Wednesday Fulham Stuff - 03/01/24...

[WhiteJC]

Results

Tuesday 2/01
West Ham	0-0	Brighton

[WhiteJC]

New Contract For Cairney

The Club is delighted to announce that Tom Cairney has signed a new contract, keeping him at Fulham until the summer of 2025.

It's a deal that will see our Captain complete a decade of service with Fulham.

After putting pen to paper, Cairney said: "It means everything to me to extend my contract. 10 years is a hell of a long time in football, a very rare thing.

"I said from quite early on that Fulham feels like home – a lot of players say that and then move on, but I feel like it's obvious that I meant it as I'll still be here 10 years later.

"I just want to thank everyone for the support over the years – the Fulham fans have been incredible with me, and I'll just look to keep repaying them."

Tony Khan added: "I don't think that the importance of Tom Cairney joining Fulham in 2015 can be underestimated in terms of our recent history. He has been a great signing for the Club whose contribution over the years has led to so many memorable successes on the pitch.

"TC's new contract will also take him into a special group of players that have reached a decade with Fulham, and I'm delighted for him and his family. He's a fantastic person who I have much admiration for, and it is timely that this announcement comes just two days after our victory over Arsenal in which Tom was named Player of the Match live on Sky TV.

"Congrats TC! Come on Fulham!"

Like Tim Ream who also recently committed his future to the Club for another year, Cairney arrived in SW6 ahead of the 2015/16 season.

He immediately showed his class, and after a period of consolidation, helped the Whites reach the Play-Offs for the first time since 1998, winning our Player of the Season vote in the process.

That summer he was installed as Club Captain, and went on to lead us to promotion, scoring the winning goal against Aston Villa on an unforgettable afternoon at Wembley.

That was the first of three trophies TC has lifted in a Fulham shirt, following up another Wembley success against Brentford with the Championship title in 2022.

Since then, he's helped the side establish itself as a Premier League outfit, playing a key role under Marco Silva in the top flight – most recently providing a brilliant assist for Raúl Jiménez's equaliser against Arsenal on New Year's Eve.

Now on 304 Fulham appearances, Cairney has a remarkable 81 goal involvements for the Club, assisting 36 in addition to the 45 he's scored himself.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2024/january/02/new-contract-for-cairney/

[WhiteJC]

Cairney: 'Extending my Fulham deal means everything'
Fulham captain Tom Cairney has said extending his Fulham contract 'means everything to me' after the club confirmed that the midfielder had signed a new deal this morning.

The Scottish international will complete ten years with the Whites when his new contract expires in the summer of 2025 – and the additional twelve months is a fitting forward following the 32 year-old's remarkable return to the first-team last month.

Cairney told Fulham's official website:

"It means everything to me to extend my contract. Ten years is a hell of a long time in football, a very rare thing. I said from quite early on that Fulham feels like home – a lot of players say that and then move on, but I feel like it's obvious that I meant it as I'll still be here ten years later. I just want to thank everyone for the support over the years – the Fulham fans have been incredible with me, and I'll just look to keep repaying them."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/01/cairney-extending-my-fulham-deal-means-everything/

[WhiteJC]

Cairney signs new Fulham contract
Captain Tom Cairney has signed a new deal at Fulham.

The 32-year-old crowd favourite is now under contract at Craven Cottage until the summer of 2025 – which will be 10 years since joining the Whites from Blackburn Rovers.

He has made 304 appearances for Fulham and his 45 goals for the club include the winner at Wembley in the 2018 play-off triumph against Aston Villa, which secured promotion to the Premier League.

Cairney said: "It means everything to me to extend my contract. 10 years is a hell of a long time in football, a very rare thing.

"I said from quite early on that Fulham feels like home – a lot of players say that and then move on, but I feel like it's obvious that I meant it as I'll still be here 10 years later.

"I just want to thank everyone for the support over the years – the Fulham fans have been incredible with me, and I'll just look to keep repaying them."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/cairney-signs-new-fulham-contract

[WhiteJC]

Everton keen on signing 'brilliant' £6m ace from Premier League rivals
Everton are big fans of Fulham midfielder Harrison Reed but a raid of their Premier League rivals is reportedly unlikely during the January transfer window.

One of the more underrated players in England's top-flight, Harrison Reed was one of the first names on Marco Silva's team sheet last season. It is somewhat thanks to Everton, however, that Reed is finding opportunities a little harder to come by these days.

The 28-year-old has lost his starting spot to Alex Iwobi, the man who joined Fulham from Everton in a £22 million deal on deadline day.

Everton, then, may have helped lay the groundwork for Reed to move in the other direction. 

Everton like Fulham midfielder Harrison Reed
The Daily Mail, however, believe that a mid-season switch from West London to Merseyside remains unlikely. Everton are looking into leads for both Reed and Leicester City youngster Kasey McAteer, but are expected to miss out on both.

McAteer is a key part of Enzo Maresca's title-chasing Leicester side, while Reed remains a valuable member of Silva's squad even if regular minutes are proving to be somewhat more infrequent. The £6 million signing from Southampton has not been included in Fulham's XI since that dramatic 4-3 defeat to Liverpool in the first week of December.

He played only a few fleeting seconds off the bench during Sunday's triumph over Arsenal.

"He's been brilliant," former Fulham midfielder Steve Sidwell told the Fulham Fix podcast back in September, reflecting on Reed's spell at the Cottage. 

"He's been absolutely class."

Money tight at Goodison Park
Everton are unlikely to have much money to spend this month with those Financial Fair Play concerns hanging like a dark cloud over Goodison Park. What's more, with Amadou Onana, Abdoulaye Doucoure, James Garner, Idrissa Gueye and a revitalised Andre Gomes at Sean Dyche's disposal, there is no immediate need for further midfield additions.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2024/01/02/everton-keen-on-signing-brilliant-6m-ace-from-premier-league-rivals/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham mulling Phillips loan move
Fulham could capitalise on uncertainty surrounding Kalvin Phillips' Manchester City future by signing him on loan in January, according to the i.

The former Leeds midfielder is desperate to get first-team football in time to stake a claim to be in Gareth Southgate's England squad for this summer's European Championships. The combative midfielder has made only ten appearances under Pep Guardiola this term, but a proposed move to Juventus this month has stalled as head coach Max Allegri believes the 28 year-old doesn't fit his system. Newcastle are, according to the I's northern football correspondent Mark Douglas, looking to avoid 'knee-jerk signings in January' despite their poor run of form, which leaves Fulham and Crystal Palace closely monitoring the midfielder's availability.

Marco Silva has played skipper Tom Cairney alongside Joao Palhinha in central midfield last month and the 32 year-old signed a twelve-month contract extension this morning. Fulham are the frontrunners in the race to sign coveted midfielder Andre, but Philips would provide ball-winning heft in the engine room. City are expected to demand a £5m loan fee with the England international not likely to feature in Guardiola's starting line-up for the remainder of this season.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/01/fulham-mulling-phillips-loan-move/

[WhiteJC]

D'Auria-Henry Officially Returns From Loan Spell
Young right-back Luciano D'Auria-Henry has returned from his loan spell at Cheltenham Town.

The 21-year-old made three appearances for the Robins before coming back in November to briefly return for our Under-21s. He certainly made an instant impact for Hayden Mullins' side, grabbing a goal and an assist in an 8-0 thrashing over Burnley.

He will be back in contention for our Academy side next Monday, when they host Benfica in the Premier League International Cup.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2024/january/02/DAuria-Henry-Returns/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham player could be offered escape route – 'Talks are underway' with Silva's side for 'these days'
Saša Lukić's decision to leave Torino for Fulham last January hasn't yet completely paid off.

Marco Silva has handed him only eight league starts out of which four are from this season. To put it in perspective, he's clocked in 48 minutes from the last 10 league games.

Napoli could offer the Fulham player an escape route this month if Area Napoli is to be believed.

The Serie A winners' president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, has promised new signings in the winter market and has already started taking action.

The Serbia international has been identified as a midfield target and 'talks are underway' with Fulham over a loan deal with an option to buy.

Although the Italian champions are negotiating with Udinese for Lazar Samardžić, the report states they are also keeping other options open.

This seems to be where Lukić fits in and since he knows the league well, he could be useful for Walter Mazzarri during rotations.

For now, there's an 'open dialogue' between Napoli and Fulham and it needs to be seen if the former are ready to take the necessary step to sign Lukić.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/club-started-talks-fulham-player-days-final-decision-january-deal-awaited/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham captain Tom Cairney signs new contract
Fulham captain Tom Cairney has signed a new contract until the summer of 2025.

The midfielder, who turns 32 later this month, has 81 goal involvements in 304 appearances for the Whites.

Cairney will make it a decade with Fulham after joining from Blackburn Rovers in 2015.

He told the club's official website: "It means everything to me to extend my contract. Ten years is a hell of a long time in football, a very rare thing.

"I said from quite early on that Fulham feels like home – a lot of players say that and then move on, but I feel like it's obvious that I meant it as I'll still be here 10 years later.

"I just want to thank everyone for the support over the years – the Fulham fans have been incredible with me, and I'll just look to keep repaying them."

Fulham director of football Tony Khan added: "I don't think that the importance of Tom Cairney joining Fulham in 2015 can be underestimated in terms of our recent history. He has been a great signing for the club whose contribution over the years has led to so many memorable successes on the pitch.

"TC's new contract will also take him into a special group of players that have reached a decade with Fulham, and I'm delighted for him and his family.

"He's a fantastic person who I have much admiration for, and it is timely that this announcement comes just two days after our victory over Arsenal in which Tom was named Player of the Match live on Sky TV."



https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/fulham-captain-tom-cairney-signs-new-contract/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham set for Joao Palhinha transfer boost despite lining up replacement in case of January exit
Bayern Munich not expected to revive bid this month

Fulham are confident of keeping Joao Palhinha through the January transfer window.

Palhinha travelled to Bayern Munich on transfer deadline day in September, but his £58million move to the Bundesliga giants fell through after Fulham failed to secure a replacement.

Within a fortnight, the Portugal international had signed a contract extension until 2028, with an option for a further year.

The 28-year-old £17m signing has continued to be linked with the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Bayern, but Fulham's valuation of Palhinha — close to £100m — is seen as off-putting.

Even though there is no release clause on his new contract and Fulham would consider bids closer to £60m, Palhinha is now viewed as an expensive option in defensive midfield. Bayern's interest has waned for this reason, and the Bavarian club have other targets who they expect to be more affordable.

Fulham remain interested in Fluminense's Andre, and they would take active steps to sign him if Palhinha was sold this January. But Palhinha's immediate exit is now unlikely, while Andre has plenty of other Premier League admirers, including Liverpool.

Andre, 22, stated his desire to move to the Premier League following Fluminense's Club World Cup Final defeat to Manchester City.

Fulham will not target midfielders this month and have been boosted by captain Tom Cairney signing a one-year contract extension.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-joao-palhinha-andre-transfer-news-b1129889.html

[WhiteJC]

Fulham Open To Loan Offers For Midfielder
Fulham are open to loaning out Serbian midfielder Sasa Lukic amidst interest from Italy in the ongoing transfer window.

Lukic joined Fulham in January last year but has been nothing more than a bit part player at Craven Cottage.

He has made just four starts in the Premier League this season and he has not been in the starting eleven for a league game since October.

The former Torino midfielder has been attracting interest from Italy where Napoli are monitoring his situation in west London.

According to Italian outlet Arena Napoli, the Premier League side are open to letting him go on loan.

Marco Silva is ready to let the player leave in January as he is not a major part of the Fulham manager's plans.

The west London side are even prepared to let him go on a free loan deal in order to save on his wages until the end of the season.

Napoli are deliberating over whether to make a move to try and sign Lukic in the ongoing transfer window.



https://insidefutbol.com/2024/01/02/fulham-open-to-loan-offers-for-midfielder/631646/

[WhiteJC]

£50m 'sensation' Man City reportedly want to sign was Europe's best tackler in 2023 by far
Manchester City were recently linked with a move for Fulham star Joao Palhinha – and a hugely impressive statistic emerged about the ace recently.

City are not expected to be particularly busy in the transfer market this month, with Pep Guardiola likely to trust in the crop at his disposal.

The club have agreed a deal for youngster Claudio Echeverri, but he'll be staying with River Plate for the time being, just like Julian Alvarez did.

But in terms of senior additions, it should be a quiet window.

That won't stop the speculation though, and recently City got linked with Fulham's midfield warrior Palhinha – who recorded a seriously impressive statistic in 2023...

Manchester City 'target' Joao Palhinha was 2023's top tackler in Europe
Palhinha has been a key player for Fulham since his arrival at the club in the summer of 2022.

The former Sporting CP star has established himself as a fantastic defensive midfielder, with a great knack for tackling and intercepting.

His tackling is definitely his best quality and there is now a statistic that very much proves that.

According to Squawka, Palhinha made 156 successful tackles in 2023. That was the most of any player across the top five leagues in Europe, with Pierre Lees-Melou of Brest the player in second place with just 122.

Given Palhinha's combative style, then it is perhaps only natural that he gets into trouble with the referee from time to time.

As well as being the most prolific tackler across Europe's top five leagues, Palhinha was also the player to pick up the most yellow cards in 2023 with 17.

Palhinha is some player but City move unlikely
City are likely losing Kalvin Phillips this month, with the midfielder having barely played this season – but it seems unlikely that the club would land Palhinha as a replacement.

He is absolutely vital for Fulham, who would struggle to push up the table to fight for European places without him. Indeed, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp recently branded Palhinha 'a sensation'.

Palhinha may well be a player Pep Guardiola likes, but a £50 million move for him this month is surely not happening, especially given reports the club are unlikely to make senior signings.

City may fancy a swoop next summer, although the player would probably have to accept playing second fiddle to Rodri, who is the best defensive midfielder in the world.



https://www.manchestercity.news/50m-sensation-man-city-reportedly-want-to-sign-was-europes-best-tackler-in-2023-by-far/

[WhiteJC]

A Message From TC
Following the announcement that he had signed a new contract with Fulham, Tom Cairney had this message for the fans...

What does it mean to extend my contract? It means everything to me. 10 years is a hell of a long time in football, a very rare thing. I said from quite early on that Fulham feels like home – a lot of players say that and then move on, but I feel like it's obvious that I meant it as I'll still be here 10 years later. For all the ups and the downs, I've enjoyed every single minute of playing for Fulham, being at the Cottage. Captaining Fulham is an incredible honour that I'll never take for granted. I just want to keep on enjoying my football, keep on playing well, keep on helping the Club, and then who knows how far we can go or where that can take me. To get to 10 years is an incredible achievement and one that I'll be very proud of, so I'm delighted that we could extend it and keep this journey going. Hopefully there's more memories to make and, who knows, maybe even lift another trophy at some point. I just want to thank everyone for the support over the years – the Fulham fans have been incredible with me, and I'll just look to keep repaying them. Thank you for the faith and the love – let's keep this show going! Happy New Year to everyone – see you all soon.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2024/january/02/a-message-from-tc/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham open to Lukic loan
Fulham are open to loaning out midfielder Sasa Lukic with the Serbian international attracting interest from Italy, according to various reports.

The 27 year-old has made 24 appearances since moving to Craven Cottage from Torino last January but is unlikely to feature in Marco Silva's plans for the rest of the season. Lukic, who has won 42 senior caps for his country, is eager to play more first-team football over the remainder of the campaign and is interested in returning to Serie A on a short-term basis.

According to reports from Italy, Napoli are considering making an approach to sign the former Partizan Belgrade midfielder on loan this month.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/01/fulham-open-to-lukic-loan/

[WhiteJC]

D'Auria-Henry back at Fulham
Fulham have confirmed that young full-back Luciano D'Auria-Henry has returned to the club from his loan spell at Cheltenham Town.

The 21 year-old wing-back made three appearances for the Robins in League One before getting injured and has failed to feature under new manager Darrell Clarke. He has officially returned to the Premier League club today and is expected to feature for Fulham's under 21s in the Premier League International Cup against Benfica next Monday.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/01/dauria-henry-back-at-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

Why Antonee Robinson would be the perfect left-back addition for Liverpool
Disaster struck in Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Arsenal last month. With Andy Robertson sidelined having dislocated his shoulder while on international duty, Kostas Tsimikas deputised well in the former's absence. However, Tsimikas was forced off with 10 minutes of the first half remaining at Anfield after the 27-year-old suffered a broken collarbone.

With both left-backs absent, Joe Gomez deputised in the 2-0 Boxing Day win at Burnley and the 4-2 win over Newcastle on New Year's Day, with four of his eight league starts now coming on the left side of defence. Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, though, will want a specialist in the role between now and the end of the season as Liverpool chase the Premier League title. 

While the Merseyside giants perhaps hoped to avoid dipping into the market, injuries to Robertson and Tsimikas look to have forced their hand. Indeed, Antonee Robinson appears to be Liverpool's primary target this month as they assess their options. Owen Beck has been recalled from his successful loan spell at Dundee FC, the 21-year-old returning a fine WhoScored rating of 7.31 during his short stint in the Scottish Premiership, but a lack of top-fight experience means Klopp will be reluctant to throw the Welshman in at the deep end.

The 26-year-old certainly caught the attention of the Reds when Fulham made the trip to Anfield at the start of December. Fulham may have fallen to a late 4-3 loss at Liverpool last month yet Robinson came off the pitch with the player of the match award. Much of that was due to Robinson's impressive work off the ball as he maximised his fine reading of the game to make 13 interceptions; no player has made more in a Premier League match since WhoScored started collecting Opta data from 2009/10. This is the sort of full-back Klopp would want on the books.

A forward-thinking attacking option from deep allows Liverpool to really stretch opponents. Robinson may look to make last-ditch challenges to deny attackers yet it's the ability to pre-emptively cut out danger that means Liverpool can quickly transition from defence to attack. That he ranks top for interceptions (52) in Europe's top five leagues and second for possession won the defensive third (71) in the Premier League this season will undoubtedly appeal to Klopp.

For a Liverpool side that has attempted the sixth most counter attacks (13) and has scored the third most counter-attacking goals (4) in England's top tier this term, Klopp needs players who are able to defend his side's goal and then break forward at speed to catch opposition defences out and Robinson does so very well. This is evident in that only Rayan Ait-Nouri (30) and Nelson Semedo (25) have completed more dribbles than the USA international (22) of defenders in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

From these two metrics alone Robinson would be a great fit for Liverpool. Fulham focus their attacks down the flanks with Robinson key in helping to create chances from the left. A return of 18 key passes is the third most of all players for Marco Silva's side, a return that would undoubtedly rise in a side as attacking as Liverpool. You only have to look at the fact that Trent Alexander-Arnold (3) ranks top for key passes per 90 of all Liverpool players, a metric that Robertson (2.4) and Tsimikas (2) rank second and third, respectively, for in England's top tier this term.

Klopp wants his full-backs to act as auxiliary wingers, especially as those who operate on the right and left look to cut infield rather than get to the byline and put the ball into the box. Given the American's desire to yo-yo up the left wing, Robinson won't have to tinker too much with his own style of play in order to adjust to Klopp's demands from his full-backs in his favoured 4-3-3 setup.

Of course, Fulham will demand a hefty fee for a key player who is contracted to Craven Cottage for another four years having signed a new deal in west London back in July. However, given the way he looks to bombard up and the left flank, Robinson would be a good stylistic fit for Klopp's side. His potential addition could ultimately prove crucial in Liverpool's push to secure the Premier League title.



https://www.whoscored.com/Articles/-cODJPDTNk22wi_72okg0Q/Show/Why-Antonee-Robinson-would-be-the-perfect-left-back-addition-for-Liverpool

[WhiteJC]

Fulham want West Ham winger Said Benrahma
Fulham are in the hunt to sign West Ham winger Said Benrahma in the January transfer window, according to a report from the Daily Mail.

The 28-year-old has cut a disappointing figure in recent weeks and David Moyes is now willing to let him go.

Benrahma, who is on £55k-per-week wages at the club, has made only four starts in the Premier League this season, registering one assist to his name. If West Ham find a replacement, they are ready to sell him.

Benrahma was left out of his country's squad for the AFCON. The Cottagers will pay to have around £20m to secure Benrahma's services.

Fulham are looking to add depth to their squad and they are equally interested in signing midfielder Andre from Fluminense. French club Lyon are also interested in signing him.

Should Fulham move for him?
Benrahma joined West Ham in the summer of 2020 from Brentford. The Algerian is a versatile attacking midfielder who can play across all three positions upfront.

He has made over 145 appearances for the Hammers since joining and has managed 24 goals in all competitions.

Benrahma has got bags of potential, but consistency, or the lack of it has been his biggest enemy. He can produce moments of individual brilliance but Moyes wants him to reproduce that on a weekly basis, like Jarrod Bowen.

In all these years, Benrahma hasn't managed to do that. A move to Fulham could be beneficial for him. Marco Silva loves to play attacking football and he can get the best out of Benrahma by giving him more licence in the final third.

Fulham could lose Joao Palhinha in the January transfer window, and if that happens they can use the money to land both Benrahma and Andre. With game time limited, West Ham probably won't stand in his way if Fulham can come up with a decent offer.



https://sports-view.co.uk/2024/01/fulham-want-west-ham-winger-said-benrahma

[WhiteJC]

Fulham suffer Andre setback but deal not dead
Fulham's deal with Andre looks to be at a stalemate with the club now believing that, by keeping Joao Palhinha, a new addition to that position is unnecessary, FootballTransfers can reveal.

The West London club have done a lot of legwork and a deal in principle had been agreed between them and the player's side, but we are told that Fulham are now reluctant to meet Fluminense's £25 million asking price for the 22-year-old.

Andre had spoken with Fulham boss Marco Silva and was encouraged by the project presented, while Alistair Mackintosh, the club's CEO, also held talks, but the transfer has taken a step backward after the Cottagers reshuffled their priorities in the market, with the idea that Joao Palhinha remaining would be sufficient enough for the rest of the season.

As previously revealed, the midfielder looks set to remain at Craven Cottage until the summer at least, with Bayern Munich not willing to meet Fulham's asking price and clubs in the Premier League hamstrung by Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. A move away for Sasa Lukic, who is available for a loan deal, may not be even enough to push a deal Andre as the Serbian has played just 385 minutes of Premier League football so far this season.

Are Man Utd keen on Andre?
Manchester United remain admirers of Andre but any move would be dependent on shifting players such as Casemiro and Antony Martial this month, making a deal pretty unfeasible at this point.

Andre is still expected to make a move to the Premier League this window and there is interest there, but currently unused players will have to be moved on to seal his signature.

The Brazil international has his heart set on a switch to England following his stunning season for Fluminense, in which the club won their first-ever Copa Libertadores after beating Boca Juniors in the final. It remains probable that a move will occur but anything materialising early in the window is unlikely now.



https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/transfer-news/tag/exclusive-newsnow/fulham-transfer-news-andre-fluminense-jacque-talbot-setback

[WhiteJC]

Palhinha poised to stay at Fulham
Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha is set to stay at Fulham until at least the end of the season, according to the Evening Standard.

The Portuguese international came close to joining Bayern Munich at the very end of the summer transfer window, but the German giants are targeting 'more affordable' alternatives having balked at Fulham's asking price of around £100m for the man who has made the most tackles in Europe this season. Palhinha signed a new contract at Craven Cottage within a fortnight of his move to Munich falling through – and that has strengthened the club's position in this transfer window.

The former Sporting Lisbon midfielder has only enhanced his reputation in his second season in the Premier League but none of the leading English sides will be able to offer anything close to what Fulham will demand for his signature. Manchester City are not believed to be plotting a move for Palhinha despite press speculation last month, whilst Arsenal and Liverpool are unable to fund a serious transfer splurge without selling members of their first-team squad.

Palhinha, now under contract at Fulham until 2028, is enjoying working with his former Sporting head coach Marco Silva and is happy to remain at the club.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/01/palhinha-poised-to-stay-at-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

Agent confirms club are 'following' Fulham man – Big praise with cheap transfer possible
Napoli are eyeing a move for Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo with him yet to sign an extension to his contract, which expires this summer.

That's according to 'sports agent and market intermediary' Vincenzo Morabito, who says that the Serie A champions are following the Fulham defender.

Adarabioyo is currently free to negotiate with clubs around Europe over a pre-contract agreement for the summer when his contract at Craven Cottage comes to an end under the Bosman ruling.

That's seen interest in him continue to rise, with the 26-year-old having been linked with a move away from Fulham throughout last summer as he entered the final year of his deal.

He's not signed a new deal since that point and it seems that means there is further interest in him, with Napoli having joined the list of suitors.

"Napoli are following a central defender from Fulham whose contract is expiring this is Tosin Adarabioyo," Morabito is quoted as saying.

"He is English ex Manchester City, he is doing a lot well, he had been sold to Monaco. He had problems with the renewal, he was on the Aventine for some time, then he came back and did it great.

"The agent is his brother. I saw him play against Arsenal and he was among the best on the pitch." 

Whether this means Napoli will now move for the defender remains to be seen. They've been rebuilding their defence since the summer when Kim Min-jae left for Bayern Munich but President Aurelio de Laurentiis often keep a tight hold on the purse strings.

A free agent from the Premier League would therefore fit the bill, as would getting him for a reduced fee this month if that's on the cards.

For now, it seems their interest is only in watching, but that can always change as things develop over the January transfer window.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/agent-confirms-club-following-fulham-man-big-praise-cheap-transfer-possible/