Transfer Rumour Round Up: Part 7

Sound the klaxon, the summer transfer window is near completion and it’s evident that Slavisa Jokanovic still needs a few more fresh faces in the set-up if his squad is going to survive next term, and having stressed that to the media after Fulham’s 2-2 draw with La Liga outfit Celta Vigo on Saturday, it’s thought that the coming week will be an extremely frantic one for the Serbian boss and his recruitment staff. Fulhamish’s very own Cameron Ramsey walks you through the latest!

It’s been a superb summer in terms of business, however, and though defensively we seem to be a tad thin, there’s genuine talent and leadership across the park at our disposal and what’s more promising is that we’re staying true to our vibrant, calculated brand of play on the turf.

But, as we all know, there’s nothing quite like a turbulent deadline day to get the blood pumping before the clash against Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage, and if we know Tony Khan and co. as well as we think we do, they’ll be scheming and finalising top-drawer deals as we read through this little paragraph – what a pleasing thought that is, perhaps they’re signing the relevant papers now, the anticipation is an absolute killer! Read on, but please, keep an eye glued on the timeline just in case, things are sure to get very interesting indeed.

Theo Hernandez – Real Madrid

Fulham are still scanning for a full-back to accompany Ryan Sessegnon along the left channel, and a report published by Daily Mail suggests that the Whites are plotting a sensational season-long loan swoop for Real Madrid’s 20-year-old left-back Theo Hernandez.

Other reports have stated that Los Blancos would demand at least £1.75m from any chasing suitor to temporarily prise the Marseille-born defender away from the Santiago Bernabeu, and as Real Sociedad allegedly can’t afford his £40,000-a-week wages, an opening has been paved for Fulham to take advantage.

Hernandez signed a 6-year contract at the Galacticos last summer having jumped ship from bitter local rivals Atletico Madrid, although after featuring in just 13 domestic outings last term, a stint away from the monopolising Spanish giants would indefinitely aid his development as an aspiring Real star.

Jetro Willems – Eintracht Frankfurt

If the Whites’ pursuit of Hernandez comes to no avail, it’s said that the club – as per a report provided by De Telegraaf (via Sport Witness) – will turn their attention to Eintracht Frankfurt’s tireless Dutchman Jetro Willems, who joined the Bundesliga outfit last year from Eredivisie champions PSV Eindhoven.

The newly-promoted Cottagers supposedly contacted Frankfurt and enquired about Willems’ asking price, but as the 24-year-old only penned a deal at his current employers in the previous summer, it’s thought that Die Adler will stand firm in their attempts to hold on to the industrious defender.

Willems has 22 senior international caps for Netherlands and played 29 times for Frankfurt in all competitions in the 2017-18 campaign. Willems is known to commit opponents when surging down the flank and also has a threatening final product – he and Sess’ would form a prolific partnership if he was to ply his trade down by the river.

Dennis Praet – UC Sampdoria

A vigorous midfield will serve Fulham well next season and Daily Mail understands that the Whites are tailing UC Sampdoria’s Belgian metronome Dennis Praet, who is renowned for his incisive distribution and peerless vision both on and off the ball.

Having graduated from RSC Anderlecht’s youth system in 2011, the 24-year-old gained 182 appearances for the Jupiler Pro League outfit and also netted 27 goals alongside 39 assists, a striking marker of his underlying influence in the centre of the park.

Praet moved to his current Serie A employers in the summer of 2016 and has since flourished into an inexhaustible box-to-box midfielder, a trait which is almost tailor-made for the requirements needed to compete at the height of the English game.

Ole Selnaes – St Etienne

Subject to a report published by the Mirror, Fulham are supposedly ready to lodge a bid to snag St. Etienne midfielder Ole Selnaes on loan for the imminent season, however it’s said that the Ligue 1 side would prefer to flog the Norwegian holding-midfielder on a permanent basis.

Selnaes, 24, is a sturdy patrolling anchor and would directly contest Kevin McDonald as the club’s undisputed midfield buffer, and being a younger option, it’s been proposed that he would ultimately succeed the Scotland international once his services aren’t as effective as they certainly are now.

The sturdy enforcer has been at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard since 2016 after departing Rosenborg BK and has also accumulated 17 caps for Norway, and as his fellow countryman Stefan Johansen is already on the club’s books, perhaps Selnaes could be tempted into packing his bags for English shores after all, as ‘StefJo’ would presumably provide a glowing insight into life as a Fulham player, of course.

Gianluca Lapadula – Genoa

TMW Web – via Football Italia – cites that Fulham and Super Lig outfit Besiktas JK are both said to be monitoring Genoa’s Italian hit-man Gianluca Lapadula, who is incidentally valued at €15m by the Serie A club having recently signed the 28-year-old from domestic counterparts AC Milan for an alleged €11m figure.

On loan at the Rossoblu last season from Milan, Lapadula registered 6 goals in 28 appearances, a record which isn’t necessarily a prolific return, however his undeniable experience at the summit of the European platform would make him a worthy understudy to the menacing Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Genoa President Enrico Preziosi is supposedly open to considering offers for the former Rossoneri striker although they would have to recoup the initial sum that was paid to lure him away from the San Siro, so if Fulham are wanting a relatively assured marksman, the door’s seemingly been left ajar for them to make their case known.