Fulham will likely look to sign Newcastle United’s Aleksandar Mitrovic this summer.
Fulham sealed a return to the Premier League with a 1-0 playoff final victory over Aston Villa at Wembley on Saturday, and the first thing they will undoubtedly try and do is seal a permanent deal for Aleksandar Mitrovic.
The Serbia international joined the Cottagers from Newcastle United on loan in January, and he has been instrumental in the club’s turnaround in the past six months and subsequent promotion.
Mitrovic netted 12 goals in 18 Championship games for Fulham, and the opportunity to link up with Serb coach Slavisa Jokanovic was said to be a big factor in his decision to move to west London.
With Premier League football now in the bag, Fulham will certainly eye a permanent deal for Mitrovic. But the club may not be able to get the deal over the line if Newcastle have long-term plans for the 23-year-old.
Mitrovic made clear after Fulham’s play-off victory over Aston Villa Saturday that he remained a Newcastle player, and confirmed that his future was in the hands of his agent.
Watford’s Andre Gray, however, would be an excellent alternative if a deal for Mitrovic doesn’t go through.
The former Burnley man has struggled to settle at Vicarage Road after joining the club last summer, making just 16 Premier League starts – scoring five goals and grabbing a further two assists.
Despite Gray’s struggles at Watford, he still has plenty to offer in the Premier League and, having previously excelled at Brentford, there’s no doubt he can play the lone striker role in a possession-based team.
Gray burst onto the scene at Fulham’s west London rivals, scoring 18 goals in 47 games for the Bees at Championship level before signing for Burnley, where he netted 32 goals in 73 games.
The 26-year-old is a solid goal scorer even at top-flight level having netted nine times during Burnley’s 2016/17 top-flight campaign.
A recent report in the Mirror claims Gray is on his way out of Watford, and that fellow Premier League newcomers Cardiff City are eyeing a move for him.
Fulham would be a more attractive proposition due to their location and style of football, and under Jokanovic’s guidance, they arguably look in better shape to beat the drop next season.
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