Fulham FC Transfer Roundup 7
As the date of the 25th July, whereby Fulham typically announce their first summer signing, creeps up on us, the club have been starting to ensure valuable assets are retained ahead of the new season by securing more new contracts. But who have Fulham retained and who may be that first summer signing?
Tom Cairney
Captain, leader, legend. Club captain Tom Cairney has put pen to paper on a new deal that sees him spend an 11th season with Fulham FC. Fulham took time to announce this deal following the supposed end of his contract, however, this was a deal that was mostly never in doubt, albeit supposedly Wrexham may have been interested in the player. Cairney will have reduced game time this season due to the natural progression of a player as they get older, however, many will note that he still may be able to come on in games and bring an element of control to the game and dictate play. Last season, Cairney was able to produce highlights, including a terrific cameo at home against Bournemouth, as well as coming on to score against Brentford to ensure that Fulham came back to do the double over our West London neighbours. This deal is also a lucrative deal for Fulham as the captain knows the club inside out, and the leadership and expertise that he may be able to share with new arrivals is invaluable — if the Whites only get fifteen minutes from Cairney each game, he makes up for that in so many ways and for many it is great to see our captain with us another year.
Josh King
One player who starred last season and may benefit from the guidance of Cairney is Josh King. The youngster has put pen to paper on a new deal that sees him extend his contract by four years and remain with the club until 2029. King is set to see an increased role in the first team following a season whereby he made eight appearances in the Premier League, starting one game. Although King has not been able to score or assist yet in the Premier League, the youngster has shown plenty of flair and desire that has convinced many that he will be able to make the step up to the first team. King has also shown an element of maturity to his game, which was displayed by his solid ball retention in the win against Brentford, exchanging passes with Tom Cairney and slowing the game down to see out the win. The development of Josh King may also be a positive for the likes of Emile Smith-Rowe and Andreas Pereira, ensuring that both of those players are made to work for their place in the team and reminded that King may be able to fill their boots at a moment’s notice.
Seth Ridgeon
Following interest from the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool, Jack Kelly and Sky Sports are reporting that youngster Seth Ridgeon is set to agree a new deal at Fulham following rumours he was set to leave. To keep both Josh King and Seth Ridgeon, many Fulham fans regard as a statement by the Whites, ensuring that talented players continue their development with Fulham. Captain of the England U17s, Ridgeon has featured 18 times in the U18 Premier League, scoring six and assisting five, in addition to five appearances in the PL2. Ridgeon primarily operates in central midfield as a box-to-box midfielder who likes to dictate and control the play, often arriving to add the goalscoring touch. Ridgeon is also a ball-winner, showing qualities of both a defensive midfielder and an attacking midfielder. Next season, many will hope that Seth Ridgeon furthers his progress, and, although he is two years younger than Josh King, many will hope that he appears in the first team sometime in the future.
Reiss Nelson
Sky Sports — 🥇
Jack Kelly — 🥇
Rating — ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A transfer saga that has been continuing all summer, yet maybe nearing its conclusion, relates to the conundrum of whether or not Reiss Nelson may return to Fulham. Many reports have suggested that Fulham have approached Arsenal over a potential loan deal, however, details remain to be sorted as Fulham want an option to buy, but Arsenal would like an obligation. For Fulham, an option to buy may be the more viable option as the young winger has continually struggled with injuries throughout his career, however, this may also contribute to the reason whereby Arsenal are looking for an obligation to buy. Although Reiss Nelson was previously regarded as one of the best talents to come out of Hale End, the player has struggled and if Arsenal believe that they may not be able to operate with the player due to his injuries, a permanent transfer may make sense. For Fulham, however, Reiss Nelson may feel that he has unfinished business with the club after impressing in the first part of the season before injury. Nelson would bring a different profile in comparison to Fulham’s other wingers, dribbling and taking on his man in a direct manner. Nelson operates with speed and skill, and, if he can get a good run of games, may be a suitable option for Fulham, however, this remains unclear with his potential injuries.
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Granit Xhaka
Tbrfootball — 🥉
Rating — ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fulham also appear to be in the market for another central midfielder, and the latest name to be mentioned to fill that role is ex-Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka. The 32-year-old appeared in 33 games for Bayer Leverkusen last season and scored two goals, assisting seven. Xhaka also registered 91% of his passes accurately, along with 1.5 tackles per game. He is valued at 12.7 million euros, which is a shrewd fee for the player, who would also bring leadership to the side, however, Xhaka will not bring an element of youth to the team, which is an area Fulham need to strengthen. This may be a move that sees the player feature off the bench as he is similar in style to Sander Berge and Sasa Lukic, however, Xhaka may come into the side as the defensive midfielder and allow Berge to move further up the pitch. Fulham may have to compete with Sunderland for this signing, however, it remains to be seen if a move back to the Premier League is on the cards for the player this summer. Although Xhaka may not be a particularly exciting signing, he may be a shrewd addition to bolster the ranks and depth in central midfield.
Kerem Akturkoglu
Jorge Des Transferecias — 🥉
Rating — ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
According to Jorge Des Transferecias, Fulham and Sunderland are set to battle it out for Benfica winger Kerem Akturkoglu, who may be on the move this summer for around £25m. The winger is an exciting, energetic player, known for his high pressing and playmaking, with a total of nine assists last season in the Portuguese League. The Turkish forward also contributed with 11 goals as his side finished 2nd in the League behind Sporting Lisbon. Akturkoglu would also bring Champions League experience to the club, having played 12 times in the competition last season, scoring four goals. It is often noticeable with Marco Silva that Fulham opt for wingers who operate on the side of their weakest foot, allowing them to cut inside and strike on their strongest foot, an attribute which Akturkoglu possesses. Although it would require a fairly substantial fee to acquire the services of Akturkoglu, the player would bring a level of quality to the Fulham side, with a goalscoring touch and creativity. However, it is notable that Fulham operate predominantly with Alex Iwobi on the left-hand side, as well as the fact that they are currently in negotiations for the return of Reiss Nelson, thus making it interesting to see how Akturkoglu would fit in should he join the club.
Samuel Chukwueze
Luca Bianchin — 🥈
Rating — ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The rumours of Samuel Chukwueze to the Whites continue to rumble on, with the latest link being reported via Italian Journalist Luca Bianchin. Bianchin reports that Fulham remain interested in the player, however, no negotiations have taken place to bring him to West London. Chukwueze is a player who has been previously evaluated, and would be an exciting addition to the Fulham team. A tricky winger, who operates with flair and pace, Chukwueze appears to be out of favour to an extent at AC Milan, having appeared in 26 matches but only started nine of those fixtures. In a similar manner to Akturkoglu, Samuel Chukwueze, however, would also bring Champions League experience to the side and, having previously operated with Villareal, further European experience. Chukwueze’s market value appears to be 10.3 million euros, and thus it would require a smaller fee than Akturkoglu to tempt Chukwueze to link up with Super Eagles teammates Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey, however, this deal appears to have been in the rumour mill for a while with no negotiations, detracting from the likelihood of a deal taking place. Chukwueze, as previously referenced, however, would be a good quality addition to the side and give the Whites a new dimension off the right-hand flank.
Conclusion
Although the rumours concerning new additions for Fulham remain fairly quiet, similarly to recent weeks, the Whites appear to be making moves in order to retain the current crop of players. Alex Howell from the BBC has indicated that this is the current focus, which makes sense as many will believe Fulham have a good Premier League core of players at this current stage, however, there is still room for additions to the squad to bolster the quality available, and hopefully this comes to fruition in the coming weeks.
