent in floods of Fulhamish tears in the press box.

Football should be for all – not just those who have always been allowed to play it – and the women's game has come a long way in a short space of time. Fulham have been proud pioneers, from the Friends of Fulham side who punched above their weight in reaching FA Cup finals to Mohamed Al-Fayed's vision of the club he owned leading a professional revolution to match the one he witnessed at the 1999 World Cup in the United States. There's some symmetry in the fact that Marco Silva's side have flown across the Atlantic just as the 2023 tournament is about to get underway in New Zealand.

Aotearoa has encapsulated the cultural change itself. Only last week the All Blacks were kicked out of their Eden Park fortress to make way for the Football Ferns, who will open the tournament against Norway shortly. That would have been unthinkable even a couple of years ago, but there was very little grumbling about the Ian Foster's side ceding centre stage to a team courageously captained by Ali Riley. It helped that the All Blacks maintained their awesome Auckland record by smashing the Springboks, but the Black Ferns and the remarkable Ruby Tui, who memorably led crowd in signing the Tutira Mai after edging out England in the Rugby World Cup final last year, did some heavy lifting of their own.

New Zealand's largest city was rocked by a shooting on the eve of the tournament but Kiwis know how to rally round in tough times and, spurred on by the support of former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, plenty of people will catch a glimpse of the amazing Ada Hegerberg for the first time this evening. The Norwegian's struggle for equality, which saw her miss the last tournament, is a microcosm of what female footballers have faced forever: when the legendary Lionesses have had to tackle the feckless FA ahead of a championship they could win.

The favourites, as ever, will be the incredible United States side, who won their battle for equal pay with US Soccer last year. Chloe Kelly's magical moment at Wembley last summer showed a new audience that the women's football isn't the poor relation of our beautiful game but something that stands strong alone. The staging of the biggest ever Women's World Cup in Australasia, where women's sport has been recognised more readily that in man other continents, will allow young boys and girls in the UK to familiarise themselves with stars like Sam Kerr, Alex Popp and Asisat Oshoala over their breakfast table.

We'll take the time to tell a few stories from Fulham's past while encouraging our readers to get along and support Steve Jaye's side at Motspur Park as their own pre-season preparations kick off. And if anyone's get a left foot like Tia Foreman, they might want to take a look at the Fulham Foundation's Summer Schools. If you've never watched a women's game before, give it a glance: you'll make this son of an Auckland native smile, at the very least.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/07/why-the-womens-world-cup-is-a-watershed/

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Fulham make £15m move for Ajax's Calvin Bassey as Marco Silva looks to strengthen his centre-back options ahead of the new season

    Bassey has emerged as a top target for Fulham boss Silva in the summer window
    The 23-year-old has European experience after spells with Rangers and Ajax
    He can play as a centre back or a left back and has earned 10 Nigeria caps 

Fulham have made a £15m bid for Ajax centre-back Calvin Bassey.

The 23-year-old has four years left on his deal at the Johan Cruyff Arena after joining from Rangers last summer.

Marco Silva is seeking to bolster his defensive options as the Cottagers look to build on a top-half finish on their return to the Premier League.

Despite his relative youth, Bassey brings strong experience and can play in the centre or on the left flank of a defence.

The Leicester academy graduate spent two years at Rangers, where he was an integral part of Steven Gerrard's Scottish Premiership-winning team and the run to the Europa League final under Gerrard and Giovanni van Bronckhorst.


Fulham have made a £15m bid for Ajax's talented 23-year-old defender Calvin Bassey


Cottagers boss Marco Silva is keen to strengthen his backline in the summer transfer window


Bassey honed his craft for two years at Rangers, going on a deep Europa League run in 2021-22

On the back of his time in Glasgow, he became the club's most expensive sale ever in a £19m switch to Ajax.

There, he formed a partnership with Jurrien Timber, Arsenal's new man, to help them secure a third-place Eredivisie finish.

On the international stage, he has made 10 appearances for Nigeria. He was also eligible to play for England or Italy.

Bassey is known for being a fun-loving character and at the start of last season joked the FIFA video game is 'disrespectful' after it only gave him a 74 rating.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-12318503/Fulham-make-15m-Ajaxs-Calvin-Bassey-Marco-Silva-looks-strengthen-centre-options-ahead-new-season.html

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Fulham Bid for Eredivisie Centre Back
Fulham's Bold Step Towards Ajax's Calvin Bassey

A £15m Proposition
In a move that has turned heads in football circles, Fulham have put pen to paper, lodging an initial bid in the region of £15m for the highly sought-after Ajax defender, Calvin Bassey. As reported by The Athletic, the Dutch club are yet to react to this proposition for the multi-skilled 23-year-old, who's been under the radar of Brighton & Hove Albion as well.

Bassey's Journey So Far
Calvin Bassey, with a robust four years remaining on his contract, came on board with Ajax just the previous summer. His journey through the football landscape has been remarkable, spanning from two impressive years at Rangers with 65 appearances to his name, a league title in 2021, and a Scottish Cup win the year after.

As a valued member of Ajax, the Nigeria international has scored once and laid out five assists across 39 appearances. With roots in Leicester City's youth academy, Bassey's debut on the international stage in March 2022 saw him make 10 appearances for Nigeria, contributing significantly to his rising fame.

Fulham's Ambitions and Aspirations
This latest move showcases Fulham's summer objectives clearly, with the club focused on reinforcing various positions within their ranks. Among the array of talented players attracting Fulham's attention, Timothy Castagne, the Leicester City defender, also finds a mention in The Athletic's report.

While their bid for Chelsea forward Callum Hudson-Odoi faced rejection, rumours suggest Fulham's intentions to counter with another bid for the 22-year-old player. However, in a significant boost for the club, despite interest from Nottingham Forest, Fulham managed to secure Willian with a new one-year deal, the option to extend his tenure by another year.

Resisting Offers
Fulham's ambitions aren't restricted to acquisition alone. Under Marco Silva, the club has shown its mettle in resisting attractive offers, including a whopping £45million ($58.8m) bid from West Ham United for their prized midfielder Joao Palhinha.

The forthcoming days promise to be intriguing as Fulham, with their fortified intent, step up their game in the transfer market, blending their defence with the likes of Bassey and extending their offensive with striking talents such as Hudson-Odoi.



https://eplindex.com/92556/fulham-bid-for-eredivisie-centre-back.html

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Fulham talisman indicates he never wants to play for the club again
The last thing that Fulham need ahead of their 2023/24 Premier League campaign is a player that has effectively gone on strike.

In this day and age, no argument should remain unsolvable, however, for Aleksandar Mitrovic, the club's valuation of him has seen his dream of a move to the Saudi Pro League evaporate.

According to Sky Sports, the striker has indicated that he never wants to play for the club again, even though he has been persuaded to go on their pre-season tour.

Al Hilal have failed with two bids for the Serbian and that is in no small part down to the £52m valuation that the Cottagers have put on the 28-year-old's head.

Mitrovic is well known for being a spiky character, as his outburst against Man United in the FA Cup, which saw him red carded, shows.

If he insists on leaving or, at the very least, not playing for the club, it's a big problem for manager, Marco Silva.

Last season, according to the official Fulham website, Mitrovic top-scored with a career-best 14 goals. The next highest scorers at the club were Carlos Vinicius and Willian, but they only managed five each.

It's a delicate situation at the moment but one that really needs to be addressed sooner rather than later because the west Londoners can't possibly countenance starting the Premier League season with their best player nowhere to be seen.



https://www.caughtoffside.com/2023/07/20/fulham-talisman-indicates-he-never-wants-to-play-for-the-club-again/

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Sky Sports: Fulham could lose Aleksandar Mitrovic for Everton clash as transfer issue emerges
Everton have been handed a boost ahead of the new Premier League season as a transfer issue emerges around Fulham star Aleksandar Mitrovic, according to Sky Sports.

The publication noted that the Serbian has told relatives he will never play for the club again after they valued him at £52million, having been the subject of two bids from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal.

Sky Sports added that doubts have now emerged regarding the player's willingness to play in the opening match of the new Premier League campaign, which is against Everton at Goodison Park on 12 August.

"Aleksandar Mitrovic has told relatives he will never play for Fulham again after the club valued him at £52m," according to Sky Sports. "The price, that has been quoted to agents, is likely to put off interested clubs.

"Mitrovic, who was considering staying away from the club tour of America, has now been convinced by agent Pini Zahavi and PFA representatives to join the squad as they depart for the United States on Thursday. However, it's understood Mitrovic is angry at being priced out of a move having been the subject of two failed bids from Al-Hilal.

"It gives Marco Silva an issue on tour with an unhappy striker in his squad, as doubts now emerge over Mitrovic's willingness to play in the opening game of the Premier League season at Everton on 12 August."

Major boost
Everton definitely need all the help they can get in the Premier League next season, particularly in the opening stages of the campaign.

The Merseyside outfit have been involved in a top-flight relegation battle for the past two seasons now, and a third successive battle is the last thing that the club needs.

The potential Mitrovic boost will, therefore, be welcomed with open arms by everyone connected with the Toffees, with the Serbian undoubtedly Fulham's most dangerous player, and the one capable of causing Dyche's side the most problems on the opening day of the season.

Of course, that could still all change in the weeks to come if, with Mitrovic still potentially lining out at Goodison Park on 12 August.

However, there is a very good chance that the striker will have either left or be out of the squad in protest when the Premier League fixture comes around.



https://www.goodisonnews.com/2023/07/20/sky-sports-fulham-could-lose-aleksandar-mitrovic-for-everton-clash-as-transfer-issue-emerges/

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Nottingham Forest Trailing Rivals In Target Chase Due To Location Factor
Callum Hudson-Odoi's desire to stay in London has given Fulham the edge over Nottingham Forest in their pursuit of the Chelsea winger, according to The Athletic.

The 22-year-old winger has not travelled with the Chelsea squad to the United States as he seeks to move on from Stamford Bridge this summer.

Chelsea are keen to move him off their wage bill and with only a year left on his contract, they are keen to secure a fee from his sale in the ongoing transfer window.

Nottingham Forest are interested in signing the winger this summer with Fulham also said to be keen on taking him to Craven Cottage ahead of the new season.

And it has been claimed that a desire to stay in London is likely to help Fulham in their bid to sign Hudson-Odoi.

The importance of being in the English capital has already helped Fulham to beat Nottingham Forest to the signature of Willian despite offering a shorter contract on less money.

The Chelsea winger is also claimed to be keen on staying in London even after he leaves Stamford Bridge.

And it seems Nottingham Forest could be set to lose out one more target to Fulham due to geographical reasons, unless they can convince him to snub a stay in the capital.



https://insidefutbol.com/2023/07/20/nottingham-forest-trailing-rivals-in-target-chase-due-to-location-factor/611602/

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Fulham owner Tony Khan claims Saudi Arabia have the money to 'get away with anything' - as he insists £52m-rated star Aleksandar Mitrovic will not be sold to Al-Hilal

    Fulham have knocked back two bids from Al Hilal for Aleksandar Mitrovic
    Fulham value Mitrovic at £52m and have no intention of selling their star striker
    Tony Khan has slammed Saudi Arabia, claiming they can 'get away with murder'

Fulham owner Tony Khan has controversially claimed Saudi Arabia have the money to 'get away with anything, including murder' as Al-Hilal continue to pursue a move for Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The Saudi Arabian outfit have had two bids rejected for the Serbian forward, with their latest offer of £35m being knocked back by Fulham last week.

The Cottagers are reportedly seeking £52m for their star striker, who is believed to be furious at being priced out of a move and has told relatives he will never play for Fulham again.

But Khan is standing firm, and has hit out at Saudi Arabia's approach to signing players this summer.

'It's amazing and I think if you have enough money you can get away with anything, including murder, and try to sign up all the top players in the world,' he said on The Dan Le Batard Show.


Al Hilal want to sign Aleksandar Mitrovic, but Fulham are adamant he will not be leaving
 

Fulham owner Tony Khan (left) has claimed Saudi Arabia can 'get away with anything'

Khan's statement comes amid concerns about Saudi Arabia's human rights record, which was labelled 'atrocious' by Amnesty International earlier this month.

The organisation called for Steven Gerrard to speak out against the nation's policies after he was named Al-Ettifaq manager.

Saudi Arabia have attracted a number of global stars in recent months, with Cristiano Ronaldo joining Al-Nassr in December, before his former Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema moved to Al-Ittihad last month.

N'Golo Kante, Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy have also moved to Saudi Arabia, and Mitrovic's international team-mate Sergej Milinkovic-Savic recently signed for Al-Hilal.

Mitrovic wants to join him, but Khan has insisted he has no intention of selling the 28-year-old.

'They've certainly approached a lot of great players, but we're committed to keeping our top stars,' he added.

Mitrovic was Fulham's top scorer last season, netting 15 goals in all competitions as they finished inside the top half on their return to the Premier League.


Mitrovic wants to join his international team-mate Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (above) at Al-Hilal, and has reportedly vowed to never play for Fulham again

This followed on from his record-breaking Championship campaign when he scored 43 goals to steer Fulham to promotion.

These numbers highlight why Fulham are so keen to keep him, but it appears they have plenty of work to do to convince him to stay.

There is also interest in another of Fulham's standout players from last season - midfielder Joao Palhinha.

Fulham have placed a £60m price-tag on the 28-year-old in a bid to fend off West Ham, as the Irons bid to replace Declan Rice following his £105m move to Arsenal.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-12318783/Fulham-owner-Tony-Khan-claims-Saudi-Arabia-money-away-including-MURDER-insists-52m-rated-star-Aleksandar-Mitrovic-not-sold-Al-Hilal.html

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Aleksandar Mitrovic joins Fulham on pre-season tour but still wants big-money Al Hilal transfer

Aleksandar Mitrovic has reluctantly joined the Fulham squad on their pre-season tour of North America as he continues to push to leave the club.

The Serbia striker wants to join Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal after being offered a chance to more than triple his £120,000-a-week wages.

Fulham are said to have placed a £52million price tag on Mitrovic, who had made it clear he wants to leave and fears he is being priced out of a move to the Saudi Pro League.

Al Hilal are also interested in Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku but they will only sign one big-name striker this summer.

Amid the uncertainty over his future, it is unclear whether Mitrovic will play when Fulham face Brentford in Philadelphia on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Fulham have sounded out Ajax centre-back Calvin Bassey.

They are also expected to make a final £21m offer for Benfica defender Morato.

Fulham have ended their interest in Fiorentina defender Igor, who has agreed to join Brighton.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/aleksandar-mitrovic-fulham-transfer-al-hilal-b1095641.html

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'Never Play for Fulham Again': Star Now Set for Stunning Craven Cottage Departure
Fulham star Aleksandar Mitrovic has expressed his intent to leave the club, according to Sky Sports. Should a deal not be agreed to sell the player, it appears he will refuse to take the field for the London club.

Aleksandar Mitrovic Situation Escalating Quickly – Now Set to Leave Fulham

Mitrovic Frustrated With Fulham's Actions
Mitrovic is not happy with how Fulham have been dictating his transfer saga.

The striker scored several key goals for the Cottagers in an impressive mid-table finish this past season, with his experience and goalscoring prowess captivating the home fans. His departure will disappoint many who wanted to see Fulham improve upon last year's Premier League results

How We Got Here
As per Sky, the two sides have been at odds over where the striker should go and for how much of late, with Saudi club Al-Hilal having already made two offers for Mitrovic, although both were rejected.


That has led the experienced Serbian to believe that the club's asking price for him – which Sky report to be £52 million – is steeper than what most teams are willing to offer. At 28 years old, Mitrovic still has much to offer, but Fulham are not likely to get a big-money bid for a player whose prime performances could soon run out.

Potential Compromises for Both Parties
Now that it appears that Mitrovic must leave, he and Fulham will have to agree to where.

Chelsea and Tottenham are among the sides reported to be monitoring Mitrovic, but Fulham might not want their man going to a domestic opponent.

Saudi clubs, particularly Al Hilal, remain potential options.

It is unclear exactly how Mitrovic is valued within European circles, but he will be missed by Fulham fans assuming he leaves this summer.

Fulham to Get a Replacement
Should Mitrovic leave, Fulham will need to replace their top scorer – the Serb was integral to their promotion to the Premier League in 2022 and then getting them a mid-table finish.

Fulham have been rumoured to be monitoring Che Adams of Southampton, but the fact of the matter for Fulham is that no matter who they sign, life without Mitrovic appears inevitable.



https://lastwordonsports.com/football/2023/07/20/aleksandar-mitrovic-al-hilal-fulham-never/

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"I would take him myself" – Frustration with Fulham target reaches boiling point, club should sell to Silva's side
Ajax should sell defender Calvin Bassey to Fulham this summer, and Rafael Van der Vaart will drive him to Craven Cottage if they want him to.

That's what the former footballer turned pundit has stated today, insisting that he'd be happy to get rid of the player for Ajax if they need him to.

Bassey joined the Dutch giants in a move from Rangers last summer but endured a difficult first campaign at the club where he struggled to prove his worth and committed numerous high-profile errors.

He's subsequently been linked with a move away this summer, with Brighton first credited with an interest and then Fulham.

It is now very much Marco Silva's side pushing for a deal to happen, despite claims that Bassey isn't interested in the move and wants to stay and prove himself with Ajax this season.

That's very much a decision which could be taken out of his hands if Ajax decide to sell and give up on the player after a year of struggle.

Van der Vaart would certainly take up that option, a point he made more than clear when asked about the potential transfer.

"I just drove up here in the golf cart. I would take him away myself with that tonight," MSN report him saying on the SBS6 program De Oranjezomer.

Whether he gets the opportunity remains to be seen, but his comments are an example of how the defender is viewed in the Netherlands at this moment in time.

Another high-profile mistake in the recent friendly with Shakhtar Donetsk won't have helped that and perhaps Bassey would be best served getting out to Fulham while he can and taking up that offer of a lift from Van der Vaart to do it.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/i-take-frustration-fulham-target-reaches-boiling-point-club-better-off-selling-silvas-side/

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'West Ham seem to think': West Ham genuinely think they'll be able to sign £70m player eventually – journalist
Joao Palhinha has been linked with West Ham United for months now, but, as of yet, they're not making any real headway on that deal.

Indeed, the Hammers have had a bid rejected for Palhinha, and there's been no real sign that a transfer is imminent.

However, according to Dean Jones, speaking on the Ranks FC Ultras Podcast, the Hammers seem to think that Fulham will eventually cave in and let Palhinha head to the London Stadium.

Unfortunately for the Hammers, Jones can only see this deal happening for around £70m.

West Ham think they'll be able to get Palhinha
Jones shared what he knows about the midfield destroyer.

"Let's go back to what we were saying about Palhinha. West Ham seem to think that Fulham will eventually cave in and say that they can talk about a transfer, but I don't believe that is the case, I don't think Fulham will cave in, certainly not for the £45m West Ham are initially talking about here. I don't know what figure we're talking about, the initial figure was £90m, but that was to price him out, if you get to £70m you might get somewhere in the conversation," Jones said.

Fulham will stand firm
West Ham may find it difficult to sign Palhinha. After all, Fulham won't be keen to lose their two best players in the same summer.

Aleksandar Mitrovic has apparently signalled his intention to never play for the club again, and if both Mitrovic and Palhinha leave in the same summer, Fulham will be in massive trouble.

Fulham will undoubtedly stand firm here, and unless West Ham are willing to cough up a huge amount of cash, it's going to be very tough for them to get this deal done.



https://tbrfootball.com/west-ham-seem-to-think-west-ham-genuinely-think-theyll-be-able-to-sign-70m-player-eventually-journalist/

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Fulham: Whites "most serious" for Castagne
Marco Silva's side are still chasing new signings.

Fulham are the "most serious" side interested in signing Leicester City full-back Timothy Castagne this summer, according to reports.

Who will Fulham sign?
Marco Silva's side are still yet to confirm an official signing this summer as we slowly approach the beginning of August, a face which may worry some of the club's supporters.

Fulham enjoyed a solid first campaign back in the top flight after sealing promotion from the Championship in 2022, but if they don't build upon that success this window, next season could come as concerning.

Strengthening in key departments is a necessity for every serious Premier League side this summer but Silva's men are yet to do so, despite the plethora of links to players both abroad and domestically.

Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, USA international Sergino Dest, Valencia midfielder Yunus Musah, Roma defender Roger Ibanez and Man United's Fred have all been linked with moves to Craven Cottage in the last month - yet these haven't materialised thus far.

Fulham's manager is also stalling on signing a new contract with just 12 months remaining on his current deal, so this next year could well be crucial in determining the club's long-term ambitions.

It's clear the west Londoners are attempting to strengthen their ranks but have been unlucky so far, and according to reliable journalist Nizaar Kinsella of The Evening Standard, they hold a very firm interest in Castagne.

The Belgium international, who featured at last year's World Cup in Qatar, is also attracting attention from both Bournemouth and Crystal Palace but it is Fulham who are "most serious".

Kinsella wrote for The Standard:

"Fulham appear to be the club most seriously interested in the versatile full-back but no club is currently in advanced talks for the defender.

"Silva has seen defenders Cedric Soares and Layvin Kurzawa return to their parent clubs after loan spells.

Kenny Tete's future is also not fully secured with Premier League rivals currently eyeing up a move."

How good is Timothy Castagne?
The 33-cap defender is a very experienced head, having played in a host of major tournaments for Belgium, including three different World Cups and a European Championship.

Castagne was also a regular for Leicester last season, proving undroppable under both Brendan Rodgers and Dean Smith. The 27-year-old started 36 league games, scoring two goals and providing three assists, and he also comes as a very versatile option.

Castagne can play in a host of different positions, including across the entire defensive backline at both centre-back and full-back. The former Atalanta star is also able to operate on either the right or left flank, making him an enticing option for Silva (WhoScored).

Former Leicester boss Rodgers, speaking after the Foxes signed Castagne in 2020, heaped praise on the player's speed and work ethic.

"I've watched Timothy Castagne for a number of years – he fits the profile of how I want to work," said Rodgers.

"He's fast, non-stop running – he wants to score but he can defend – good composure. He's a brilliant signing for us. He'll prove to be a really good asset for us."



https://www.footballfancast.com/premier-league-fulham-leicester-city-timothy-castagne-transfer-news/

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West Ham given rude awakening as rivals 'won't cave' for under £70m in Rice replacement transfer
Transfer insider Dean Jones has detailed how Fulham won't "cave in" for £45million, and West Ham will have to bid £70million before they even consider a sale.

The Hammers are blessed with a war chest to tackle next season with. Indeed, they raised £105million from the sale of star man Declan Rice, who's officially gone to Arsenal.

The first order or business will be replacing the midfielder. It won't be an easy task, but they've lost one of the league's best central-midfield players, and will want someone at least somewhat comparable to his skill level.

While James Ward-Prowse is among the players that have been mooted, it's Fulham man Palhinha that appears to be top of the pile.

Multiple reports of late have suggested he's the main target on their list, after his first season in the league saw him complete 47 more tackles than the second-highest tally.

The Hammers are reported to have acted on their interest of late, having apparently bid £45million for the Portuguese midfielder, and been told 'not to waste their time making a new offer'.

That's unsurprising given how much lower it is than the Cottagers' valuation, which has been reported as high as £80million.

Transfer insider Jones has detailed West Ham's belief that Fulham will succumb to an offer at some point, and feels that's unlikely, especially at the measly total they first went in at.

"Let's go back to what we were saying about Palhinha. West Ham seem to think that Fulham will eventually cave in and say that they can talk about a transfer, but I don't believe that is the case, I don't think Fulham will cave in, certainly not for the £45m West Ham are initially talking about here," he told Ranks FC.

Indeed, Jones feels West Ham will have to reach a bid of at least £70million before Fulham even consider it, though the eventual sale price could be higher than that.

"I don't know what figure we're talking about, the initial figure was £90m, but that was to price him out, if you get to £70m you might get somewhere in the conversation," he added.

West Ham could be forced to pay a large chunk of what they received for Rice in order to replace him. That'll take away from their ability to improve upon other areas of the squad, which they may want to do.

As such, they'll have to carefully weigh up Palhinha's potential impact alongside his price tag to see if it's worth it.



https://www.football365.com/news/west-ham-rude-awakening-rivals-wont-cave-under-70m-rice-replacement

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Adrian Clarke highlights Brazilian's importance to Fulham and looks at how Cottagers can improve this season
With the Premier League Summer Series starting on Saturday 22 July in the USA, Adrian Clarke assesses the six clubs involved, highlighting the key questions that could be answered during the tournament.

Team analysis: Fulham
Fulham have been given a huge boost ahead of the Summer Series, with news that winger Willian has penned a new one-year contract at the club.

It had looked like the Brazilian was heading to Nottingham Forest on a free transfer, but the 34-year-old has instead opted to extend his stay at Craven Cottage.

Willian was excellent for Marco Silva's side last season, scoring five goals and making five assists.

It would have been a body blow to lose the former Chelsea and Arsenal winger, as he enjoyed a resurgence of form in west London.

Primarily operating off the left flank, Willian was a vibrant figure throughout 2022/23, always looking like he could make something happen inside the final third.

He will have been disappointed with his crossing, with just one of 34 open-play crosses finding a team-mate, but he was still Fulham's most creative player.

Fulham's top chance creators 22/23

Chances created/90		Open-play chances created/90
Willian	2.14	Willian	1.55
Pereira	1.99	Kebano	1.17
Kebano	1.53	James, Reed	1.03

When running with the ball at his feet, Willian has a habit of drawing defenders towards him before slipping a clever pass to a team-mate.

That ability to commit opponents was an invaluable component of Fulham's attack, with the Cottagers scoring in 29 of their 38 Premier League matches.

During the Summer Series contests against Brentford, Aston Villa and Chelsea, look out for the veteran's ball-carrying prowess.

His runs helped to fashion an impressive 41 chances last season.

Most Fulham chances created from carries

Player	Chance-creating ball carries
Willian	41
Pereira	26
Mitrovic	15

Defensive improvements needed
Silva will have been delighted with last season's 10th-place finish, but at times his side were a little too reliant on Bernd Leno's heroics.

The German goalkeeper prevented 10.7 additional goals according to Opta, the highest figure among top-flight 'keepers.

Fulham started the 2022/23 campaign pressing excellently from the front, but that energy diminished as the season progressed, leading to more chances being created by opponents.

When you assess Fulham's xGA (Expected Goals Against), they were ranked third-worst, surrounded by the sides who finished in the bottom six.

Worst clubs for xGA 22/23

Team	xGA	Goals conc.	League finish
Leeds	67.99	78	19th
Everton	66.86	57	17th
Fulham	65.56	53	10th
Leicester	65.51	68	18th
Nott'm Forest	65.20	68	16th
Bournemouth	65.11	71	15th
Southampton	62.06	73	20th

To ensure they do not get sucked towards a relegation battle in 2023/24 Silva knows they must bring that xGA figure down.

It is not sustainable to expect Fulham to concede 12.6 fewer goals than the data says they should for a second consecutive campaign.

The table below shows the clubs who benefited from the biggest difference between the number of goals they were expected to concede (xGA) and the total they actually conceded.

Goals conceded compared to xGA 22/23

Club	Difference
Fulham	-12.6
Everton	-9.9
Man Utd	-8.6
Aston Villa	-7.4
Newcastle	-7.1

Defensive reinforcements are likely to be brought into the club during this transfer window.



https://www.premierleague.com/news/3597452

[WhiteJC]

'Al-Ahli offer Silva £40m' to leave Fulham
Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli have offered Marco Silva a massive £40m to leave Fulham and become their new manager.

Plenty of Saudi Pro League sides have poached big name players but Silva, who turned down a lucrative approach from Al-Hilal earlier this summer, would be the first English top flight manager to decamp to Kingdom. Sky Sports News are reporting that Silva's representatives are meeting with Saudi officials in London whilst the Portuguese head coach has flown out to the United States as the Whites prepare to take part in the Premier League Summer Series.

Silva, who has a year left on his contract at Craven Cottage, has steadfastly refused to commit his long-term future to London's oldest professional club as he wants to see whether the Whites match his ambitions this summer. The former Hull City, Watford and Everton manager guided Fulham back to the Premier League at the first attempt after succeeding Scott Parker in SW6 two summers ago and steered the Cottagers to tenth in the top flight last term.

Uncertainty also surrounds the future of Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who is upset at Fulham's £52m valuation that the number nine fears could price him out of a big-money move to join Al-Hilal.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/07/al-ahli-offer-silva-40m-to-leave-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

Saudi chiefs in England for £20m-a-year talks to snap up first Premier League manager
Fulham boss Marco Silva has reportedly been offered a huge wage packet to swap the Premier League for the Saudi Pro League this summer

Marco Silva has reportedly been offered a huge wage packet to join Al-Ahli this summer.

The Fulham boss led the club to a 10th place finish in the Premier League last season after winning the Championship, but has stalled during negotiations over a new contract before entering talks with Saudi officials.

That stalling could end up making him richer to the tune of £40million over the next two seasons thanks to a bumper offer from the Saudi Pro League.

Sky Sports report that Silva has been offered a contract of £20m-per-season in the Middle East - and has a release clause of £6m in his Craven Cottage deal.

The update comes after Sky Sports reported that star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has told his family that he will refuse to play for the club in order to push his own transfer to Al-Hilal.

A string of Premier League players including Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly have already made the move with Hakim Ziyech set to join those stars as well as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

Should the Portuguese boss become the first manager to swap the Premier League for Saudi, he will be working with both Mendy and Ziyech as well as former Swansea man Modou Barrow.

The interest isn't set to go down well with Fulham's co-chairman Tony Khan.

He said during a recent appearance on the Dan Le Batard Show, Khan said: "It's amazing, and I think if you have enough money you can get away with anything, including murder, and try to sign up all the top players in the world.

"They've certainly approached a lot of great players, but we're committed to keeping our top stars."

Ronaldo set the tone for the influx of players in Saudi - and he reckons the division will only go from strength to strength.

He told Livescore back in June: "I believe the league will continue to develop and many more players from European leagues will come here to play.

"The fans here have been incredible to me welcoming me, and those that follow me to continue on this amazing journey.



https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/breaking-fulham-marco-silva-saudi-30514643

[WhiteJC]

Fulham boss Marco Silva offered £40m deal to go to Saudi Arabia after Al Hilal turned Aleksandar Mitrovic's head
Fulham under pressure as they head to the USA for pre-season with an offer from Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal turning the head of star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and their head coach Marco Silva now receiving big-money proposals from another club in the Gulf state

Saudi Arabian club Al Ahly are offering Marco Silva £40m for a two-year deal to become their manager.

Interest from another Saudi club, Al Hilal, in Aleksandr Mitrovic has sparked a fall-out between Fulham and their top scorer from last season, who reluctantly boarded their flight to the USA for pre-season.

Al Ahly, who are working to sign Riyad Mahrez and Allan Saint-Maximin to join Roberto Firmino, want a quick answer as they are in a training camp in Austria.

Silva's agents are in London for talks with Saudi officials and the offer is being presented through the sovereign wealth fund. The Portuguese has a £6m release clause which Al Ahly are ready to pay.

Fulham presented Silva with a new contract earlier this summer but as things stand he would find it difficult to agree to the offer with one year remaining on his current deal.

Silva has already turned down a £35m offer from Al Hilal earlier this summer.

The Premier League club's problems do not stop there though with Mitrovic telling relatives he will not play for Fulham again after the decision-makers slapped a £52m price tag on the striker.

Mitrovic, who was considering staying away from the club tour of America, was convinced by agent Pini Zahavi and PFA representatives to join the squad as they depart for the United States on Thursday.

However, it is understood Mitrovic is angry at being priced out of a move having been the subject of two failed bids from Al Hilal.

Mitrovic's agent has urged Tony Khan to lower his value to somewhere between £35m and £45m.

It gives Silva an issue on tour with an unhappy striker in his squad, as doubts now emerge over Mitrovic's willingness to play in the opening game of the Premier League season at Everton on August 12.

Fulham did not comment when contacted by Sky Sports News.

Serbia international Mitrovic scored 14 league goals last season to help Fulham finish in the top half of the Premier League.

Mitrovic's goals also played a key role in helping the west London club to return to the top flight from the Championship on two occasions.

The forward joined Fulham, initially on loan in February 2018, before signing permanently for around £25m later that year.

Al Hilal have been one of the busiest Saudi Arabian clubs in this transfer window - and have already claimed one major Premier League coup in Ruben Neves.

The Portugal international, who was captain at Wolves, completed a £47m move to the Pro League club earlier this summer.

Al Hilal have also signed Kalidou Koulibaly from Chelsea, and Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

Milikovic-Savic, who is Mitrovic's international team-mate with Serbia, is reportedly set to sign a contract worth over £17m per year.

The other high-profile player Al Hilal have is former Sporting Lisbon and Benfica forward Andre Carillo, who has 92 caps for Peru and spent the 2017/18 season on loan at Watford.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12691/12924337/fulham-boss-marco-silva-offered-40m-deal-to-go-to-saudi-arabia-after-al-hilal-turned-aleksandar-mitrovics-head

[WhiteJC]

Al Ahli are prepared to offer Marco Silva £40m over two-years to become the first active Premier League manager to leave for Saudi Arabia

    Saudi side Al-Ahli have made an ambitious move to poach Marco Silva
    The Portuguese has 12 months left on his current deal at Craven Cottage
    The 46-year-old is frustrated by Fulham's lack of action in the transfer market

Al Ahli are prepared to make Fulham boss Marco Silva one of the best paid coaches in the world with a contract offer worth £40million.

Silva has a £6m release clause and one year left on his current contract.

The Jeddah club are also targeting Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey and are finalising a £30m deal for Allan Saint Maximin from Newcastle United who is due to have his medical on Friday.

Harvey Barnes underwent a medical on Thursday ahead of his £38m move from Leicester to Newcastle.

Fulham have tabled a new deal but Silva has doubts over whether to commit his immediate future to the west London side despite their impressive top-half finish last season.


Saudi side Al-Ahli have made an ambitious move to poach Fulham boss Marco Silva
 

The Portuguese manager took over in July 2021, and led Fulham to a 10th place finish last term

Should he make the move, he would become the first serving Premier League boss to be tempted away by the Saudi Pro League.

Silva is currently in the US as part of Fulham's pre-season tour.

But according to Sky Sports, his agents are back in London holding talks with Saudi officials.

The 46-year-old is frustrated by Fulham's lack of action in the transfer market - although there are still six weeks available to buy players for the coming campaign.

Silva started his work at Fulham in July 2021, seeing them promoted from the Championship in his first season, and then finish 10th in the Premier League during the 2022-23 campaign.

The former Hull City, Watford and Everton boss has been in high demand, with Premier League rivals eyeing him as a potential option on their touchline.

Fulham begin the forthcoming Premier League season away to Everton, ahead of London derbies against Brentford and Arsenal. 



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-12320471/Marcos-Silva-offered-two-year-deal-worth-40m-leave-Fulham-charge-Saudi-Al-Ahli-Portuguese-stalling-signing-new-deal-Craven-Cottage.html

[WhiteJC]

Fulham ready to bring Javier Pereira in to replace Saudi-bound Marco Silva
    Marco Silva has refused to sign a new contract at Fulham and has just a year left on current terms
    Al Ahli, who have signed Roberto Firmino and Edouard Mendy, have offered Silva a two-year contract worth £40m
    Former assistant manager Javier Pereira set to take over from Silva at Craven Cottage

Fulham are planning to bring Javier Pereira back to Craven Cottage to replace manager Marco Silva, who is ready to accept a deal to move to the Saudi Pro League, 90min understands.

Silva has previously turned down an approach from Saudi earlier this summer but PIF-owned Al Ahli have returned having upped their offer to a two-year deal worth £40m.

Al Ahli have already enjoyed a busy and successful summer with the marquee signings of Roberto Firmino and Edouard Mendy, and they are set to follow those deals up with the capture of Riyad Mahrez from Manchester City.

Silva is currently en route to America as Fulham prepare to get their pre-season underway, but it's looking increasingly likely that he won't be in charge of any of their games. The former Watford, Hull and Everton boss has just a year left on his current deal and has thus far rejected the Cottagers' offers to extend his stay.

Fulham, for their part, have been anticipating a renewed bid from Saudi and the club's hierarchy have been working on who they could bring in to replace Silva. 90min understands the man at the top of their list is Javi Pereira.



https://www.90min.com/posts/fulham-javier-pereira-replace-marco-silva