Saturday Fulham Stuff - 10/02/24...

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Liverpool prepare double Fulham raid, with cheaper star to replace trusted Klopp lieutenant
Liverpool are turning to Fulham in their quest to reshuffle their defence and the cheaper of two stars they're eyeing would push one of Jurgen Klopp's favourites out, according to reports.

The Reds completely overhauled their midfield last summer, with Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch all arriving.

The forward line won't require attention any time soon unless Mohamed Salah is lured to Saudi Arabia. None of Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz are older than 27.

As such, it's the rear-guard where the transfer action will come at Anfield in the summer.

Joel Matip will turn 33 in August and coming off the back of knee surgery, it's looking more and more unlikely he'll be offered a new contract.

Matip is a trusted Klopp lieutenant and has rarely let the Reds down. However, Klopp won't be able to influence owners FSG once he takes his leave from the club.

According to both 90min and the Evening Standard, a Matip exit via free agency is on the cards. 90min state the veteran defender is of interest to Steven Gerrard's Al-Ettifaq who'll put up a handsome salary offer.

In the event Matip does depart, a new centre-half will be required. Per the Standard, the replacement could come from Fulham.

Tosin to replace Matip at no cost?
They state Liverpool are monitoring 26-year-old Tosin Adarabioyo who could actually be signed without paying a fee.

Tosin is out of contract in the summer and can therefore be signed as a free agent. Tottenham showed strong interest in the centre-half last summer, while AC Milan will pose a threat next summer.

Nonetheless, the lure of joining Liverpool could trump all and the Reds will be reliant on their huge appeal when it comes time to convincing the player.

Indeed, the report stated Tosin is 'open' to remaining at Craven Cottage and Fulham are primed to table a fresh contract offer.

It's not out of the question that Tosin signs and thus puts any exits speculation to bed. But it's also not out of the question his head is turned by a potential move to Liverpool.

Second Fulham star wanted
Elsewhere, 90min add weight to prior reports claiming Liverpool want to sign left-back Antonee Robinson.

The USA international has quietly developed into one of the Premier League's most effective left-backs and is known for his high interception rate and marauding displays down the left.

Liverpool do boast a top class star in the position already in Andy Robertson. However, the Scot will turn 30 in March and his high-energy displays will take their toll eventually.

Kostas Tsimikas currently provides back-up to Robertson, though Robinson would unquestionably represent an upgrade on the Greece international.

Robinson is under contract with Fulham until 2028 having signed an extension in July of last year. As such, the Cottagers are well placed to extract maximum value in the event they do cash in.

The American cost Fulham just £2m when signed from Wigan Athletic back in 2020. Marco Silva's side can rightfully expect to generate at least 10 times that amount if sanctioning a sale.

Signing another left-back would also allow Joe Gomez to provide cover in his more familiar positions of right-back and centre-half.



https://www.teamtalk.com/liverpool/reds-prepare-double-fulham-raid-cheaper-star-replace-trusted-klopp-lieutenant

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Bayern Munich join Barcelona & Inter in Adrien Rabiot hunt as Bundesliga giants also consider returning for Fulham's Joao Palhinha
Bayern Munich are set to compete with Barcelona and Inter to secure the signature of Adrien Rabiot in the summer.

    Bayern join the race to sign Rabiot
    Could again go after Palhinha in the summer
    Bayern eyeing a midfield overhaul next season

WHAT HAPPENED?

The Bundesliga giants are eyeing moves for Argentinos Juniors midfielder Federico Redondo and Juventus star Adrien Rabiot in the summer, according to Christian Falk. Rabiot, who becomes a free agent at the end of the ongoing season, is also wanted by Barcelona and Inter.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The journalist further claims that the Bundesliga giants have also added players like Martin Zubimendi and Palhinha to their shortlist as they eye a major overhaul in their midfield next season. Zubimendi has a release clause of €60m (£51m/$65m) in his current Real Sociedad contract while Palhinha signed a new Fulham deal earlier this summer which will run until 2028.

DID YOU KNOW?

Palhinha came very close to signing for the German club this summer and had even travelled to Munich to complete his move but the Premier League side called off the deal in the 11th hour after they were unable to sign a replacement for the Portuguese.

WHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN MUNICH?

Thomas Tuchel's side could grab the top spot in the Bundesliga on Saturday as they are all set to take on league leaders Bayer Leverkusen away from home.



https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/bayern-munich-barcelona-inter-adrien-rabiot-hunt-consider-returning-fulham-joao-palhinha/bltd62077a8affd3f51#cs2dba2b6885b480f8

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Up next: AFC Bournemouth (h)
There was a fairly hefty inquest into how Fulham let a commanding position at Turf Moor slip from their grasp last Saturday. For seventy minutes, the Whites were controlling a fixture as well as they had done all season only to allow the Clarets back into the contest through a mixture of individual errors and collective collapse. Bernd Leno's failure to collect a cross gave Vincent Kompany's side the belief they required to keep pushing until the end but the shambolic nature of the second goal suggested the Whites might have forgotten how to win.

Their quest to get things back on track sees AFC Bournemouth, who handed out a drubbing on Boxing Day, visit Craven Cottage this afternoon. After a slow start, Andoni Iraola's has moulded the Cherries into a cohesive unit, who play clever, attractive football, and taken his new charges to twelve in the Premier League table. They are defensively disciplined and devastating dangerous in the final third with Dominic Solanke, a regular thorn in Fulham's side, enjoying a superb season – having hit 15 goals in 26 games. The former Chelsea centre forward is only behind Erling Haaland and Mo Salah in the Premier League goalscoring stakes.

Bournemouth are something of a bogey team for Fulham, with the Whites' only victory in their last thirteen league fixtures coming after they had been relegated in 2019 when Aleksandar Mitrovic converted a second half spot-kick at Dean Court. The Cherries are unbeaten in their last eight visits to Craven Cottage – a run that stretches back in April 1992 when Gary Brazil and Sean Farrell were on the scoresheet. Fulham's league form has nosedived since those two fantastic 5-0 wins over Nottingham Forest and West Ham United in December, winning just one seven league games since then. Just as worryingly, Marco Silva's side have failed to find the net on five of those occasions.

It is clear that the Whites have sorely missed the influence of Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi, who have helped Nigeria reached the final of the African Cup of Nations this weekend. Silva confirmed that Fulham will have to do without Raul Jimenez for perhaps as long as a further 'five or six weeks' yesterday. Brazilian striker Rodrigo Muniz broke his Premier League duck at Burnley to put the visitors 2-0 up, whilst Armando Broja – a deadline day loan signing from Chelsea – made his first appearance off the bench. The pair will both be in contention to start this afternoon after Broja recovered from a knock he picked up last weekend to train all week with his new team-mates. There is better news on the injury front for Fulham too with Adama Traoré available for the first time in more than three months and Harry Wilson having recovered from the shoulder he injured against Newcastle United in the FA Cup last month. Kenny Tete, whose airkick gave Burnley the chance to build a crucial attack, is out with an achilles complaint.

Bournemouth will be without the suspended Philip Billing after his red card last weekend as well as Tyler Adams, James Hill, former Fulham full back Ryan Fredericks and Max Aarons. The Turkish centre forward Enes Ünal, who joined the Cherries on loan from Getafe on deadline, will be part of Iraola's matchday squad. Bournemouth might have failed to win any of their four league games since they beat Fulham 3-0 on Boxing Day, but they have been excellent on the road this term – only failing to find the net once in eleven matches to date – and will provide stern opposition.

MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, A. Robinson, Adarabioyo, Ream; Palhinha, Cairney; Wilson, Willian, Pereira; Broja. Subs: Rodak, Ballo-Toure, de Fougerolles, King, Reed, Lukic, De Cordova-Reid, Traore, Muniz.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/02/up-next-afc-bournemouth-h-3/

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Blackburn beat Fulham U21s
Zak Gilsenan and Harley O'Grady-Macken scored the goals as Blackburn Rovers beat Fulham's under 21s 2-1 on a rainy evening at Motspur Park. Adrion Pajaziti reduced the home side's arrears from the penalty spot with seven minutes to play, but that goal proved too little too left as the Whites were unable to salvage anything from the fixture.

Fulham began brightly in the teeming rain with Pajaziti forcing visiting goalkeeper Nicholas Michalski into a smart save, but Blackburn were always a threat on the counter-attack. The dangerous Gilsenan was denied by Alex Borto after Fulham's American goalkeeper dashed off his goal-line to save a one-on-one but the Rovers wide man made no mistake three minutes later after latching onto a precise pass from Dominik Biniek.

Borto then did brilliantly to prevent Biniek from putting Rovers 2-0 ahead and it took a while for Fulham to recover from the setback of going a goal down. A crunching challenge from George Okkas set up a break but Kristian Šekularac, fresh from being on the first team bench at Burnley last week, was thwarted by a good save from Michalski. At the other end, Borto made a magnificent one-handed stop to keep out an effort from the lively Biniek.

Fulham came very close to levelling matters in the final five minutes of the first half. Some smart footwork from Luciano D'Auria-Henry saw the right back work some space for a shot in the area that flew just wide before Okkas hit the woodwork after heading Stefan Parkes' ball towards goal at the near post.

Any hopes of continuing that pressure after the interval melted away when O'Grady-Macken was left unattended to turn home a free-kick from Charlie Weston seven minutes into the second half. Blackburn were disciplined in defence, initially forcing Fulham into long-range efforts like a shot from Matt Dibley-Dias that was bravely blocked by a pair of Rovers defenders.

Substitute Imani Lanquedoc almost made an immediate impact off the bench but his chip over the goalkeeper was well saved by Michalski, who was only beaten from the penalty spot by Pajaziti after Okkas had been brought down in the box. The home side pushed for a late leveller but Aaron Loupalo-Bi's long-range effort curled wide – and Mike Sheron's side held on for a deserved victory.

FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-3-3): Borto; D'Auria-Henry (McAvoy 63), Parkes (McCoy-Splatt 55), Avenall (Gordon 76), Araujo; Okkas, Dibley-Dias (Lanquedoc 63), Pajaziti; Šekularac, Works, Loupalo-Bi. Subs (not used): McNally.

BOOKED: Dibley-Dias.

GOAL: Pajaziti (pen 83).

BLACKBURN ROVERS (4-4-2): Michalski; Haddow, Olsen, Atchesen, Gamble; Weston, O'Grady-Macken, Duru, Gilsenan; Finneran (Bell 76), Biniek (Caddick 83). Subs (not used): Doherty, Powell, Khan.

BOOKED: Gamble.

GOALS: Gilsenan (16), O'Grady-Macken (52).

REFEREE: Paul Johnson.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/02/blackburn-beat-fulham-u21s/

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Traoré available against Bournemouth
Adama Traore could make his long-awaited Fulham return against AFC Bournemouth tomorrow afternoon after head coach Marco Silva confirmed the winger was available for selection.

The former Middlesbrough and Wolves wide man has been missing since November having aggravated a hamstring problem that has limited his game time since he moved to Craven Cottage in the summer.

Harry Wilson is also available action, having recovered from the shoulder injury he sustained in the FA Cup defeat at home to Newcastle United last month. Deadline day signing Armando Broja will also be involved, having shaken off an ankle complaint after Fulham's 2-2 draw at Burnley last weekend.

Silva confirmed that Raul Jimenez will be out for at least another month having injured his hamstring in the goalless draw with Everton recently and Kenny Tete, introduced as a substitute at Turf Moor last week, has injured his achilles. Silva did tell the press that this problem was nothing really serious".



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/02/traore-available-against-bournemouth/

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London at the heart of Nigeria's bid for Cup of Nations glory
Nigeria will have a strong London connection in Sunday's Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) final with key players born in Britain likely to line up against the Ivory Coast.

There are four players born in the boroughs of the British capital in the Nigerian squad plus two other key regulars, Calvin Bassey and midfielder Alex Iwobi, who have lived in London from an early age.

Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi and Ademola Lookman are English-born and have made a major contribution to Nigeria's progress to the final.

Joe Aribo, also from London and who struggled with injury at the start of the tournament, has had limited game time but has contributed off the bench.

Lookman, who is Nigeria's top marksman at the tournament with three goals, is proving an excellent partner in attack alongside reigning African Footballer of the Year Victor Osimhen.

Aina has emerged as arguably the best right-back on view over the last month in the Ivory Coast while centre back Ajayi has played every minute of their six games.

Lookman, a product of Charlton Athletic's academy, played for England when they won the 2017 U20 World Cup.



https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2024-02-10-london-at-the-heart-of-nigerias-bid-for-cup-of-nations-glory/

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Milan eye moves for Liverpool-linked Fulham defender and Monza goalkeeper – report
Recent reports have linked Milan with summer moves for Fulham centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo and Monza goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio in the event that the Rossoneri sell Mike Maignan.

Adarabioyo, who wears 'Tosin' on the back of his shirt, has also been linked with a move to Premier League side Liverpool by reports in the British press in recent weeks.

The 26-year-old will be out of contract at the end of the 2023-24 season, so will be available as a free agent after June 30 anc could be an enticing option for Milan according to 90 min TMW.

Adarabioyo was a product of Manchester City's academy and had previously played for the esteemed local Manchester youth side Fletcher Moss Rangers, who have also had the likes of Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard, Danny Welbeck, Wes Brown and Ravel Morrison on their books at various points.

Milan could also move for Monza's Di Gregorio in the event that they sell current no.1 Maignan to either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich according to Tuttosport and Milannews.it.

The Rossoneri are trying to tie the Frenchman down to a new contract, but the player is reportedly requesting an annual wage of around €8m, which would put him as the club's highest earner alongside Rafael Leao.

Milan have reportedly offered an initial salary of €5m and are expected to make a counter offer worth €6m per season, but the club are keen to avoid another Gianluigi Donnarumma situation, so could listen to offers from other clubs if they are unable to negotiate a new deal.



https://football-italia.net/milan-eye-moves-for-liverpool-linked-fulham-defender-and-monza-goalkeeper-report/

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AFC Bournemouth Andoni Iraola on pre-planned kick-off routines
HEAD coach Andoni Iraola revealed his side's attempts to replicate a certain Cherries goal scored at Craven Cottage ahead of this afternoon's game with Fulham (3pm).

 During the 2021/22 season, Cherries were briefly the centre of the football world as a kick-off routine away at Fulham saw Dominic Solanke score straight from the restart after the half-time break.

Although the game eventually ended 1-1, the pre-planned move was copied by many sides across Europe, including Real Madrid during their Champions League-winning campaign that same year.

 Iraola also took notice, using the routine whilst manager of Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.

This season Cherries have attempted some orchestrated plays when they restart play from the centre-circle, albeit without the same success.

Iraola told the Daily Echo: "We try to prepare some things.

"We prepare more, sometimes, we prepare less, because there are teams that are more aggressive in the kick-off.

 "Sometimes they just wait, so it's more difficult to find the spaces and give you the first possession."

Iraola then went on to discuss Cherries' successful kick-off routine from just over two years ago.

He continued: "But it's true that even before I came, before I had any news from Bournemouth, it's the kick-off routine that when you talk about kick-offs, I think every team in Europe, I will say, goes to that routine because it was an amazing play."



https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/24110605.afc-bournemouth-andoni-iraola-pre-planned-kick-off-routines/

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