Fulham FC Transfer Roundup 8
In an interview with Sky Sports this week, Fulham manager Marco Silva accepted that business has been hard for the Whites this window, and he accepts the fans’ frustration, however, they are working hard to add some names to the squad. Following the contract extensions over previous weeks, there has been a further extension as well as a potential departure and a potential incoming, but which players are involved in these sagas and who else may be joining the club?
Seth Ridgeon Contract Extension
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The first piece of news to note this week is that of a contract extension for young midfielder Seth Ridgeon. It was announced by the club on Thursday of this week that the 16-year-old had penned a long-term deal following interest from many notable names. The likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool, along with Manchester United, showed interest in the player, who operates as a box-to-box central midfielder. Ridgeon is captain of the England U17’s side, and made the step up to U21’s football with Fulham last summer, aged just 16. Ridgeon brings a dynamic presence to midfield, often carrying the ball and driving the team forward, with a goalscoring touch, along with the fight and physical presence required of a central midfielder. With all these accolades to his name, it is easy to see why the Whites were keen to tie the player down to a new deal and why many fans are pleased that the extension has been triggered. Many fans have also noticed that the extension was also announced via the senior team’s social media account rather than the academy account, so it will be intriguing to see if Ridgeon can feature in the cup for the first team this season.
Steven Benda departure
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This week, Fulham have also been in contact with Millwall to get a deal over the line for Steven Benda to join the Lions on loan with no option to buy. Since he signed for the club, the German has not featured regularly, and for many, this is no surprise. Benda has proved to be volatile in the matches he has featured for Fulham, including taking part in the EFL cup defeat against Preston, where he conceded 16 penalties as the Whites lost in the longest EFL cup shootout in history, in addition to conceding against the likes of Wigan and Watford in the FA Cup. Many fans are not reassured by the German’s shot-stopping abilities as well as his ability with the ball at his feet, thus fueling worries should Bernd Leno have been injured and Benda be required to step up in the long term. As a result, Benda is returning to a league whereby he has previously been lauded as a good goalkeeper, and a league that may help boost the goalkeeper’s confidence as he should feature regularly for Millwall. This deal should allow Alex Borto to fill a void that has been left, however, it has also allowed for the a goalkeeping arrival.
Benjamin Lecomte signs
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The replacement for the departing Steven Benda has been revealed as Benjamin Lecomte, who has joined the Whites as a free agent on a two-year deal, firstly announced by Calvin Bassey’s Snapchat. The 34-year-old has an extensive CV that includes the likes of Montpellier, Monaco and Atletico Madrid, most recently Montpellier. The goalkeeper was relegated with Montpellier, unfortunately, conceding goals frequently in the process, however, he averages 3.6 saves per game with 109 saves overall. With the experience that Lecomte will bring to Fulham, this may not be regarded as the most exciting signing, however, the player will bring more reassurance in goal, should we need to turn to him instead of Bernd Leno. For Lecomte to arrive as a free transfer, this may be regarded as a sensible piece of business, as the goalkeeper still has some years left in him and may be able to remain at the club for longer than two years should he be required to do so.
Raheem Sterling
Mike McGrath — 🥇
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another rumour for the Whites that appears to be gaining further traction relates to Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling. After some below-par performances for both Chelsea and the likes of Arsenal in recent years, the England winger appears to be accepting that a change is required, and a move across London may be vital to revitalise his career. The 30-year-old was able to feature in 17 matches for Arsenal in the Premier League last season, however, he only started seven of those matches, assisting two. The Englishman was also only successful in 50% of his dribbles per game and lost possession on average 4.8 times per ninety minutes. However, it is easy to forget the success that he has had over the years, as he was pivotal to many of Liverpool’s successes as well as Manchester City and, although many fans will be against the signing due to his recent performances, it is important to remember what the winger may be capable of. In a similar manner to Reiss Nelson, if this deal is done, it is a deal that should be approached with caution by the Whites. The wages that Sterling are currently on should be drastically reduced, and the fee involved in this transfer should be a low fee or a loan deal, as there are no current assurances over what Sterling may be able to produce. This means that the Whites may cut their losses should Sterling join and not perform well, or secure a good deal should Sterling revitalise his form with the team.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
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Dharmesh Sheth — 🥇
Rating — ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fulham also appear to be looking at acquiring the services of Sterling’s Chelsea teammate Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, as the midfielder appears to be lacking game time, thus leading to a potential move away from the club. Operating in the number eight position, the English midfielder has often proved to be a standout player in various teams he has featured for, including Leicester and Luton. Dewsbury-Hall is often a goalscorer and a creative midfielder who looks to drive the team up the pitch, which he was able to show in the Conference League with Chelsea, scoring four and assisting two. However, the player started nine more matches in the Conference League this season in comparison to the Premier League and appears not to be a part of Enzo Maresca’s plans in the League. Valued at 22 million euros as per Sofascore, the midfielder would be a very good addition for Fulham, who many believe would slot seamlessly into Marco Silva’s system. The player is available for a reasonable fee and would add something different to the side in comparison to Sasa Lukic, and may complement the play styles of the likes of Emile Smith-Rowe, allowing him to flourish and making the player a suitable addition for the Whites.
Reiss Nelson
Fabrizio Romano – 🥇
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another player that has been noted as in contact with the Whites this week is Reiss Nelson. This deal appears set to take place in the coming days as both Fabrizio Romano and David Ornstein have indicated that it is at it’s final stages. Nelson showed glimpses of what he is capable of at the Whites last season and proved similar in a recent cameo for Arsenal against Milan on their pre-season tour. As previously alluded to in the Sterling deal, however, this may be treated with caution. Should Reiss Nelson remain fit, the winger may prove to be a top-quality addition for Fulham, and a player, still at the age of 25, with room to grow. However, the winger’s lack of success with Fulham last season was a result of injury, and that may continue to be an issue for the player. With all this taken into account, Fulham have to negotiate to ensure the fees involved are reasonable to allow for potential injuries and lack of playing time from the player.
Alysson
Ekrem Konur — 🥉
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fulham appear to be assessing wingers abroad still, in addition to English wingers, as the Whites look to bolster that area of the pitch. Ekrem Konur has linked the Whites with Gremio winger Alysson, who is also linked to Wolves and Southampton. The 19-year-old appears to be a talented player for the Brazilian side, and has featured 43 times for their senior side, along with their U20’s. Overall, he has scored seven goals and assisted six, from operating predominantly on the right-hand side of midfield. The player still has a relatively low market value, as he has yet to display his full qualities, however, a move to England may help in that regard to allow the player to display his potential. This move seems an unlikely one for Fulham to explore and may be better suited to Southampton, as he is unlikely to provide an immediate solution to Fulham’s issues on the wing, however, he may be a talented player in the future, and a move to Fulham may allow him to develop.
Nico Gonzalez
Ciro Venerato — 🥉
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another winger abroad that has been linked to Fulham is Juventus winger Nico Gonzalez. Fulham appear to be tracking the player after missing out on teammate Samuel Mbangula, in a deal that may excite many. The 27-year-old has proved over the years that he has quality, in matches for Stuttgart, Fiorentina and Juventus. He has featured in the Champions League, as well as frequently in the Conference League for Fiorentina, predominantly as a right winger, however, he has also played off the left and through the middle. Throughout his career, the Argentine-born winger has scored 77 goals and assisted 35 in 289 matches and may add quality to Fulham’s ranks if he is available to the Whites. Following the departure of Willian and the uncertainties regarding Reiss Nelson, this deal may be explored, however, it appears that the likes of Raheem Sterling and Reiss Nelson are more likely to join the club at this current stage. Therefore, the acquisition of those players may stop this deal from happening.
Conclusion
Marco Silva and Tony Khan have previously indicated that the retention of players in this transfer window is of paramount importance, and more progress has been made in that regard. Although the Whites have not yet made their first acquisition of the window, deals appear to be getting closer, as the start of the League season gets closer as well.
