Cedric Yambéré is poised to join Fulham after having a late change of heart and rejecting his proposed loan move to APOEL, according to reports coming out of Cyprus this evening.
The 26 year-old Central African Republic international had spent much of the 2016-2017 season on loan with Russian side Anzi Makhachkala, but his stint there was abruptly terminated earlier this month after further financial worries hit Anzi. Several Belgian clubs had expressed an interest in the speedy centre back but it appeared as though APOEL had won the race to sign the defender earlier today only for Fulham to sweep in with what is said to have been ‘a very tempting offer’.
Yambéré emerged almost from obscurity to some fanfare when he filled a problem position for his hometown club Bordeaux merely months after signing his first professional contract at the age of 24 in November 2014. He was picked out of French amateur football and surprisingly established himself as an option either in central defence or as a holding midfielder, where he memorably nullified Thiago Motta in a famous victory over PSG. Yambere made a total of 42 appearances over two seasons for Bordeaux, scoring three goals, before joining Anzi, where his whole-hearted performances won him a lot of fans, originally on a season-long loan this summer.
Slavisa Jokanovic has been searching for additional options both at the heart of the defence, where he has juggled his pack in search of a regular partner for on-loan Chelsea defender Tomas Kalas, and at the base of the Fulham midfield, with the Whites having submitted a second offer for Belgian youngster Ibrahama Cisse earlier today.
