Thursday Fulham Stuff - 4/01/24

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Arsenal want Fulham 28yo
Arsenal are interested in Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha, with Mikel Arteta reportedly impressed by the 28-year-old's Premier League performances.

Arsenal's interest in Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha has been confirmed by English journalist Ben Jacobs, as the club looks to strengthen its midfield.

The Gunners, under the management of Mikel Arteta, are reportedly impressed with the 28-year-old's performances in the Premier League this season.

Palhinha has featured in 20 games and scored two goals for Fulham this season.

The pursuit of the midfielder could be challenging due to Arsenal's financial situation in the current transfer window. However, the possibility of a deal is not ruled out.

Fulham, already anticipating Palhinha's potential departure, are advancing with the signing of André, a 22-year-old Brazilian talent from Fluminense, as a replacement.

Arsenal are also considering selling Thomas Partey to finance the signing of Palhinha.

Partey, whose persistent injury issues have raised concerns about his long-term viability in the team, is approaching the final 18 months of his contract.

This situation presents an opportunity for Arsenal, with interest in Partey from Saudi clubs and Juventus, although the latter are said to have moved to other targets due to Partey's injury problems.

Palhinha, who was close to joining Bayern Munich last summer, has attracted attention from several top Premier League clubs, including Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea.

With Partey's future uncertain and Arteta awaiting his return to the first team, the prospect of acquiring Palhinha is gaining more traction.

However, a crucial aspect of this potential transfer, or any in this window, will be Arsenal's ability to finance such a high-profile signing amid stiff competition from other elite clubs.




https://dailycannon.com/2024/01/arsenal-targets-palhinha/

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Everton Are Keen On Recruiting This Fulham Midfielder: What Will He Add To Dyche's Team?
Everton are keen on recruiting Fulham midfielder Harrison Reed as they look to strengthen their squad this January.

In a recent report, The Daily Mail claimed that Everton are keen on recruiting Fulham midfielder Harrison Reed. It has been mentioned that the Toffees are eager to seal a move for the English talent but are expected to miss out on him this month.

Reed's Decent Season In The Premier League
Reed is having a good campaign at Craven Cottage as he has been responsible for putting in a run of solid performances for the Cottagers at the centre of the park. The 28-year-old has featured in 20 matches for Fulham this season, securing one assist in various competitions.

The English sensation has caught the eye at times by averaging 0.8 tackles, 0.8 clearances and 0.5 key passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League. He has even been accurate when distributing possession from midfield after completing 87.6% of his attempted passes in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).

His current contract at Fulham will expire in the summer of 2027, so the Toffees might struggle to get a deal done for him in this ongoing winter transfer window.

What Will Reed Add To Everton Boss Sean Dyche's Team?
Reed is a tough-tackling midfielder who usually works hard to offer some protection for his teammates at the back. He usually clears the danger when required and can make some inviting chances for his teammates in the opposition half.

The English sensation is primarily a defensive midfielder but can also fill in as a box-to-box midfielder or as a right-sided wide player if asked to do so by his manager. Reed is a tidy passer of the ball as well and knows the Premier League well by now. Therefore, he would no doubt enhance the quality of Everton's match-day squad.

Reed would add more bite and steel to Sean Dyche's midfield and could help the Toffees get out of relegation trouble in the second half of this Premier League campaign. Thus, the Merseyside club should focus on trying everything they can to lure the English midfielder to Goodison Park in this January transfer window.

At 28, Reed is playing in his prime and is well-equipped to make an instant impact at Everton if Dyche can get him on board before the end of this month.



https://the4thofficial.net/2024/01/everton-are-keen-on-recruiting-this-fulham-midfielder/

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Preview: Fulham vs. Rotherham United - prediction, team news, lineups
Fresh from their Premier League triumph over London rivals Arsenal, Fulham welcome Championship outfit Rotherham United to Craven Cottage for an FA Cup third-round tie on Friday night.

While the Cottagers are hoping to better their quarter-final finish in last season's FA Cup, the Millers are seeking to avoid a sixth consecutive third-round elimination.

Match preview
For the first time since February 2012, Fulham celebrated success over Arsenal when they came from behind to beat the Gunners 2-1 on home soil in the Premier League on New Year's Eve.

Bukayo Saka bundled the ball home to give Arsenal an early lead, but the Cottagers restored parity on the half-hour mark through Raul Jimenez, before Bobby De-Cordova Reid netted what proved to be the match-winner midway through the second half to help the hosts end an 11-game winless run against the Gunners.

Victory over Arsenal also ended a three-match losing run in the top flight for Marco Silva's side, who remain 13th in the table but have climbed nine points clear of the relegation zone, while they are only four points adrift of 10th-placed Chelsea whom they face next week.

Fulham are sure to have one eye on next week's EFL Cup semi-final first leg with Liverpool, but they must first shift their focus to the FA Cup as they endeavour to progress from the third round for the 13th time in the last 16 seasons.

Silva has won all five of his previous FA Cup third-round ties as a manager, including two with Fulham, who will fancy their chances of success again on Friday as they have come out on top in each of their last four meetings with Rotherham by an aggregate score of 10-3.

After losing his first three games in charge of Rotherham, head coach Leam Richardson has since steered his new Millers side on a three-match unbeaten run in the Championship, with a slender 1-0 win over Middlesbrough followed by back-to-back score draws with Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers.

The South Yorkshire-based outfit came from behind twice to rescue a point at Ewood Park on New Year's Day, with Tom Eaves restoring parity eight minutes from time with just his second goal of the campaign after Sean Morrison had previously found the net in the first half.

Only Coventry and Huddersfield Town (both 10) have drawn more Championship matches than Rotherham (nine) so far this season, and the Millers will need to turn those solitary points into three sooner rather than later if they wish to climb off the foot of the second-tier standings and close the seven-point gap to safety.

Rotherham now turn their attention to the FA Cup and must pull off an upset away against Premier League opposition if they wish to reach the fourth round for the first time since the 2001-02 campaign.

However, success on Friday will be a tall order for the Millers as they have failed to win any of their last 17 FA Cup away matches against top-flight opponents, while they have not won a competitive away game in any competition since beating Sheffield United 1-0 in the second tier back in November 2022.

Fulham form (all competitions):

    W    L    W    L    L    W

Rotherham United form (all competitions):

    L    L    L    W    D    D


Team News
Fulham will be without Nigerian duo Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi, as well as Senegalese defender Fode Ballo-Toure, as they are all away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Tim Ream and Adama Traore are also unavailable as they continue to recover from respective calf and thigh injuries, although both players are hoping to return to action at some stage this month.

With one eye on next week's EFL Cup semi-final clash at Liverpool, Silva is expected to rotate his side on Friday, with the likes of Marek Rodak, Issa Diop, Harrison Reed, Sasa Lukic and Rodrigo Muniz all pushing to start.

As for Rotherham, Lee Peltier, Tyler Blackett and Cameron Humphreys all remain sidelined with hamstring problems, while Grant Hall (hip), Fred Onyedinma (muscle), Andre Green (Achilles) and Shane Ferguson (hernia) are also nursing injuries.

Richardson is expected to stick with a five-man defence including centre-back trio Morrison, Hakeem Odoffin and Sebastian Revan, with Dexter Lembikisa and Cohen Bramall set to operate as wing-backs.

Jordan Hugill is Rotherham's join-top scorer this season with just three goals, and the target man will be looking to force his way back into he first XI ahead of either Eaves or Sam Nombe after beginning as a substitute last time out.


Fulham possible starting lineup:
Rodak; Tete, Adarabioyo, Diop, Robinson; Lukic, Reed; Wilson, Pereira, Decordova-Reid; Muniz

Rotherham United possible starting lineup:
Johansson; Lembikisa, Odoffin, Morrison, Revan, Bramall; Rathbone, Tiehi, Clucas; Hugill, Nombe

We say: Fulham 2-0 Rotherham United
Fulham will be regarded as firm favourites to come out on top, even if Silva decides to make several changes to his lineup, although they must not underestimate Rotherham who will look to frustrate the Cottagers and make themselves difficult to break down.

Forcing a replay would be viewed as a positive for the Millers, but we believe the hosts should have enough top-flight quality in their side to get the job done in front of the Craven Cottage faithful.




https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/fa-cup/preview/preview-fulham-vs-rotherham-prediction-team-news-lineups_532758.html?cQx=NN&newsnow

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West Ham United transfer news: Manchester United, Liverpool twists emerge in Andre pursuit
West Ham, Manchester United, Liverpool and Fulham have all been linked with a move to sign Fluminese midfielder Andre, per Trivela.

The Brazilian media outlet reported on 3 January that while there are reports of an agreement reached with Fulham to sign the 22-year-old, it's far from the case.

Manchester United, Liverpool and the Hammers retain an interest in securing the services of the Brazil international who could be on his way out in January.

Not likely?
Andre is a full international who's already won numerous awards including the Best Defensive Midfielder in Brazil in 2022.

The Hammers are also facing a time-sensitive situation with the January transfer window opening and the club needs to move quickly to avoid losing out to competitors.

The financial muscle and prestige of Liverpool and Manchester United pose substantial challenges for West Ham in the pursuit of Andre.

Liverpool, despite cooling their interest, retain significant allure, and Manchester United's historical stature makes them formidable contenders.

Any delay in West Ham's negotiations may allow Fulham, Liverpool or Manchester United to strengthen their positions, making the move to the London Stadium increasingly unlikely.

He may also not immediately strengthen the first team so that's always something that they will need to consider in the coming weeks as there's not an abundance of funds at the club this month.



https://www.westhamzone.com/news/west-ham-united-transfer-news-manchester-united-liverpool-twists-emerge-in-andre-pursuit/

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Million Manhoef Rangers blow as Leicester City target lines up Premier League move
Rangers might've just been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Million Manhoef as Leicester City alternative Fabio Carvalho readies a switch to Fulham.

Both Rangers and Enzo Maresca's promotion chasing Foxes have been linked with a move for the 21-year-old Vitesse winger, with the Gers said to be leading the hunt.

But a report by a leading data journalist which directly named Leicester as being interested in Million Manhoef raised nerves at Ibrox due to there being no mention of Rangers.

Now, the situation could've just taken a fresh twist as a potential Leicester alternative to the Dutch U21 international prepares to sign for Premier League Fulham.

Leicester City to lose out on Fabio Carvalho
According to German outlet BILD, Fabio Carvalho is now likely to head out on loan to Fulham after a disappointing spell with RB Leipzig.

The 21-year-old Portuguese winger spent the first half of the season on loan at the Bundesliga club but has just been recalled by the Anfield side.

Leicester City were named as one of the top Fabio Carvalho suitors by Sky Sports, who claimed that the Championship leaders wanted to sign the attacker on loan until the end of the season.

This had given Rangers fans some hope in lieu of those Leicester links to Million Manhoef but that may well change now a return to Fulham appears more likely for Fabio Carvalho.

The young Portuguese winger came through at Craven Cottage before making the switch to Liverpool in 2022.

Rangers Million Manhoef transfer hunt continues
Ibrox fans will now be awaiting a more concrete update on the situation with Manhoef, who certainly appears to be in demand this winter.

Currently turning out for the Eredivisie's bottom side Vitesse Arnhem, it hasn't stopped the winger impressing in the Dutch top flight this season.

The initial reports surrounding Rangers' interest had claimed that, given Vitesse's current financial situation, a deal could be struck for around £2.5m.

Whilst we haven't heard anything concrete about the move, Rangers fans will be excited about the prospect of the Philippe Clement bolstering the squad with a right-sided attacker.



https://www.rangersnews.uk/transfer-news/million-manhoef-rangers-blow-as-leicester-city-target-lines-up-premier-league-move/

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Fabrizio Romano says Fulham now looking at 'immense' PL defender as one 'for the future'
Fulham are now keeping a close eye on Luton Town centre-back Teden Mengi as a player for the future.

The January transfer window has now opened and fans will be expecting Marco Silva to add to his ranks in the next month to build on a relatively positive season thus far.

While a striker appears to have been a priority just a few weeks ago, Fabrizio Romano is now suggesting that defensive reinforcements could be on their way too.

Silva admitted after Fulham's win over Arsenal on New Year's Eve that, "We are looking to strengthen the squad, we need it.

"We believe we have a very good group of players. We missed something last summer that we tried. Let's see if we can do it in the next month."

It's been assumed that Silva is referring to a centre-forward after the sale of Aleksandar Mitrovic to Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal.

However, with Tosin Adarabioyo now in the final six months of his contract, Fulham are now looking to Luton Town's Teden Mengi as a potential replacement.

The 21-year-old only joined The Hatters in the summer from Manchester United but has already made 14 Premier League appearances.

Rob Edwards's side are currently sitting just inside the relegation zone and if they were to return to the Championship, Fulham could pounce and pick up the England Under-20 international.

Fulham now following Luton Town defender Teden Mengi
Posting on social media, Romano said: "Understand Fulham and Crystal Palace are now following Luton Town's CB Teden Mengi for the future.

"He has become one of PL promising youngsters by leading U-21 players with the highest percentage of defensive duels won in Europe's top 5 leagues this campaign."

Mengi's current manager Edwards is a huge fan of the youngster and said this season: "I'm really pleased for him. I thought he was immense, I thought he was really, really good, in the air he was dominant, in his duels he came out on top.

"He's quick, he's strong, he can play and he can finish as well. He's a really good young player and that's why we got him here.

"He's really proving an excellent acquisition at the moment and the recruitment team deserve a lot of credit for that."

Fulham have one of the oldest squads in the Premier League and it makes sense that they're looking at Luton's Mengi.

He's a fantastic prospect and looks comfortable playing in a back four or back three.

Silva showed against Arsenal that he's willing to switch between both systems depending on the state of the game which might be one of the reasons why Mengi is on the club's list.

He's also home-grown and even shares an agency with Tosin, which could make negotiations easier.



https://www.fulham.news/2024/01/04/fabrizio-romano-says-fulham-now-looking-at-immense-pl-defender-as-one-for-the-future/

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Crystal Palace and Fulham rumoured to be interested in Hatters defender
Former Manchester United centre half attracting interest during the transfer window

Luton defender Teden Mengi is believed to be interesting Town's Premier League rivals Fulham and Crystal Palace, according to Italian sports journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The 21-year-old joined the Hatters back in August after being allowed to leave Manchester United following 14 years at Old Trafford, where he represented the club at every level, including captaining the U18s and going on to make two first team appearances. Mengi made his Hatters debut in the Carabao Cup defeat at Exeter, as although originally signed as a player for the future, injuries saw him come off the bench for his Premier League bow in the 2-1 win at Everton.

The ex-England youth international then got his first start in the 2-1 home defeat to Burnley, as despite a late cameo in the 1-0 home defeat against Spurs, he was back in the starting line-up for the 2-2 draw at Nottingham Forest, going on to begin the Hatters' last 11 top flight matches, netting his first goal in the 2-1 win over the Eagles. Mengi has delivered some terrific performances in that time too, as Luton kept a first clean sheet in the 1-0 victory over Newcastle United just before Christmas, the centre half now leading the way with 1.9 interceptions per game, also averaging 3.9 clearances and 1.8 tackles too.

With his displays clearly catching the eye of other top tier clubs, Romano tweeted today: "Understand Fulham and Crystal Palace are now following Luton Town's CB Teden Mengi for the future. He has become one of PL promising youngsters by leading U-21 players with the highest percentage of defensive duels won in Europe's top 5 leagues this campaign."

Town chief Rob Edwards has already stated that he won't be looking to weaken his squad during the January transfer window as he attempts to lead the Hatters to Premier League safety, which means keeping Mengi will be high on his list of things to do. He said: "We won't be letting any people go if we don't think it's right for the football club, and if we do look to bring people in, it's only to strengthen us.

"We're not going to weaken ourselves, we want to retain our Premier League status. I want the group to be together and all fighting for the same thing. That's going to mean keeping this group together because there's a unique bond and a spirit here and we're stronger with everyone in it and together."




https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/football/luton-town/crystal-palace-and-fulham-rumoured-to-be-interested-in-hatters-defender-4465435

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Man Utd could swoop for midfielder Andre Trindade
According to Trivela (via SportWitness), Manchester United could beat Fulham to the signing of Fluminense midfielder Andre Trindade this month.

Man United have performed below expectations in the ongoing season and they are currently 9 points behind the top four after 20 games into the campaign. They need a huge turnaround to qualify for the Champions League and this could urge the hierarchy to spend some money during the transfer window.

A striker looks to be a top target for the club with the poor form of the current front men, but United could also invest on a quality defensive midfielder to provide competition to Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro. Trivela claim that the Red Devils are interested in signing Andre and could beat Fulham to his services.

The Cottagers have a verbal agreement in place to land the highly-rated holding midfielder, but Trivela claim that nothing is certain at the moment and United could make a late push to sign him. West Ham have also been credited with an interest in the 22-year-old.

Good signing
United have lacked control in the heart of the midfield this campaign. Casemiro looked out of sorts at the beginning of the season before suffering back-to-back injuries. Sofyan Amrabat joined from Fiorentina on loan to provide cover but the Moroccan has struggled to adapt to the Premier League intensity.

Scott McTominay has not been better either and manager Erik ten Hag has been reliant on Kobbie Mainoo lately. Mainoo is also inexperienced and he was guilty of gifting possession for the second goal in the West Ham United defeat. Bringing in a quality holding midfielder could help United climb up the table.

Andre would be a good signing for the Red Devils. He is strong with the ball at his feet which Casemiro and McTominay aren't. The Brazilian also has a tireless work rate and likes to engage in tackles and duels with good success. For a fee of around £35 million, he would be a bargain signing with his big potential.




https://football-talk.co.uk/196881/man-utd-could-swoop-for-midfielder-andre-trindade/