Fulham Rumour Round-Up: Rodrigo, Harwood-Bellis, Dest

Fulham’s admin guys have been awful quiet lately, and so have the deal-makers. Well, we’ve done our homework, so here’s the freshest transfer rumours.

In typical Fulham fashion, we’re yet to sign a player and with less than a month to go until next season commences, we’ve 22 recognised first-team players and one of them is Kevin Mbabu. Hopefully the wheels will start turning in the not too distant future and in Cam’s latest round-up, there’s a few names that would definitely go down a treat with all of us.

Rodrigo Moreno – Leeds United

Sources close to Football Insider are under the impression that Leeds United’s Rodrigo Moreno is nearing a summer exit from Elland Road and Fulham could be a likely destination. The 32-year-old was Leeds’ top scorer last season with 13 Premier League goals and following the Liliywhites’ relegation to the Championship, he’s angling for a move elsewhere and a number of clubs worldwide are tracking his availability.

The Spain international is under contract at Leeds until 2024. Capable of playing out wide as well as through the centre of attack, Rodrigo’s versatility would be highly beneficial to Silva’s system however as he’s allegedly on £100k-a-week, his salary could be a drawback in negotiations if they were to be initiated.

El Bilal Touré – UD Almeria

Well-known Belgian reporter Sacha Tavolieri revealed via his Twitter account that Fulham, alongside Everton, are tailing UD Almeria striker El Bilal Touré, however the Whites will only prioritise the 21-year-old if Aleksandar Mitrovic suddenly departs Craven Cottage this summer.

The Ivory Coast-born Mali international has a €40m release clause included in his contract at La Liga outfit after moving from Ligue 1 side Stade Reims last September. In 25 outings last term, he bagged seven goals while offering two assists, which isn’t a bad return by any means, but he’s not a ready-made replacement for Mitro and that’s all there is to it.

Jonathan Bamba – Free Agent

According to French football publication Team Football, Fulham have been quoted as a possible suitor for former Lille OSC winger Jonathan Bamba, who is now a free agent after leaving the Ligue 1 side at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

The 27-year-old’s representatives have supposedly been contacted by the Whites’ recruitment team and by all accounts, the prospect of flaunting his expertise in the Premier League is attractive to the Frenchman. Bamba tallied 29 goals and 35 assists for Les Dogues in 200 appearances, he’s an attacker that doesn’t think twice about beating his man and if the Whites can pick him up without spending a penny, it would definitely be good business.

Morato – SL Benfica

In order to strengthen our central defensive options, Fulham have allegedly opened a dialogue with Liga NOS champions SL Benfica regarding their 22-year-old defender Morato, as per The Telegraph. Tosin Adarabioyo could be on the way out of the club in the coming weeks and Morato’s been identified as a feasible addition if our towering centre-back heads elsewhere.

Featuring in 20 games across all available competitions, Morato wasn’t necessarily Benfica’s go-to leader at the back but his efforts were enough to draw attention from admirers outside the Portuguese top-flight and if Silva thinks he’ll slot into his plans effectively, we’ve got to trust his judgement as ever.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis – Manchester City

Fulham – disclosed by TEAMtalk – are among a host of sides that are vying to capture Taylor Harwood-Bellis from Manchester City during the summer transfer window. Spending the 2022/23 season on loan under Vincent Kompany’s stewardship at Championship victors Burnley, Harwood-Bellis recently captained England’s U21s to their first European title in 39 years and Lee Carsley’s men didn’t concede a single goal throughout the tournament.

City are undecided as to whether they’ll keep hold of Harwood-Bellis or not and as well as the Whites and the Clarets, Brighton and Hove Albion, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton are also circling for the 21-year-old centre-half. Given his heroics for the Young Lions, though, I’m certain City will want to enhance his title-winning qualities at the Etihad next season and if they don’t, they’ll be foolish.

Bright Osayi-Samuel – Fenerbahce SK

Hold on, we’ve been here before, haven’t we? Fulham were linked with Fenerbahce’s Bright Osayi-Samuel last summer and Turkish outlet Krampon Sports (via Twitter) believe we’re in for him again. The former Queens Park Rangers winger-come-fullback is also on French club Troyes’ radar, as well as Brentford’s, and in a recent interview, the 24-year-old expressed his desire to return to English shores.

Speaking to Soccernet Nigeria, Osayi-Samuel said: “I think everyone knows that my ambition is to play English football, to play in the [English] Premier League, you know,

“No disrespect they [Fenerbahce] have done some much for me there [in Turkey].

“But my ambition is to play in the Premier League. So when I feel that the time is the right time for me to go, I will take it.”

Sergiño Dest – FC Barcelona

Plenty of American internationals have been touted for a switch to SW6 throughout the summer and the latest USMNT representative that’s thought to be in our sights is FC Barcelona’s Sergiño Dest, according to renowned Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo. Xavi is supposedly unconvinced by Dest, he endured a lacklustre season with AC Milan on loan and subsequently, and exit from the Camp Nou is being weighed up.

Milan passed up the opportunity to activate a €20m purchase clause and he still has two years remaining on his contract at Barca. Dest, like his compatriot Antonee Robinson, is a speed demon on the flanks and as a right-sided defender, he’d compliment our fast-paced counter attacks superbly. Crystal Palace are also said to be keeping tabs on Dest, and while his form wasn’t necessarily gleaming last season, we should snap him up if the price is right because Silva could undoubtedly reimagine the player’s purpose.