LOCKED: January 08 Transfer Window

If Koller is coming on loan, why not aim high and try to break the bank on a holding midfielder? Mahamadou Diarra seems to want out of Madrid and they're rumored to be willing to let him go, why not offer them some of that pile of money that's rumored to be available and see what happens?

(I believe you were referring to Lassana Diarra above, that is to say.)

 

I still don't like Healy being in the starting lineup. I know he will probably be better working off of McBride as he is a poacher, but I would much rather see Marlon King playing onlong side of McBride. Anyway though, that would definately be a much improved lineup than what we are running with right now.

 

Koller would be awesome. Kewell as well. Fulham's problem is quality. These guys would bring some quality and experience.

McBride may not be the same guy when he's back. More or less his season is done, because it will take him a while to find his form. It shouldn't be assumed he'll just come back and fit right in to things. Same goes for Bullard.

Koller should definitely be a guy we get because he can score, score, score. Healy, Dempsey, and Kamara don't cut it up front unfortunately.

 

Yes for Koller. Yes, yes, yes. We need threats to the opposition.

The Arsenal midfielders mentioned by HD would be awesome, as would Diarra from Madrid. Somebody to tackle and pass and occassionally break forward.

Open up the Harrod's checkbook - 30 years to climb back to the top is a looooooonnnnggggggg time.

Please, baby, baby, please.

 

Wait, never mind, word is that Inter wants Diarra (the one from Madrid, not the one from Arsenal) and I don't imagine Hodgson wants to ruffle their feathers.

 

The rumors persist... From the BBC's transfer page again:

"Fulham boss Roy Hodgson is primed to splash £5m on Watford striker Marlon King - and is also chasing Liverpool centre back Sami Hyypia. Fulham also want Czech giant Jan Koller from Monaco. (Daily Express)"

When there's smoke there's fire???

Would be estatic with those three signings, but Fulham need a solid holding midfielder desperately. Any news on when Bullard will return?

 

Agreed, we have more pressing needs to fill, so the spots you mentioned should be the priority. If that is taked care of and there is still money left over, we can use it on the best player available.

Between him and Bouazza, someone has to be fit...right? Bueller?

 

As I mentioned on TFI earlier today, Momo Sissoko wants out from Liverpool. He'd be a great option for a holding midfielder, and he's a lot younger than Savage too.

 

TOM, the Offal says this

Doubt that helps much but it's more positive than what they say about the others.

 

Don... I completely agree that if Fulham sign a quality striker that the club will then free up Dempsey to drop back into central midfield and he along with Bullard will form a good partnership in the midfield. My concern is Fulham's lack of quality and depth in attacking options. Lets be honest, if any defense in the prem sets out to limit our forwards from getting a long ball we are dead in the water. Kamara can rarely create chances for himself, Healy is a simple poacher, Kuqi is slow as mollasses and our fearless leader is sidelined with injury. Slim pickings...
Once McBride does return Fulham will have their great holding forward that they've been longing for. Kamara and Healy can make runs off of him and Fulham will finally be able to creat chances on goal.

Out of Koller, Moore and Kewell, all of which have been linked to Fulham, Kewell is our best option. Watch his play for the Socceroos. He and Cahill are the primary attacking threat and he often times plays the central forward position with success. He is the only one out of the three who can consistently create his own chances and when McBride returns he will be the quality attacking LW that Fulham has needed. Definitely aleviating much of the pressure off of the defense.

Clevelandmo... thanks for the update. At least he is playing again. Looking forward to his creativity in the midfield.

 

Some other rumors. We know about Hyypia already:

Fulham in for SPL forward?
12:42 04/01/2008
Pedro Moutinho is being linked with a move to Craven Cottage
The 28-year-old Falkirk man told the Daily Record: "It's important I show what I can do and hopefully that will attract the attention of bigger teams." The former Portugal Under-21 international striker has been in fine form for Scottish outfit Falkirk this season, finding the back of the net seven times in twenty league games for the club. Wary that his contract expires in the summer, The Bairns have offered him the chance to stay at The Falkirk Stadium, yet he is keeping his options open as he looks to sign for a bigger club this month. "I believe in myself and I know how vital it is to be confident," Moutinho told the Daily Record. "It's important I show what I can do and hopefully that will attract the attention of bigger teams. "Maybe that will happen next week and I will listen to what they have to say. I'm no different to any player in wanting to perform at the highest level possible. If bigger teams or better offers come along then I have to look at them." Reports in Scotland suggest Roy Hodgson is keen to add Moutinho to his Cottagers squad as he looks to make a bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League, with a £1million fee being mooted.


Fulham eye deal for Liverpool veteran
11:01 04/01/2008
Sami Hyypia is a January target for new Craven Cottage boss Roy Hodgson
The 34-year-old centre-half could be allowed to leave Anfield if Rafa Benitez can sign a replacement during the transfer window.
Hodgson and Hyypia know each other well after working together with the Finnish national team.



Fulham eye £3m bid for Danny Guthrie Jan 4 2008
FULHAM are lining up a £3m offer for Liverpool youngster Danny Guthrie.
New Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has put the 20-year-old midfielder at the top of his wanted list and is ready to test Liverpool's desire to keep hold of him with a firm offer. Having seen his first team opportunities limited at Anfield, Guthrie is currently on a season-long loan at Bolton Wanderers where he has become a mainstay of Gary Megson's side. But despite speculation, Bolton are yet to make an offer to sign Shrewsbury-born Guthrie on a permanent basis and Fulham are looking to steal a march on their rivals Southampton – where Guthrie impressed during a loan spell last season – and promotion chasing Watford have also expressed an interest in signing him but it would take a sizeable offer to convince Reds boss Rafa Benitez to part with a young player he rates highly. Benitez has been impressed by the way Guthrie has settled into life at the Reebok and has been keeping tabs on his progress. He said: "We have had our scouts watching him and we are really pleased because he is playing well. "We have a lot of confidence in Guthrie. "He needed to play games and we thought Bolton was the right club for him because Sammy Lee and Frank McParland were there at the start of the season. "Although they have now left the club he is in the Bolton team, and is showing the quality that we thought he had." But with Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano, Lucas and Momo Sissoko all ahead of Guthrie in the pecking order for a place in the Liverpool midfield, Fulham will hope they can tempt the player away from Anfield by offering him regular first team football.

 

nope! after further research, i found out he's actually on loan to them from Ternana...but they are trying to make it permanent.

http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=535404

oh well, too bad cuz the guy looks good.

 

I've heard the insiders have seen him in town, but the agent for Koller says that he's not moving to England. Hopefully, this is just a bargaining chip.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 05,00.html

 

Ah, there we go, that article about Danny Guthrie is the one I saw linked on TFI earlier today. He's supposed to be good, but as I mentioned upthread, Sissoko isn't getting much playing time, wants out, and is exactly the type of player we need. He'd be expensive, but he could make a huge difference.

Regarding the article about Koller, I'm not sure how that can be interpreted as a bargaining chip. If the agent were trying to get a message across to Hodgson regarding demands, he would've said so in a UK newspaper rather than one in the Czech Republic.

 

Sissoko is on Mali's squad, yes. Hmm, that's a good point, but it doesn't make Guthrie the kind if player we're talking about.

One thing I like about the ACN is that all the teams have those cool nicknames! My favorites: Benin are known as the Squirrels and Zambia are known as the Chipolopolos.

 

An, transfer windows! Always fun to see who we're in for, the rumors and such. I can't elaborate much more than all that's been written above. I just hope that Roy and Mo can get us a few quality players in positions that we need.

 

I am not sure why everybody wants Koller. He is old and slow. We already have a target man and do not need a player like Koller. We are about 5 years too late on this one. Should of picked him up when we had the chance not now.

Kewell is still quality. He has a damn good left foot and would bring experience and skill to the team. Finally a player who can create something out of nothing. He is a must buy I think.


Hyypia is slower than Koller. Enough Said.

 

We have also been linked to Luis Figo and Stephane Henchoz. No to either of them. If Figo could happen then I suppose that is because of Hodgsons Inter connections. He could use those connections to get a player like Mariano Gonzalas or Nicolas Burdisso. Figo is yet another player we have been linked to that is about 5 years past his prime. Henchoz is just crap. I could not even make an argument for us signing him.


What is with us and Moutihno? Seriously he plays for Falkirk and it is not like he is a young superstar lighting it up. He is 28 and has scored a total of 7 goals this season. He would be rubbish in this league.