Fulham are looking to make the first signing of the Alvaro Arbeloa era, after confirming the appointment of the Real Madrid manager earlier this week.
Speaking after his arrival, Arbeloa said: “It is a great honor for me to enter this new stage at Fulham FC, the oldest club in London. I feel a great responsibility and I am very grateful to Mr. Khan and Tony Khan for the trust they have placed in me and Fulham in the Premier League.
“I’m looking forward to hearing the atmosphere at Craven Cottage with the Fulham fans and starting pre-season with the players next week. I’m sure we’ll enjoy a great journey together.”
Having brought in a replacement for Marco Silva, the Cottagers’ next move will be strengthening the club in the transfer market, and they are now in the race to sign Southampton midfielder Shea Charles.
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Football FanCast verdict |
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Honesty |
Fulham are known to be interested in signing midfielders, as well as centre-forwards and wingers. With Sander Berge attracting interest, strengthening the middle of the park could be very important, so Charles would be a smart addition. |
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Finance |
Amid interest from Premier League rivals Leeds United, the Northern Ireland man is worth around £25m, so the Cottagers may have to shell out a hefty sum to get the deal done. |
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Understanding |
The midfielder has only played one game in the Premier League, but has experience at Championship level, scoring four goals and providing seven assists in 106 games. |
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Impact |
Like Berge, the Southampton star thrives primarily in a defensive role, so he could be brought in as a direct replacement for the Norway international. |
Fulham are keen to sign Shea Charles from Southampton
A report from Sky Sports has revealed that Fulham are now in the race to sign Charles, along with Leeds and Crystal Palace.
The 22-year-old has only one year left on his contract at St.
Shea Charles could be the “outstanding” midfielder for Arbeloa
Should the 35-cap Northern Ireland star become Arbeloa’s first signing, he could be a very good player, as international manager Michael O’Neill has praised, who said: “I thought Shea was outstanding, I have to say. Apart from the possession, the amount of balls he got and he won from being second favourite. Then he used the ball the way he did.”
In the Championship last season, the Southampton star showed his defensive strength by averaging 2.1 per 90, while Berge averaged 1.8 per 90 for Fulham in the Premier League.
The bottom line is that the Manchester native is a versatile midfielder, evidenced by his attacking prowess, scoring six goals and providing two assists in 38 appearances in all competitions last season.
With Wirh Berge attracting interest from Manchester United, it may be difficult for Fulham to land him this summer, but Charles has the qualities to take a strong position.
