Four Championship players Fulham could target
Jack Stroudley looks at players that Fulham could look to sign from the Sky Bet Championship.
The dust has now truly settled on the 2023/24 Premier League season and with the fixtures coming out all eyes now turn towards the 2024/25 campaign with transfers the key talking point. Fulham appear to be establishing themselves as a Premier League side once again with Marco Silva stating after our 4-2 win over Luton that the club cannot stand still.
Recruitment will be important this summer and while focus will be towards current Premier League/European players, I think it’s important to look in the division below as the Championship has uncovered some gems in recent years for other clubs.
Gustavo Hamer
Anyone that knows me will be rolling their eyes at this first suggestion due to the amount I go on about him but I really do think Gustavo Hamer is that guy. I suggested us signing him last summer when at Coventry City but were unfortunately pipped by Sheffield United where he has continued to excel.
The 26-year-old’s ability to get the ball in midfield and create chances is something that Fulham could certainly do with. The position next to Joao Palhinha is still fairly up for grabs and bringing in Gus Hamer who got ten goal contributions in that position for a very poor Sheffield United side would be a serious pick-up and help us continue to establish ourselves.
Vinicius Souza
Cameron Donaldson did an excellent job of summarising Vini Souza’s game in article recently so I’ll try not to regurgitate the same information but Souza is a player that Fulham should be all over. The Joao Palhinha situation remains uncertain and may rumble on for some time and Souza is a player who had an excellent first Premier League campaign (again for a struggling Sheffield United).
He’s just turned 25 so would continue to grow and develop under Marco Silva and with an average of 4.22 tackles per 90 (putting him in the top 1% of midfielders) alongside 2.53 clearances (top 4%) and 1.92 blocks (top 5%) he could come at a premium, but he’d fit the Palhinha role like a glove.
Jaden Philogene
With Willian still not committing his future and Fulham probably needing to improve in wide areas, Jaden Philogene seems like a bit of a no brainer to me. Playing off the left for Hull City, Philogene picked up 18 goal contributions last season and was a joy to watch for Liam Rosenior’s side and he’s only 22-years-old.
Philogene averaged 4.88 progressive carries (top 7%), 2.79 successful take-ons (9%), 3.69 shots (top 3%) and 2.5 tackles (top 2%) showcasing not only his ability to get forward and create a plethora of chances but to come back defensively when needed. It’s obviously a step up but I think now is the time for Philogene and I hope that Fulham are at the front of the queue.
Teden Mengi
I’ve spoke about Teden Mengi before as a potential Tosin replacement but with the move to Chelsea now confirmed, it feels right to go back and talk about Mengi. Marco Silva has stated that he wanted two centre backs this summer and at just 21, Mengi could come in and become a long-term solution for Fulham (even if he doesn’t start regularly to begin with).
He was in the top 2% for interceptions last season and top 9% for blocks while playing for a struggling Luton Town side. This one feels like a bit of a no brainer with time on his side and a solid year of Premier League experience, Fulham could allow Mengi the scope to continue to develop into a very solid Premier League central defender.
