Friday Fulham Stuff - 08/09/23...

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Man Utd chief John Murtough given new January priority by Premier League rival
Manchester United brought in seven new players in the summer.

Manchester United chief John Murtough has been given a new January priority in the transfer market as Fulham could attempt to prise Scott McTominay away from Old Trafford. The Red Devils brought in seven new players during the summer, with Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund the pick of the bunch.

United director of football Murtough and manager Erik ten Hag were backed in the transfer market during the most recent window after the Dutchman guided his side back to the Champions League thanks to a third-place Premier League finish last season.

But United may find themselves short of options in the middle of the pitch if McTominay is tempted by the prospect of moving to Craven Cottage.

According to the Evening Standard, McTominay is likely to be available after falling down the pecking order under Ten Hag. And Fulham may turn to the Scotland international if Joao Palhinha turns his back on Craven Cottage to move to Bayern Munich.

Palhinha agreed personal terms with Bayern on transfer deadline day and underwent a medical in Germany as he looked set to swap the Premier League for the Bundesliga. Fulham ultimately pulled the plug at the last minute as they couldn't line-up a replacement for the 28-year-old. But Bayern are now expected to come back in for the ace in January.

McTominay could be the perfect replacement for Palhinha as he has plenty of Premier League and Champions League experience. And the 26-year-old may jump at the chance to get away from Old Trafford after being handed just seven minutes of football this season.

Despite bringing in Mount from Chelsea and Sofyan Amrabat on loan from Fiorentina, United could leave themselves exposed if McTominay quits the club. Casemiro is currently first-choice in the middle of the pitch, while Christian Eriksen has started his side's last two games. But aside from those four midfielders, Ten Hag has a paucity of options to turn to, with Bruno Fernandes excelling in a more attacking role and Donny van de Beek appearing to have no future in the north west.

So Murtough may have already been told to find a new midfielder who can help the Red Devils compete for silverware on all fronts. After all, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool all shelled out big money to bolster their respective midfields in the summer. And United won't want to get left behind in a key area of the pitch.



https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1810111/Man-Utd-John-Murtough-Fulham-Scott-McTominay

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Sources: Door opens for Tottenham to sign Adarabioyo after Fulham development
The door has opened for Tottenham to sign out of favour Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo, sources have told Football Insider.

Spurs were interested in a move for the 25-year-old and faced competition from AS Monaco, but a late move did not materialise and he remained at Craven Cottage.

Adarabioyo has entered the final year of his contract and is believed to have burnt his bridges at Fulham which will make it difficult for him to break back into the side.

Last month (21 August), Football Insider revealed that Fulham were bracing themselves for the Englishman to depart this summer and had been eyeing up a new centre-back signing.

After Monaco saw a bid rejected for Adarabioyo, he ultimately remained in London.

The centre-back had been training alone until recently and has made just one substitute appearance this term after being left out of the match day squad for their first two games of the season.

Adarabioyo joined Fulham from Man City's academy in 2020 and the club activated an extension in January this year, keeping him at the club until next summer.

Since his arrival in London, the defender has made 108 appearances for Fulham across all competitions, netting three goals and offering up two assists.

Abarabioyo was a regular feature for Marco Silva's side last term and made 29 appearances across all competitions, notching one goal, in a season that saw them record an impressive tenth place finish in the top flight.



https://www.footballinsider247.com/sources-door-opens-for-tottenham-to-sign-adarabioyo-after-fulham-development/

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Exclusive: Fabrizio Romano responds to Man United transfer links with Premier League star
Manchester United have been linked with Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha as a potential target for the January transfer window, but it's fair to say Fabrizio Romano isn't entirely convinced by these stories.

Writing in his exclusive CaughtOffside column, Romano explained that Man Utd's recent investment in another defensive midfield player, Sofyan Amrabat, surely meant another deal of this kind was unlikely.

On top of that, Romano seems more sure about Bayern Munich reviving their interest in the Portugal international, having come close to signing him on Deadline Day this summer.

Palhinha has impressed in his time in the Premier League with Fulham, and it makes sense that he might now be viewed as someone who'd be good enough to make the step up to playing for the Red Devils.

Still, there is also surely not much room for him in Erik ten Hag's squad, with United having Casemiro and Amrabat to choose from, while Scott McTominay is another useful backup option.

"As I previously reported, Bayern Munich came very close to signing Joao Palhinha this summer, only for the deal to fall through late on as Fulham couldn't find a replacement, and now there's been further speculation about the Portuguese midfielder's future," Romano said.

"I'm aware that Manchester United have been linked as suitors for Palhinha when the transfer window opens again in January, but I'm not a fan of commenting on rumours about something that is still four months away. Nothing is going on now, and also Man United just spent money on another defensive midfielder with the Sofyan Amrabat deal.

"I think Bayern will try again for Palhinha but again, it's too early to say for sure, January is far."



https://www.caughtoffside.com/2023/09/07/joao-palhinha-man-united-bayern-transfer-exclusive/

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Bayern Munich will return to Fulham's João Palhinha in January
As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Bayern Munich will look to sign Fulham midfielder João Palhinha in January after a deal collapsed on deadline day.

Despite the Portuguese international passing a medical for Die Rekordmeister, they were unable to capture the signing of Palhinha during the final hours of the transfer window. As previously reported, Fulham's failure to land a replacement for the 28-year-old scuppered the potential move.

Nevertheless, had Bayern looked to finalise a deal sooner, then the German champions would have more than likely got the deal over the line. However, Thomas Tuchel's side will not give up hope, and will look to sign Palhinha in January as they were happy with the player's attitude regarding the deadline day saga.

New attempts to agree a deal with Fulham will take place over the coming months as Bayern do not want to let the 28-year-old slip through their fingers. Internally, there is an understanding that a defensive midfielder will certainly be signed during the January transfer window.

The aftermath of the Palhinha disappointment is still reverberating throughout the Bayern camp. Honorary president Uli Hoeneß has recently commented on how he hopes that the Rekordmeister never leave their business down to deadline day again, while head coach Thomas Tuchel has aggravated the Bayern board – as well as some of his players – due to his comments and actions concerning the failure to sign a 'number six'.



https://www.getfootballnewsgermany.com/2023/bayern-munich-will-return-to-fulhams-joao-palhinha-in-january/?expand_article=1

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Happy birthday, Ray Lewington!
When Palace pour forwards at Selhurst Park, certain familiarities present themselves. The clatter of seats as thousands rise to their feet. The familiar roar of the Holmesdale as the attack gains momentum. And the sight of not one, but two figures on the touchline willing the ball into the back of the net.

We all remember where we were back in April, when Jean-Philippe Mateta turned and tucked home in the 94th minute against Leicester City. It sparked bedlam in the stands, across the airwaves and in red and blue-clad living rooms around the globe.

But the emotions were the same in the dugout. As Roy Hodgson punched the air in delight, Ray Lewington – who celebrates his 67th birthday today (Thursday, 7th September 2023) – set off down the touchline at full speed, unable to contain his delirium; by the time he leapt up, both arms aloft, he was closer to the corner flag than the halfway line.

The dynamic duo had done it again. A romantic return to Selhurst Park, three crucial points and the adulation of south London. But just how do they do it?

Lewington's career is rooted in the capital, coming through as a youngster at Chelsea before featuring for Wimbledon and Fulham – the latter as player manager in 1986. He was briefly Crystal Palace caretaker manager in 1998, before heading to Watford and, once again, to Fulham.

At Craven Cottage he was reserve team manager, before rising to caretaker boss before the appointment of – you guessed it – Roy Hodgson.

Roy and Ray hit it off and Lewington remained at Fulham as Hodgson's assistant manager, as the two performed miracles in west London in taking Fulham to the Europa League final, beating Shakhtar Donetsk, Wolfsburg, Hamburg and – most memorably – a Juventus side including Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini, Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet.

They came up short in the final against an Atletico Madrid side boasting stars of both the present and the future: Diego Forlan scored the winner but 19-year-old David de Gea and 21-year-old Sergio Aguero started. It wasn't to be, and soon Hodgson left for Liverpool and West Brom while Lewington remained at Craven Cottage.

Partnership over? Not a bit of it. When Hodgson took over as England manager in 2012, he appointed Lewington as assistant manager just three days later. The duo steered England to two European Championships and the World Cup in 2014, and when Hodgson took over at Selhurst Park it seemed inevitable that Lewington would follow.

"As you do when you start working with someone, you sit down and talk, and we found that we had so much in common that when the opportunity came, he took me with him," Lewington said of their working relationship. "Roy is a coach in the truest terms. Anything he doesn't want to do, I do. Anything he wants me to do, I do. I've worked with him for a long time. I tend to know what he's thinking, which coincides with the way I'm thinking."

That trust is so important in the modern game – as is Lewington's love for the work itself, as opposed to the spotlight. "I'm happier in the background – Roy's fantastic with the media," he said at a Q&A event in 2014. "I don't particularly like all the things you have to do as a manager. I'm probably best suited for a No. 2 or a coaching job, because that's what I enjoy: being on the pitch with the players."

One of the highlights of lockdown football – and there were pitifully few – was hearing Lewington's booming voice echo around the empty stadiums. Even Sky Sports' fake crowd noise couldn't mask his urgent instructions to the players; it takes some effort for 25,000 at Selhurst Park to outdo him even now.

And so, when Palace turned to Roy Hodgson back in April they effectively turned to Ray too – if Hodgson is a safe pair of hands then Roy and Ray are the safest pair of safe pairs of hands possible. Palace are flying, and they are doing so under the tutelage of one of modern football's most productive managerial partnerships.

Many happy returns, Ray.



https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/club/happy-birthday-ray-lewington-crystal-palace-roy-hodgson/

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Fulham tickets now sold out
The Town's allocation for our trip to Craven Cottage has now sold out.

700 tickets went on sale on Thursday morning and were soon snapped up.

Any season ticket holder who was in the online queue that was unsuccessful in purchasing a ticket can email [email protected] to be included on a waiting list should any tickets be returned.



https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2023/september/fulham-sales-plan/

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Fulham's Palhinha has to re-centre focus after Bayern Munich deal collapses
Fulham fans were celebrating on transfer window day after Joao Palhinha's transfer to Bayern Munich collapsed – but it now remains to see how that affects the midfield powerhouse.

The Whites cleared the Portuguese international to fly out to Germany for his medical after agreeing a fee but the plug was pulled after they could not land a replacement.

Fulham did sign Alex Iwobi from Everton but also failed to secure a striker, despite allowing Aleksandar Mitrovic to join Al-Hilal for a club record fee.

Palhinha's brother Goncalo, who acts as the 28-year-old's agent, has talked about Bayern reactivating the deal in January.

"They (Fulham) didn't kill the dream, they just postponed it,' he posted on his social media.

"Words of appreciation, recognition and thanks to the entire Bayern structure. The affection for the club in our family will remain forever, even though my brother didn't sign."

Bayern head coach Thomas Tuchel has refused to be drawn on Palhinha's long-term future.

"I have no opinion on that," said the former Chelsea boss. "There's no point in thinking about it now. He plays at Fulham and we play here without him.

"In winter we have to see. Things change sometimes, you can't predict that."

Fulham head coach Marco Silva described it as one of Palhinha's "toughest days of his life". Silva added: "He had the fantastic season last season and he's always a player that gives 100 per cent for the shirt – but he had a big chance to go to one of the biggest clubs in the world and he was really close.

"You can imagine the impact that has on a football player when these type of things happen. He is going to need support from all of us – the coaching staff, our fans and his team-mates."

Winger Anthony Knockaert has joined Valenciennes after agreeing a mutual termination of his contract.

The 31-year-old initially signed on loan from Brighton in 2019 with the Whites making it a permanent move in July 2020.

Knockaert had loans at Forest, Huddersfield and Greek outfit Volos.



https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/fulhams-palhinha-has-to-re-centre-focus-after-bayern-munich-deal-collapses/

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Bayern Munich legend Uli Hoeneß is getting fed up with transfer windows and all of the hysteria that comes with them
The former Bayern president is getting tired of the silly seasons.

For all of the good that came of the summer transfer window for Bayern Munich with the signings of Konrad Laimer, Raphaël Guerreiro, Kim Min-jae and Harry Kane, there was still a bit of a sour taste that lingered right after the window shut. Prospective deals to sign both Southampton's Armel Bella-Kotchap and Fulham's João Palhinha fell through just before the window officially closed in Germany.

This left Bayern ruing the proper opportunities to get a right back option after letting both Benjamin Pavard Josip Stanišić leave the club and it also left Thomas Tuchel ruing the chance to sign a defensive midfielder; something he really wanted to address this summer.

Tuchel faced some pushback from Bayern's board in terms of the No. 6, defensive midfield position. The manager really felt it was a position he wanted to bolster, but the majority of Bayern's front office and supervisory board didn't exactly agree with him. Regardless, the Palhinha opportunity was there and he had his medicals completed in Munich and was getting ready to take photos with a Bayern kit before the deal collapsed.

The end to the transfer window also brought up the end to the intensity and frequency of transfer rumors and all of the speculation that comes with them. One thing is for certain; former Bayern president Uli Hoeneß is not a fan of all of the drama that comes with the transfer windows, especially ones with as many movements and developments as Bayern had during this summer's.

Hoeneß went as far as saying transfer shows on television are a "cage full of fools" (Suddeutsche Zeitung via @iMiaSanMia), perhaps taking a bit of a jab at the legitimacy of some of the information that gets discussed on said programs. The journalists can only report the information they have, but a lot of different stories can be made from even the most miniscule of details reported.

Bayern's honorary president also went on to jokingly say that the very word "transfer" is a punishable offense up until "December 1st," making reference to the fact that Bayern can very go for the players they missed out in the summer during the winter transfer window. Those plans can be premeditated way before the January transfer window even opens. For now, though, he wants everyone in Bayern's squad to take motivation from their late win over Borussia Monchengladbach and know that they already have a capable enough squad to win matches.



https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/2023/9/7/23860370/bayern-munich-uli-hoeness-summer-winter-transfer-window-tuchel-palhinha-harry-kane-kim-laimer-ucl

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Fulham open Harrison Reed contract talks after Wolves transfer bid rejected
Midfielder is open to staying at Craven Cottage as he looks for an improvement on a £30,000-a-week deal that expires next summer

Fulham are locked in talks with midfielder Harrison Reed over a new contract.

Wolves made a £3million offer to sign the English midfielder before the summer transfer window closed last week, but that bid was deemed well below Fulham's asking price and promptly rejected.

Reed, 28, was open to the move to Molineux but would also be keen to stay at Craven Cottage should he be presented with suitably improved terms.

The £6million signing from Southampton - who also has interest from Everton - remains on the same £30,000-a-week contract he signed after joining permanently in summer 2020 following a productive loan spell in west London.

That deal expires in 2024, albeit with Fulham possessing the option to extend it automatically by a further year.

Reed has made a total of 150 appearances for the Cottagers across all competitions so far, scoring three goals and laying on 11 assists.

He has appeared in all five of Fulham's matches so far this term, starting four and coming on as a substitute in the west London derby against Brentford.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-fc-harrison-reed-contract-talks-b1105523.html

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Ballo-Toure bids farewell to Milan: "I will continue to follow you" – photo
Fode Ballo-Toure completed a move to Fulham on deadline day and he has finally broken his silence following the switch to the English capital.

Milan had been in talks with Fulham during the summer over a permanent deal and they even had an agreement in principle but then things went quiet, before all of a sudden they announced the signing of the Senegal international on an initial loan deal.

With a post on his Instagram profile, Ballo-Toure revealed his delight to have made the switch and also thanked Milan fans.

"New chapter, new team, new country. Really excited to join London's Original and I can't wait to experience the fantastic Craven Cottage atmosphere.

"Thanks to AC Milan and our fans for last two seasons, I will continue to follow you guys."



https://sempremilan.com/ballo-toure-bids-farewell-to-milan-fulham

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Celtic's ex-Fulham midfielder 'was the subject of a £10m bid' from Leeds United
Celtic midfielder Matt O'Riley was reportedly the subject of a £10m bid from Leeds United.

The 22-year-old was among the many names linked with the Whites during the summer window, although a move away from the Scottish giants did not materialise.

According to Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports, Leeds did lodge a bid for the Denmark under-21 international.

Writing on X, he said: "Celtic are expected to offer midfielder Matt O'Riley improved terms and an extension on his contract.

"The 22-year-old was the subject of a £10m bid from Leeds United.

"Celtic rejected it and now hope to tie him up on a new deal during this international break."

Although Leeds did not recruit O'Riley, they did bolster their midfield with the additions of Ilia Gruev and Glen Kamara.

The latter made his debut for the club as a late substitute in the 0-0 draw with Sheffield Wednesday.



https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/celtics-ex-fulham-midfielder-was-the-subject-of-a-ps10m-bid-from-leeds-united-4284411

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Fulham star Thomas Cairney has car window smashed again by team-mate
Fulham star Thomas Cairney has had his car window smashed again.


Thomas Cairney's car window was smashed again (Image: Thomas Cairney / Getty)

Fulham star Thomas Cairney has revealed that his car window has remarkably been smashed by a team-mate for the second time in 13 months. The Cottagers playmaker took to social media to reveal the incredible damage done to his vehicle by Rodrigo Muniz.

Cairney shared a photo of his smashed windscreen on Instagram. Writing on his story, he initially blamed Carlos Vinicius before jokingly moaning that Fulham's strikers 'can't shoot'.

"I wish our strikers could shoot," the 32-year-old wrote alongside an angry-swearing emoji. "How's that possible again? @CarlosVinicius95 F*** you!"

He soon apologised to former Tottenham loanee Vinicius for getting the wrong team-mate. In a further story with another picture of his car, Cairney added: "Apologies @CarlosVinicius95 it was the other Brazilian, @rodrigomuniz019!"

Pictures show that the entire window in front of the driver's seat is shattered. It seems that a wayward Muniz shot struck the vehicle, which was situated in the players' car park.


Thomas Cairney initially blamed Fulham team-mate Carlos Vinicius (Image: Thomas Cairney)


Thomas Cairney then realised it was Rodrigo Muniz who smashed his car (Image: Thomas Cairney)



https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1810419/Fulham-Thomas-Cairney-car-window-smashed

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Claim player's injury was 'badly handled' by Wolves – Molineux side 'didn't give him necessary attention'
Raul Jimenez may now be gone from Wolverhampton Wanderers, but the injury issues he had at the club continue to be brought up by the Mexican media.

Today, we get to see some comments regarding the way Wolves treated the player's pubalgia, back from the time he was fighting to get fit for the World Cup last year.

The words are from Fox Sports journalist Ruben Rodriguez, and relayed by AS.

"I'm going to say something that I've rarely or never said before, Raúl Jiménez was not at 100% and Wolves never said that and I know it first hand, because his injury was badly handled by Wolves. They didn't give him the necessary attention and the attention he needed to heal the injury."

"That's why it took so long, I don't know if it was negligence, I don't want to say that, supposed negligence, but they didn't treat him correctly and Raul said I'm not going to be treated here because you are injuring me more. That's why the relationship is broken, that's why he went to prepare, in my opinion, with the best kinesiologist in Mexico, Carlos Pecanha. He has saved everyone."

Raul Jimenez did go to the World Cup, but was only brought in at the end of games, and saw Mexico getting eliminated still in the group stage.

Playing for Wolves last season, the striker only had 20 appearances, having scored only three goals, all of them in the EFL Cup.

That's one of the reasons why the Molineux side decided it was time to let him go somewhere else. By the end of July, they sold him to Fulham on a €6.4m deal.

Jimenez already has five appearances made for Fulham, where he's been a regular starter in the Premier League, but is still to score his first goal for Marco Silva's side.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/claim-players-injury-badly-handled-wolves-molineux-side-didnt-give-necessary-attention/

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Report: £6m PL midfielder about to be offered new contract, with Everton keen to sign him
Everton target Harrison Reed is in negotiations to sign a new deal at fellow Premier League side Fulham.

Journalist Nazeer Kinsella confirmed Sean Dyche's side were interested in signing the 28-year-old during the summer window, with Reed's contract expiring next summer.

Gary O'Neil's Wolverhampton Wanderers were also interested and submitted a £3 million bid for the Englishman, but it was swiftly rejected by Marco Silva's side.

Reed would be open to leaving Fulham if he was presented with a substantial increase on his current wage of £30,000-a-week.

However, it looks as though the Cottagers are set to offer their midfielder an improved deal to keep him at Craven Cottage.

Harrison Reed in new contract talks
With Everton selling midfielder Alex Iwobi to Fulham, Dyche's side were eyeing up Reed as a replacement for the former Arsenal man.

Reed has been a solid midfielder for the Cottagers since their promotion back to the Premier League and at 28-years-old he is in the prime of his career and suits the type of football that Dyche likes to play.

However, after failing to sign him before the closure of the transfer window, it's a double whammy for the Toffees as they're now a man-light in midfield but any chance of signing Reed in January could have disappeared after his potential new contract.

It seems as though Dyche's men will have to widen their search for a new midfield when the January transfer window opens.



https://www.everton.news/report-6m-pl-midfielder-about-to-be-offered-new-contract-with-everton-keen-to-sign-him/

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Fulham Women In Action This Sunday

Secure your seat for all the action as The Whites take on Ebbsfleet United on Sunday 10th September, kick-off 2:30pm.

With the Men's team on international break, get your Fulham fix this weekend and show your support for Fulham FC Women at Motspur Park!

Tickets for this fixture are priced at just £5 for Adults and £1 for Juniors, so why not join us in the sunshine for an afternoon of family fun.

SECURE YOUR SEAT
HOW TO BUY

Supporters can purchase their tickets online at tickets.fulhamfc.com, over the phone by calling 0203 871 0810 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm) or in person from the Fulham FC Ticket Office (Monday-Friday, 9:30am-4:30pm).

Tickets will be available to purchase on the door, subject to availability.

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2023/september/07/fulham-women-in-action-this-sunday/

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Wolves made 'very low' bid for £30k-a-week PL player, and he was open to Molineux move
Harrison Reed is reportedly now in negotiations with his club Fulham over a new contract, with it being revealed that Wolves tabled a 'very low' bid of £3 million last week.

Reed was a player that emerged as a target for Wanderers in the final hours of the transfer window.

Tommy Doyle had already come in on loan from Manchester City.

But Wolves wanted another midfielder on top of the youngster.

And Reed was looked at.

In the end, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde came in from Strasbourg...

Wolves made £3 million Harrison Reed bid
The Evening Standard have reported today that £30,000-a-week star Reed is now in talks with Fulham over a contract extension.

It is stated that this comes after Wolves attempted to sign him.

The club apparently lodged a bid that was worth £3 million. That has been described as 'very low' by journalist Nizaar Kinsella.

Seemingly, this was way below Fulham' valuation of the player, even though Reed currently only has less than one year left on his deal.

Interestingly, the report states that Reed was actually open to a move to Molineux.

Wolves fans will not be too bothered to miss out on Reed
Realistically, few Wolves fans will really care that Wolves did not sign Reed.

While he is a good player and proven at Premier League level, he would hardly have raised pulses.

In the end Wanderers decided to release the purse strings a little and sign Bellegarde for £12.8 million.

The Frenchman seems like an all-action dynamo type midfielder, and does have an eye for goal.

He's already looked quite good in his first training session with the club, so hopefully he will prove to be great business.



https://www.molineux.news/transfer-news/wolves-made-very-low-bid-for-30k-a-week-pl-player-and-he-was-open-to-molineux-move/

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Fulham and Reed in discussions over new deal
Fulham have began contract renewal discussions with Harrison Reed after rejecting a derisory offer for the midfielder from Wolverhampton Wanderers towards the end of the transfer window, according to the Evening Standard.

The former Southampton midfielder has become a regular in Marco Silva's side and thrived in a new role as a box-to-box operator since the Portuguese head coach replaced Scott Parker at Craven Cottage. The 28 year-old is into the final twelve months of his current Fulham deal and is happy to renew his contract with the Whites if Fulham's offer recognises his improvement since his arrival in SW6, initially on loan in 2019.

The energetic engine room operator has made 150 appearances for Fulham, who immediately rejected Wolves' £4m offer last Thursday. Reed, who has inherited the 'special one Iniesta' moniker from Steve Sidwell, also attracted interest from Everton at the end of the transfer window but the Cottagers are keen to keep him stay at the club. The club's hierarchy are relaxed about his future – as they can trigger a twelve-month extension option next summer – and believe preliminary discussions have been positive.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/09/fulham-and-reed-in-discussions-over-new-deal/

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Chelsea legend John Terry now takes savage dig at Fulham on Twitter
Chelsea legend John Terry has now taken to social media to hand a savage dig at Fulham.

He took to Twitter to remind supporters of their West London rivals just how many trophies he has won in comparison to them as a club.

Terry is one of the most successful players in the club's history, as well as one of those with the most honours in English football history.

Therefore, he certainly has a leg to stand on when it comes to being targeted by trolls on social media.

He tweeted back at a Fulham supporter who tried to do just this by reminding him exactly the levels between the two sides over their recent history.

Terry takes dig at Fulham
He said: "I have won more trophies since I retired than Fulham have in 50 years. One team in London and it will NEVER be Fulham!"

The Blues actually finished below their rivals last season, as they slumped to a 12th placed finish in the Premier League.

They are now looking to counter this with the hiring of Mauricio Pochettino, however things have not got off to the best start as of yet.

Chelsea have already been beaten twice in the opening four Premier League games, and this has left the Argentine scratching his head when it comes to making changes for the future games.

He would do well to switch up the formation he has been using up to now, with many players in the squad seeming limited up to now.



https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/club-news/chelsea-legend-john-terry-now-takes-savage-dig-at-fulham-on-twitter/

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Joao Palhinha informs Bayern Munich he wants to join them in January
Joao Palhinha reportedly wants to sign for Bayern and will not entertain offers from elsewhere, with the club also keen.

According to Christian Falk, Joao Palhinha has his heart set on a move to Bayern Munich in January. The midfielder does not want to entertain offers from other clubs, as the Bavarians also intend to return with a fresh bid in the next window.

The Joao Palhinha story will be spoken about for the next few weeks until it returns around the January window. The Portuguese midfielder was inches from sealing a move to the Bundesliga champions, only for Fulham to disallow the deal in the eleventh hour.

Bayern had agreed on a reported €65 million fee with the Cottagers for the midfielder, and the club had permitted him to travel. In Germany, Palhinha had his medicals and even conducted media duties, but the necessary approvals from Fulham never arrived, leading to the Portuguese' return to England.

Palhinha was one of Bayern's disappointments, as they failed to sign at least two more players apart from the Fulham star on deadline day. Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah was one of those, with Southampton defender Armel Bella-Kotchap the other.

TRUE✅ João Palhinha told FC Bayern that he wants to go to Bayern this Winter - and only to Bayern. His Management/Family agreed. Bayern warnt to make this wish come true

— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) September 7, 2023

Fulham's reason for refusal was their inability to find a suitable replacement for Palhinha. There were a few links to some notable names, but barely any time left in the window. According to journalist Christian Falk, Palhinha reportedly wants to move to Bayern in January and will not speak to other clubs.

After the deadline day fiasco, leaving Fulham will be at the forefront of Palhinha's ideas. Having come so close to joining Bayern, the Bundesliga side also ponders another approach in January. They would like a similar agreement but may have to submit a new offer.

Palhinha's insistence on joining Bayern will have come from recent media reports that Manchester United also held an interest. As per Fabrizio Romano, the Red Devils may not return for the midfielder, thus leaving the field open for the Bavarians to move.

A move to Bayern could become one of the early moves in January unless Bayern have a change of heart between now and the winter window. A move to Germany will come as an upgrade for the 28-year-old, who has only spent a solitary season in England with Fulham.



https://thehardtackle.com/transfer-news/2023/09/08/joao-palhinha-informs-bayern-munich-he-wants-to-join-them-in-january/

[WhiteJC]

Inter Miami youngster Cremaschi impressing Pulisic, Ream at his first USMNT camp
These are heady days for Inter Miami's Benjamin Cremaschi.

Less than a year ago, the 18-year-old was suiting up for the club's MLS Next Pro side, pursuing an MLS contract.

Flash forward just 10 months, and the dual national is routinely connecting with Lionel Messi and getting U.S. men's national team call-ups.

The latest chapter showing just how much Cremaschi's life has changed came Thursday, when USMNT veterans Christian Pulisic and Tim Ream both singled the versatile Miami midfielder out for praise.

Asked on Ream's The American Dream podcast for new faces in camp that have impressed, Pulisic cited Cremaschi right away.

"I really liked this kid out of Miami, man," said Pulisic. "Nice kid. It's been excited to follow Miami recently for obvious reasons. And yeah, I like him. In the few trainings I've seen him, I see a lot of potential there as well. So that'd be one that I would say [has impressed], but, I mean, [I've] seen good things from a lot of them, to be honest, a lot of the new guys."

Cremaschi has been a high-energy compliment to Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba, producing one goal and four assists since the trio of former Barcelona stars joined Miami. New manager Gerardo "Tata" Martino has used the Miami native as both a box-to-box midfielder and on the wing, and like teammate Robert Taylor has thrived in the open space created by opponents collapsing on Messi.

Cremaschi looking 'sharp' at USMNT camp
For his part, Ream was apparently thinking the exact same thing.

"Yeah, I would agree," said Ream, adding that in his view, Cremaschi "has looked good."

"He's looked sharp. He's technical, not afraid to get into a tackle," continued Ream. "Benja and I think Kristoffer [Lund], he's kind of settling in [too]. Obviously English is more of a second language, but both very good with their English. [Cremaschi] has been the most impressive for sure in the couple of training sessions that we've had."

Ream alluded to another dual national in camp, the Danish-American fullback Lund. That proved timely, as FIFA approved the Palermo left back's one-time federation switch shortly after the podcast episode was published.

For Cremaschi, meanwhile, an appearance in the USMNT's friendlies against Uzbekistan (Sept. 9) and Oman (Sept. 12) would not guarantee his international future to U.S. Soccer. As both matches are friendlies, Cremaschi would still be eligible to play for Argentina, who have Messi lobbying his club teammate to keep the Albiceleste in mind.



https://prosoccerwire.usatoday.com/2023/09/07/cremaschi-usmnt-pulisic-tim-ream-inter-miami/