Are Fulham sleepwalking into trouble?

Jack Stroudley looks ahead to the upcoming 2026-27 Premier League campaign.

The World Cup provided a fantastic distraction from Fulham, but there’s no rest for the wicked with Premier League football right around the corner.

Usually I take Fulham’s lack of early summer business on the chin, but this time it feels different; concerning; alarming. Is this just a case of groundhog day where Fulham do what they need to in the eleventh hour? Or are we sleepwalking into impending trouble?

The manager

I’ll break this article down into three main points that provide understandable cause from concern. I’d like to preface I’m usually quite the optimist when it comes to Fulham, but this time round, I’m struggling - let’s start with the gaffer.

In news that will be new to nobody, Fulham appointed Alvaro Arbeloa earlier in July following Marco Silva’s departure. I’ll keep this section brief because everyone has spoke till the cows come home about their thoughts on Arbeloa. His lack of experience is a real concern, his difficulties managing the toxic Madrid dressing room doesn’t go in his favour and his sheer lack of managerial sample size makes this appointment a huge risk.

Fulham do need risk and while I am excited and will support Arbeloa all the way, in a summer of huge transition, this is one that really could go either way. He talks a good game but will he back it up? If he does well I wouldn’t be shocked, but if he starts poorly and is gone by October - I would be equally not as shocked.

The current squad/recruitment

Strap in folks, it’s time for everyone’s favourite talking point - what on earth are Fulham doing in the market? I write a weekly rumour round-up on the Fulhamish website (shameless plug for those who haven’t read it) and once it goes live on Thursday and I remove all the rumours from my word doc, I get a sense of excitement that next week there will actually be some movement in the market - and there never is.

I can’t say this is a surprise; we all know what the Khans are like and Tony Khan even confirmed they weren’t going to change the recruitment model in his interview with Jack Kelly earlier this summer.

This does feel different though. The squad has taken a huge hit losing both Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez, the pair were involved (goals or assists) in 29 of the 47 we scored last time out, so there is a huge gap to fill.

On top of that, Fulham never addressed the lack of midfield options last summer. Then in defence, people are understandably concerned by Joachim Andersen, we’ve lost Issa Diop, Kenny Tete’s fitness is always a worry, Samuel Chukwueze won’t be returning so we’re another winger light and Bernd Leno isn’t getting any younger.

That is a gargantuan ask for a club/ownership model that will not budge on their strategy. I’m not saying Fulham need all of that come the end of August, but if there was a contingency plan in previous years, I wouldn’t be sat here listing all of these points at the same time.

Other clubs

This is one of my main points for writing this article. The reason I’ve never really been worried about our slow summers before is because we’ve always had a few players you could count on - this year I’m struggling though.

Sure, we’ve got exciting young talent in Kevin, Oscar Bobb and Josh King. Rodrigo Muniz struggled last year and could find his form again, but there’s no “sure-fire” players who will get us out of trouble at the moment.

Meanwhile, those who finished above us are improving their squads. As are those who finished around us, and even below us. Not only that, clubs are losing players and being proactive by having those lined up to come in immediately.

Lacroix at Palace, van Hecke at Brighton, Struijk at Leeds, Gordon at Newcastle and a number of players at Aston Villa. Fulham just don’t do that; we still haven’t replaced Mitrovic, we never truly reinvested after Palhinha and we’re in the same boat with Wilson and Jimenez.

Other clubs are also poaching players, making very shrewd signings. Diomande to Nottingham Forest and Hackney to Everton just to name two. Leeds are looking like they’ll sign Japanese ‘keeper Zion Suzuki. These are all the types of players Fulham should be in for. We have financial muscle, we have the London location going for us - use it!

Instead, we’re looking at going after a bunch of Castilla academy graduates and a central defender in Turkey whose played there for six months (of which still hasn’t been backed up by any credible UK media). I’m not saying these won’t turn out to be successful signings, but the teams around us and below us are picking up ready-made players who will make an instant impact. I’m not too sure these players will.

Are we sleepwalking?

Honestly, I think the answer could be yes. I’m usually quite the optimist and I’m not saying Fulham are going to go down. But in a season of transition, we’re making some very worrying choices. An unproven manager, a lack of squad depth and an inability to be proactive in the market. Other teams around us are improving, and if we’re not careful, we might sink.