If you want an example as to how not to prepare for life in the Premier League, look no further than Fulham. The Cottagers went through three different managers and £100 million only to end up back exactly where they started during that fateful 2018/19 campaign.
And while they weren’t quite so calamitous in 2020/21, the fact remains that, during their last two top-flight campaigns, Fulham have achieved little except to establish themselves as English football’s go-to ‘yo-yo club’.
Lessons must be learned. History cannot be allowed to repeat itself in West London, with a third promotion in the space of four years edging ever closer despite Sunday’s 3-1 home defeat to bogey side Coventry City.
Big summer ahead
The return of fans’ favourite Alphonse Areola would be a major step in the right direction. Areola was arguably Fulham’s most consistent performer during the 2020/21 campaign, repelling shot after shot like a scene copied and pasted straight out of Shaolin Soccer.
According to TEAMtalk, Fulham are ‘confident’ that they can agree a deal that would see PSG’s France international return for a second spell at Craven Cottage.
Areola is currently on loan at West Ham but a permanent stay at the London Stadium is in doubt after failing to oust soon-to-be-37-year-old Lukasz Fabianski between the sticks. Nick Pope is reportedly another target but he would be a lot more expensive at around £20 million.
Areola’s potential arrival will see Marek Rodak – who made a colossal clanger against Coventry last weekend – drop out of Silva’s XI.
Tim Ream, another who didn’t exactly cover himself in glory on Sunday, could also be under threat. Fulham are eyeing up a defender capable of partnering the colossal Tosin Adarabioyo at centre-half. Timo Hubers of Cologne is available for a bargain £6 million, according to the Daily Mail.
- READ MORE: Fulham’s XI if they kept their top stars
Fulham are also fans of Levi Colwill. The England U21 international has come on leaps and bounds on loan at promotion rivals Huddersfield Town (DiMarzio).
But crisis-hit Chelsea are considering promoting Colwill to a first-team role at Stamford Bridge. Much will depend on whether Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta leave when their contracts expire.
Incomings and outgoings?
Further forward, a midfield pivot of Harrison Reed and Josh Cullen (linked via TEAMtalk) should give Harry Wilson and co the freedom to thrive while offering a sheet of steel in front of an inconsistent backline.
Cullen, a Republic of Ireland international now at Anderlecht, is a tidy, tenacious player. He’s certainly a more stable option than the mercurial Jean Michel Seri.
Neco Williams is expected to join on a permanent basis from Liverpool. Aleksandr Mitrovic, Fulham’s irrepressible 38-goal top-scorer, is almost certain to stay too.
The wonderful Fabio Carvalho set up three of Mitrovic’s goals in 2021/22 – in addition to scoring seven himself. And the teenager’s £5 million move to Liverpool robs Silva of his most potent creative force.
Carvalho out, Solomon in
The bargain £7 million addition of Manor Solomon from Shakhtar Donetsk should, in theory, offset Carvalho’s absence. The Israeli winger is the most intriguing and ambitious of Fulham’s summer targets. Solomon nearly joined Manchester City not so long ago, after all, and scored two Champions League goals against Real Madrid in 2020.
- How Rangers’ XI could look in 22/23, including 5 new signings
- How West Ham’s XI could look in 22/23 with 4 new signings
He’s reportedly signing a £25,000-a-week, five-year contract with the Championship leaders (One).
Solomon could form a new-look attacking partnership with the effervescent Harry Wilson and Caio Vidal. Fulham signed Rodrigo Muniz from Brazilian football last summer. And they could repeat the trick, making a £5.8 million bid for Internacional winger Vidal last week.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
