Fulham midfielder Sasa Lukic has reportedly urged the Premier League club to return to Torino and bring Ivan Ilic to Craven Cottage too.
Marco Silva’s side snapped up the experienced midfielder in a £9 million deal back in January and, according to Tuttosport, Sasa Lukic is keen to be joined in West London by a player he knows well.
Ivan Ilic, ironically enough, joined Torino as a replacement for Lukic nine months ago, one Serbia international arriving to fill the void created by the departure of another. Ilic’s lack of game time for the Granata, however, is already incurring questions about his short-term future.
Tuttosport believe that Lukic is even trying to convince Fulham to make a move for his 22-year-old compatriot, perhaps in the hope that Ilic can make an impact at the Cottagers similar to that of fellow Serb Aleksandr Mitrovic before his big-money departure to Saudi Arabia.
Fulham urged to make Ivan Ilic move
At this stage, it is uncertain whether there is any real or genuine interest from Fulham in Ilic.
Lukic has struggled to force his way into Silva’s first XI, and Ilic – another deep-lying midfielder – would also be up against it trying to establish himself in an engine room already containing the exceptional Joao Palhinha and the industrious Harrison Reed.
Ilic, interestingly, spent three years on Manchester City’s books from 2017 to 2020. He has been linked with moves to Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille in recent transfer windows. Brighton reportedly had a bid rejected before Hellas Verona sold him to Torino for £13.5 million in the winter.
Fulham prioritising a striker
Another central midfielder is unlikely to be a priority for Fulham in the upcoming January window, however. A Mitrovic replacement is at the forefront of the club’s thinking.
Stuttgart record breaker Serhou Guirassy is one option. There is reportedly a £17 million release clause in his contract. Watch out for Gent ‘phenomenon’ Gift Orban too.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
