Saturday Fulham Stuff - 18/11/23...

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Arsenal's Aaron Ramsdale witnessed Arteta's ruthlessness first-hand before dad's criticism
Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale was brutally dropped for David Raya by Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had already set a precedent for Aaron Ramsdale's brutal demotion by dropping Bernd Leno in 2021. Ramsdale was signed to provide competition to the German ahead of the 2021-22 season but soon found himself promoted into the No 1 shot-stopper role, while Leno became an outcast at the Emirates Stadium.

Ramsdale now finds himself in the same situation Leno did two years ago. The England star appeared to be Arteta's first-choice goalkeeper but has now been replaced by summer signing David Raya.

Arteta has suggested that both players could be rotated depending on the opponent, and even hinted at the idea of mid-game changes. However, Ramsdale has not played in the Premier League or Champions League since starting Arsenal's 3-1 win over Manchester United on September 3.

The situation is reminiscent of the way Arteta pushed Leno towards the exit door two years ago following his ruthless decision. The now-Fulham star was cast aside for Ramsdale, despite not making obvious errors that might have led to him being dropped.

In a worryingly familiar trend, Leno played the first three Premier League matches in 2021-22. After being dropped for Ramsdale, he played just once more in the top-flight that campaign.


Bernd Leno was replaced by Aaron Ramsdale at Arsenal (Image: Getty)
Leno, 31, joined Fulham in the summer of 2022, knowing that he had lost his battle for the No 1 shirt at Arsenal. His situation might be why Ramsdale's father, Nick, chose to take aim at Arteta over the handling of his son's dilemma.

Ramsdale Snr has seen how Leno was ruthlessly cast aside and might be concerned that history is repeating itself. He told the Highbury Squad podcast: "We did not have a clue [that Ramsdale was going to be dropped]. I didn't have a clue, our family didn't have a clue, Aaron didn't have a clue that he was not going to carry on playing. All of a sudden, he's not been played.

"You just have to look at it personally and I'm probably saying too much but: Aaron is going to be the cup goalkeeper, and David Raya is going to be the main man unless something happens, an injury or a sending-off. And Aaron's got to live with that and he is living with that even though he's not been told it. By anybody."



https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1835946/Arsenal-Aaron-Ramsdale-Mikel-Arteta

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Wales' Harry Wilson Says Gareth Bale Farewell Meant It Was Time To Step Up
Harry Wilson admits the onus was on him to step out of Gareth Bale's shadow and keep Wales on track for major tournaments.

Boss Rob Page revealed recently he spoke to Wilson last summer and told him he was no longer simply a squad member and that he is a "big player" for Wales.

Wilson responded with a hand in both goals in September's 2-0 win in Latvia, and then scored twice in the stunning 2-1 victory over World Cup semi-finalists Croatia last month.

Those two wins lifted Wales up to second in Group D and they will qualify automatically for Euro 2024 by taking six points from their final two games, away to Armenia on Saturday and at home to Turkey three days later.

"Gaz provided a lot of moments for us on the pitch in times that we needed him," Fulham forward Wilson said of Wales' record scorer Bale, who retired from football in January.

"So for me being an attacking player, I need to start stepping up in those moments, and thankfully I was able to do that in the Croatia game.

"I'm not stupid, I know I wasn't the first on the team sheet because we had Gaz at Real Madrid and 'Rambo' (Aaron Ramsey) at Arsenal and then Juventus.

"They were playing regular football at the top level and it felt like they produced in every game.

"I wasn't happy with that because I wanted to be playing, but now with players leaving, I think there's a spot there for me and I'd like to think that I have stepped up."

Wilson won his 50th cap against Croatia, 10 years to the day since becoming Wales' youngest-ever male player at the age of 16 years and 207 days.

Affectionately known as 'The King of Corwen' by Wales fans, Wilson has also stepped up off the pitch as part of a leadership group.

He said: "It's not just Gaz leaving, Joe (Allen) left as well as a couple of senior players who made sure that the standards are always up there.

"I've gone from maybe one of the younger ones in the squad to being one of the oldest quite quickly.

"We had a little meeting during the last camp that 'Rambo', Ben Davies, Connor Roberts, Ethan Ampadu and myself were in.

"It's a group of lads who want to make sure the standards are set every day, making sure everything is right off the pitch so we can perform on it.

"I'm not the one who's going to be barking orders on the pitch, but I like to lead in a different way and doing stuff right. On the pitch, I want to lead with the ball and try to make stuff happen."

Wales will be looking towards Wilson again as they attempt to reach a fourth major tournament out of five and avenge June's shock 4-2 home defeat to Armenia.

He said: "We know what we did wrong in that game and we know what we've got to do on Saturday to put that right.

"For sure we owe them one. They played a fantastic game, but we also know we weren't at the levels we've been at since. If we can perform like we did against Croatia, I'm pretty confident we can get a result."



https://www.dai-sport.com/wales-harry-wilson-says-gareth-bale-farewell-meant-it-was-time-to-step-up/

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"I've made it clear to them" – With Fulham in lead for signing, player gives his stance on things
Fulham target André today had a word with the Brazilian media about his future.

Following the Copa Libertadores title, the midfielder is at the national team camp, and is even running for a starting place in their next couple of games.

Speaking to Sportv, in quotes relayed by Somos Fanaticos, André was asked about the rumours about a move away from Fluminense in the January transfer window.

The midfielder claimed he doesn't really have his head on this subject right now, as he's focused on finishing the year well at the Rio de Janeiro side.

"I've always been calm. Every window I always leave it to my agent. At first, after the mid-year window, I haven't received any offers yet. I've made it clear to them that my focus is on training and continuing to help Fluminense. Thank God we won the Libertadores.

"Now it's about playing the last few games in the Brazilian league, doing well in the Club World Cup, because we know it's a very difficult competition. It's about enjoying every moment, every training session and seeing what happens in the next window. I have a contract with Fluminense until 2025."

Recent reports from Brazil claimed that Fulham are leading the race for André, even though the midfielder has also been linked to the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool.

It's been said that the Whites are in constant contact with Fluminense, and their bid is expected to be made in the coming days.

Even the Brazilian club admit he should be off in January, and it remains to be seen whether it'll be Fulham or any other club who'll take him to Europe.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/ive-made-clear-fulham-lead-signing-player-gives-stance-things/

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Internationals: Jedi's USMNT Screamer
Antonee Robinson's long-range strike helped his side to a 3-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago last night.

The first-leg of the CONCACAF Nations League quarter-finals took place on US soil in Texas and it was a comfortable win in the end for the USMNT. Tim Ream also partnered Robinson on the left-hand side of the defence.

Jedi, donning his new bleach blonde locks, contributed with the second-goal in the game, sandwiched between two goals from his international compatriots Ricardo Pepi (which Robinson assisted) and Giovanni Reyna.

Reyna lofted a ball into the danger zone, which was headed away by the defender but only as far as Jedi, who brought the ball down excellently before smashing it home.

His impressive display on the pitch saw him awarded Man of the Match.

Sweet as a nut, @Antonee_Jedi! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/X1uFgWbKOp

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) November 17, 2023

Elsewhere, Martial Godo made his England debut from the substitutes bench. The Wigan Athletic loanee was called up to the Elite League Squad earlier this month after impressing for the League One side. Unfortunately, the game finished 3-0 in favour of Italy's U20s.

Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey both started for Nigeria in their 1-1 draw with Lesotho in what was the first game in the World Cup Qualifiers for the Super Eagles.

Both Marek Rodák and João Palhinha were on the bench for Slovakia and Portugal respectively, Slovakia running out 4-2 winners over Iceland and Portugal securing a 2-0 away win at Liechtenstein.

Finally, Tom Olyott featured for the Republic of Ireland U18s, helping his side with an assist in their 2-1 win over Belgium.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2023/november/17/Internationals-Jedis-USMNT-Screamer/

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Fulham and Nottingham Forest can sign player for 'easy' transfer fee – Watching him 'for a long time'
Fulham and Nottingham Forest could sign Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy for an 'easy' €17.5m fee in the January transfer window.

That's according to BILD, who say the Premier League duo have been keeping an eye on the attacker 'for a long time' and can get him on the cheap if they so wish.

The newspaper reports that, according to their information, striker Guirassy, who has 15 goals in nine games this season, can leave for a €17.5m fee in January thanks to a clause in his current contract.

There are no shortage of interested parties in the player and a recent unsanctioned interview in which he looked ahead to the transfer window made it sound like he would be interested in a move.

Fulham and Nottingham Forest are among the suitors and know the striker 'would like' to move to the Premier League at some point in his career.

They've been keeping an eye on him 'for a long time' and the aforementioned transfer fee 'would be easy' for both clubs to cover. If one of them were to get serious about a deal, a transfer 'is not unlikely'.

This is something those in charge at Stuttgart know and according to BILD's information, they've been looking for a possible replacement for months should he leave.

It now remains to be seen if Fulham or Nottingham Forest now make their move for the goalscorer, who it seems is very much available on the cheap should they want him.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-nottingham-forest-can-sign-player-easy-transfer-fee-watching-long-time/

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FA Youth Cup R3 | City vs. Fulham
The young Bluebirds will host Fulham in the Third Round of the FA Youth Cup.

Both teams enter the competition at this stage. The Whites are a Category One Academy. They currently sit second in the U18 Premier League South table after nine fixtures.

A match date and full confirmation of this fixture, including ticket news, will be announced in the coming weeks.



https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/fa-youth-cup-r3-city-vs-fulham

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England U21 Call For Stanno

Jay Stanfield has received a first call-up to the England Under-21 squad.

Stansfield was originally in the Men's Elite Squad (U20s) alongside his Fulham colleague Martial Godo, but he now moves up to Lee Carsley's U21 group following senior call-ups for Rico Lewis and Cole Palmer.

Stansfield has been in fine form for his loan side Birmingham City this season, scoring five goals and laying on an assist in his 13 Championship outings.

England U21s have two European Championship qualifiers over the next week, travelling to Serbia on Saturday, before hosting Northern Ireland at Goodison Park on Tuesday.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2023/november/15/england-u21-call-for-stanno/

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Whites not hot as Premier League form means drop threat is growing for Marco Silva's Fulham
Fulham head into the final international break of 2023 only two places and six points above the Premier League relegation zone following a difficult run of fixtures that culminated in Sunday's 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa.

Only bottom-of-the-table Burnley have picked up fewer points than Marco Silva's side since the last club football shutdown for international matches.

Although they would not have expected a great deal from trips to Tottenham, Brighton and Villa, and a home game against Manchester United, the winless run has coincided with several of Fulham's relegation rivals starting to find form.

The foundations of last season's successful return to the top flight were built upon getting the better of teams that struggled.

A 10th-placed finish was secured by picking up 28 of their 52 points against the teams that ended the season in the bottom five, and 39 of those points came against the bottom half as a whole.

There was a memorable opening day draw against Liverpool as well as a victory over local rivals Brentford to savour, along with an unlikely double against a Brighton side that qualified for Europe, but Fulham collected enough points against the teams below them to be more than safe from the threat of another immediate return to the Championship.

Although it has perhaps been clouded by recent results, it is a trend that has largely continued this term. Fulham have already recorded wins against Everton, Luton and Sheffield United, and have bolstered their points tally with draws at Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Brighton. Yet only the four teams below them have suffered more defeats and only Burnley have scored fewer than their tally of 10 goals.

Replacing Aleksandar Mitrovic following his protracted move to Saudi Arabia was never likely to be a straightforward task.

Fulham were fortunate to hold on to him for five full seasons, given how effective a goal scorer he can be in both the Championship and Premier League in a tactical system that is suited to his needs.

Such a system was designed by Silva and predicated on channelling play down the flanks before trying to pick out Mitrovic in the middle, helping the Serbian to 14 goals last season even though he missed the same number of games through injury and suspension.

So far, Mitrovic's replacements look ill-suited to fill his boots with summer signing Raul Jimenez, Carlos Vinicius and Rodrigo Muniz managing just two league goals between them.

This has led Silva to change his tactical approach.

Summer signing Alex Iwobi, more regularly seen as wide player throughout his time at Arsenal and Everton, has been drafted into the centre of midfield alongside Joao Palhinha to replace the more conservative Harrison Reed. Iwobi has changed the dynamic of Fulham's attack, starting moves by dribbling from deeper areas, including a particularly determined run against Villa which led to Jimenez hitting the post.

However, it also seems to have imbalanced the team's defensive structure. Not a natural midfielder, Iwobi had already allowed Youri Tielemans to run off him twice on Sunday before the Belgian escaped down the left flank to deliver the cross that led to Antonee Robinson's 27th-minute own goal.
Joao Palhinha's all-action style means he can often look overworked even when the team is functioning well but he has at times been left to stop opposition attacks all by himself in recent matches.

Fulham will be without Palhinha for their next game against Wolves after he picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in the setback at Villa Park.

Signings of the ilk of the Portuguese international purchased from Sporting are needed in January, but given he currently leads the Premier League for tackles made and is also Fulham's joint top-scorer, it is not worth thinking about the trouble the west Londoners could be in had they allowed his move to Bayern Munich to go through.

And now the run-up to Christmas looks vital for Silva and Fulham.

They take on Nottingham Forest and Burnley at Craven Cottage in the coming weeks, and a Boxing Day trip to Bournemouth also looks far more decisive than it did a month ago. It is possible that Silva's new approach will be more effective against teams that, in theory, are weaker but only in the new year will we be able to tell.

The Fulham of last season would take enough points from these upcoming fixtures to build some breathing space between themselves and the bottom three, but this is a different team still finding ways to adjust to the loss of one of their modern-day greats.

The fixture list has not yet been kind enough for genuine panic to set in, but if they have no more wins on the board by the time the festive decorations are starting to come down, Fulham will undeniably be in survival battle and quite possibly in the relegation zone.



https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/whites-not-hot-as-premier-league-form-means-drop-threat-is-growing-for-marco-silvas-fulham/

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Crystal Palace and Fulham's relegation rivals hit with huge points deduction just before clash with Chelsea
Everton face Fulham and Chelsea in December during a busy month of football.

Crystal Palace and Fulham have been handed a huge boost in their hopes of surviving in the Premier League with rivals Everton receiving a 10 point deduction.

The Toffees have been found to have breached the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules leading to the biggest sporting sanction in the history of the competition.

The punishment sees Everton drop from 14th to second bottom in the table, leaving them only narrowly ahead of Sean Dyche's former club Burnley on goal difference.

The club claimed they were "both shocked and disappointed" by the ruling and added that the punishment was "wholly disproportionate and unjust."

BBC Sport revealed that Everton posted financial losses for the fifth successive year in March after reporting a £44.7m deficit during the 2021/22 season.

Premier League clubs are currently permitted to lose £105m over a three-year-period but Everton losses during that time amounted to £124.5m.

An Everton statement said: "The club does not recognise the finding that it failed to act with the utmost good faith and it does not understand this to have been an allegation made by the Premier League during the course of proceedings.

"Both the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed by the commission are neither fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted.

"The club will also monitor with great interest the decisions made in any other cases concerning the Premier League's profitability and sustainability rules."

Everton are just the third side in Premier League history to receive a points deduction - Middlesbrough were deducted three points in 1996/97 for failing to fulfil a fixture against Blackburn, while Portsmouth in 2009/10 were deducted nine points for going into administration.

Both clubs were relegated following these sanctions. However, Dyche will be hopeful that his side can overcome this setback.

As it stands Everton are two points behind 17th place Luton Town, while Dyche's team also boast a vastly superior goal difference to the teams around them.

Everton will hope to react in a positive manner on the pitch when they host Manchester United after the international break on Sunday 26 November.

Attention then turns to a busy festive period in December as the club face the likes of Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, Chelsea and Burnley.

They also play host to Fulham in the Carabao Cup quarter-final on Tuesday 19 December.



https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/fulham/crystal-palace-fulham-everton-chelsea-points-deduction-premier-league-4414062

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Exclusive: Fulham determined to deter Bayern from transformative midfield move beyond January
Bayern Munich still want Joao Palhinha but Fulham remain confident he will not leave in the January transfer window, sources have told TEAMtalk.

The international break has sparked fresh talk over the future of the Portuguese midfielder, who has spoken out over the anguish he felt when his summer switch to Bayern Munich collapsed.

Palhinha was allowed to fly to Germany on deadline day and even posed for photographs as the club's new signing – yet Fulham were unable to find a solution to replace him and the potential £55million deal fell apart.

Palhinha has recovered admirably, with more remarkable performances for Fulham this season in the centre of the field. Yet he admits the situation did take its toll as he told O Jogo: "Obviously, it's really affected me and my family, but that's all in the past, I don't want to think about it too much."

He has since signed a new contract at Craven Cottage but Bayern's admiration for the play has not waned.

Thomas Tuchel remains keen on the prospect of signing a new central-midfield player and Palhinha is on the list, sources confirm, yet Palhinha's recent deal is a new hurdle to get over.

Fulham boosted by difficulty of January move
Bayern know Fulham do not want to lose him midway through the season and further than that, his price-tag, even around that same £55million price-point, is considered to be too high for them in the winter window.

They are searching for low-cost options for January but can not shake off the prospect of signing Palhinha as they realise he would totally transform their team make-up.

Fulham are facing an uphill battle to keep Palhinha long-term as he continues to prove himself as one of the Premier League's top defensive-midfielders. But there is determination to keep him through this season as they attempt to get their own season on track.

Fulham will look at midfield reinforcements that will help them deal with the eventual loss of Palhinha but at this stage they remain very hopeful that moment is not imminent.



https://www.teamtalk.com/fulham/exclusive-cottagers-determined-deter-bayern-transformative-midfield-move-january

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Sources: Fulham set sights on signing Belgium sensation Antonio Nusa
Fulham are plotting a January move for Club Brugge attacking sensation Antonio Nusa, sources have told Football Insider.

The Cottagers are targeting attacking reinforcements in the mid-season window and it is believed they will have big funds to spend on the right option.

Nusa is on the radar for Marco Silva's side with his versatility valued highly at Craven Cottage.

The 18-year-old can play on both flanks as well as a centre-forward and is making waves in the Belgian top flight despite his tender age.

Chelsea were widely linked with a potential summer move for the Norway international and have a continued interest in his services.

But it is believed Fulham are planning to beat their west London rivals to a deal by firming up their interest in the starlet in January, with the club ready to use all their financial power to get a move over the line.

Nusa has made 17 appearances across all competitions for Club Brugge this term, notching two goals and three assists.

He has already racked up 53 appearances for the Belgian side and helped them win the Belgian Super Cup in the 2022-23 campaign.

The teenager made his senior debut for Norway in August and scored his first international goal against Jordan in the following month.

Fulham sit 16th in the Premier League and are six points clear of relegation danger – but are among the lowest scorers in the division this term.

The Cottagers are yet to adequately replace talisman Aleksandar Mitrović following his huge-money move to Saudi Pro League Al-Hilal.



https://www.footballinsider247.com/sources-fulham-set-sights-on-signing-belgium-sensation-antonio-nusa/

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Crystal Palace, West Ham and Fulham join race for Chelsea flop who is 'available' for transfer in January
Fulham, West Ham and Crystal Palace could all make a move for a 57-time German international.

A former Premier League striker could make a return to the English capital just 18 months after his departure from Chelsea. Timo Werner arrived at Chelsea in the summer of 2020, making him the second signing of the Frank Lampard era after the club's transfer embargo was lifted.

The German international arrived in England with huge expectations after four excellent seasons with RB Leipzig and many felt he would become one of the top strikers in the division.

The £45m man struggled to adapt to English football in his first season and scored just six league goals in 35 appearances. Despite these low numbers, Werner was credited for his all round creativity with eight league assists, while he also helped fire the club to Champions League glory with four European goals in 12 appearances, including a crucial goal in the semi-final against Real Madrid.

Werner was given a second season to prove his worth at Stamford Bridge by manager Thomas Tuchel, but ultimately failed to improve on his low goal tally with just four goals in 21 appearances. This prompted RB Leipzig to re-sign their former talisman for a cut price fee of £25m. However, after an initial strong start to life back in Germany, Werner has failed to match the high standards of his first stint at the club scoring a combined 11 goals in 35 league appearances.

Werner was a member of the team which won the DFB Pokal last term, but he has only has managed a total of 203 minutes of football across eight league appearances so far this year, struggling to stand out in a Leipzig forward line which recruited Benjamin Sesko, Lois Openda and loanee Xavi Simons this summer.

Leipzig sporting director Rouven Schroder recently hinted that the club are open to parting ways with Werner, saying: "Timo Werner is a part of a team that has to face competition. He's going through a difficult phase, we support him. It's not always all sunshine and roses."

Schroder added: "We will have players who have something else in mind. We will face that. Quite openly, very clearly. If someone has the idea that they want to do something different, then we will deal with it."

90min reports that three London clubs are closely monitoring the situation with Werner. Fulham and Crystal Palace are in the market for a loan deal while, West Ham, boosted by the funds of the Declan Rice deal, could even opt to buy the player on a permanent basis to boost their European hopes.

Fulham have been searching for a striker to replace the output of Alexander Mitrovic, who made the move to Saudi Arabia in the summer. The Cottagers are 15th in the table and their achilles heel has often been scoring goals this term.

Crystal Palace are another club in need of a goalscorer, they have been steady in the league in 13th place, but are missing the output of a player like Wilfried Zaha. West Ham have Michail Antonio and Danny Ings at their disposal, but have been heavily reliant on winger Jarrod Bowen to score goals in recent seasons.

A January move may also interest Werner, who failed to make Germany's most recent squad for friendlies against Turkey and Austria. The striker boasts a record of 24 goals in 57 international appearances but is still waiting for his first goal in a major tournament.

The 27-year-old will have ambitions of improving on that record in Euro 2024 on home soil and will hope for regular football so he can secure his place in Julian Nagelsmann's final squad.



https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/fulham/crystal-palace-west-ham-and-fulham-join-race-for-chelsea-flop-who-is-available-for-transfer-in-january-4414406

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Crystal Palace, Fulham, West Ham United vying for Timo Werner

German striker Timo Werner is linked with a return to the Premier League, with Crystal Palace, Fulham, and West Ham United keen.
A report from 90min has claimed that the likes of Crystal Palace, Fulham and West Ham United are keen on signing 27-year-old German striker Timo Werner in the coming months. Werner has previous experience in the Premier League with Chelsea, even winning the UEFA Champions League with them.

Werner had a forgettable spell with Chelsea despite winning the Champions League in the 20202/21 season, and he returned to the Bundesliga by rejoining RB Leipzig last year. The 27-year-old has managed to regain his confidence and sharpness with a return to the Bundesliga, scoring 16 goals across all competitions.

The German international has previously proven himself to be a reliable goalscorer in the German top flight, and it remains to be seen whether he is ready to return to the Premier League once again.

The striker scored 23 goals in 89 appearances for Chelsea during his time in the Premier League. In addition, as iterated earlier, he managed to win the UEFA Champions League title with them. It is evident that Werner struggled to adapt to English football, and staying in Germany could be ideal for him.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace could certainly use more depth in the attacking department, and signing a goalscorer could prove to be a wise decision. The likes of Jean-Philippe Mateta and Odsonne Edouard have not been able to score goals consistently, and a proven goalscorer could help them improve immensely. They have recently been linked with Kelechi Iheanacho.

Similarly, Fulham sanctioned the departure of Aleksandar Mitrovic, and they are yet to replace his output. Investing in a proven goalscorer could help them climb up the table and finish the season strongly. The Cottagers have shown interest in several strikers, including Santiago Gimenez.

As far as West Ham United are concerned, they will have to find a quality long-term replacement for Michail Antonio, and Werner could prove to be an interesting acquisition. West Ham are currently competing in the UEFA Europa League, and they will want to do well in the competition. Signing Werner could help them improve going forward, and it remains to be seen whether the player is keen on a return to London.

West Ham have put together an impressive squad, and there is no reason why they cannot compete for trophies with a couple of quality additions. There is no doubt that the three clubs have the financial resources to get the deal done. But convincing the former Champions League winner could be a tricky challenge.



https://thehardtackle.com/transfer-news/2023/11/17/crystal-palace-fulham-west-ham-united-vying-for-timo-werner/

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The £48m ex-Chelsea flop who Fulham and Crystal Palace must stay well clear of amid transfer links
A former Premier League flop could be set to return - but should Crystal Palace or Fulham take the plunge?

You remember Timo Werner - blonde striker, scored a ton of goal in the Bundesliga, was signed by Chelsea for a cool £47.5m, suddenly looked completely lost and scored just 10 Premier League goals over two seasons before being shipped back home to RB Leipzig at a substantial loss. It wasn't one of the great transfer success stories of the Roman Abramovich era.

But now he could be on his way back - at least, according to recent reports which suggest that Leipzig have offered the forward to several English clubs, with Crystal Palace and Fulham among those intrigued by the prospect of giving Werner a second bite of the cherry. But would that be good idea - and would they be getting the free-scoring forward who forced his way into the Germany team, or the diminished version that struggled so badly at Stamford Bridge?

Leipzig have started shopping him around for a deal, which would most likely be on a loan basis in the first instance, after Werner fell out of favour this season with new signing Loïs Openda now the first name on the teamsheet up front. Werner was subsequently relegated to being a part of a rotating carousel of supporting strikers, which includes Football Manager wonderkid Benjamin Šeško and Werner's former front-line partner Yussuf Poulsen.

Werner didn't play too badly over the course of his first season back in Germany, scoring 16 goals in 40 games across all competitions, but such numbers represented a major downturn compared to the fearsome figures he was putting up during his first spell in eastern Germany. Back then, he racked up 95 goals in 159 games, signing off with a 28-goal Bundesliga season that persuaded Chelsea to part with all that money.

It's pretty clear to the naked eye that Werner simply isn't the same player as he once was. He looks less confident in front of goal, less sure of his body's movements, and seems to have lost a little bit of the ferocious acceleration that allowed him to get away from defenders so quickly a few years back. He simply isn't the same threat in the final third that he once was, producing a pretty tame xG of 0.32 per game since returning to Leipzig.

But is he an entirely spent force? He's still just 27 years old, after all, and it's only a year or so since he was last in the Germany squad. His form has dipped and his head has dipped further, but perhaps the right coach, and the right situation, could turn things around for him. If most of the problems are psychological, then why not?

After all, he still seems to have every ounce of the technique that he had in his prime years before the move to Chelsea. By any statistical metric he's still a very good passer, has fantastic numbers for dribbling, and is still generating a lot of positive yardage for his teams both by dropping back to pick the ball up and by finding space up front to receive passes. It's only once he reaches the opposing penalty area that the numbers suddenly fall off a cliff. It's no great stretch to imagine much of the issue being mental rather than physical.

So on the surface, a loan deal for Werner looks like a relatively low-risk, high-reward move for a club like Crystal Palace or Fulham that need a bit of extra firepower up front - if he gets back to his best, then they get a player who has proven to be at a higher level than either club's players typically reach. If he doesn't, well... it was only a loan.

The biggest issue, though, concerns how they use Werner. One of the major problems with his move to Chelsea was that he failed to adapt to a 4-2-3-1 system - during his time at Leipzig, he played almost exclusively as part of a top two alongside a target man like Poulsen, and that brought out the best in him, allowing him to play quick one-twos and ply the channels alongside a forward with whom he had a fantastic understanding. Asked to play up front alone at Stamford Bridge, he floundered and struggled to find ways to connect with the players around him.

Both Palace and Fulham currently play with systems that use just a single lone striker, and which employ the same broad brushstrokes as those of the Chelsea team that Werner failed to integrate with. If they expect to play him as a number nine, they will likely be disappointed again.

Of course, they could change tactical tack to better include Werner, but that may not work out well for the rest of the squad. Or they could play him on the wing, where he has played more often since rejoining Leizpig, and trust his qualities as a passer and dribbler to produce results - but that hasn't really panned out for Leizpig when they've tried the same. His issues with production and self-belief in the final third have continued regardless of position, as they did in his second season at Chelsea when Thomas Tuchel chopped and changed his position in the hopes of getting more out of him.

When it comes down to it, Werner has scored just two goals in 13 games this season, albeit that most of those appearances have been from the bench. Somewhere beneath the bad form and the lack of belief in his own abilities lies an extremely good player, but it's been a minute since we've seen him in action. Could he elevate a mid-table Premier League team? Perhaps - but it's far from guaranteed, and it would need exactly the right coach to make it happen.



https://www.3addedminutes.com/sport/football/crystal-palace/ps48m-ex-chelsea-flop-fulham-crystal-palace-must-stay-well-clear-amid-transfer-links-4413392

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Board election 2023 – update
An update from Trust Chair Simon Duke, following last night's AGM.

On behalf of the Trust board, I would like to thank all those of you who attended last night's AGM and contributed to interesting discussions on a range of topics. Our special thanks also to our guest speakers Mike McSweeney of the Fulham Foundation and Tony Banks, author of The Great Adventure: Al-Fayed's Rollercoaster Ride with Fulham FC.

During the formal part of the meeting, Marisa Cardoni, our Independent Scrutineer for the 2023 board election, provided an update to members.

Marisa confirmed that she received four nominations from eligible members during the 1 November – 15 November nomination period. As there were a maximum of five board positions available during this election cycle, all four candidates have been elected to the board for three year terms without the need for a ballot. The board members elected are

    Jerry Cope
    Hayley Davinson
    Jakub Krupa
    Steve Nicholson

As required by our election policy, the statements of each of the successful candidates are now available to view.

We would like to extend our thanks to Marisa for undertaking the Independent Scrutineer role this year and overseeing a smooth process. Marisa has provided her Independent Scrutineer's report to close the election.

We're very pleased to have Jerry and Hayley return to the board for a further three years and extend a warm welcome to new board members Jakub and Steve.

On behalf of all Trust members and Fulham supporters we would also like to say a big "thank you" to Tom Greatrex and Dan Crawford, two stalwarts of the Fulham Supporters' Trust, who decided to stand down from the board this year. Both Tom and Dan have contributed a huge amount to the Trust over a long period of time and, in recognition of their service, the board was delighted to offer them Life Membership, which they have accepted.

The new board will meet for the first time shortly when discussions will resume on our key activity areas, including #AffordableFulham.

Thank you for your continued support of the Fulham Supporters' Trust.

Simon Duke
Chair



https://www.fulhamsupporterstrust.com/news/2023/11/board-election-2023-update/

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Report: Three PL clubs ready to challenge Spurs for exciting young attacker
TEAMtalk have revealed that Tottenham Hotspur are expected to face competition from Aston Villa, Fulham and Everton for the Juventus starlet Samuel Iling-Junior in January.

Over the last few days, we at Spurs Web have relayed various reports which have backed Spurs to make a move for Iling-Junior when the transfer window reopens (Independent).

Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Wednesday that the Serie A giants would be willing to sell the youngster for €15m (£13.1m) since he has refused to sign a new contract while TMW suggested on Thursday that a transfer looks 'probable' for the 20-year-old after the Lilywhites entered the race.

Competition intensifies for Samuel Iling-Junior
However, TEAMtalk have now alleged that Spurs are by no means the only Premier League side exploring a move for Iling-Junior ahead of January.

The outlet explains that Everton and Fulham have now joined in the race for the Chelsea academy graduate while Villa are also monitoring the situation closely. It is suggested that the winger might thus face a big decision on who to join in January.

Spurs Web Opinion
While the prospect of working with Postecoglou at a club of Tottenham's stature would be appealing to Iling-Junior, the 20-year-old might prefer to join Everton or Fulham if his priority is to get regular game time.



https://www.spurs-web.com/spurs-news/report-three-pl-clubs-ready-to-challenge-spurs-for-exciting-young-attacker/

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Fulham vs Wolves early injury news as five sidelined and five doubts
All the latest injury news ahead of Wolves' away clash with Fulham in just over a week's time.

Wolves have a long wait as they look to continue their solid start to the season. In their last game before the international break, Gary O'Neil's men stunned Tottenham to bounce back from a surprise defeat to Sheffield United.

Little was expected of Wolves this season given their enforced change of head coach in the lead up to the opening game, but they are in 12th place so far, 10 points above the relegation zone. Fulham are next up, and the Cottagers have struggled to match last season's efforts so far, sitting three points behind Wolves.

The international break comes first, with more than a week until the Monday night Craven Cottage clash, but we thought we would take an early look at the injury situation surrounding both clubs as the game draws closer. Take a look below.

1. Rodrigo Muniz - Out
Marco Silva said last week: "It's not really, really serious. But it's going to prevent him from being involved in the next few games. Probably after the international break, maybe one or two weeks, and he's going to be back."

2. Palhinha - Out
Palhinha has reached the five yellow card limit and will be suspended.

3. Tosin Adarabioyo - Doubt
Adarabioyo is a doubt with a groin injury but he is back in training.

4. Issa Diop - Out
Diop is out with a foot injury, He should return after this game.

5. Kenny Tete - Doubt
Tete could make it back in time after struggling with an unspecified injury of late.

6. Adama Traore - Doubt
Traore is hoping to return from a hamstring tweak to face his former club.

7. Craig Dawson - Out
Dawson is suspended after reaching the five yellow card limit.

8. Hugo Bueno - Doubt
Hugo Bueno has been dealing with a hamstring strain. He will hope to return after the break.

9. Pedro Neto - Doubt
Neto is an early doubt with a thigh injury.

10. Joe Hodge - Out
Hodge is out until the new year after shoulder surgery.




https://www.birminghamworld.uk/sport/football/wolves/fulham-vs-wolves-early-injury-news-as-five-sidelined-and-five-doubts-4414376

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Tottenham overlooked, as scramble to sign ridiculous value striker boils down to Fulham, Nott'm Forest
Nottingham Forest and Fulham have emerged as the likeliest contenders to activate the release clause of a striker who's scored 16 goals in 10 appearances this season, per a report.

Unquestionably the hottest striker in European football in the first few months of the season was Stuttgart's Serhou Guirassy.

The 27-year-old blazed through Bundesliga defences, scoring 14 goals and providing one assist in his first eight matches. Guirassy also scored and added an assist to his tally in his sole outing in the DFB Pokal (German Cup).

A hamstring injury then saw the Guinea international sidelined for three weeks. Unsurprisingly, Guirassy scored on his return in a 2-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund last weekend.

As you might expect, Guirassy's remarkable goalscoring exploits have alerted the transfer vultures from England.

At least five separate clubs are known to have registered interest – Tottenham, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Fulham and Nottingham Forest.

Spurs' need for a January addition arguably looks the greatest on paper. Indeed, Tottenham opted against signing a direct replacement for Harry Kane in the summer. Alejo Veliz did arrive from Rosario Central, though is viewed as more of a long-term project.

Instead, Ange Postecoglou boosted his options out wide with the arrival of Brennan Johnson. Richarlison began the season at centre-forward, though was quickly superseded by Son Heung-min who's been a revelation in central areas.

However, Richarlison has since undergone groin surgery and Son will be absent for up to a month in early-2024 while with South Korea at the Asian Cup.

A move for Guirassy thus looked a sensible one to make. What's more, the player can be signed for far below his true market value.

Mind-boggling release clause confirmed, but Spurs ignored?
Online outlet Transfermarkt estimate Guirassy's real valuation to be €40m. However, a fresh update from German outlet BILD has confirmed reports Guirassy's deal with Stuttgart contains a release clause worth just €17.5m.

As such, a striker who's averaging 1.6 goals per game this season can be signed for a touch over £15m.

BILD shed new light on Guirassy's future in their piece, claiming Stuttgart have already begun sizing up potential replacements.

The German side would rather not sell their fearsome forward, though the release clause leaves them powerless to resist.

Their prime candidate to fill the void if and when Guirassy leaves is Greece international Fotis Ioannidis of Panathinaikos.

Guirassy is known to harbour ambitions of playing in the Premier League. BILD acknowledge the player's dreams when claiming it's 'no secret' he wishes to test his mettle in England.

On the subject of where he might go, BILD name Nottingham Forest and Fulham.

Those two clubs seemingly hold the strongest interest and 'have been keeping an eye on the attacker for a long time'.

Spurs were not mentioned a single time by BILD, thus indicating they're a backmarker in any transfer race for Guirassy.



https://www.teamtalk.com/news/tottenham-overlooked-scramble-sign-ridiculous-value-striker-boils-down-fulham-nottingham-forest

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Fulham and Crystal should look at Olesen who shone for Luxembourg against Bosnia & Herzeogwina
Mathias Olesen opened his international duck in Luxembourg's 4-1 drubbing of Bosnia Herzegovina yesterday night to help restore the minnows' pride after back-to-back defeats against Portugal and Slovakia last month. It was a night, performance and result for the ages. The Copenhagen-born Luxembourg international's flicked header on six minutes was the all-important goal that unlocked a pretty much one-sided encounter with Bosnia chasing shadows. Remarkably, the Cologne midfielder's dominant display saw him upstage his counterpart and AC Milan man Rade Krunic who was not at the races and didn't cover himself in glory yesterday night, just like the rest of his teammates. It's clear that the simultaneous triple absence of Miralem Pjanic, Edin Dzeko and Sead Kolasinac threw the visitors off course but given his pedigree and international experience the 30-year-old Rossonero should have led by example. Something Olesen did. Other than his perfectly-timed header, he was everywhere. He shone in both defensive and attacking transition, was decent on the ball and put his body on the line if needed be. Krunic on the other hand had lapses in concentration, gave the ball away cheaply, created next to nothing and generally failed to track his runners. But credit to Copenhagen-born Olesen, who also qualified for Denmark through his parents before opting for Luxembourg, as he scored the kind of header his iconic countrymen Jon Dahl Tomasson, Allan Simonsen and Preben Elkjaer would be proud of. Timing, athleticism and clinical edge. Be it Fulham or Crystal Palace, several Premier League sides could do with a player like him. Yesterday he was the envy of Bosnia & Herzegovina head coach and former Aston Villa poacher Savo Milosevic. And if Luxembourg sealed third place in the group behind Portugal and Slovakia and can now look forward to the play-offs in March and a potential participation at Euro 2024 they owe a huge debt of gratitude to the man plying his trade in the German Bundesliga.



https://www.capitalfootball.co.uk/single-post/fulham-and-crystal-should-look-at-olesen-who-shone-for-luxembourg-against-bosnia-herzeogwina

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Fulham eye stunning January move for Chelsea, Man Utd and Arsenal target; they have 'big funds' to spend
Fulham are set to rival Chelsea for highly-rated Club Brugge winger Antonio Nusa in the January transfer window, according to reports.

Marco Silva guided the Cottagers to an impressive 10th-place finish last season and is keen to further improve his squad to help solidify their place in the Premier League.

Silva has brought in the likes of Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, Raul Jimenez and Timothy Castagne already this season, but the manager already has one eye on the winter window.

It now seems that Nusa has emerged as a target for Fulham, as Silva eyes competition for the likes of Willian, Harry Wilson and Adama Traore.

However, Fulham will face competition for the talented 18-year-old, as his recent performances have caught the attention of many big European clubs.

As previously reported by TEAMtalk, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal are all thought to be big admirers of Nusa.

We could, therefore, potentially see a bidding war take place for the Club Brugge star in January – and Fulham are determined to come out on top.

Fulham plot January move for Antonio Nusa
According to Football Insider, Fulham will have 'big funds' to spend in January and are 'plotting a move' for Nusa. It's claimed that his 'versatility is valued highly' at Craven Cottage.

Nusa joined Club Brugge in 2021. He has since made 53 appearances in all competitions, scoring five goals and making four assists in the process.

The youngster is indeed a versatile player, with the ability to play as a winger on either flank or as a centre-forward, so he can provide cover in multiple positions.

His good form has also earned him four caps for the Norway national team, so he is clearly very highly regarded.

At the age of 18, he is only expected to improve as he gains experience and has been touted by several pundits to become a superstar in the future.

With that in mind, Nusa could prove to be an excellent long-term addition for Fulham if they can get a deal done.

Nusa is under contract at Club Brugge until 2027, so the Belgian club are under no immediate pressure to sell him. It could therefore take a sizeable offer to secure his services in January.



https://www.teamtalk.com/news/fulham-plot-stunning-move-for-chelsea-man-utd-and-arsenal-target-spend-january