Friday Fulham Stuff - 27/10/23...

[WhiteJC]

Aston Villa and Fulham told signing situation – Club only own 75% of player's rights
This week, reports from the English media claimed that Aston Villa and Fulham are both interested in Sporting midfielder Geny Catamo.

It's been said that the clubs are keen on making a move for the 22-year-old already in the January transfer window.

The race for Geny is now covered by the Portuguese media, with newspapers Record and O Jogo sharing some information that could be of interest to Aston Villa and Fulham.

First of all, they both make it clear that Sporting only get 25% of a potential transfer, as 75% would go to his former club Amora.

That may not directly affect the interested clubs, but is a reason for the Lions not to sell the player for a low price. They've also been interested in buying that remaining percentage, and that could delay a potential negotiation for a transfer as well.

Regarding Aston Villa and Fulham, neither Record nor O Jogo could confirm their interest. They actually come up with other contenders, saying Genoa and Udinese are keen on the signing and could compete with the Premier League sides.

Geny is protected by a €60m release clause, giving Sporting some protection. They already tried to buy the remaining 75% with a €1.2m offer, but that was turned down.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/aston-villa-fulham-told-signing-situation-club-75-players-rights/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham player has 'advised' the club to sign international teammate – 'Intriguing transfer' idea presented
Torino midfielder Ivan Ilic is being linked with a move to Fulham.

The story comes from Tuttosport, relayed by TuttoMercatoWeb, claiming that the player is not getting all the minutes he wanted at the Serie A side.

It's said he 'clearly expressed his disappointment and dissatisfaction' with the situation, and the club want to sort that out.

Torino spent big when signing Ilic in a €15.7m move from Verona back in January, and it's said they don't want to give up on the player.

However, that's where Fulham are brought into the picture in a quite peculiar way for this 'intriguing transfer'.

Tuttosport writes that Whites midfielder Sasa Lukic is 'great friends' with Ilic, and advised the Craven Cottage side to sign the 22-year-old.

The duo play together for Serbia's national team, having started alongside each other in the last match against Montenegro.

Now it remains to be seen whether Lukic's opinion could have some weight on Fulham's transfer desires. Ilic is currently valued by Transfermarkt at €19m, but his situation at Torino could definitely give the Whites some good arguments in the talks for a transfer.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-player-advised-club-sign-international-teammate-intriguing-transfer-idea-presented/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham star urges Cottagers to sign his £13m international team-mate
Fulham midfielder Sasa Lukic has reportedly urged the Premier League club to return to Torino and bring Ivan Ilic to Craven Cottage too.

Marco Silva's side snapped up the experienced midfielder in a £9 million deal back in January and, according to Tuttosport, Sasa Lukic is keen to be joined in West London by a player he knows well.

Ivan Ilic, ironically enough, joined Torino as a replacement for Lukic nine months ago, one Serbia international arriving to fill the void created by the departure of another. Ilic's lack of game time for the Granata, however, is already incurring questions about his short-term future. 

Tuttosport believe that Lukic is even trying to convince Fulham to make a move for his 22-year-old compatriot, perhaps in the hope that Ilic can make an impact at the Cottagers similar to that of fellow Serb Aleksandr Mitrovic before his big-money departure to Saudi Arabia.

Fulham urged to make Ivan Ilic move
At this stage, it is uncertain whether there is any real or genuine interest from Fulham in Ilic.

Lukic has struggled to force his way into Silva's first XI, and Ilic – another deep-lying midfielder – would also be up against it trying to establish himself in an engine room already containing the exceptional Joao Palhinha and the industrious Harrison Reed.

Ilic, interestingly, spent three years on Manchester City's books from 2017 to 2020. He has been linked with moves to Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille in recent transfer windows. Brighton reportedly had a bid rejected before Hellas Verona sold him to Torino for £13.5 million in the winter.

Fulham prioritising a striker
Another central midfielder is unlikely to be a priority for Fulham in the upcoming January window, however. A Mitrovic replacement is at the forefront of the club's thinking.

Stuttgart record breaker Serhou Guirassy is one option. There is reportedly a £17 million release clause in his contract. Watch out for Gent 'phenomenon' Gift Orban too.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2023/10/26/fulham-star-urges-cottagers-to-sign-his-13m-international-team-mate/

[WhiteJC]

Sasa Lukic has now told Fulham to try and sign 22-year-old midfielder in January
Midfielder Sasa Lukic has reportedly told Fulham to try and sign international teammate Ivan Ilic in January.

A report from TuttoMercatoWeb has shared more details about the 22-year-old's future.

It's been an interesting start to the season for Sasa Lukic at Craven Cottage.

Signed in January from Torino for £8.8m, he struggled to break into the team ahead of Joao Palhinha and Harrison Reed.

It's taken him some time to get up to speed in the English game, but he's put in some encouraging performances this year.

The 27-year-old might have been disappointed to see fellow countryman Aleksandar Mitrovic leave the club in the summer.

However, Lukic now wants to recommend another Serbian in Ivan Ilic to join Fulham instead.

The 22-year-old is a solid defensive midfielder but has been in and out of the team at Torino right now.

It sounds like Lukic is already putting some groundwork in to convince his young international teammate to make the move to West London.

If Joao Palhinha does end up making the switch to Bayern Munich despite signing a new contract, Marco Silva could end up with a Serbian double pivot in midfield.

Lukic to convince Fulham to sign Ilic
The report from TuttoMercatoWeb suggests that Lukic and Ilic were speaking during the last international break about the youngster's future.

They say the pair are 'great friends' and Lukic could advise Fulham to make a move for Ilic very soon.

The club may not be in the best position right now as they continue to struggle to score goals.

However, with Marco Silva signing a new contract this week, there's now renewed hope within the fanbase.

It means the club should be preparing for the future and unfortunately that means thinking about a future that doesn't contain Joao Palhinha.

As Lukic suggests, Ilic would be a decent option for Fulham and being able to ask the 27-year-old about his international teammate will certainly help.

Silva might also be asking if he has any defensive recommendations after Calvin Bassey's difficult display against Tottenham.

He has the perfect opportunity to bounce back against Brighton on Sunday who are yet to beat Fulham in the Premier League.



https://www.fulham.news/2023/10/26/sasa-lukic-has-now-told-fulham-to-try-and-sign-22-year-old-midfielder-in-january/

[WhiteJC]

Further details of failed Fulham transfer revealed – Club now seem to be walking away
Bayern Munich appear to be walking away from returning for Fulham's João Palhinha, who would have actually cost them €75m in the summer.

That's according to BILD's Die Englische Woche, relayed by Fussball Transfers, who cover the player today and how he might not end up in Bavaria after all.

As you'll be aware by this point, Palhinha was on the verge of joining Bayern Munich in the summer, with the German side agreeing a deal with Fulham and the player even undergoing a medical and doing media duties for his new club.

The deal collapse at the last minute, though, as Fulham failed to source a replacement on the deadline day and refused to sanction the exit.

The belief had been that Bayern would return for him in the January transfer window as they need to sign a number six, with their squad lacking in that position.

That's been made more difficult as Palhinha has since signed a new deal at Fulham and various reports have had Bayern taking a step back, with it even claimed they're concerned about a knee issue.

BILD continue the stepping away today, saying it is 'doubtful' whether Bayern will return for Palhinha as he's become 'more expensive' than previously expected.

They explain that while the deal in the summer was reported at €65m would have actually cost €74m if bonuses had been activated but with his new contract now in place, those figures would have increased.

Whatever the figure now is it's 'possibly too much' for those in charge at Bayern and they're now 'refraining' from making another offer for the time being. Indeed, it's quite possible they'll look elsewhere and leave him at Craven Cottage.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/details-failed-fulham-transfer-revealed-club-now-seem-walking-away/

[WhiteJC]

Games for the weekend 28/10
Another away game, this time we travel to the South Coast to face Brighton at the Amex

Well the game against Spurs didn't go quite to plan, it was a derby after all, but apart from a couple of mistakes I think the "team" played reasonably well. I feel for Calvin Bassey, he was playing out of position and appears to be as "one footed" as Tom Cairney.
We (Marco) still haven't worked out how to play with either Raul or Vinicius to our best advantage, neither are Mitro! having said that, apart from the first two games, when Mitro was banned for the eight games last season Vinicius came good.

The best news we've had for a while was Marco signing his new contract, hopefully there will be additional funds for the January transfer window and I'm sure having a "stable" situation at the club can only help with recruitment?

Last season's away win at the Amex was a "smash and grab", more of the same would be very welcome.

Brighton are having another good season, they've not been out of the top 10 so far. They lost their last game away to Man City, drew the previous one, home to Liverpool and suffered a heavy away defeat to Villa, 6-1 at the end of September.
They'll be looking to getting back to winning ways and will look at us as an "easy" 3 points?

Our recent record against against Brighton is even with 4 wins, 5 losses and 3 draws.

my team would be...

COYW's

Games of Interest...
Friday 27th
Palace v Spurs

Saturday 28th
Chelsea v Brentford
Arsenal v Sheff Utd

Sunday 29th
West Ham v Everton
Brighton v Fulham
Liverpool v Forest
come on over to the forum and join in the conversation...
https://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?board=36.0



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=2956

[WhiteJC]

Club Wary Of Fulham's Stance On Player In January Window
Bayern Munich are wary of Fulham demanding more money for Joao Palhinha in the January transfer window, it has been claimed in Germany.

The midfielder was on the cusp of joining the German champions on deadline day last summer but the transfer could not be completed in time.

Bayern Munich had an agreement worth €65m in place with Fulham and the player also underwent a medical in Munich.

However, he had to return to England after the transfer fell through and he has again cemented a place in the Fulham team.

The German champions are plotting to sign him in January but according to German daily Bild (via Fussball Transfers), Bayern Munich are afraid that his price could go up.

Palhinha recently signed a new contract, which increased his salary and Fulham are now expected to demand more money.

The Cottagers are claimed to be expected to ask for a fee in the region of €74m before agreeing to sell the player.

Marco Silva, who also signed a new contract at Fulham recently, does not want to lose Palhinha in the middle of the season.



https://insidefutbol.com/2023/10/26/club-wary-of-fulhams-stance-on-player-in-january-window/624403/

[WhiteJC]

Five Fixture Updates
he Premier League has provided an update on five of Fulham's fixtures in December and January.

    Our home match against Nottingham Forest will now take place on Wednesday 6th December (7.30pm) and will be broadcast live on Amazon Prime Video.
    Our home match against West Ham United will now take place on Sunday 10th December (2pm). This is due to West Ham's midweek match being moved to the Thursday.
    Our trip to AFC Bournemouth on Boxing Day will be broadcast live on Amazon Prime Video.
    Our home match against Arsenal will now take place on Sunday 31st December (2pm) and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
    Our trip to Chelsea on Saturday 13th January will now kick-off at 12.30pm and be broadcast live on TNT Sports.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2023/october/26/five-fixture-updates/

[WhiteJC]

Todd Boehly 'holds talks' for major Stamford Bridge move as statement made with new timeframe
Chelsea news as surprise Stamford Bridge stadium alternative emerges following Pitch Owners statement

 Todd Boehly and Chelsea's new owners are continuing their attempts to expand the capacity for the club's stadium with several options remaining on the table. After 15 months of the Boehly-Clearlake Capital consortium being in charge there is still no clear roadmap towards the desired outcome.

As Roman Abramovich found in the final years of his own tenure and many predicted, expanding the current capacity via redevelopment or a permanent switch to another are both complex issues. It has lead to very little genuine movement from the club, though it was announced last week that a 1.2 acre plot of land had been purchased from veteran housing charity Stoll.

That gives Chelsea room to manouvre in the future but nothing is imminent as the Blues wouldn't be able to use the land until at least 2025. However, that hasn't stopped Boehly from making moves to sound out the possible routes for the club to go down.

On the same day that the Chelsea Pitch Owners (CPO) released a statement regarding the future of Stamford Bridge it was reported in the Daily Mail that Boehly, who is club chairman, had held 'informal talks' with west London neighbours Fulham over a possible groundshare.

The Cottagers play just one mile away by the Thames and have been going through some stadium renovations of their own, expanding the capacity slowly over a number of years with partial closure of stands dating back to 2021. However, they can currently hold less than 30,000 fans, nearly 15,000 less than Stamford Bridge.

Although any move or change is still some way off, CPO said that they had 'not yet been informed of any decision made by the Club on its future plans for the stadium', there are plans being explored with the belief that remaining on the current site is still preferred. This raises questions of its own though as the chances to do a stand-by-stand redevelopment remain small.

That would take much longer to complete with reports suggesting that a 2030 finish date labelled as 'optimistic.' It is also not certain whether there is room at the current site to carry out such extensive work and have the stadium remain operational.

The only other way to work with this would be to move away from SW6 for a period, like Tottenham did between 2017 and 2019, but that means finding another ground. Wembley and Twickenham have been mooted as options though both have their complications logistically.

Craven Cottage is an outside option which makes sense in terms of its geography but perhaps not much more due to the rivalry between Fulham and the Blues. This latest report of Boehly's talks indicates that it is not being rules out though. Although there is currently no timeframe on when things might change, the CPO did add: "We believe their decision is due to be finalised shortly, having worked through all the available options."

The statement continues: "As we understand it, although the purchase of the Stoll site has been agreed, it will be some considerable time before the site can be vacated. In addition, a new planning application would be required, even though some of that work was done during the earlier project under Roman Abramovich.

"Once an application has been approved, estimates on the time required for demolition and rebuild vary from four years up to as much as seven years, during which time the Club would need to relocate its home games." This would also be a medium-term solution with work expected to take at least four years if this is the way that the club go.

Craven Cottage is certainly a new option when it comes to this with Wembley as the most obvious first choice, but Ben Jacobs pointed out the positives and negatives of such a move. "Chelsea, the options mentioned, do they stay local?" he questioned whilst on the Si Phillips Talks Chelsea podcast.

"Is there maybe a groundshare with Fulham? Would they be open to it and does it cater to Chelsea's needs and does it hit the capacity numbers? Beggers can't be choosers. Wembley wouldn't go down well because it's in north London but it's the right size and it's not used as much so that's a possibility. There's no way that West Ham or Tottenham or Arsenal would ever be possible so the options are few and far between.

"Technically, you've got Selhurst Park but it's in the wrong part of London. In theory you've got somewhere outside of London but if it's for over four years it's a long-time to go to somewhere like the Madejski Stadium but I use that as an example because again, on a motorway it's quite accessible, it's the right type of size and you would definitely have a club like Reading say 'brilliant, we would love that business, make that stadium your own' but I don't think the fanbase would allow for that, it's too far away, outside of London. There aren't really any positive solutions that please everybody."



https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/todd-boehly-holds-talks-major-27987717

[WhiteJC]

Fulham boost as Tosin Adarabioyo ready to follow Marco Silva with new contract
Monaco and Tottenham have both been chasing the former Manchester City centre-back, who has now performed a U-turn on his future

Fulham are open to restarting talks over a new contract with Tosin Adarabioyo.

The defender looked destined to leave Craven Cottage after rejecting a new deal in June but could now restart dialogue after boss Marco Silva extended his own stay until 2026.

Monaco had an £8.5million bid for the player snubbed in August, while Tottenham are also admirers of Tosin.

The 26-year-old, whose current deal expires next summer, can sign a pre-contract agreement with clubs overseas from January 1.

Fulham hope to have Tosin back from injury in the coming weeks after he underwent groin surgery. They are short of options at the back, with Issa Diop also currently out injured.

Left-footed option Calvin Bassey, meanwhile, put in an uncomfortable performance on the right side of defence and made crucial mistakes in the build-up to both of Tottenham's goals in the 2-0 Premier League defeat on Monday night.

Bassey, a £19.3m summer arrival from Ajax, was also sent off on his full top-flight debut against Arsenal earlier this season.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-tosin-adarabioyo-new-contract-b1116197.html

[WhiteJC]

Tosin set to sign new Fulham deal
Tosin Adarabioyo has had a change of heart regarding his Fulham future and is considering signing a contract extension to stay at Craven Cottage, according to the Evening Standard.

The former Manchester City centre back looked certain to leave Craven Cottage this summer but is now open to committing his future to Fulham after Marco Silva signed a contract extension himself earlier this week. The 26 year-old, who had turned down a move to Tottenham over the summer and was heavily linked with a move to Monaco, is currently recovering from groin surgery and was disappointed to lose his place to Issa Diop last season but has u-turned in recent days, according to the Standard's Nizaar Kinsella.

The news is a boost to the Cottagers with Silva currently short of central defensive cover due to injuries to Diop and Adarabioyo.




https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/10/tosin-set-to-sign-new-fulham-deal/

[WhiteJC]

Bayern 'walking away' from Palhinha pursuit
Bayern Munich are 'walking away' from a January move for Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha after he signed a new deal at Craven Cottage, according to reports from Germany.

German sports daily Bild claims that the Bundesliga giants are eyeing alternative options after the Portuguese international's decision to extend his contract with the Whites pushed up the potential asking price. Previous press reports had suggested that Bayern were worried about a spurious knee problem and Bild suggests that senior figures at the German club would baulk at paying more than the £64.3m price that had been agreed in the summer.

The report concludes by emphasising that Bayern are 'refraining' from furthering their previous interest with an increased offer, which would be a huge boost to Fulham's prospects.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/10/bayern-walking-away-from-palhinha-pursuit/

[WhiteJC]

Four Fulham fixtures moved
The Premier League has confirmed that four forthcoming Fulham fixtures have been moved due to European fixtures and broadcast selections.

Fulham's home fixture against Nottingham Forest has been switched to Wednesday 6th December to be shown on Amazon Prime Video and will kick off at 7.30pm.

Fulham's home match against West Ham United will now be played on Sunday 10th December at 2pm due to West Ham's Europa League commitments in the preceding week.

The Whites' visit to AFC Bournemouth on Boxing Day will remain on Boxing Day but will be broadcast on Amazon Prime Video according to the Premier League's rights deal.

Fulham's home game against Arsenal has been moved to Sunday 31 December and shown on Sky Sports at 2pm.

Finally, the SW6 derby at Stamford Bridge will take place at 12.30pm on Saturday 13 January and screened live by TNT Sports.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/10/four-fulham-fixtures-moved/

[WhiteJC]

Tottenham-linked defender Tosin ready to discuss new long-term deal at Fulham
Tottenham Hotspur-linked centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo is ready to discuss a new contract with Fulham.

According to The Standard, the Super Eagles-eligible defender is ready to commit his long-term future to the London club after initially turning down a contract extension proposal in June.

Tosin could have left the Craven Cottage in the summer with Tottenham and Monaco linked with him but none of the interested parties could strike a deal with Fulham.

The 26-year-old is already running into the final months of his existing deal and can agree to a pre-contract agreement with club overseas from January 1 if he doesn't sign a new deal with the Cottagers before then.

He joined Marco Silva's side in 2020 from Manchester City and has made 108 appearances, registering two goals and three assists.

The right-footed defender has made just one appearance in the Premier League this season due to a groin injury he is recovering from.

Fulham are without a right-footed centre-back at the moment with Issa Diop also out injured and will be hoping Tosin returns to fitness in the coming weeks.

Abdulkareem Abdulhamid



https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=49250

[WhiteJC]

£5.5m player starts, Silva makes four changes: Early predicted Fulham XI to face Brighton on Sunday
Fulham face another difficult task in the Premier League this weekend when they face Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex.

Not only is it going to be difficult for the players, but it's likely to be a tough task for the fans too who are making the journey to the South Coast despite a train strike.

Marco Silva will be desperate to see a response from his side after their defeat to Tottenham on Monday and that could mean a return to the side for £5.5m forward Raul Jimenez.

There were question marks over his signing when he arrived at Craven Cottage in the summer following a poor spell of form at Wolves.

Unfortunately, despite showing flashes of the player who scored 30 goals across two seasons at Molineux at one point in his career, he's yet to score his first Fulham goal.

However, the alternative is sticking with Carlos Vinicius who was anonymous against Spurs or handing Rodrigo Muniz his first Premier League start.

Silva could therefore see Brighton as the perfect chance for Jimenez to boost his confidence and break that duck.

The Mexican is unlikely to be the only change to the team, although he's almost certain to stick with one player who was much maligned after Monday's defeat.

Predicted Fulham team to face Brighton
Unsurprisingly, Bernd Leno is expected to start at the weekend as he continues to earn points on his own and make a mockery of a transfer fee that could rise to only £8m.

It would be a surprise to see Silva make a change to his back four, with Issa Diop and Tosin Adarabioyo both likely to still be unavailable.

He could choose to switch Tim Ream and Calvin Bassey, but the more likely approach will be to ask one of Fulham's midfielders to drop deeper to collect the ball.

Joao Palhinha is the first name on the team sheet, but the additional screening provided by Harrison Reed means he could replace Sasa Lukic.

Brazilian Andreas Pereira looks like a man who needs a rest and it would be a good opportunity to hand Alex Iwobi another start.

As mentioned above, Jimenez should be the man to lead the line for Fulham against Brighton and flanked by Willian and Harry Wilson he has the best chance of scoring that elusive first goal.

Predicted Fulham team to face Brighton on Sunday

It's going to be a very difficult game but Brighton's matches have been high-scoring and that may suit Silva's team.

They've already got three clean sheets to their name this season and a fourth on Sunday would almost certainly guarantee three points.



https://www.fulham.news/2023/10/26/5-5m-player-starts-silva-makes-four-changes-early-predicted-fulham-xi-to-face-brighton-on-sunday/

[WhiteJC]

Report: Fulham's Key Player Set for U-Turn?
Fulham's Beacon of Hope: Tosin Adarabioyo

It's football's open secret: stability at a club often determines success. Yet, sometimes, even in the most tumultuous waters, certain players become the anchoring ship that keeps a club afloat. Step forward, Tosin Adarabioyo.

The Renaissance of Tosin at Craven Cottage
The heart of a defence can be its beating pulse. For Fulham, that heart and pulse lie within the stride of Tosin Adarabioyo. The former Manchester City prodigy seemed set to part ways with the Whites when he turned down a contract renewal back in June. Yet, the narrative takes an unexpected twist, much like an edge-of-the-seat thriller.

While the sands of time are trickling away with his contract nearing its conclusion, the stalwart might be gearing up for a second act at Craven Cottage as reported by the Evening Standard. Sparking hope in the Fulham camp, the green light for resuming contract talks comes in the wake of manager Marco Silva, who recently extended his tenure till 2026.

European Glances and the Premier League Pursuit
One can't help but acknowledge the weight of Adarabioyo's influence, considering Monaco tabled an £8.5 million offer for the centre-back. And it's not just the Monegasques. Tottenham, too, seems quite smitten by the defender's prowess.

However, with his current contract on the verge of expiring, the clock is ticking. The countdown to January 1 is on, a date when Adarabioyo can pen a pre-contract agreement with non-domestic footballing entities.

Injury, Recovery, and Fulham's Defensive Dilemma
While the corridors of Craven Cottage are abuzz with the potential of Tosin's renewed commitment, another storyline emerges – the player's swift recovery. After a recent setback requiring groin surgery, Fulham are on tenterhooks, eagerly awaiting his return to action.

Their defensive ranks appear somewhat thin, especially with Issa Diop also on the medical table. Calvin Bassey's recent underwhelming showcase against Tottenham only amplifies the need for Tosin's steadying presence at the back. The £19.3 million summer recruit from Ajax, who's experienced the rough and tumble of the Premier League, notably with his dismissal against Arsenal, further cements the clamour for Adarabioyo's influence.

An Awaited Return
Football, as they say, is as much about the off-the-pitch dramas as it is about the on-field ballet. And as Fulham navigate this transitional phase, the plot around Tosin Adarabioyo thickens.



https://eplindex.com/98584/report-fulhams-key-player-set-for-u-turn.html

[filham]

It sounds as if Tosin and Palhinha may just stay at the Cottage for a while, what great news that would be and means that our recruiting team could fully concentrate their efforts and money on a Mitro replacement for January.

[hovewhite]

It sounds as if Tosin and Palhinha may just stay at the Cottage for a while, what great news that would be and means that our recruiting team could fully concentrate their efforts and money on a Mitro replacement for January.

I am hoping for the same conclusion to have a striker of quality to get signed up without distraction as palhania at the death of transfer business took the striker focus away in the summer window.