Fulham are set to complete the signing of Torino right back Ola Aina on a season-long loan deal, according to reports from Italy this evening.
The Nigerian international has spent the last two seasons with Torino but was not thought to be in the plans of new manager Marco Giampaolo. Aina has made 69 appearances for La Granata and was their regular right back as they finished sixteenth in Serie A last season. The 23 year-old is thought to be keen on a return to London, having come through the Chelsea academy as a youngster.
Fulham are thought to be paying just over £2m to loan Aina for the season, with an option to make the deal permanent for around £11m. The Italian press are also reporting that Torino will be due ten per cent of any future transfer fee that Fulham receive for Aina’s services. He is expected to fly to London tomorrow to begin a medical, with a view to being able to feature in the newly-promoted side’s first game of the season against Arsenal on Saturday lunchtime.
The capture of Aina, who spent a season on loan at Hull City alongside current Fulham centre back Michael Hector, would conclude Fulham’s summer-long search for a new right back, which is understood to have been one of Scott Parker’s biggest priorities after the Whites won promotion to the Premier League.
Looked like a decent player in his days with the other team in Fulham from memory. Seems to have done quite well in Italy – so feeling pretty encouraged by this. Glad we’ve got a right back in, that’s an area we desperately needed improvement.
It looks like a decent gamble. A central defender is now the priority in the next few days.
I hope we allow a period of integration rather than including him in the team this weekend. The cup game in the week would remind him of the different game played here compared to Italy.
Confidence plays a big part don’t kill that by rushing new signings, it’s a long season