Reading this mornings Fulham Fanzscene magazine there is more speculation Re : Mc C, and Dembele leaving us in this transfer window. MD has refused to sign a contract extension which could see us loosing him in the summer for about £350.000, so the deal that FFC require is around 6m a player inc and remaining with us for the rest of the season, to me and other fans this is possibly the best deal we could hope for. As for Ross, he stated that at 29 there would not be many more years for him to fulfil his ambition to play in the premiership, a clear indication he would welcome a move away. I hope that the outcome will be financially beneficial to the club, but we must finish the season in a strong position, allowing the manager to rebuild his team in the close season.
Boro must be close to the door of the FFP bailiffs even without this move for McCormack. Is he absolutely sure they're not simply buying him now to get into the Premiership with next year's massive TV money pot and out of that Championship stranglehold - a la QPR. And that, at then aged 30, they won't just dump him?
You'll have read in the 'Team v Hull' thread and numerous other places no doubt, about McCormack's absence tomorrow. If I recall, Mousa Dembele (the first) also threw a sickie the weekend before he moved to Spurs. That's me just being cynical of course and Slavi had something different to say to the local paper - “He’s not for sale,” Jokanovic said. “I don’t change my position. It’s the same for Mike Rigg (chief football officer). It’s the same for Alistair Macintosh (chief executive). I didn’t come here to sell the players at this moment. I read the press too, and it’s normal other clubs are interested in players. “But he is one of our key players and we believe he can help us in the future.” Could be hard times ahead for Slavi with that pair and their past record. I'm minded that McCormack also has previous. He didn't go on pre-season with Leeds and more or less forced his way out of there. Could be hard times ahead for us fans as well.
Mentioning Mousa 1 and Spurs in the earlier post got me thinking about Moussa 2. First we had media stories that we wanted £6m from Spurs for him so long he was loaned back for the rest of the season. Then, next day, it was spurs wanting to package a player into the deal instead of him being loaned back. And now today the Evening Standard say Moussa 2 doesn’t want to be loaned back. You can see Daniel Levy’s hand all over this. Doing his usual of putting us under pressure trying to lower the fee. He'd normally keep up this kind of stuff up till the last minute and swoop in with a “take it or leave it” reduced offer - knowing full well that we get next to nothing if Moussa 2 is still here in the summer. However, there is a sting in the tail this time around. Potential competitors like Wolfsburg, Juventus and Roma have one over on Spurs in that they can offer the player a pre-contract which Spurs can’t. That doesn’t suit us either because we again get next to nothing. It does however remove some of Levy’s normal bargaining wiggle room. But, with only a little over one week left in the transfer window there’s still pressure on us. Don’t know if a game chess would be a correct analogy for the situation – poker might be closer, in which case I would bet against Levy in favour of Rigg.
According to Sky Austria, 27yr old Austrian centre back from SK Sturm Graz Michael Madl is currently having a medical at Motspur Park. Source: http://www.skysportaustria.at/bundesliga-at/michael-madl-reist-zum-medizincheck-nach-london/ From what little I've gleaned, 'solid' seems to be the recurring description.
Just saw this one too. Love the Austrian clubs cooment : The club's general manager Gerhard Goldbrich said: "We have put together a good overall package with the English giants Fulham FC."
Apparently we've turned down a bid from them for Matty. Source: http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/01/25/por-fulham-reject-bristol-city-bid-for-smith/
How can we be signing a player while under this transfer embargo? I guess It'll all be in the wording of the deal. Initial 6 month loan with option to buy in the summer yada yada yada. Even though the deal will already have been agreed.
The Graz General Manager has been on an Austrian TV sports channel. In summary he said, "Fulham had placed a bid for Michael Madl last summer. They kept in touch with us, scouted him further and have now made him a fantastic offer. We have now reached a full agreement with them.” Also, he expected an announcement tomorrow and hinted at a potential player-swap deal but wouldn't go into detail when asked about it. Who do you reckon might be swapped? Bodurov? Voser? Matilla?
Looks like we’re never going to get to see what Adam Taggart is made of. please log in to view this image Reports today say we are willing to let Taggart leave as he is well down the pecking order and doesn’t figure in the Club's long-term plans. And that Taggart himself has negotiated a deal with his former club Perth Glory.
The player is reported as saying, “For me it's the right time to try and seize the opportunity to play in England. I want to thank Sturm Graz.". So don't quite understand the Club's delay in making an announcement. Guess it could be something to do with his registration being more complex to ensure it's within the embargo rules. Or, the Club are saving it as a sop for some bad news ....?
And the bad news might not be what we expected. Sure there’s still the swarm of rumours about McCormack and Boro – we’re digging our heels in; they’re upping the offer; and every journalist, pseudo or otherwise, adding their tenpennyworth of advice. And renewed stories that Dembele has accepted Monaco’s pre-contract offer but because we get a paltry payback, we’ve made encouraging noises to Spurs. Who of course are said to be taking advantage, with his price allegedly dropping as low as £4m. Certainly looks as though he’s going one way or the other and doubt if many would take a fee in the upper reaches of millions as overly disappointing. No, the bad news is another story altogether and one that is gathering legs – Tom Cairney to Ajax. please log in to view this image
I said a few weeks ago we should have bit of spurs hand if there offer was 6mil we now look as though we could get half of that, some business acumen Ali Mc and Rigg have got. and how khan has built up his billions ?( or has he an ulterior motive re: THE COTTAGE ) Late this evening a Boro spoksman said that they would not be upping their offer above that which has been put on the table "9mil ?". further reports say they have offered 9m for Jorden Rhodes who is nearly 5yrs younger than Mc C. So why hang on to a player who undoubtedly does not want to play for us. Our ultimate problem could be that if we acquired 14/16mil Clueless Rigg would have his incompetent snout in the transfer trough.
Paper reports today say that McCormack is doing a "Leeds" please log in to view this image "Ross McCormack has handed in a transfer request at Fulham off the back of the club offering him a contract that would see him take a non-playing role when he turns 32. Sources close to the player have told Sportsmail that McCormack, 29, has: 'no wish to retire from playing the game he loves at 32.' He also believes he deserves a chance of at least competing to get into the Barclays Premier League, an opportunity which Fulham cannot give him at this stage." One source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3420855/Fulham-striker-Ross-McCormack-hands-transfer-request-refuses-retire-club-offered-striker-non-
According to to nights transfer news/gossip, Fulham are pursuing a deal with Spurs for MD, being 5m + Henry Winkes and he stayes with us for rest of season reports state that our offer has been turned down.
He's a decent player but shouldn't have been our club captain, not long till we get the Leeds fans come back now! Edit - just saw the thread from earlier today!
