Transfer Rumour Round-Up: Summer 2020 – Part 2

So, the unbearable weather’s subsided, just about, but the heat is still very much on in the summer transfer window and we have a packed second supplement for you to ingest like a 2 litre bottle of lukewarm Volvic, cradled in the passenger side foot well.

The rumours are coming thick and fast as the start of the 2020-2021 Premier League campaign approaches and though Fulham promise to keep the promotion-clinching band together, they’ll require a few additions if they’re to prosper. With too many names to mention, it’s time to discover who’s supposedly on our radar and, vitally, if they capture imaginations and get the blood pumping.

Ethan Ampadu – Chelsea

Our close neighbours certainly like a serial loan shipment and it seems that Wales international Ethan Ampadu – according to The Athletic – is set to wave farewell to the dog track once again, with Fulham circling to capture his youthful expertise on a temporary basis.

Ampadu, 19, spent the 2019-20 on loan at Red Bull Leipzig although he only made a handful of appearances for the franchise monopolisers. Frank Lampard’s intends to issue him further first-team game time, away from his plans, of course, and other than Norwich City, the Whites are basically free to snap him up. For such a young professional, he definitely has what it takes to compete and a stint by the river could kick-start his career – not that the Blues would take any notice whatsoever.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles – Arsenal

Now, this is a link from The Sun, but West Ham and Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur are supposedly ready to do battle for Arsenal’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who’s core position is still yet to be discovered.

Is he a right-back? A wing-back? Central defensive midfielder? Wenger didn’t know and neither did Unai Emery and, as Mikel Arteta has innovative plans of his own, the versatile jack of all trades could be available for £20m, even if the Gunners are wanting £30m tops. Personally, I think the 22-year-old’s a terrific Swiss army knife of an option, but not at that asking price.

Terence Kongolo – Huddersfield Town

A piece published by Yorkshire Live proposes that Fulham are aiming to bring 26-year-old Huddersfield Town defender Terence Kongolo back to SW6 in the summer transfer window on another loan deal.

Kongolo travelled southerly to link up with Parker’s camp in January but, just nine minutes into his league debut for the Whites, he was hauled off with a broken foot. Damn and blast. Dutch side AZ Alkmaar are also said to be an interested party, although his weighty wages may prove to be a stumbling block where that’s concerned. We didn’t see enough of him, really, so why not give him a second shot of life with Fulham in the big time?

Marco Bizot – AZ Alkmaar

A three-way tussle is set to ensue, if Sky Sports is to be believed, between Sheffield United, Crystal Palace and the Whites for AZ Alkmaar (sounds familiar) ‘keeper Marco Bizot, a stopper that’s regarded as one of the Eredivisie’s very best.

The 29-year-old racked up 41 appearances for Arne Slot’s side and, get this, recorded 27 clean sheets in the process. That’s some return, although the Whites face stiff competition if they’re genuine contenders, but what an assured understudy Marek Rodak would have in him, eh?

Rob Dickie – Oxford United

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Oxford United’s Rob Dickie – subject to a Sunday Mirror report – is allegedly an item on a number of esteemed top-flight wish-lists, with Leeds United, Newcastle United, West Bromwich Albion and Fulham all reputedly eyeing the 24-year-old centre-back.

Valued at £3m by the Us, Karl Robinson isn’t going to let one of his prize possessions depart without a relatively lumpy charge by League One’s standards, although the robust defender could be swayed by a potential switch to the Premier League, and who would blame him.

Haris Seferovic – SL Benfica

There’s not much floating around, at all, regarding this revelation but BenficaUSA revealed on Twitter that SL Benfica’s powerful striker Haris Seferovic could be on the move fairly shortly and Fulham, West Brom and Besiktas JK are all allegedly tracking the situation closely.

It’s thought Jorge Jesus will not include the Switzerland international in his plans at the Estadio da Luz next season and if he is to depart, the Liga NOS giants will look to gain £10m in return. Of course, the credibility of the source is questionable, but there’s never any smoke without fire. Perhaps the 28-year-old’s too similar to Aleksandar Mitrovic, though, so I’m not overly keen on this particular link, as tenuous as it may be anyway.

Calum Chambers – Arsenal

The Daily Mail believes that Fulham are considering a £12m bid for the one, the only, Calum Chambers. Yes, Arsenal could allow the injury-prone defender/anchorman to head for pastures new and the Whites could be in a prime position to lure him away from the Emirates.

Having spent the 2018-19 on loan at Craven Cottage, Chambers, 25, started shakily at the heart of our defence but redeemed himself at the base of our midfield. Wayward passing aside, he was a credit to the squad, which faltered heavily in the Premier League last time round. He hasn’t played since December, thanks to a nasty knee injury, but this is a link I’m pretty intrigued by. Basically, I’d take him in one shake of a lamb’s tail, honestly, because he knows the club and, to be honest, he was downright excellent once he warmed to the futile challenge.

Enis Bardhi – Levante UD

Bit of an obscure one, but football Twitter (Sqenf Foot) is under the impression that Fulham have tabled £11m for Levante UD’s Macedonian wizard Enis Bardhi, and I wish there were more solid sources out there regarding this gem of a maybe.

The 25-year-old’s been heavily linked with Arsenal recently and whilst 7 goals with 4 assists in 32 La Liga outings doesn’t necessarily raise eyebrows, he’s an extremely inventive instigator indeed. Really hope this snippet of gossip picks up speed somehow, some way, just now.

Ivan Toney – Peterborough United

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Channelled by Football Insider, West Brom and Fulham are said to be tailing Peterborough United’s trigger happy striker Ivan Toney, a striker that’s teetered on greater heights for what feels like years and years since his Newcastle days.

A profoundly proficient attacker for the Posh, Toney, 24, bagged 26 goals last term and at a suspected cost of £3m, he’s an absolute steal. To think, Brentford were odds on favourites to land him before they were put in their place at Wembley. What a cruel world we inhabit. Plausible back-up for Mitro’ right there and I’ll say nothing more of it other than bun your Ollie Watkins.

Matty Cash – Nottingham Forest

This is getting me far too excited. Football Insider recognises that West Ham and Fulham are tracking Nottingham Forest’s £15m-rated Matthew “Matty” Cash, reborn under Sabri Lamouchi’s experimental supervision. Cash converter, ha.

Once a winger, now an expansive wing-back, Cash was Forest’s main outlet moving forward last term but his astute perception of the game enables him to deputise is a range of roles and in a defensive berth, he’s more or less the ideal successor the void Ryan Fredericks left all those many moons ago. Pay. The. Money. For. Cash.

Antonee Robinson – Wigan Athletic

There’s a’ways a race when Sky Sports are concerned and in terms of the saga surrounding Wigan Athletic’s Antonee Robinson, it’s fleet-footed. This is because Sheffield United, Everton and Fulham are grappling for the searing American speedster and I’m all for it.

For £2m or a figure around that mark, we’d be stupid not o have a flutter on the direct American left-back, who made 39 appearances for the Latics last term. He was literally on the verge of putting pen to paper with Serie A giants AC Milan in January, but it fell through at the last moment and from what we saw of him in the Championship, he’s a willing participant wherever he’s required. Less haste, more attack from the back, good buddy.

Weston McKennie – FC Schalke 04

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We have another yank on the cards and he resides in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Another corker from Twitter’s footballing never region, FC Schalke 04’s Weston McKennie is, apparently, a transfer target of Fulham and Bundesliga mainstays Hertha Berlin.

Dynamic, intense, deceptively artistic, the 21-year-old offers a beneficial drive and intent in the middle of the park and I’m personally a big fanboy of his. The cited twitter account suggests that he’ll set wanting suitors back $22M and that is out of the Whites’ spending bracket, supposedly or whatever. Of all the careless whispers, this is the one I’ll want to hear again and again in a softer, slower tone. Moving on!

Jean-Paul Boetius – 1. FSV Mainz 05

Reliable German publication Bild recently divulged that Fulham and Leeds have lodged bids for 1. FSV Mainz 05 winger Jean-Paul Boetius who, by all accounts, is brimming with top-flight, inspirational quality.

Capable of playing across the front three, the 26-year-old Dutchman promises invention, being a novelty of the modern game. He scored 4 goals and supplied 5 assists last season for Die Nullfünfer and, though he’s a plausible option, he’s not the Dutch winger we truly wish to see by the river, once again. Taking guesses for who that may be.