Transfer Rumour Round-Up: Part 6

With the latest update of what’s popping in the Fulham transfer market, it’s Cameron Ramsey with a breakdown of everybody who could be making their way to Craven Cottage this Summer.

We’ve been waiting eagerly all summer for this moment, but now we can jubilantly announce that Aleksandar Mitrovic is coming home to bust the back of the net for Fulham! A deal has been agreed upon between Newcastle United and the Whites, and though the transfer fee is yet to be confirmed, the Serbian powerhouse will ultimately spearhead our offensive department as he aims to build upon his 12 goal haul from his loan stint last term.

The squad is finally starting to take shape and our matchday XI is near to completion. Slav’s men managed to get to the final of the Cup of Traditions in Duisberg, Germany, on Saturday having slayed Athletic Bilbao 3-1 in the semi-final, although after a goalless draw in normal time, Serie A outfit ACF Fiorentina beat the south-west Londoners 9-8 on penalties. Staggering.

The encounters were only 45 minutes long and every individual gave their all, but as the Premier League is a completely different kettle of fish in terms of exertion, the camp still needs a few more fresh faces to ensure that they don’t fall short of the mark next term. It’s that time of week again where we dip into the pool of dubiously tantalising transfer speculations but please, no budgie smugglers or mankinis are permitted.

Hector Herrera – FC Porto

Fulham – according to a report published by Mexican outlet Record – have supposedly tabled a bid to snare FC Porto’s Hector Herrera, although the Whites will have to lock horns with fellow Londoners Arsenal, who are also said to be gauging the 28-year-old midfielder’s availability.

Herrera is Porto’s captain and also a valuable asset to the Mexico national set-up, having tirelessly shepherded the South American’s midfield at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where they downed Germany 1-0 in their tournament opener.

It’s thought that Herrera has a £35m release clause in his current contract at the Estadio do Dragao and the Liga NOS champions, who will fight tooth and nail to retain his sturdy services, allegedly rebuffed an initial offer from the Cottagers, although as Fulham have readily proven thus far, anything is possible in the modern game.

Rodrigo Battaglia – Sporting CP

Despite being valued at £26m, a report provided by Record suggests that Fulham have been gifted the opportunity to land Sporting CP’s Rodrigo Battaglia for free after the 27-year-old rescinded his contract at the Portuguese club following a violent attack on the players at their Alcochete-based training facility last term.

Battaglia, alongside Rui Patricio and Gelson Martins most notably, refused to play for the club after the barbaric assaults, and though the Leões have tried to persuade the Argentine midfielder back to the Estadio Jose Alvalade, a summer switch seems to be the only plausible resolution for the defiant former SC Braga man.

The Whites are allegedly still searching for another central midfielder to join the club and if they can seal his signature for free Battaglia will be a superb acquisition, however the likes of West Ham United, Inter Milan, SSC Napoli and AS Roma are also said to be interested parties, so Fulham evidently have their work cut out if they’re to make their potential proposal stand out from the crowd.

Kevin Malcuit – Lille OSC

As per a report published by France Football (via Calciomercato), Fulham are thought to be tailing Lille OSC’s productive full-back Kevin Malcuit, however West Ham, Inter and Napoli are also believed to be involved in the tug-of-war for his expertise along the channels.

Malcuit took to the turf 23 times for Lille last term and also provided his teammates with 6 assists, a record that was only bettered by Paris Saint-Germain’s Dani Alves and AS Monaco’s Djibril Sidibie in Ligue 1 who each tallied 7, a resounding indication of his profound prowess on the ball in dangerous areas.

The Whites are still searching for a worthy replacement for Ryan Fredericks, now of the Hammers, and Malcuit, an intense executioner of his responsibilities, is a very credible candidate indeed, but as Cyrus Christie seems to be ‘Freddo’s’ likely successor, it’s not yet known if Fulham will opt to stick or twist with the robust Republic of Ireland international.

Kieran Tierney – Celtic 

Fulham’s quest for a left-back continues and whilst many wish to see Southampton’s Matt Targett return to Craven Cottage, The Sun reports that the Whites are eyeing a move for Celtic’s highly sought-after Kieran Tierney. However, the Scottish giants will demand at least £25m, if they’re to part ways with one of their exceedingly talented defender.

Everton, Wolverhampton Wanderers and AFC Bournemouth have also supposedly expressed their interest in Tierney, however as the 21-year-old’s a key component of Brendan Rodgers’ fold, it’s said that the inexhaustible full-back isn’t trying to force an exit from Celtic Park.

The Scotland international, since emerging on the senior scene, has caught the attention of a whole host of European superpowers and is regarded as one of the sport’s most promising young professionals – if Fulham are successful, it’ll only add to the superb summer they’ve had in terms of recruitment.

Harry Arter – AFC Bournemouth

The Mirror divulged that AFC Bournemouth could be prepared to flog Harry Arter in order to raise funds for Colombian international Jefferson Lerma and it’s said that Fulham could hand the 28-year-old midfielder an opportunity to remain in the top-flight next season.

Arter, Scott Parker’s brother-in-law, has been at the Cherries for 8 years having jumped to the Vitality Stadium from non-league dwellers Woking, although his lengthy spell on the south coast appears to be coming to a close, having plummeted down the pecking order in Eddie Howe’s contingent.

Arter has been capped 13 times by the Republic of Ireland and is generally a very industrious protagonist in the middle of the park, and though he failed to make a single domestic appearance for Bournemouth in 2018, perhaps Super Scotty Parker could pull a few strings and tempt the club into employing the seemingly surplus craftsman.

Alfie Mawson – Swansea City

A vastly promising centre-half, Sky Sports revealed that Swansea City’s Alfie Mawson is supposedly on the cusp of a return to the big time this summer with Fulham being the favourites to lure him from the recently relegated Swans, who will of course grace the Championship for the imminent 2018-19 campaign.

It’s said that negotiations between ourselves and the South Wales outfit have progressed fairly swiftly and it’s thought that Swansea will request a minimum of £20m for the former England U21 centre-half, a figure which Fulham are allegedly keen to match in order to capture the blossoming 24-year-old, who is incidentally still recovering from knee surgery.

Burnley, who will compete in the Europa League next season, are vying to reinforce their defensive quarters and Mawson has been identified as an ideal target for the over-achieving Clarets. However it’s claimed that the hardened centre-back wishes to stay in the south of the UK, which  places the Whites at the top of the pile.

Edis Smajic – FK Sloboda Tuzla

Edis Samjic has been on Fulham’s radar for the duration of the summer although nothing solid has emerged to indicate that the vibrant 18-year-old could be on his way to CC, however there are tell-tale signs that a switch may very well be on the cards, as a report provided by SportSport states that the midfield revelation is ‘close’ to penning a deal at the club.

‘Unofficial Information’ it may be, but Smajic is allegedly preparing to trial with Fulham and will not feature in FK Sloboda Tuzla’s next fixture against Ugljevik – the fledgling Bosnian isn’t serving a ban or punishment, so his absence is intriguing as well as strangely ambiguous.

Dubbed a ‘wonderkid’, Smajic is a Bosnia U21 squad member and seemingly has the world at his feet. The incisive, ingenious offensive threat has played 49 times for his current employers and has registered 7 goals in the process, a remarkable tally when taking his tender age into consideration – one for the future indefinitely, even if we already have Ryan Sessegnon.

Oguz Kagan Guctekin – Fenerbahce SK

Another flourishing youngster, Daily Mail understands that Fulham are monitoring Fenerbahce SK’s Oguz Kagan Guctekin, who is rated as one of Turkey’s most exciting youth prospects and is also valued at £3m – plus an undisclosed sell-on fee – by the Super Lig outfit.

Guctekin, 19, skippered his nation at the U19 European Championship in Finland this summer and it’s believed that the Whites deployed a team of scouts to the tournament where they supposedly met with the developing defensive midfielder’s representatives.

Fenerbahce have no received any formal offers for Guctekin to date but they’ll certainly be aware of the amounting interest in their budding enforcer, who will himself be aiming to improve upon his previous performances at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium if a move doesn’t materialise, of course.

Pedro Obiang – West Ham United

With the arrival of Jack Wilshere, Pedro Obiang’s game time at West Ham United could be limited next term and a departure from the London Stadium could befall him, and if that is to be the case, Sky Italy correspondent Gianluca Di Marzio believes that Fulham are one of several European clubs in the comprehensive chasing pack.

It’s thought that Fiorentina, Atalanta BC, Villarreal CF, Lille and Sevilla FC are the clubs that are also absorbed in the pursuit of Obiang as well as the holding midfielder’s former employers UC Sampdoria, who are allegedly the front runners after stepping up their advancements to re-sign the anchorman, who is supposedly worth £15m to the East Londoners.

Having endured an injury-ridden 2017-18 schedule, the 26-year-old only managed to gain 21 Premier League appearances for the Irons and the club’s new boss, Manuel Pellegrini, seemingly has other plans for his midfield regiment, and they don’t seem to  involve the Spaniard directly at the time of asking.