Fulham

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It seems inevitable a host of Premier League managers will point to fixture congestion in the months to come.

When injuries mount, or when time on the training ground is squeezed, coaches often reference the intense nature of the calendar.

But research conducted by the respected CIES Football Observatory has delivered data which shows clubs are - on average - not playing more competitive games than they have in the last couple of decades.

The CIES looked at 677 clubs across 40 leagues. In looking at a period from 2012 to 2024, its findings show in 2023-24, the average club played 42.4 competitive matches. In 2014-15 that figure was 42.6 and in 2020-21 it hit 43.9.

And if focus is placed on sides competing in the Champions League, data gathered between 2000 and 2024 also shows sides are not setting fixture records in the current game, as some managers may like to loosely imply.

In looking at the five major European Leagues, the CIES claim Champions League competitors played an average of 50.8 matches last season.

In 2020-21 they averaged 57.9 and in 2002-03 they contested 55.2.

Manchester United played in 52 competitive games last season, down from highs of 71 in 2020-21 and 66 in 2008-09.

Across all of the clubs analysed, only 4% played more than 60 games last season. In 2012-13, the figure stood at 5.1%.

While clubs may play added friendlies and - it would be fair to say - individual matches tend to be longer given increased injury time in the current game, the data shows that competitive fixture numbers are flat or have in most cases fallen, even if disgruntled managers say otherwise.

The full study is here, external

Tottenham are aiming to beat Fulham to the signature of Manchester United's 27-year-old Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay. (Sun, external)

Fulham want to bring in Brazil midfielder Andre, 23, from Fluminense as they look to replace 29-year-old Portugal international Joao Palhinha following his move to Bayern Munich. (Standard, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Manchester United have turned down a bid from Fulham for 27-year-old Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay, who has one year left on his contract but with an option for a 12-month extension. (Mail, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Arsenal are expecting further bids for 23-year-old midfielder Emile Smith Rowe after rejecting an offer from Fulham, with Crystal Palace also interested. (Evening Standard), external

Want more transfer news? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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The football never stops.

Euro 2024 has barely finished but Premier League clubs have already started turning their attention to pre-season friendlies.

The games are spread across the globe, from Tokyo and New York to Sligo and Crawley.

So who will your team face? And when and where are the matches?

Keep across all the fixtures and results here

Arsenal have rejected an offer for 23-year-old England midfielder Emile Smith Rowe from Fulham, who are are weighing up whether to make an improved bid. (Standard), external

Want more transfer news? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Fulham are interested in signing Fluminense midfielder Andre to replace Joao Palhinha.

The 22-year-old is a long-term target for the west Londoners, who saw Palhinha, 29, join Bayern Munich for £42.3m on Thursday.

Andre is regarded among the best talents in Brazil after winning the Copa Libertadores, South America's equivalent to the Champions League, last season.

The move is believed to have manager Marco Silva's blessing after he refused the chance to join Al-Ittihad last month.

Reports in Turkey about signing 18-year-old Besiktas striker Semih Kilicsoy have been denied.

Fulham have already begun pre-season training and will play Benfica and Hoffenheim in warm-up matches, before facing Manchester United at Old Trafford in August to kick off the new Premier League season.

We asked for your thoughts on Fulham's summer transfer window so far, with key names in Joao Palhinha, Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Tosin Adarabioyo having already left Craven Cottage.

Here is a flavour of your responses:

Ian: We had accepted that Joao was going to go and so it's a case of thank you and goodbye. However, I'm sorry - almost angry - that we've let Bobby go. He is such a versatile player that he will be greatly missed. If a 'big' club had come looking good luck to him, but Leicester? We should have done more to keep him.

Terry: It's always going to be difficult for a club like Fulham to replace a world-class player like Joao. Losing him means not only needing a new CDM, but an urgent need to strengthen defence, because he stopped so many getting through. Wingers now a concern too, as BDR has left and Willian seems likely to collect a well-deserved payday in Saudi.

Jules: Fulham doing what they do best, selling their best players and not replacing them until desperate with last-minute deals with below-standard players. Been like this for years and we wonder why we never challenge - just limp along and try to stay up. Not good enough to not have any ambition other than fight to stay in the Premier League.

David: Both players need to be replaced with comparable ones. Palhinha especially has been immense and Reid is a useful utility man. We also need a reliable striker.

James: Fulham have lost three key players and it is uncertain if Willian will sign for another season. We need to sign a minimum of four players - ideally two midfielders, with at least one who can play on the left, a defensive midfielder and a centre-back. There are some good, young prospects who I think we should go for - but we also need experience.

Stew: Shockingly quiet on transfers in. Three experienced players gone. We need new blood in soon and quality comes at a price. So, Mr Khan - back the manager!

Simon: Everyone that counts themselves to be a Fulham fan has been expecting the imminent departure of our key midfielder, a player who meant we were able to stabilise our position in the PL despite losing Mitro! Added to this there have been a number of other significant departures. Please tell us there are contingency plans already in place!

Fulham have lost key names in Palhinha and Bobby De Cordova-Reid this summer. Are you concerned with the squad at this stage? What needs to be added? Tell us here, external

Portugal midfielder Joao Palhinha, 29, will complete his move from Fulham to Bayern Munich in the next 24 hours. (Sky Germany), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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On the latest episode of the When You're Smiling Podcast by BBC Radio Leicester, The Athletic's Fulham reporter Peter Rutzler spoke about Bobby De Cordova-Reid's departure from Craven Cottage to join newly promoted Leicester:

"Fulham would have liked to have kept him, really. Bobby De Cordova-Reid was part of Marco Silva's leadership of about five players, the 'group captains'. He's really well liked by supporters as well.

"I think if they could have kept him the would have done. I think they offered him a two-year deal, Leicester offered him a three-year deal and the terms were evidently better with Leicester.

"Fulham also had one of the oldest squads in the Premier League last season. There is a sense of them needing to make changes this summer. They've also got Jay Stansfield coming back from Exeter and they'll be looking to get him minutes this year.

"There's a few changes happening that might have led to why they didn't offer what he would have liked, but he'll certainly be missed. He's been an influential player over the last five years."

Listen to the full episode here

Joao Palhinha has completed his medical with Bayern Munich, but the midfielder needs to clarify some details with Fulham before completing his 46m euros (£39m) move. (Sky Sports Germany), external

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's full gossip column

Fulham have enquired about the availability of Manchester United's Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay, 27. (HITC), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

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We asked for your views on how Fulham should replace Joao Palhinha, should the Portugal midfielder complete his move to Bayern Munich.

Here are some of your responses:

Jack: Unfortunately we will be unable to replace him as we have sold him for a fraction of his value. There are no midfielders on the market for less than £50m that are as competent defensively and going forward.

William: He's not replaceable - we will never get anyone capable of doing what he does.

Joe: We should take a chance on Kalvin Phillips in my opinion. His value is low after his spell at West Ham but a permanent home could be what's needed to revitalise his career.

Rob: I would hope the club have already lined up a replacement as they have had a year where we all knew he was going. Unfortunately, we will most probably leave it to the last minute and get someone no one else wants like a Kalvin Phillips.

Tom: Fulham need to buy with an eye on the future this summer as we have one of the oldest squads in the league. We've been linked with Andre from Fluminense in the past and he seems like the obvious replacement. I just hope we don't leave it too long to complete a deal, as we need to hit the ground running with key games early doors.

Brazilian winger Willian has rejected the offer of a new contract at Fulham, with clubs in Saudi Arabia and Turkey interested in the 35-year-old. (Mail), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Image source, PA Media

Fulham's Joao Palhinha is poised to join Bayern Munich for 51m euros (£43m) plus add-ons, bringing the German giants' long pursuit of the Portugal midfielder to an end.

Palhinha, 28, has been pivotal in helping Fulham re-establish themselves in the Premier League since he moved to Craven Cottage in the summer of 2022.

Should his transfer be completed, how do you think the Whites should replace him?

Is there a suitable candidate in the squad already? Or will a new addition be required - and if so, who?

Have your say here, external

Image source, Fulham FC

Fulham have unveiled their new home kit for the 2024-25 Premier League season.

The club said its "proud history remains at the heart of this season's design; with a black collar evoking memories of famous kits from yesteryear, and the iconic Cottage Balcony returning to the reverse of the jersey - etched in rubberised detail on the neck".

Details of Fulham's away and third kits for the upcoming season will be released later in the summer.

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In the shootout win over Slovenia, Portugal midfielder Joao Palhinha made nine tackles. The last player to make more in a Uefa European Championship match was Anatoliy Tymoshchuk for Ukraine v France in 2012 (12).

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Managers will always outwardly support their players on the international stage, but you can be sure one or two will privately be hoping for an early exit from Euro 2024 for a few of their star men.

International tournament summers disrupt pre-season for managers.

Various players from different nations return to their clubs at different times, sometimes with injuries, holidays get postponed and rescheduled. As a general rule, the best players are more likely to play for the best nations and therefore go further in international tournaments.

The Euro 2024 final will take place on 14 July. Over half of Premier League clubs already have a pre-season fixture scheduled within 10 days of that.

Of English clubs, unsurprisingly, Premier League champions Manchester City have comfortably the most players in the Euro 2024 knockouts. The best represented Premier League side at the start of the competition have a full line-up of 11 stars still in Germany.

They are followed by the rest of last season's top three - Arsenal and Liverpool - who have eight and seven respectively. Manchester United also have seven while Brentford - aided by their healthy Danish contingent - have six and Crystal Palace five.

Championship play-off winners Southampton's three representatives were all eliminated at the group stage, while fellow newly promoted side Ipswich have not seen their summer impacted at all by players at Euro 2024.

Of the Championship-winning Leicester squad, goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and defenders Wout Faes and Jannik Vestergaard remain in Germany - as does Turkey's Yunus Akgun, who spent last season on loan with the Foxes.

This data was provided by Opta and counts the clubs where players finished at the end of the 2023-24 season.

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We asked for your views on which Euros player would be a good fit for Fulham.

Here are a few of your suggestions:

Luke: Euro 2024 has been a tournament for exciting wingers, and with a massive upheaval in the wide areas, Fulham could do with some new ones. I particularly liked Dan Ndoye from Switzerland and Akturkoglu from Turkey. Also, anyone from Austria (particularly Seiwald).

Gordon: We are always involved in gossip that never really happens. If it's money that is the issue then someone like Scott McKenna might be a good option. He has no club and handled himself quite well for Scotland in the Euros. If we have the money then we could look at Openda or Sesko.

Kit: I think Marcel Sabitzer would be a perfect replacement for Andreas Pereira if he departs this summer.

David: If Joao Palhinha is allowed to leave, I suggest looking to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to replace him. He's the Palhinha type of player.