Watching the Euros tonight and listening to Danny Murphy reminded me that Andre-Pierre Gignac was intended as Mousa Dembele's replacement. [Although memory a bit hazy - he might have been for Bobby Zamora] please log in to view this image The story went like this: "The Marseille and France striker's plans for a switch to Craven Cottage last week were crushed at the 11th hour after he was wooed by Whites boss Martin Jol. Gignac thought he had put a troubled past behind him at IO’M only for his parent club to demand his immediate return. Marseille had been let down by their own transfer targets and needed Gignac to cover gaps instead. A fee had been agreed with Marseille and the player was at Motspur park having a medical before finalising terms. The player himself admitted he wanted to join the Whites and play in the Premiership. He added: “We were told about Olympiakos and Fulham and I decided to listen to the London side. We went there and immediately we felt their interest was concrete and serious." “We spent the evening with coach Martin Jol and his wife. On Wednesday (transfer deadline day) we had a medical. It was a wonderful welcome. At 10.30pm, Marseille called me to return because my forward replacement would not come." Ah well, now we'll never know what the 25 year old (as he was then) might have achieved.
