Well here we are again. Another annual Summer Window Preview, and another time we're preparing for life in a different division to the one we started the season in. I won't talk too much about the season we've just had, for the simple fact that almost everything that can be said has already been said. I'd just like to say, regardless of what happens next season, this season we've just had has been special. Coming out of COVID and Parkerball into a season like that was perfect in so many ways and we need to appreciate the season for what it is.
Shifting focus on to next season now, and it's absolutely massive that we get this summer window right, for so many different reasons. And not only that we get the window "right", but that we get key signings done as early as humanly possible so we don't go into another Premier League season undercooked- effectively giving teams we're competing with a head start in the battle for survival where every point is precious. There are early signs of encouragement, with Manor Solomon seemingly all but done- and it's absolutely imperative that we make other key signings ideally before the players are back for the start of Pre-Season.
With a number of players seemingly leaving (more later), combined with the step up to 5 Subs and 9 on the bench, as well as the obvious jump in quality we really need to be looking at having a competitive squad as well as Starting 11 and some of the suggestions in here are written with that in mind. It should also be mentioned that I'm doing this blog with the uncertainty over who stays up, and who goes up in mind which is why no Everton, Burnley or Leeds players will feature- as well as why no players from the four teams in the Play-Offs are in. So in other words, no Nick Pope, no Morgan Gibbs-White or whoever else fits into that bracket.
In-terms of a signing philosophy, I'd basically look to do what Newcastle did in January to confirm their Premier League survival. Sign a core of "seasoned" Premier League players such as Kieran Trippier, Matty Targett, Dan Burn, Chris Wood and then one or two "flashy" signings more of the Bruno Guimaraes ilk for the "seasoning". Because you really can't underestimate how key Premier League experience and "know how" is in the relegation battle we will be in next season which is why Newcastle valued it so highly, and why they're so comfortable after a historically bad start to the season. We know first hand how big experience is, the most successful Premier League team we've ever had was based on a core of players like Mark Schwarzer, Danny Murphy and Bobby Zamora who had been around the block a few times but knew the league and what it takes to get results in the league.
As always with these blogs, I'm not expecting us to sign everyone on this list and this list is more of a shortlist of players I'd be looking to sign from- and I'm not necessarily expecting us to sign these exact names (although they would be welcome) and it's more looking at a profile of player I'd want to target this summer.
Goalkeeper
Going into the last Premier League season I was absolutely dead-set on giving Marek Rodak a chance. He along with Mitrovic were our two best players in our previous promotion, and Rodak had won us points a ridiculous number of times throughout the season. This time around however, I don't think Rodak's been too impressive. His command of the box has taken a step backwards in my opinion, and mistakes he wasn't making in the last promotion season have crept into his game. Frankly, there isn't room for sentiment in Football and we need to upgrade on him. Even if that comes at the cost of Rodak leaving as he hinted at in an interview a couple of weeks ago.
Before diving into the options for a #1 Keeper, it's also worth mentioning that with Fabri's contract up we do need to sign a new 3rd Choice Keeper. With COVID still very much a factor, having three viable Goalkeeper's is still relevant- and as such I'd be looking to sign an experienced, homegrown Goalkeeper on a free transfer to fill out the squad. Someone like Alex Smithies, Keiren Westwood or Vito Mannone.
Alphonse Areola (PSG)
Moving on to our first choice Goalkeeper now, and he's the obvious one isn't he? We know how good Areola is, and while he hasn't obviously been with us for this season, having some continuity at the back in that Areola and Tosin have played together could prove to be an important factor with a fast start in mind as I've already mentioned.
A deal for Areola would depend on numerous factors, some out of our control in-terms of West Ham holding an option to buy- but with them seemingly being linked with Sam Johnstone and Fabianski still their Premier League #1 it wouldn't be too much of a reach to imagine Areola would be back on the market- and in a World Cup year looking to play consistent games to force his way onto the plane going to Qatar this winter. And given his desire to live in London which he's mentioned numerous times, basically leaves us as one of not many viable options. The deal would have to be structured right, because in the event of a relegation we wouldn't be able to commit to his wages- but in-terms of quality we know he's more than good enough to be a Premier League Goalkeeper.
Dean Henderson (Man Utd)
As I've already made reference to, there are factors beyond our control when it comes to Areola, and as such we do need to look at alternative options as well. Of the three Goalkeepers I'll mention here, Dean Henderson would cost the most by far, but he also has the most potential "upside" and "reward" if the signing were to be successful in my opinion. It could have been quite different for Henderson, were he not to have gotten injured last summer he may well have gone into the disaster of a season Man Utd have had as their first choice Keeper based on some rumours.
But you can't change the past, and Henderson has been firmly behind David De Gea this season and as already mentioned in a World Cup year he must be looking for consistent Football next season. It's a very ambitious "want", because I would imagine teams who are more established in the Premier League could well be looking at Henderson- but I wonder if we could perhaps be more "accommodating" both to Henderson and Man Utd with the deal we present which could clinch things for us. Whether that's a big wage given what we paid Areola, a buy back clause for Man Utd or numerous other "sweeteners" if the deal is there to be done then we should definitely do it.
Predrag Rajkovic (Reims)
Our first trip on to the continent now, my priority with numerous positions would be valuing Premier League experience at the forefront- but if we're just looking to sign a very good Goalkeeper with domestic experience not factoring in then Predrag Rajkovic would be an exceptional signing.
I've been a fan of Rajkovic for a few years now, and it's not a coincidence that it was seemingly a straight fight between Rajkovic and Edouard Mendy for Chelsea's vacant Goalkeeper spot when it became clear that Kepa wasn't cut out for the job. As it is, Rajkovic stayed at Reims and while he may not have hit the noteworthy heights he did at that stage- he's still been a very solid Keeper in Ligue 1 and at international level. The international level point is also perhaps relevant given the "Serbian Connection" that the ludicrous and fanciful Sergej Milinkovic-Savic link was framed in- and with Rajkovic's deal expiring in 2023 the ingredients would definitely be there for a potentially very good signing if it was one we looked to explore.
Defenders
The defence, and having quality in the defence is the make or break. As fun as the 7-0s, the 6-2s etc. have been- for a club of our size and ambition they simply won't happen in the Premier League. As such we'll need to be more reliant on our defence to see games out- and what should be a plus point for us is we're actually a threat from attacking set-pieces now. Because there will be games next season where if we've done things right the game will be a tight 1-0 with a set-piece goal the difference maker.
In-terms of defensive targets, we need to sign quite a few players in my opinion. And I should say right off the bat, for the price Liverpool would want for Neco Williams we can spend our limited money more intelligently. Defensively Williams leaves a lot to be desired, and if you're paying that amount of money I'd want someone who's actually done it properly and consistently in the Premier League. Whereas with Williams the only memory I have of him in the Premier League was Ademola Lookman completely destroying him when we won at Anfield in our last Premier League season to the point he got subbed off.
Jan Vertonghen (Benfica)
Signing a "been there and done that" type Centre-Back to put next to Tosin would be the highest of priorities for me. While age does limit certain things, it also brings with it experience that you can't get from a younger player. You don't have to look further than down the road for the prime example with 37 Year Old Thiago Silva still putting in exceptional performances for Chelsea. I also think Tosin needs an experienced head next to him in order to get the best out of him, and have Tosin keep improving as a player. While I do think he could get there one day, I don't think he's ready to be the "lead" Centre-Back in a Premier League defence.
We also need leadership on the pitch for when we concede goals and to have the right mentality in the dressing room for when we inevitably lose a few games in a row- and it's with that in mind that Jan Vertonghen ticks pretty much every imaginary box I can think of for who I want to see come in at Centre-Back this summer. Yes, Vertonghen does have his limitations, but the positives on and off the pitch would far outweigh the negatives for me and I'd be rolling out the red carpet for Vertonghen and doing everything I could to bring him back to London this summer.
Mats Hummels (Dortmund)
Because signing a German World Cup winner from Dortmund worked out so well last time. And yes, that Mats Hummels.
While this might sound absolutely ludicrous, there is a genuine and well-reasoned basis behind the suggestion. Firstly, and it needs to be said, Hummels isn't all that now. "Past his peak" would definitely be a relevant phrase to describe Hummels- however even "2022 Hummels" would be a brilliant signing for what we need as a Football club. A Left-Centre-Back with bags of experience at the very highest level, and someone who's exceptional on the ball to play the same tactical role that Tim Ream has done- well you can't really ask for more in my opinion. As I've said, I'm not expecting "World Class" Hummels that he once was, but for what he still brings to the table even at this stage of his career he'd be an absolute no brainer in my opinion.
He could be available as well. Dortmund have already signed Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Sule to boost their Centre-Back department- and given Hummels' age and wages they might take a deal to move him on if it was presented to them.
Chris Smalling (Roma)
While signing a natural left-sided Centre-Back would be a priority given the role Tosin's grown into in this current setup, it shouldn't be forgotten that Tosin spent the last Premier League season playing to the left of Joachim Andersen. As such I don't think signing a right-sided Centre-Back would be a "hard no".
There's been a sort of romanticised "coming home" story for Chris Smalling mentioned a couple of times in recent Premier League seasons as a result of his being out of favour at Man Utd- so it may perhaps be less likely this time around in that he actually plays for Roma. However, with Smalling going into the last year of his contract and turning 33 this year- it would feel like a "now or never" type moment for the supposed homecoming to actually happen. And personally I'd be all for it were it to happen, because Smalling without a shadow of a doubt still has a lot to offer.
Ben Cabango (Swansea)
Looking beyond the starting Centre-Back pair, we also need to add one, if not two Centre-Backs for depth as well. I've decided to focus on depth for Tosin as I've already looked at who to partner him- but for the depth at left-sided Centre-Back (and yes, I do remember Terence Kongolo exists) I wouldn't be looking beyond Maxim Leitsch from Bochum, who with a 3m release clause would represent very good value for money for a player with a lot to offer at a "good age".
While I suspect a lot of other Fulham fans will be looking at another Welsh Centre-Back who made his name at Swansea this summer, I'm looking at the one who isn't currently based in London. I really like Cabango, he ticks a lot of boxes from what you want from a "modern" Centre-Back, and the fact he's at almost a century of appearances in Men's League Football at such a young age is a testament to the talent he does possess. The only slight deterrent would be that Cabango's currently injured, and the last time we signed a Swansea Centre-Back nursing an injury it really didn't go well.
Leo Ostigard (Brighton)
While Cabango is a very "modern" Centre-Back, there's something a bit more shall we say "old fashioned" about Leo Ostigard, but that's not a criticism of him. In fact, with the sort of season we'll have next season, having a "rough around the edges" type defender to dig in wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. Especially when to the best of my knowledge he's on a free transfer this summer.
In a way I'd look at it as similar to when we signed Aleksandar Mitrovic all that time ago in that he'll need some coaching and mentoring (which is where a signing like a Hummels, Vertonghen or Smalling is handy)- but if we can harness the ability he has and coach him out of the mistakes he can make he'd be a very handy player for us to have. His stint in Serie A is the perfect example of where Ostigard is as a player right now, turning in some very good performances for relegation threatened Genoa, with his performance in a 0-0 against Inter a particular highlight but also being sent off twice against Roma and Torino when he only signed for them in January.
Joseph Okumu (Gent)
I brought up Okumu as a potential signing last year when he was still in Sweden, and he's really only gone from strength to strength since then- with his first year in Belgium being an unqualified success. The Kenyan is just a very good Defender, and has all of the necessary physical attributes to be a success in the Premier League in my opinion.
The step up to the Premier League is of course a massive one, which is why I'd be looking to bring Okumu in as a depth signing to start, but I genuinely believe he has the characteristics and ability to be a starter in the Premier League if given time to bed in and continue his development.
Cedric Soares (Arsenal)
As I mentioned in the introduction to this section, I wouldn't be too keen on signing Neco Williams this summer. Simply put, I'm not sure Williams will suit the sort of team we'll have to be next season- and for the price he'd cost I think we can spend our money more intelligently. And while I do like Kenny Tete, I'm not sure he can be relied upon to start 38 games next season given his injury problems which means we need to look at competition and an alternative this summer.
Cedric has probably played more than even he would have expected to in recent months as a result of Arsenal's injuries, but in doing so he's shown he's exactly the sort of Right-Back I want this summer. Unspectacular, but knows his role in the team and has the tactical intelligence to play that role to a good level. Cedric also obviously has Premier League experience to spare from his time with Arsenal, as well as previously at Southampton which adds even more value to him from my point of view in-terms of what we need this summer from my point of view.
Frederic Guilbert (Aston Villa)
I remember being linked with Guilbert on Deadline Day back in August as we scrambled around for a Right-Back after Kenny Tete got injured, so it's clear he fits whatever profile of Right-Back we look for- and I'd have absolutely no issue in revisiting our interest this summer.
Guilbert is coming towards the end of a very good season on loan at Strasbourg, and you would imagine he'd be available this summer with Matty Cash very firmly the first choice Right-Back at Villa, so if the deal was right and worked for everyone then Guilbert could be a very smart choice for us this summer.
Alexander Bah (Slavia Prague)
Looking outside of the Premier League now, and my annual call to sign a Right-Back with pace that I've made every year since Ryan Fredericks departed. With Kenny Tete quite solid defensively as he showed during the last Premier League season, it could be worth looking at a very different characteristic of Right-Back for his "alternate".
To put in simple terms, should we look to play a three-back next season, and we have to look at that very seriously as something to have as an option given pretty much every team who has gone up and stayed up recently has at least partially used the formation, Tete would be tucking in as the right-sided Centre-Back whereas with Bah we'd have a pure Wing-Back.
Hassane Kamara (Watford)
Watford have gone down with a whimper, I think even Watford fans would admit that. But as always with a relegated team there are players to be picked up, and even with how much a mess Watford have been defensively- Hassane Kamara would be a very smart buy in my opinion. While I realise this is being posted just after he's been sent off, I've seen enough from Kamara since he signed in January and from his previous stint in Ligue 1 to believe that there is a genuine Premier League standard player in there- and I wonder if we could work out a deal with Watford where they sign a player that we're perhaps not too keen on keeping going into next season as part of a deal for Kamara.
Marcel Halstenberg (RB Leipzig)
Earlier when I talked about playing a three-back I talked about Tete being more suited to a right-sided Centre-Back and Alexander Bah as a Wing-Back- so moving over to the other side- why not get a two-for-one?
Halstenberg is first and foremost a very solid player, who maybe doesn't get the credit he deserves for the role he's played at Leipzig in recent years. Halstenberg's quality- as well as versatility being able to play Left-Back, Wing-Back or the left-sided Centre-Back in a three really stands out to me, and with his contract up this summer and turning 30 if we could give Halstenberg an appealing offer, in return we could get a very handy player for next season.
Ismaily (Shakhtar Donetsk)
While Manor Solomon isn't posing with a Scarf at Motspur Park yet, all indications are good that he'll be playing in black and white next season. This shows our "awareness" of the very unique set of circumstances that has been presented in-terms of player recruitment as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. So why not do it again? While there will be more appealing players in-terms of age, I really don't think we should be looking beyond next season in-terms of signing players. For the simple fact that if we can just stay up the first year and get our feet under the table, we should be better placed to then kick on- but until we do that- there's no point.
Midfielders
The Midfield and how we approach it this summer will be interesting. We've obviously known for a while that Fabio Carvalho's gone, but we also need to become a lot more compact in the midfield and offer more in-terms of physicality and "roughness" than we have in the season just gone. We also need to address an obvious problem that for want of a better way to put it, we aren't that hard to play against- we've just been better than pretty much everyone we've played this season.
You press high on to whoever is at the base of our midfield whether that be Seri or Harrison Reed and force us into giving the ball away in dangerous areas. Coventry nailed it both times. We won't get away with that in probably at least 30 of the 38 games we'll play next season, because we aren't better than the very large majority of Premier League teams.
How we go about doing that is an interesting one, obviously in the last Premier League season we had Reed, Lemina and Zambo as our "core" in the midfield which I was largely ok with to be honest. And I almost think Fabio Carvalho's departure gives us the perfect excuse to shift the balance of the Midfield, bring another body deeper into the Midfield to make us more solid and give us the relatively solid core that the three names mentioned did give us for the majority of the Premier League season at the expense of much, if any, creativity and dynamism- which more or less sums up Parkerball I suppose.
It would be up to Silva to strike the right balance with any new signings mixed in with the Midfielders we already have- but in general I think we need to be looking at being solid as much as anything else with potential midfield signings.
Idrissa Gueye (PSG)
I've always been mindful of Silva's shall we say mixed bag at Everton, but I feel as though his collapse in the second season can almost be directly traced back to Idrissa Gueye's departure in the summer of 2019. So if Silva's "formula for success" in the Premier League hinges on needing Idrissa Gueye, or a player of his type in the midfield, then let's try and get him.
It isn't even too bad of a shout in my opinion, PSG are looking to have a bit of a clear out this summer according to most reports- with Gueye on the list- and combine that with Gueye going into the last year of his contract in Paris you would imagine he'd be available for a very competitive transfer fee to soften the blow that his wages would no doubt provide- in that sense he'd be a signing similar to Areola.
Vinicius Souza (Lommel SK)
I really can't understate how excited I'd be by the signing of Vinicius Souza. It's funny to say that about a player that pretty much nobody reading this will have heard of, from a club that hardly anyone will have heard of either- so I feel like I need to add some more context.
Firstly, Lommel SK are a City Group team in the second tier of Belgian Football- but Vinicius has spent the season loan in the top tier of Belgian football at Mechelen. Without beating around the bush, Vinicius' defensive output this season has been absolutely ridiculous- and that's exactly the sort of profile of Midfielder we need to look at adding this summer. Signing a young "destroyer" type Midfielder could be ideal and I do truly believe we need to add a "destroyer" at the base of the Midfield going into the Premier League if we don't want to leave our defence completely exposed and lose 5-0 every week.
Joe Aribo (Rangers)
Whether it's with us, or another Premier League team- I do believe this summer will be when Joe Aribo finally makes his move to the top tier of English Football. After winning the Scottish League and breaking Celtic's run of dominance last season to the Europa League Final (and potentially winning it) this season, and with Aribo out of contract in 2023- I think this summer will be seen by all parties involved at Ibrox as Aribo's time to move on and Rangers' time to cash in.
I've already mentioned our need for a "destroyer" type central midfielder, but if we want to have a chance of staying up we need a Midfielder who's capable of receiving the ball and carrying it up the pitch- basically we need Zambo, without actually needing Zambo. And Aribo would fit that role absolutely perfectly in my opinion. I'd be interested to know what he'd actually cost given he is as I said going into the last year of his contract, but he'd be a deal I'd be very keen on getting done.
Suat Serdar (Hertha Berlin)
Looking at an alternative "ball carrier" now, and going back to the Bundesliga. There's still a chance the Felix Magath led Hertha Berlin team get relegated which would make any potential deal for Serdar that much easier to do- but even if they do stay up we should just get some ex Fulham players to tell Serdar about a Magath Pre-Season and he'll be at Motspur Park before you can say Quark.
Serdar is more or less the definition of a box-to-box midfielder, and fits a similar sort of profile as Aribo in-terms of what we'd get from him. Realistically it's a choice of the two for me, and would ultimately just come down to cost and what would represent a better deal for us.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (Man City)
As I've already mentioned, Carvalho's departure almost gives an excuse to shift the balance of the Midfield with the focus being on becoming more solid- it is of course entirely possible that we decide to stick with "what got us to the dance" and try and get a like for like replacement for Carvalho in which means we would be looking for attacking-midfielders. And it's with that in mind that my first suggestion will be known to most people as a Left-Back.
People tend to forget that Zinchenko's an attacking-midfielder by trade, and in basically any team that isn't the level of Man City he'd be one of the best players in said team playing that role as well. As with any deal it would depend on price, and it would probably require City to buy a Left-Back before Zinchenko could go- but if we did want to go "like for like" in-terms of a Carvalho replacement then I wouldn't look beyond the Ukrainian.
Pablo Sarabia (PSG)
In a relegation scrap, when you're fighting for every point you need a few things. You need a bit of luck, you need to be able to grind a game out, and you need that player who can come up with a moment of magic that turns 1 Point into 3, or 0 into 1- and you don't have to look past the much talked about "bus stop in Hounslow" and the impact Christian Eriksen's had in stabilising their season after it looked like they would be roped into the relegation battle to see why it's so important. That's where Pablo Sarabia comes in.
Sarabia just has that "magic touch" that can take control of a game and he'd bring that extra bit of quality either playing behind the Striker or on either Wing. And as I've already mentioned with Idrissa Gueye, being a PSG fringe player you would have to imagine he'd be available if the right offer came in.
Forwards
People will talk about our need to recruit defensively, and rightly so. But I think our last Premier League outing has also shown that you can't just defend if you want to stay up. Even with our collapse Post-Anfield we more or less had a Mid-Table defence in-terms of goals conceded- but if you aren't putting the ball into the back of the net and actually winning games of Football it isn't enough to stay up.
There'll of course be plenty of snarky comments about Mitrovic and how he can't do it in the Premier League, but the challenge for us as a club is to make sure the "supply lines" to Mitrovic are still there next season- and that comes from recruiting smartly and getting the right players in who will stop Mitrovic from getting isolated up-front. Put simply, if we get balls into the box and create good chances, Mitrovic knows where the goal is. He's shown as much at international level.
Rafa Silva (Benfica)
Even with the seemingly imminent signing of Manor Solomon, I still believe we need to sign two Forwards- and with however much money we have to spend this summer- my belief is we should look to spend a significant chunk of that on a real "X Factor" forward. Because ultimately they can be the difference maker as I already mentioned when talking about Sarabia. Rafa Silva would definitely provide that in spades for us, and would almost become our "Raphinha" type player.
It's another extremely ambitious target, but we need to come into the window with the ambition to sign real quality, and a signing like Rafa Silva would more than set us on our way to making next season a successful one.
Takumi Minamino (Liverpool)
I almost had Minamino placed in the midfield section of this blog, because I do genuinely believe his best role is playing behind a Striker like he did at Salzburg and hasn't really had the chance of doing at Liverpool. So in that sense, Minamino could very well be our Fabio Carvalho replacement, but Minamino is equally adept at playing on the wing so that's how he's ended up here. It's that versatility that would make Minamino a very smart buy for us, and would offer us more tactical versatility as we go into the Premier League next season.
Luis Sinisterra (Feyenoord)
Similar to Rafa Silva, Sinisterra would be the absolute top of the bill headline summer signing for us this summer. Sinisterra would well and truly be that "X Factor" "difference maker" player for us, or at least in theory he would be. I'm always slightly hesitant when discussing signings from the Eredivisie, because it remains to be seen how Eredivisie form can translate to a different league. We have first hand experience with Bryan Ruiz, but there's also been players like Alireza Jahanbakhsh at Brighton who were unreal in the Eredivisie and barely made a dent in the Premier League. However, no signing is without risk, and Sinisterra is showing all of the necessary signs ability wise to be a star.
It's also worth mentioning Sinisterra to bring up a slightly more general point for this summer transfer window. We're going into a very unique season next year, with the World Cup meaning the league is paused for pretty much a month, the debate over a winter World Cup can be saved for another day, but the reason it's relevant to Fulham in this context is we've had a tendency to run out of steam and then come back firing on all cylinders either side of an international break under Silva. With the most recent example of course being the abject performance and loss to West Brom before coming back to beat QPR and Boro back-to-back.
"Marginal gains" has become a much mentioned phrase in Football now, perhaps none more pioneered by Scott Parker with his clever Set-Pieces that have secured two promotions. But it's with these marginal gains in mind that I bring up a potential avenue we could commit to this summer. We don't have many players going to the World Cup- (injury notwithstanding) we have Robinson and Mitrovic definitely going, with Harry Wilson's fate still to be decided. I can absolutely guarantee there won't be more than 3 or 4 teams in the Premier League with a similar or smaller travelling party to Qatar. So one "marginal gain" we could look to take advantage of is using the break that's provided to us by signing players who won't be in Qatar, whether that's from nations like Colombia such as Sinisterra or players who aren't getting called up to their national team anymore like say Mats Hummels and take the breather that's presented to us this winter to come back fresh on Boxing Day.
Moses Simon (Nantes)
Another player who won't be in Qatar this winter is Moses Simon after Nigeria succumbed to Denis Odoi's Ghana in the AFCON Play-Offs in the most recent international break. Simon has had a very good season for Nantes, topped off with winning the Coupe de France. Primarily a Left-Winger, Simon is another player who would bring to us proper lightning quick pace that can cause chaos to defences and he would prove to be a smart bit of business for us were we to do it.
Sheraldo Becker (Union Berlin)
Another player who'd bring exceptional pace to our forward line is Sheraldo Becker, who's played a key part in Union Berlin's exceptional season that's left them with a chance of securing Europa League next season going into the final day of the Bundesliga. Becker is a very interesting player in my opinion, and the reason I bring him up beyond his pace and threat in that sense is he's done his best work playing in a front two.
I mentioned at the start of this section that if we want success next season, we can't isolate Mitrovic up-front- and it's with that in mind that I want us to sign that sort of "Second Striker" who gives us the genuine option of playing two up-front rather than what we've been treated to this season with Muniz which hasn't really been his game. Becker can play on the wing as well, but it's in the front two that he's really flourished- and I'd be signing him with that option in mind- and with Becker being another player going into the last year of his contract if we put the right offer in and could tempt Becker over to SW6 he'd be a very good bit of business.
Musa Barrow (Bologna)
Becker would be my first choice for the role I mentioned above as a potential strike partner for Mitrovic who can also play on the wing, but as always it's also worth looking at alternatives- and Musa Barrow was actually someone I was keen on during the last Premier League season in the January where we ended up with Josh Maja. Having that threat of someone who can run in behind is so important for a team at the wrong end of the Premier League table, especially nowadays where so many teams want to play a high line- the space is there to be exploited in behind. And with all of the love in the world for Mitrovic, he isn't that player.
Outs
While the Premier League brings with it the excitement of "who will we sign?", it also gives us a very good chance to almost hit the reset button and clear out a lot of the "dead wood". It's been an interesting season, where a lot of people, myself included were almost hoping Silva would rotate more than he did- especially with what I already mentioned in-terms of players looking fatigued and international breaks being welcome when they did come.
However, I ultimately think it boils down to a very simple explanation- Marco Silva didn't trust the "squad players" to actually play reliably and up to the required standard. Next season will be a squad game, perhaps more so than ever given it's 5 Subs and 9 on the bench, and while it's 38 games instead of 46- the fixture density will be quite similar to a Championship season given the month gap we'll have over the winter. In short, we need a squad that Silva trusts, and if Silva doesn't want them- then get rid of them.
Tim Ream
Despite reports from The Athletic today (as of publishing) this summer is the right time to say goodbye to Tim Ream. I'd hoped there would be an announcement prior to Sheffield Utd that Ream was leaving so he could get the send off he deserves from the fans- but that didn't happen. I think every Fulham fan has, and will have a lot of time for Tim Ream, but similar to Denis Odoi's departure in January it's the right time for a split. To put it simply, it's the perfect end to the story with winning the title in what should be Ream's last home game. Prolonging the "marriage" for a Premier League year where at best Ream would be a bit part player, and at worst he'd actually be playing wouldn't work out for anyone really in my opinion- so it's best for us to thank Ream for all that he's done for us in his near 7 year stint, get him down the Cottage for a "Forever Fulham" award similar to how we did with Denis Odoi against Luton and draw a line under his time at the club.
Jean-Michael Seri
Another fan-favourite player out of contract, albeit with an option built in is of course Seri. It may perhaps be a bold prediction, but considering I also did a bold prediction of predicting Seri would stay last summer- I think Seri might well be off this summer.
In the search of an analogy for my reasoning I turn to Formula 1. Rightly or wrongly, there was always a perception of recent Mercedes F1 cars that they were built to be the best in show. Put the Car on Pole and ride off into the sunset. If, for whatever reason, the Mercedes car found itself behind other cars there was always a train of thought that it would struggle. In this title winning season we've been Mercedes, and that suits a player like Jean-Michael Seri. Next season, we're not going to be anywhere near the proverbial front of the grid.
We've already had games this season that Seri's been left out of because it wouldn't really be his bag, and going into the Premier League next season I wonder how many games will actually be Seri's bag. I've already made reference to potentially changing the dynamic of our midfield to become more solid and "workhorse" which Seri doesn't really fit into. I'd love Seri to stay, and his "redemption" this season has been one of the highlights- but I don't think his staying would necessarily work out next season.
Neeskens Kebano
Our third "significant" (non Liverpool bound) player out of contract this summer is of course Neeskens Kebano. Compared to Ream and Seri, I think Kebano's renewal also reported in The Athletic is a bit more of a no-brainer. While I don't think Kebano's good enough to be a regular starter in the Premier League, as an option to have- he's perfect. We all know how good he is to have around in the dressing room, and it's been an indisputable fact that we have been a better team this season when he's started.
Marek Rodak
I've sort of already covered this one, but I'll repeat it here. I don't trust Marek Rodak to start in the Premier League after the season he's just had. Which could mean that Rodak departs this summer given his "I don't want to sit on the bench again" interview he did a couple of weeks ago. As I've already said, there's no room for sentiment in the Premier League, it's brutal, and while I do have a theory that Rodak is a Keeper who suits being "busy" more which he'd obviously be in the Premier League if a Goalkeeper of the standard of an Areola, Dean Henderson, Rajkovic was available then we can't turn that down- even if that means Rodak departs.
Our Goalkeeper department could get a complete makeover this summer as well, because I wouldn't rule out Paulo Gazzaniga departing to actually play Football along with Fabri's contract being up which I've already made reference to.
Michael Hector
It's probably a bit harsh that Hector hasn't played more this season to be honest. Obviously Sheffield Utd not withstanding given the players probably wouldn't be allowed to drive home he didn't really put a foot wrong in the limited appearances he did get- most notably when Tosin was suspended around November time.
However, we also know what happened to Michael Hector last time he played in the Premier League, and it wasn't pretty. As such it's best for everyone that Hector's moved on this summer, and finds another permanent home- because he could be a very useful for a Championship side chasing promotion next season.
Alfie Mawson
Along with Gazzaniga, a casualty of Coventry away- going back to trust, and Silva not trusting some of the options at his disposal I feel like the game at Coventry was that "loss of trust" moment for multiple players who we could see depart this summer.
I feel like everything that needs to be said has already been said about Mawson, there is still a player in there who could be a respectable Championship level player (at least) but his move to us has just been cursed from the start- and I genuinely hope he can finally get into a team and actually stay fit because he was on the edge of the England set-up when he joined us.
Terence Kongolo
Kongolo just needs to actually play Football next season. He has a contract with us until 2024, so finding a loan for Kongolo next season to at least try and get him consistent minutes and then revisiting next summer will be the best move for everyone.
Joe Bryan
I've already talked about wanting to sign a Left-Back, and if we do that would make Joe Bryan firmly third choice Left-Back- and he's much, much better than being a third choice Left-Back. Especially with the knowledge that the main reason Joe Bryan had a bit of a comeback in the run-in was more down to Robinson nursing a knee injury that requires surgery I feel relatively confident in saying that if an offer came in for Joe Bryan this summer we would entertain the idea of moving him on- and I wonder if a deal involving Hassane Kamara and Joe Bryan trading places could work out well for all parties involved.
Josh Onomah
Yet another casualty of Coventry away, people might actually forget that thanks to Harrison Reed's injury Onomah actually started the season for us- and started well. But after that mix up between Onomah and Ream that let Coventry back into the game there really wasn't a way back for him in the eyes of Silva.
Much like Hector and Mawson, there's a useful player in there who deserves to play more than he has done this season and it's a testament to the squad we had that we could afford to not play someone like Onomah for pretty much the whole season. Especially with Onomah going into the tail end of his contract this would be a good year to sell him.
Anthony Knockaert
I do wonder with Anthony Knockaert, because his injury at the start of the season basically meant he didn't get a chance to work his way into the team under Silva when he'd started the Charlton friendly just before the season. While I don't think he would have ever been a regular starter for us, especially when his direct competition was one of the best players in the division in Harry Wilson- he might have been able to be more than official club hype-man who made a couple of appearances when everyone else in the team was ill.
Given the wages Knockaert's on, I doubt we could find a buyer for him- and I'd see it as a similar deal to the one we ended up doing with Cyrus Christie where we loan him out just so they can play as they run their contract down with us.
Ivan Cavaleiro
Our Premier League Striker. Depending on the number of incomings, I wouldn't mind keeping Cavaleiro around as a squad option. I do think he'd have a place in the squad, with a lot of the "bad feeling" towards him pretty much being because Parker threw him under the bus in my opinion. But at the same time, he's not been much of a factor this season- so I don't think it would be a surprise if he were to depart this summer, and it won't be the end of the world if he does.
Rodrigo Muniz
First of all I should say I actually like Muniz and don't want to see him leave permanently. For a very young Striker to come to Europe for the first time, and almost exclusively be limited to 10 minute cameos where we've been chasing a game and the other team has put everyone behind the ball hasn't been ideal.
Similar to my opinion on Kongolo, I think Muniz just needs to actually get a run of games together next season- and I also believe we need to sign a Striker option that offers us something different like a Sheraldo Becker. Ideal scenario to me is we find Muniz a loan in the Championship next year where he'll actually start games consistently because that's the only way he'll be able to significantly develop next season.
Next season is going to be a tricky one, and it's fair to say I doubt we'll be seeing any 7-0 margins of victory- at least not in our favour. The whole "yo-yo" club label we've been stuck with at the moment isn't entirely fair given our longevity in the Premier League prior to 2014, but I do wonder if it's one we're going to be stuck with for quite a while now. It's getting harder and harder to stay in the Premier League as a newly promoted club now. With the likes of Villa, Brighton and Wolves getting a firm foothold in the Premier League, Palace's overnight rebuild being a success and obviously now with Newcastle's takeover there are less and less teams that you can realistically see us finishing above if we are to stay up every time we've been promoted. Simply put, you need to get things pretty much perfect, and also have a bit of luck along the way- and that's the challenge that lies in front of us next season. Will we do it? Only time will tell. But the first thing we can do to try and change our recent fortune in the Premier League is to actually get key transfer business done early- and that'll be the biggest challenge for Tony Khan this summer.
Thanks for reading these transfer blogs as always, I still really enjoy putting these annual blogs together- so hopefully you still like reading them. I said it at the start of this marathon blog, and I'll repeat it at the end- regardless of what we're treated to next season, this season was special and it should be remembered as such. For now, it's time for everyone to take a breath, and for the hard work off the pitch to begin. Thanks again for reading, hopefully you've enjoyed the season as much as I have, and we can come back in August ready to make a proper crack at staying in the Premier League.
