Fulham have submitted a £16 million bid to sign Porto’s former Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic, according to Record, but Alex Moreno looks unlikely to join the Premier League outfit.
Things are heating up at Craven Cottage. Appropriately enough, on the hottest day of 2022 so far.
Fulham are on the verge of snatching Joao Palhinha from under Wolves’ nose, agreeing a £16 million fee while offering the Sporting Lisbon man-mountain a £40,000-a-week deal at Craven Cottage. Manor Solomon, meanwhile, is expected to finally bring an end to one of 2022’s longest-running transfer sagas, setting the Championship champions back a further £7 million.
But if Palhinha and Solomon are destined to become signings one and two, who will be the third?
Well, it’s unlikely to be Moreno.
Fulham want Marko Grujic but back away from Alex Moreno
According to AS, the swashbuckling left-back is set to leave Copa del Rey winners Real Betis before the summer is out. Fulham have ‘cooled’ their interest, however, after failing with an initial £8 million bid. Moreno recently turned 29, and you can see why Fulham would be reluctant to break the bank for a player who would not offer substantial re-sale value.
Celta Vigo’s Javi Galan is likely to be both younger and cheaper.
The Cottagers have also hit the buffers in their pursuit of another transfer target; Powerhouse Serbia international Grujic. Record say that Fulham have seen a £16 million offer batted away for a man who joined Porto from Liverpool for around £10 million 12 months ago.
Grujic, who was Jurgen Klopp’s first signing as Liverpool boss, is finally starting to fulfil his vast potential at the age of 26. He played 36 times as Porto snatched the Primeira Liga title back from Sporting Lisbon last season.
“Grujic is… a player with enormous potential,” Porto coach Sergio Conceicao tells TVI24 of the former Hertha Berlin loanee. “With the height and physical capacity he has, he is a technically strong player.”
“I think he should (move the ball) more quickly. That’s what I’ve been saying to him. Midfielders are essential in the speed of ball movement. He must also be aggressive. He is an aggressive player, but what I ask for is this change in behaviour when recovering the ball.
“But he is an extremely interesting player.”
It is not certain whether Fulham see Grujic as an alternative to Palhinha, or someone capable of playing alongside him.
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