Cottage POV

30th August at 11pm, the deadline of the transfer window is approaching fast and perhaps luckily for Fulham (we should be so thankful) Tony Khan is due in the UK for AEW obligations as they shoot AEW Dynamite and Collision in Cardiff on Wednesday and have their landmark “All In” event at Wembley Stadium next Sunday (25th). How much time he’ll spend at Motspur Park and Craven Cottage is unknown but you hope he’s maybe in London soon to take in Craven Cottage for the first home game of the season before he departs again, likely coming back at some point over the Jaguars’ London fortnight if AEW’s schedule allows for it.

What a fun life having billions seems, Shahid Khan is apparently worth $12bn, he wouldn’t miss $1bn, right? Because I am open to donations, even a few million, lets call it £10m? But away from my jealousy of the Khan’s multi-billion dollar life, we’re here to talk about the dusk of the transfer window. I’d say the dying embers but its these final couple of weeks where football wake up with fast speed deals left, right and centre and the sheer volume of cash that changes hands on the final day is a tad bizarre but adds to the drama of this game.

Marco Silva has called for 3 signings, namely a central defender, a central midfielder and an attacking player. Interestingly for me, that draws the idea that all summer it has been Scott McTominay or Andre instead of both. Two very different players and it does make you wonder whether that means we see McTominay as a 6 which I think is a total misprofiling. We’re in such a bizarre slot for central midfielders profiles, Andreas has been dropped into an 8 role following the signing of Emile Smith Rowe, Tom Cairney as he’s gotten older has also come down the pitch as more of an 8 also. Harrison Reed was a scrappy 6 turned to scrappy 8 shuttling up and down the right hand side supporting right sided triangles. Sasa Lukic is traditionally a funny player, would have excelled in the old school 442 central midfield role as a pretty well rounded midfielder – he probably suits an 8 role but Marco Silva has used him more of a 6 since his arrival from Torino in January 2023. I don’t want to call it confusion, that disrespects our quality Portuguese head coach but Scott McTominay would certainly add to that muddled midfield puzzle.

To clear up, Andre as a recognised comfortable 6, holding midfielder, deep lying playmaker plus Scott McTominay as a physical presence box-shuttler is a lovely midfield mechanic. In these last moments of the window, other names may crop up, especially as Tony Khan enjoys the final days for a supposed bargain, especially with a long list of players in the last year of their deal: Sofyan Amrabat at the death anyone?

The centre half market has been a bizarre one for Fulham. Knowing Tosin is going since last season (hence his removal from the starting eleven) and still unreplaced. We were softly linked with Trevoh Chalobah, then the big rumours came in the form of Diego Carlos and unexpectedly Joachim Andersen coming back to Craven Cottage. I personally would always lead to younger, especially if we’re talking about £20m-£30m, the resell value makes business sense albeit Premier League safety creates millions in revenue. Ultimately, whilst Marco Silva is here and pushing the board, I believe good decisions will be made, Marco has built up more than enough good work in his time at charge that he gets the benefit of the doubt and then some with how we attack the centre back position.

The attacking player is interesting, it’s typically been a left sided winger on the rumour wheel with Semih Kilicsoy a summer long name, Jacob Bruun Larsen in the mix and Alexis Saelemaekers cropped up for a moment. Whilst the club has held long term interest in Stuttgart’s Silas who frequently plays on the right hand side. Either way, it appears Fulham are in the market for that direct winger who will drive at the back four and offer some of that Willian style stuff. Another that could wait until the death – talking of players in the last year of their deal, Federico Chiesa has been mooted on the scene.

Personally, I think there’s room for more than three signings though I admire the clubs’ belief in some of talent within the squad even if the anointing of Rodrigo Muniz as Fulham’s number 9 feels premature and I’ve already spoken about the bit of a hodgepodge midfield area. It’s going to be a very, very interesting next two weeks which sees Fulham play Leicester at home, Ipswich away and the closing of the window, in many ways, the type of season we have could be found out by the end of August.