Friday Fulham Stuff - 19/04/24...

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Fulham 'planning to revive interest in Chelsea defender'
Fulham are reportedly prepared to revive their interest in Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah.

The centre-back has made a total of 72 competitive appearances since making his Chelsea debut in August 2021.

However, he has featured in just nine matches this season after he was forced to miss the first half of the campaign due to injury.

Chalobah finally returned to action in February, appearing as a substitute in a 1-1 away draw against Manchester City.

Although he has started four of the last six league games, Chalobah is widely expected to be sold during the summer transfer window.

The Chelsea board are seemingly keen to sell the academy product to generate pure profit and help ease any concerns over the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability rules.

With Chalobah heading towards the exit door, TEAMtalk are reporting that Fulham are willing to renew their pursuit of the 24-year-old.

Fulham are one of several clubs showing an interest in the defender after previously being linked with a move in the January transfer window.

The report claims that Fulham could be rivalled by the likes of Napoli, Roma, Bayern Munich, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest.

There is a belief that Chalobah is favouring a move to the Cottagers due to his family's positive relationship with the club after his brother, Nathaniel Chalobah, spent 18 months as a Fulham player before leaving in January 2023.

Fulham identify Chalobah as Adarabioyo replacement
Fulham have seemingly earmarked Chalobah as a candidate to replace Tosin Adarabioyo, who faces an uncertain future at Craven Cottage.

The centre-back is out of contract at the end of the season and is yet to reach an agreement over a new Fulham deal.

As it stands, Adarabioyo will be available on a free transfer this summer, leading to interest from the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Newcastle United were recently linked with the 26-year-old, while Liverpool, West Ham United and AC Milan have also been mooted as potential suitors.

In addition to Chalobah, Fulham are also believed to be considering Union Berlin defender Danilho Doekhi as a possible target.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/man-utd/transfer-talk/news/fulham-planning-to-revive-interest-in-chelsea-defender_541548.html?newsnow

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Andreas Pereira claims he didn't feel loved at Manchester United
Andreas Pereira says he left Manchester United to "feel loved" as he detailed how Sir Alex Ferguson lured him to Old Trafford from Erik ten Hag at PSV Eindhoven.

The 28-year-old left United in the summer of 2022 after a series of loan spells at Granada, Valencia, Lazio and Brazilian outfit Flamengo.

Pereira was unable to cement his place at United, so he decided to dodge talks with Ten Hag when the Dutchman arrived at Old Trafford from Ajax.

The Brazil international has proven his worth at Fulham under Marco Silva following a permanent transfer to London last summer.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand's Vibe with Five podcast, Pereira said: "Leaving United, you're like, 'Am I really going to do this? Am I sure?' In the end, you're never 100 per cent sure, really. Sometimes you think stay and have another go. Other times, you have to leave.

"I wanted to play, after COVID, I wanted to play. I was going crazy, wanting to play in the Premier League. I wanted to show that I was good enough, I was very close to joining Everton and suddenly my father called me and said, 'Andreas, you never played in Brazil, you're Brazilian'.

"I was like, 'Where do we go then?' The president of Flamengo jokingly called my dad and said, 'If he wants to come, he can come'.

"Everyone at United said, 'You're crazy, you'll stay in Brazil, you'll never come back to Europe'. Everyone in my family wanted me to come [to Brazil] but they were like, 'No, what are you doing?'

"I wanted to play in Brazil and want to feel loved. I didn't feel the love that I thought I should get. I wanted to feel loved by my own people, play close to my family and enjoy football."

Fulham take on Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday. Hopefully, Pereira and co can shatter their title hopes after last week's defeat to Crystal Palace at Anfield.



https://strettynews.com/2024/04/18/andreas-pereira-claims-he-didnt-feel-loved-at-manchester-united/

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Kemar Roofe transfer latest: Southampton, QPR and Fulham interest, Rangers stance
We look at the latest transfer news involving Kemar Roofe, as he faces an uncertain future with his Rangers contract expiring.

Kemar Roofe is one of the many players in the game who is out of contract this summer, with the forward still uncertain where he will be playing his football next season.

Kemar Roofe's career so far
The 31-year-old has had an eventful career up to this point, having moved to Oxford from West Brom in 2015 after failing to make the grade at The Hawthorns.

 A successful time with the U's saw a move to Leeds United, with Roofe enduring some highs and lows with the Whites, before sealing a surprise switch to Anderlecht on the back of an outstanding year working with Marcelo Bielsa.

His time in Belgium would be just one year, as he returned to the UK with Rangers, and he has been part of a squad that has won all three domestic Scottish trophies over the past few years, along with featuring for the Glasgow side as they reached the Europa League final in 2022.

With his deal at Ibrox running down, there has been plenty of talk surrounding the attacker, and here we provide the latest...

Southampton, QPR and Fulham monitoring Kemar Roofe
 Given his pedigree, it's perhaps no surprise that clubs are already keeping tabs on Roofe, knowing that he will be available on a free transfer in the coming months.

It has been claimed that Southampton, QPR and Fulham are all keen on the player, although Saints' interest may depend on whether they win promotion to the Premier League or not. If they do, they may feel there are other options out there.

QPR's interest is understandable, as Marti Cifuentes is looking to build a team that is capable of competing higher up in the Championship, but they have work to do to stay up over the coming weeks as well.

It seems Roofe will be waiting until the end of the season before making a decision, but the early signs suggest there could be a battle for his signature.

Rangers yet to outline plans for Kemar Roofe
Roofe has made it clear that he would be open to extending his stay at Rangers, but he also revealed last month that he doesn't know whether he will be offered a deal.

 From Rangers' perspective, that's understandable. They're locked in a tight battle with Celtic for the title, and whoever wins the league will go straight into the Champions League group stage, benefiting from the finances that come with that, which will obviously alter their transfer plans.

As well as that, it's been a difficult year for Roofe on the injury-front, so if he can prove himself over the final six games to be a key figure for Phillipe Clement, it may be enough to earn a new contract.

Andy Halliday expects Kemar Roofe to leave
However, former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday would be surprised if Roofe did remain at Ibrox, as he recently told the Clyde Superscoreboard, as quoted by Glasgow World, that the forward is sure to move on, as he also questioned his fitness record over the years.

 "Where's the evidence that Kemar Roofe is as good as people make out that he is when he's injured? Listen, he's done OK for Rangers, he's done well at times, but what's the most consecutive that Kemar Roofe's played? I don't imagine it's that many.

"Aw yeah, I don't think there's any doubt about it (he will leave). We know there's talent there, but he's obviously not been very fit and – I'm speculating here – but you imagine he's on quite a big wage."



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/kemar-roofe-transfer-latest-southampton-qpr-interest-rangers-stance-pundit-makes-strong-claim/

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JON BRADY GRATEFUL TO LOANEES MARC LEONARD AND KIERON BOWIE
The views of the Cobblers boss

Jon Brady has been speaking about Kieron Bowie and Marc Leonard ahead of Saturday's visit from Exeter City, kick off 2pm.

The on-loan duo are set to make their last appearances for the Cobblers at Sixfields ahead of their return to their parent clubs at the end of the season.

"Kieron and Marc have been brilliant for us and to have had two great players like that on two year loans has been fantastic," he said.

"Saturday will probably be their last home game for us and it's a chance for the supporters to see them here one last time and thank them for everything they have done for the club.

"Their commitment and attitude has been exceptional and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with them both."



https://www.ntfc.co.uk/news/2024/april/jb_180424/

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Andreas: We Can Compete

Andreas Pereira says Fulham will go into Sunday's match against Liverpool with zero fear.

It will be our fourth meeting with the Reds this season, with all the previous fixtures being tightly contested, and yielding no fewer than five goals for Marco Silva's side.

"We're confident now," Andreas said. "We know they're fighting for the title, so we know they have a little bit of pressure.

"Apart from us, not many teams scored so many goals against Liverpool this season, so I think we know how to play against them.

"We have to respect they have a lot of quality, but I think we can get a good result on Sunday."

Last week's victory over West Ham United guaranteed Fulham's place in the Premier League for 2024/25.

But Andreas believes that victories over the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur shows that the Whites are capable of aiming higher next season.

"[The West Ham] win gave us a boost," he explained. "We've shown that we can beat the big teams and the teams that are fighting for European spots.

"We showed it in the last game – West Ham are playing in the Europa League, so we showed that we can play against these teams, we have the level to compete, so I think we have to aim to get in those European spots."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2024/april/18/andreas-we-can-compete/

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We know how to hurt Liverpool, says Pereira
Andreas Pereira says Fulham head into Sunday's clash with title-chasing Liverpool full of confidence after winning at West Ham last wekeend.

The Brazilian international's brace ended a 21-year wait for a league win at the Hammers and Pereira told Fulham's official website that beating Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur has increased belief amongst Marco Silva's side that the Whites should be aiming for the European places next term.

"[The West Ham] win gave us a boost. We've shown that we can beat the big teams and the teams that are fighting for European spots. We showed it in the last game – West Ham are playing in the Europa League, so we showed that we can play against these teams, we have the level to compete, so I think we have to aim to get in those European spots."

Pereira feels Fulham can take confidence from the way they have pushed Liverpool close on so many occasions already this season.

"We're confident now. We know they're fighting for the title, so we know they have a little bit of pressure. Apart from us, not many teams scored so many goals against Liverpool this season, so I think we know how to play against them. We have to respect they have a lot of quality, but I think we can get a good result on Sunday."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/04/we-know-how-to-hurt-liverpool-says-pereira/

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Luke Harris: Exeter City boss Gary Caldwell wants to keep Fulham youngster next season

Wales Under-21 player Luke Harris scored in Exeter's 4-2 win at Port Vale on Saturday

Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell said he would like to keep Fulham loanee Luke Harris at the club next season.

The 19-year-old from Jersey joined the League One side in January after a summer move fell through.

Harris has scored three goals and provided two assists in 19 games in a spell in which Exeter have regained their form and moved from the relegation places to mid-table.

"I think he's been a brilliant addition," Caldwell said.

"The players love him, he's fitted in really well.

"He'll be the first to tell you he loves playing for this football club and we will have discussions with Fulham about what is best for Luke next season."

Harris is the second Fulham player in as many seasons to have had a big impact on Exeter City after Jay Stansfield spent the last campaign at St James Park.

Stansfield scored nine goals in 39 games for the Grecians and has impressed in the Championship this season with Birmingham City.

"He's had a big impact and I think potentially more time with us next year would be really helpful for has development because he's another player, like Stanno that we had from Fulham, that I can see playing for Fulham in years to come," Caldwell told BBC Radio Devon.

"So if we can help Fulham with that and help Luke with that development then we'd love to do so, because he is a great lad and he is a player that we know the players and the staff all love working with."

MacDonald agrees new deal
Meanwhile goalkeeper Shaun MacDonald has signed a new one-year contract.

The 27-year-old moved to City as a free agent on an initial short-term deal in September before extending his stay until the end of the current campaign.

The former Torquay United goalkeeper has played twice in the EFL Trophy this season.

"Shaun has been brilliant, and although he hasn't contributed in terms of minutes, his contribution cannot go unnoticed for what he has done in the dressing room and on a daily basis," Caldwell told the club website.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68845432

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Fulham prepare offer for Fiorentina's Sofyan Amrabat
Premier League side Fulham are interested in Fiorentina's Sofyan Amrabat, who is currently on loan at Manchester United.

Amrabat hasn't quite made a mark since he joined United on an initial loan deal in the summer and he hasn't broken into the first team either. But despite failing to impress, there don't seem to be a reduction in potential suitors for the midfielder, with Milan and Juventus linked with him in recent months.

SportItalia (via TMW) have reported that Amrabat is a target for Fulham and they are looking to make a move worth 30 million in the summer, with the Red Devils not interested in signing him on a permanent basis in the summer.

Amrabat himself is not keen on staying at Fiorentina and in recent times, his relationship with the club has taken a dent as well. It remains to be seen if he would be interested in a move to Fulham, especially considering that he has rejected some offers in the past. Fiorentina are currently keen on selling him as they want to earn money from his exit.



https://www.getfootballnewsitaly.com/2024/fulham-prepare-offer-for-fiorentinas-sofyan-amrabat/?utm_content=cmp-true

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Fulham preparing official €30m offer to sign Manchester United player – Early work ahead of summer
Fulham have identified Manchester United's Sofyan Amrabat as a target for the next window.

This is according to Sportitalia, relayed by TuttoMercatoWeb, who state the 27-year-old could continue in the Premier League after this season.

Manchester United signed the midfielder on loan with an option to buy from Fiorentina last summer.

The Morocco international has clocked in 1,166 minutes from 23 games this season and his game time has been limited in recent weeks. That hasn't put off Fulham, as per the aforementioned source.

Manchester United, for their part, have decided not to buy the player, and this would obviously aid Marco Silva's side. The report states Fulham are preparing to make an official offer of €30m to secure his services.

Amrabat's current deal at the Serie A side lasts until 2025 and he isn't keen on returning to his parent club. Fiorentina, for their part, also seem to be looking to part ways with him.

Fulham have started early work to try and get his transfer over the line in the summer.

Taking into account his performances for Manchester United this season and the time left on his deal, €30m may be a bit high for him.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-preparing-official-e30m-offer-sign-manchester-united-player-early-work-ahead-summer/

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U21: PL Cup Semi-Final Preview
Fulham Under-21s are in Premier League Cup Semi-Final action on Friday evening (7pm KO) as Hayden Mullins' side take on Chelsea at Kingsmeadow.

Our journey so far
Our Premier League Cup journey began in September and we kicked it off in some style with a 6-1 win over Brentford. Leicester City and Burnley were our other group stage opponents, with our only defeat coming in a 1-0 loss at the Foxes in January.

We topped our group with three wins, two draws and one defeat. No team scored more goals than Mullins' side (20) during the groups, while the Young Whites also boasted the best defensive record with just four goals conceded.

That set up a Round of 16 tie with Group H runners-up Middlesbrough. We recorded a hard-fought 2-1 win over Boro thanks to a late penalty from Adrion Pajaziti, after Sonny Finch had cancelled out Lemar Gordon's opener.

We progressed to the Semi-Final with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace at the start of the month. Goals from Terrell Works, George Okkas and Callum Osmand set up an SW6 derby Semi-Final tie.

Form
Chelsea: DWWLW

Fulham: WDWWW

Last time out
We claimed a win on the road last weekend with a 3-1 triumph at Newcastle United. High winds made for tough playing conditions in the North East and the game was goalless after 45 minutes.

Delano McCoy-Splatt's opener was his third goal contribution in as many games, before late strikes from Gordon and Josh King secured three points after Jamie Miley had equalised for the Magpies.

The last time we met
We last locked horns with Chelsea back in November in PL2 action. A 90th minute strike from Luke Harris salvaged the Young Whites a point at Kingsmeadow. 

A brace from Chelsea's Leo Castledine either side of a Callum Osmand strike had given the Blues a first-half lead, before Harris worked some space on the edge of the box and found the bottom corner with a left-footed curler.

McAvoy: Great To Be Back
After returning to the side for the first time in 12 months in last weekend's win at Newcastle, Connor McAvoy is excited to be back as the season reaches its climax.

"I'm so glad to be back," he said. "It's been a long time coming, a lot of ups and downs and I've definitely missed it.

"It's been all positive during the last few weeks. I've been training and feeling good. I played last weekend with no issues at all.

"I'm already feeling a big difference fitness wise. There's the confidence side of things as well, getting on the ball and playing minutes is vital. Building confidence is the main thing."

On the challenge that awaits at Kingsmeadow, McAvoy said: "It's always a good game against Chelsea. The boys know the magnitude of this game and everybody's been up for it this week.

"All the lads are buzzing for it because we can show how good we are when it matters."

How to follow along
The game will be free to watch on FFCtv on Friday evening. Gentleman Jim will be providing commentary. Tune in from 6:45pm.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2024/april/18/u21-pl-cup-semi-final-preview/

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Fulham vs Liverpool injury latest — Four out and one doubt ahead of Craven Cottage clash
The latest injury news for Fulham's upcoming Premier League opponents.

With just a handful of fixtures left before the curtains fall on another Premier League season, Fulham will be looking to end their run with a bang. A top 10 finish is very much within touching distance for Marco Silva's side and their next opponent is Liverpool, who are wounded following their latest disappointment in both the league and the FA Cup.

Jurgen Klopp, who is looking to secure more silverware in his final season at Anfield, will travel with his side to Craven Cottage on Sunday in hopes to bounce back from a frustrating 2-2 draw against Manchester United. Fulham last enjoyed a 2-0 win over West Ham, thanks to an Andreas Pereira brace.

With just a handful of fixtures left before the curtains fall on another Premier League season, Fulham will be looking to end their run with a bang. A top 10 finish is very much within touching distance for Marco Silva's side and their next opponent is Liverpool, who are wounded following their latest disappointment in both the league and the FA Cup.

The Cottagers have a lot to avenge after Liverpool denied them a spot in the Carabao Cup final and edged out a nail-biting 4-3 win at Anfield back in December. Silva and co will be hoping to pounce on Liverpool's recent dip in form and close the gap on those above them with a big three points.

Luck has not been on Liverpool's side this season when it comes to injuries but Klopp recently saw a bulk of key players return to full fitness, including Alisson, Diogo Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Reds do still have some concerns ahead of their visit to Craven Cottage though. Here are the latest fitness updates from the Liverpool camp ahead of this weekend.



https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/fulham/fulham-vs-liverpool-injury-latest-four-out-and-one-doubt-ahead-of-craven-cottage-clash-4596423

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Arsenal, Liverpool face tricky tests in Premier League action
Sean Dyche believes midfielder Andre Gomes will be a key figure for Everton as they try to pull away from the relegation zone.

In Summary

•If Fulham play like they did in the league game away at Anfield earlier in the season they will give Liverpool a real test.

•The Gunners have had precious little time to prepare for the Wolves game on Saturday following their away game loss at Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Fulham V Liverpool
Fulham are tough to beat at home and following Liverpool's disaster last week, losing 1-0 at home to Crystal Palace and the Cottagers winning away 2-0 at West Ham, the west London club are confident they can inflict more damage on Liverpool's title hopes.

Fulham's Rodrigo Muniz, Bobby Decordova-Reid and Alex Iwobi will be looking to increase their goal tallies as they face Andrew Robertson, Ibrahima Konate and Virgil Van Dijk but the Red's Conor Bradley will be missing following injury.

Willian and Andreas Pereira will supply the assists but are equally likely to score if a chance presents itself. Sasa Lukic and Joao Palhinha will fight in midfield against Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Curtis Jones but Antonee Robinson, Calvin Bassey, Tosin Adarabioyo and Timothy Castegne will have their hands full as Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz try to put the Palace horror behind them.

If Fulham play like they did in the league game away at Anfield earlier in the season, they will give Liverpool a real test.

Robinson was superb that day and gave Salah a difficult time. Liverpool needed some world-class goals to beat Fulham.

Jurgen Klopp is desperate to leave Anfield with the title and a top-four place but Fulham are no easy task as the West Ham result shows but they did lose their last home game 1-0 to Newcastle.

Playing in the Europa League on Thursday and travelling to Italy against Atalanta has not helped Klopp's preparation for Fulham but he insists his team are fit and ready but there might be some tired legs.

Arsenal have already left Craven Cottage empty-handed this season, proving Fulham know how to beat the top teams. Keep an eye out for Fulham's in-form Muniz, the Premier League player of the month in March.

Wolves V Arsenal
Mikel Arteta knows that Arsenal slipped up badly losing 2-0 to Aston Villa and the pressure is on to get back into a winning streak as the curtain gradually closes on the end of the season.

The Gunners have had precious little time to prepare for the Wolves game on Saturday following their away game loss at Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

They travelled on Tuesday and flew back on Thursday morning. They will train for the Wolves game on Friday and travel up to the midlands on Saturday morning.

It is hardly a perfect scenario for such an important match. Strength on the bench is one of Arsenal's key cards with Leandro Trossard coming on as an impact player, creating and scoring goals.

He has come off the bench six times this season and scored, which is more than any other player in Europe.

Only Bukayo Saka has scored more goals than Trossard for Arsenal this year. Wolves' central midfielder Tommy Doyle said they have to "keep pushing".

Sitting 11th in the table, one point behind Brighton, the amber and blacks have a good chance of finishing in the top half of the table. Commenting on last week's game against Nottingham Forest, Doyle said: "We were disappointed with the draw because we expected to win. We would have taken the three points with a better second half.

The on-loan Manchester City man has been in good form and holds the midfield together and he will be up against Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice but has the confidence and ability to upstage them.

Everton V Forest
Sean Dyche believes midfielder Andre Gomes will be a key figure for Everton as they try to pull away from the relegation zone.

The 30-year-old Portugese turned his loan deal from Barcelona into a permanent contract.

Injuries, however, have hindered his progress at Everton and he was loaned out to French club Lille.

He gave a good performance last weekend in only his second start this season and Dyche said: "There's a calmness about his play and hopefully, as long as he stays fit, he's certainly going to be involved in the relegation fight."

He might find himself back on the bench this weekend, however, with Gana Gueye back at the club following the birth of his child and Amadou Onana is expected to be fit.

With five games to go, Forest are only one point outside the relegation zone. In training this week, they worked on how not to concede from set pieces after letting in 22 goals from free kicks, penalties and corners this season.

Set pieces have long been a problem for Forest and Greek owner Evangelos Marinakis authorised the club to hire a set piece specialist coach but that solved nothing.

As a warning to Forest, Everton have scored more goals from set pieces this year than any other team in the league. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo has blamed individual errors and not his organisation of the team.

Forest seem very nervous at set pieces and Dyche worked with his players this week to take advantage of that and they spent time watching videos of Forest's weaknesses in defending free kicks.



https://www.the-star.co.ke/sports/football/2024-04-19-arsenal-liverpool-face-tricky-tests-in-premier-league-action/

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McAvoy: 'We're buzzing for Chelsea Cup semi-final'
Fulham under 21s Conor McAvoy says his team-mates are 'all buzzing' ahead of tomorrow's Premier League Cup semi-final clash against Chelsea at Kingsmeadow.

Hayden Mullins' men head into the local derby in cracking form, having comfortably secured a PL2 play-off place ahead of schedule, and cruised into the last four of the Cup with a comprehensive win over Crystal Palace earlier this month.

McAvoy told Fulham's official website:

"It's always a good game against Chelsea. The boys know the magnitude of this game and everybody's been up for it this week. All the lads are buzzing for it because we can show how good we are when it matters."

The Scottish under-21 international returned to action after twelve months on the sidelines in last weekend's league win at Newcastle United. McAvoy saw a promising loan spell at Partick Thistle cut short by an ACL injury last season, but was delighted to get through an hour of football in Northumberland last week.

"I'm so glad to be back. It's been a long time coming, a lot of ups and downs and I've definitely missed it. It's been all positive during the last few weeks. I've been training and feeling good. I played last weekend with no issues at all. I'm already feeling a big difference fitness wise. There's the confidence side of things as well, getting on the ball and playing minutes is vital. Building confidence is the main thing."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/04/mcavoy-were-buzzing-for-chelsea-cup-semi-final/