Fulham have not signed a player this summer but could become the new surprise package of the Premier League.
The Cottagers finished 13th last season and are now preparing for their fourth season with Marco Silva at the helm.
11
In early transfer activity, central defender Tosin Adarabioyo left the club at the end of his contract and joined west London rivals Chelsea on a free transfer.
They then lost their star midfielder Joao Palhinha to Bayern Munich, reportedly in a deal that could be worth up to £46.5 million.
However, The Pitch Prospect believes that Fulham will see a big signing with the signing of Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal.
Ryan Sessegnon has also been linked with a return to the club and The Pitch Prospect.com has taken a look at what Silva’s starting eleven could look like next season.
Bernd Leno is expected to remain their first-choice goalkeeper after starting all 38 Premier League games last season and keeping ten clean sheets.
At left-back, Antonee Robinson had another strong season for Fulham, collecting seven assists in all competitions.
He was named the club’s player of the season and played for the United States at the Copa America, where he provided an assist on one goal.
Although Adarabioyo may be sorely missed, Calvin Bassey’s 32 appearances last season were the most of any Fulham centre-back.
The Nigerian international joined from Ajax last summer and helped keep seven clean sheets in his first year at Craven Cottage.
He could be supported in the centre of defence by Issa Diop, a combination that has already been used eleven times under Silva.
11
11
11
Timothy Castagne has started 29 Fulham games at right-back since joining from Leicester last August and is likely to continue to outdo fellow countryman Kenny Tete, also 28.
The departure of Palhinha is a major blow to Fulham’s midfield, as the Portuguese international was the player with the most tackles in the Premier League last season with 152.
However, they are reportedly close to signing Andre from Brazilian club Fluminense, in a transfer worth over £20 million, as revealed by The Pitch Prospect in December.
The 23-year-old has made 189 appearances for his club and has played five times for Brazil. He could play alongside Tom Cairney.
Cairney first signed for Fulham in 2015 and is the club’s longest serving player and captain, so his experience and leadership qualities are likely to be key to the club’s success.
Fulham’s attacking midfield could see one of the most interesting signings of the summer in Smith Rowe from Arsenal.
They are close to agreeing a record £35m deal for the 23-year-old, who has struggled to play regularly at the Emirates Stadium over the past two seasons.
11
11
11
Smith Rowe will likely have to fight for a place in the starting line-up with Andreas Pereira, who, along with Robinson (44), made the most appearances last season and was involved in 12 goals.
The duo could also form an attacking midfield duo ahead of Andre or Cairney, with potential new signing Smith Rowe potentially getting the edge.
Willian was very successful on Fulham’s left-wing attack, scoring ten goals and providing seven assists in two seasons.
However, at 35, Silva could opt for a younger option in the form of Sessegnon and reports suggest he is close to a return.
11
11
11
The 24-year-old joined Tottenham as a rising star in 2019, but was released after an unfortunate injury spell.
Sessegnon trained with Crystal Palace earlier this summer but could well return to Craven Cottage, where he previously made 120 appearances and scored 25 goals.
On the other hand, Harry Wilson scored the most goals and assists for Fulham last season – five and nine respectively.
Willian and Alex Iwobi could give him competition there, but Wilson could be Silva’s first choice, especially now that Bobby De Cordova-Reid has moved to Leicester.
In attack, Silva seems to be repaying the trust placed in Rodrigo Muniz after he put in an excellent performance in the second half of the season, becoming the team’s top scorer with ten goals.
11