The FFC Rumour Mill: Pepi deal nears, Bobb has medical, and Adama exits

Here are all the ins and outs in the final Rumour Mill of the window.

With the January transfer window closing in less than a week, it seems that - typically - Fulham are pulling into gear.

The Whites’ 2-1 win over Brighton last weekend has propelled us into seventh and into serious European conversations. Now Fulham need to be active this window in raising the squad’s floor, and going off of the rumours this week, we seem to be doing just that! Let’s take a look.

Incomings

The biggest news of the week comes in the form of the imminent signing of Manchester City winger Oscar Bobb. Numerous sources report that the youngster is undergoing a medical on Thursday and the deal may well be announced by the time you read this. Fabrizio Romano reported yesterday that a deal had been agreed between the two clubs for £27m.

I wrote an article on Tuesday about Bobb so won’t give too much away here, but this is exactly the type of profile Fulham should be targeting.

Elsewhere, Fulham have not given up on Ricardo Pepi after submitting a £28m bid for him earlier this week. While PSV have rejected this bid, talks are advanced according to Ben Jacobs with Fulham not falling too far off the valuation set by the Dutch side for the American forward. Pepi is currently out for the next four weeks with a broken arm, but Fulham view Pepi as a long-term target and are keen to get this done before Monday’s 7pm deadline.

The positive news keeps on coming in SW6, with club captain Tom Cairney signing a new one-year deal to keep him at the club until the summer of 2027. The deal will see TC be at the club for 12 years. He’s shown he’s still more than capable at this level and after the fiasco last season about whether he would sign or not, it’s good that the club have acted early to get this piece of business done.

Sticking with those currently at the club, reports in Italy suggest Samuel Chukwueze will stay at Fulham. It’s an offer that the Whites won’t take up until the summer, but Milan will receive around £23m as a result of the sale. Personally, I’d be all over this one (assuming nothing disastrous happens in the second half of the season). Chukwueze has been exceptional for us and deserves to stay at the club and having him alongside Wilson, Kevin and Bobb (hopefully) would give us a formidable attack for the future.

Finally, Sky Sports have reported that Fulham have held positive talks with KRC Genk for South Korean international Oh Hyeon-gyu. I don’t know much about him, but he’s scored 10 times this season in the Belgian league, and may be a Pepi alternative should a deal for the USMT international collapse.

Outgoings

Adama Traore to West Ham was announced on Wednesday, with the Spaniard calling time on his two-and-a-half year stay in SW6. Fulham reportedly received £2m for the winger - a far cry from the £7m they initially demanded.

Harry Wilson has once again been the topic of conversation with the BBC claiming his contract talks are on hold until Fulham sort out Silva’s contract, while Sky Sports go even further, claiming that the Welsh wizard is “increasingly likely” to depart on a free in the summer.

This all feels a little bit agent-led and I wouldn’t read too much into it. Wilson’s agent is understandably demanding a healthy pay rise given his up-turn in form and Fulham you imagine will pay it. The Bobb situation doesn’t change things, this is one that will roll on into the summer months.