Sunday Fulham Stuff - 13/08/23...

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Fulham complete signing of Traore
Fulham have completed the signing of Adama Traore.

The Spain international winger, 27, has moved to Craven Cottage on a free transfer, having left Wolves when his contract expired earlier this summer.

He has signed a two-year deal with the option of a further year.

Traore will again link up with striker Raul Jimenez, who recently also left Wolves to join the Whites.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-complete-signing-of-traore

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'He went through a stormy development' – former Oranje captain reflects on Bassey's unsuccessful time at Ajax

Former Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst has revealed that Super Eagles left-back Calvin Bassey's move to Ajax didn't work out because the club didn't give him the necessary support, Soccernetng reports

The 23-year-old recently swapped from the Netherlands to join Fulham in England after just a season with Ajax. He has since made his debut for the Cottagers, scoring the match-winner in their 2-1 victory over TSG Hoffenheim in a friendly game.

Bassey, who was a product of the Leicester youth system, didn't make any appearance for the club before joining Rangers on a free transfer in the summer of 2020.

The first season with the Scottish giants didn't work out for Bassey, who was limited to only 8 league appearances for the Gers but ended with the League title as they claimed their 55th crown under former Liverpool player Steven Gerrard as manager of the club.

However, the second season proved more productive for Nigeria International, he made 50 appearances in all competitions, and his notable performances came in the Europa League helping the Light Blues to the final of the competition.

is remarkable performances for Rangers that season earned him the £20m move to Ajax, but failed to reignite his best form for the club before he joined Fulham this summer for a fee close to the same amount Ajax paid to Rangers for him last year.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who joined Rangers midway through Bassey's second season at the club, has revealed that he helped the 23-year-old come through his early struggles at the club before he became a key player for the Gers and expected the same treatment for him at Ajax before he was shipped out of the club this summer.

    When I came to Rangers he was not a starter, The former Feyenoord captain told Viaplay

    I gave him the chance and he became a supporting force. He is a strong boy, is fast and is eager to learn. He went through a stormy development and there was a lot of interest, but he chose Ajax.

    Expectations were high, but it was a difficult year for Ajax. That also made it harder for Calvin. He didn't get enough of his strength and also had to solve other things, such as the build up. That was already a point of attention when he played under me. At Fulham he can now play more of his strength, He concluded

Bassey is still waiting to make his first competitive appearance for the Cottagers after he was an unused substitute in the club's 1-0 victory over Everton in the opening game of the Premier League campaign on Saturday.



https://soccernet.ng/2023/08/he-went-through-a-stormy-development-former-oranje-captain-reflects-on-basseys-unsuccessful-time-at-ajax.html

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Fulham sign Adama Traore on two-year deal after opening-day win at Everton

Spaniard heads to Craven Cottage after leaving Molineux following five years earlier this summer

Fulham have announced the signing of Adama Traore.

The winger had been a free agent since leaving Wolves last month when his contract expired.

Traore, a Spanish international, joins Marco Silva's side on a two-year deal with the option for a further 12 months after attracting interest from a number of other clubs this summer.

Formerly of Aston Villa and Middlesbrough, Traore becomes the second Fulham player signed this summer from Wolves, following the Cottagers' £5million purchase of striker Raul Jimenez.

In January 2022, he went on a six-month loan spell to Barcelona, the club he originally left to join Villa in 2015.

Fulham had been desperate to strengthen in wide areas before the transfer deadline, after losing Neeskens Kebano and Ivan Cavaleiro on the expiry of their contracts, and Manor Solomon, at the end of his loan spell from Shakhtar Donetsk.

The announcement of Traore's signing came shortly after Fulham beat Everton 1-0 at Goodison Park on Saturday to begin the new Premier League campaign with a win.

Sporting director Tony Khan said: "I'm thrilled to welcome Adama Traore to Fulham. He has great experience in the Premier League and we're all very familiar with him."

Traore himself said: "I'm excited and hungry to give 100 per cent."



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-adama-traore-transfer-b1100326.html

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Fulham complete signing of free agent and former Wolves winger Adama Traore just hours after making a winning start to Premier League season

    Fulham have completed the free signing of former Wolves winger Adama Traore
    The signing was announced just hours after Fulham's 1-0 win at Everton
    Traore has previously played for Aston Villa, Middlebrough and Barcelona

Fulham have completed the signing of free agent Adama Traore just hours after they got their Premier League campaign off to a winning start.

The Cottagers beat Everton 1-0 at Goodison Park courtesy of a Bobby Decordova-Reid goal on Saturday, and Marco Silva added to his squad before the day was out.

Traore, who was released by Wolves at the end of last season, has signed a two-year deal at Craven Cottage with the Fulham holding an option to extend by a further 12 months.

The winger started his career at Barcelona before enjoying spells at Aston Villa and Middlesbrough.

He signed for Wolves in 2018 and established himself as one of the most exciting attackers in the Premier League.


The winger spent five seasons in total with Wolves in the Premier League
 

He left Molineux as a free agent at the end of the 2022-23 season

The Spaniard's lack of end product was often criticised though, and he finished his five seasons at Molineux having registered just 14 goals across all competitions.

Barcelona re-signed Traore on a six-month loan in January 2022, but he returned to the Premier League at the end of the deal.

Traore also earned international recognition during his time at Wolves, earning eight caps for Spain and also being called up to Luis Enrique's squad for Euro 2020.

The 27-year-old was delighted to complete his move to south west London, where he will link up with former Wolves team-mate Raul Jimenez

He told Fulham's website: 'It's a nice opportunity for me. [It is] Another chapter. I like the Club, I also have information from Raúl [Jimenéz], who seems to love the club.

'I'm excited and hungry to give 100 per cent here.'


Traore spen time on loan at Barcelona after begining his career at the Nou Camp
 

Traore has won eight caps for Spain at international level

Traore is Silva's latest addition at Craven Cottage, with the Portugues coach having already signed Jimenez and defender Calvin Bassey in the summer transfer window.

Whether Fulham can build on last season's 10th place Premier League finish will surely depend on the future of Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The Serbian striker, who top-scored for the Cottagers with 14 league goals, was reportedly desperate to secure a big money move to the Saudi Pro League in July.

However, he has since been reintegrated into Silva's squad, coming off the bench in the 58th minute of Saturday's win at Goodison Park.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-12400917/Fulham-complete-signing-free-agent-former-Wolves-winger-Adama-Traore-just-hours-making-winning-start-Premier-League-season.html

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Bobby: Room For Improvement

Bobby De Cordova-Reid, while satisfied with victory at Everton, knows Fulham have lots more to offer this season.

The attacker stepped off the bench to snatch the winner in our season opener, but emphasised that the team have got plenty more potential to fulfil.

"It's always nice to start with three points," he said. "We'll continue to build, we've still got a lot of room for improvement, and we'll get on the training pitch and we'll do that.

"It's always nice to get three points away at Goodison Park. The lads worked really hard in difficult conditions. [Everton] were really at it and we weathered the storm, and thankfully we got the goal.

"We understand that with Sean Dyche's teams they're going to be right on it, high energy, and we have to weather the storm. And we did so, and we got our own chance and we scored it, so we're really pleased with it, and we'll continue to build."

Soon after breaking the deadlock, De Cordova-Reid had a chance to wrap things when he was picked out by a gorgeous Harry Wilson cross, but he sent his volley over.

"I probably should have gone with my head, I'd need to see it back," he stated. "It was great play by Harry Wilson, we know he's capable of doing that. I was in the right area, and next time I'll probably score."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2023/august/12/bobby-room-for-improvement/

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Silva salutes superb Leno
Marco Silva hailed the brilliance of Bernd Leno for keeping Fulham in the game after the Whites rode their luck to record an opening day win at Goodison Park.

Substitute Bobby De Cordova-Reid scored a second-half winner but German goalkeeper Leno made a string of fine saves whilst the game was deadlock at 0-0 and repelled plenty of Everton pressure.

Silva told his post-match press conference:

"That was not a good performance from ourselves at all. I think overall during the game, we didn't perform at our level. Even if we started the game well, after the first 15-20 minutes we started to lose so many balls in our build-up, in certain areas. We gave so many chances for Everton to punish us in counter attacks.

They had their chances, of course, a good number of chances during the first half, because we gave them so many moments for them to punish us. To be honest, it was much more our fault because we didn't perform. Bernd kept us in the game. A great, great performance from Bernd Leno kept us in the game in certain moments when we were under pressure.

We changed some things at half-time, second half was slightly different. Great impact from the players that came from the bench – Bobby, Mitro and Andreas. It was nice to see them involved in the goal we scored, a great moment from ourselves, open play moment that combined down our right side and with Bobby on the opposite side. It was probably our best moment during the match.

We hit the post as well, like Everton hit the crossbar, we had more chances in the second than the first, but in terms of our compactness, in terms of defensive organisation, it was not really good, not even 50 per cent what it should be. Even so, we were able to win a football match. In this circumstance, it is a great feeling for us.

It is not a problem for me to say probably Everton deserved a different result this afternoon. But football is like that, in some moments it's going to be ourselves playing better, creating more chances but not winning."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/08/silva-salutes-superb-leno/

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De Cordova-Reid declares there's 'room for improvement'
Matchwinner Bobby De Cordova-Reid was candid enough to admit Fulham have plenty to improve upon after scrapping to an opening day victory at Everton.

The Jamaican international stepped off the substitutes bench to prod home the winner at Goodison Park, but agreed with Marco Silva's assessment that Fulham's showing was well below their usual standard.

"It's always nice to start with three points. We'll continue to build, we've still got a lot of room for improvement, and we'll get on the training pitch and we'll do that. It's always nice to get three points away at Goodison Park. The lads worked really hard in difficult conditions. [Everton] were really at it and we weathered the storm, and thankfully we got the goal.

We understand that with Sean Dyche's teams they're going to be right on it, high energy, and we have to weather the storm. And we did so, and we got our own chance and we scored it, so we're really pleased with it, and we'll continue to build."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/08/de-cordova-reid-declares-theres-room-for-improvement/

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Fulham complete signing of free agent Adama Traore
 Fulham have signed former Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Adama Traore on a free transfer.

The Spaniard, who left Wolves at the end of last season, has put pen to paper on a two-year deal, which includes an option for Fulham to extend by a further 12 months.

Traore will link up with his former Wolves teammate Raul Jimenez, who completed a move to Marco Silva's side earlier this summer.

"It's a nice opportunity for me," Traore told FFCtv. "Another chapter. I like the club, I also have information from Raul, who seems to love the club. I'm excited and hungry to give 100 per cent here."

After rising through the youth ranks at Barcelona, Traore went on to play for Aston Villa and Middlesbrough before joining Wolves in 2018.

The 27-year-old also returned to Barcelona for a brief loan spell in the 2021-22 campaign, but the Catalan giants opted against signing him on a permanent basis.

Traore, who has earned eight caps for Spain, made 194 competitive appearances for Wolves, registering 20 goals and 14 assists.

Commenting on Traore's arrival, Fulham vice-chairman Tony Khan said: "I'm thrilled to welcome Adama Traore to Fulham Football Club. He's an explosive and powerful winger with great pace, and he has tremendous experience in the Premier League.

"He's a player with whom we are very familiar, and he's been on the opposing side of our team on numerous occasions; I believe that he'll be a great addition to Marco's squad."

Fulham kicked off the Premier League season with a 1-0 win over Everton on Saturday after Bobby De Cordova-Reid came off the bench to score a 73rd-minute winner.

Traore could potentially be involved when Fulham face West London rivals Brentford at Craven Cottage next weekend.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/transfer-talk/news/fulham-complete-signing-of-free-agent-adama-traore_521042.html?newsnow

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Sean Dyche responds to Demarai Gray question after latest Everton absence

Everton have reportedly agreed a deal with Fulham for Demarai Gray.

Sean Dyche says that Demarai Gray is still short of match fitness after missing Everton's loss to Fulham on the opening day of the 2023-24 Premier League season.

Gray was given an extended pre-season break after he helped Jamaica reach the CONCAF Gold Cup semi-finals over the summer.

But after returning to Merseyside last month, the winger did not feature in any pre-season friendly. Reports have suggested that Everton have struck a verbal agreement with Fulham to sign Gray in a £12 million deal.

The 27-year-old was omitted from the Blues' squad for the loss to the Cottagers in their season opener at Goodison Park.

But speaking at his post-match press conference, Dyche denied that Gray was closing in on a move to Fulham and insisted that the former Leicester City man was still not fit.



https://www.liverpoolworld.uk/sport/football/everton/sean-dyche-responds-to-demarai-gray-question-after-latest-everton-absence-4253241