The 2023-24 Premier League campaign is going to be a grind for Fulham, especially with what’s been going on so far this summer.
Over the past few years, the Cottagers have been normally quiet in the transfer window, but that’s no longer the case.
Rival clubs are circling around the key members of their squad after they finished in the top half of the standings last season. And if they are successfully poached, then the Premier League 2023 odds don’t like their chances of making it again in the Top 10.
Without further ado, read on below to learn more about the latest Premier League 2023 news about SBOTOP’s partners, Fulham.
Mitrovic out, Jimenez in
In what is a stunning turn of events, Aleksandar Mitrovic looks on his way out of Craven Cottage, as he’s not listed in Fulham’s pre-season tour squad amid interest from the Saudi Pro League.
Mitrovic has been a cult hero of sorts for the Cottagers after being a servant for the club for the past five years, and he was mainly responsible for bringing them back to the Premier League last year.
Many thought that he was going to be a Fulham player through and through, including myself. But we were wrong, although you can’t blame him that much.
The Serbian striker reportedly told his friends and family that he’ll no longer play for Fulham, and he’s furious that he is being priced out of a move to Al-Hilal.
Al-Hilal have reportedly tabled two unsuccessful bids for Mitrovic since Fulham put a £52 million price tag on him. Mitrovic’s agent has urged the management to lower his value to somewhere between £35 million and £45 million to make the transfer happen.
Because of this, Mitrovic has not joined Fulham on their ongoing pre-season tour, and there are doubts about his willingness to play in their opener against Everton on August 12.
Negotiations will continue between Fulham and Al-Hilal, and it feels like they will reach a compromise soon because Fulham has already acted on their contingency plan.
That is because they have reached a deal with Wolves to sign Raul Jimenez for £5.5 million, who had a year left on his Wolves contract.
The Mexican striker is expected to lead the line for Fulham once they cash in on Mitrovic, although he’s coming off a subpar campaign with only three goals across all competitions last season.
Fulham are also close to agreeing new deals to sign defenders Mohammed Salisu and Calvin Bassey from Southampton and Ajax, respectively.
Fulham dealt with big injury blow
Fulham started their pre-season tour on a good note with a 3-2 win against Brentford. Harry Wilson, Bobby Decordova-Reid, and Carlos Vinicius scored for the Cottagers, while Yoane Wissa and Kristoffer Ajer scored for the Bees.
However, the mood is somber for the Cottagers, as they lost Joao Palhinha due to injury in the process. When quizzed about the status of his midfielder, head coach Marco Silva said that Palhinha likely dislocated his left shoulder after he landed badly on the pitch on the stroke of half-time.
If the initial prognosis for Palhinha is correct, then it’s undoubtedly a huge blow for the Cottagers since a full recovery can take up to six months because shoulder dislocations often require surgery.
Palhinha was one of the top-performing midfielders in the Premier League last season. This summer, he has been a target for Liverpool and West Ham United, and Fulham are understood to be holding out for at least £60 million for him.
It’s safe to say that Palhinha will no longer play for the rest of the pre-season. After Brentford, Fulham will play Aston Villa in Orlando on Wednesday.
Silva turns down Saudi offer
Marco Silva admitted that he received an offer to be Al-Ahli’s next manager on a deal that is believed to be worth around £40 million over the course of two years.
However, he said that he’s “fully committed” to Fulham, as he rejected the big-money bid to coach in the Saudi Pro League next season. He also said that he isn’t keen on managing other Premier League clubs anytime soon.
He has 12 months left on his current deal at Craven Cottage, and after their successful campaign last term, Fulham want to reward him with a new extension.
But extension talks between Silva and Fulham have stalled thus far, as the Portuguese manager is reportedly frustrated at the team’s failure to acquire new players, with seven players already leaving the club.
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