As the summer stretches on, it seems each day brings a new link to someone who might sign for Fulham. How many of these are genuine or placed by agents exaggerating the interest in their clients to stir up a bidding war is the thing we’ll never know until someone signs on the dotted line. In recent days the chatter concering Callum Hudson-Odoi and Andre has increased, whilst it has been a while since we’ve heard any more about James Ward-Prowse or Fred coming to Craven Cottage.

I’ve given my opinions about some of Fulham’s opinions, but I’m not entertaining any rumoured replacements for Aleksandar Mitrovic, who at the time of writing remains under contract to the club and appeared pretty happy – despite plenty of column inches claiming differently – during pre-season training yesterday. While my article is an attempt to offer a view on where Fulham could strengthen the squad, it is also a message to the Khans: do the write thing, back your brilliant head coach in Marco Silva and deliver the signings that could help the club kick on.

This felt like a pivotal summer for Fulham and we are in danger of squandering the sublime success of last season through infuriating inaction.

Goalkeeper – There have been suggestions that Marek Rodak could leave the club to pursue more regular first-team football. Nobody would begrudge the Slovakian international that opportunity after his length of service to the Whites – especially since he was dropped having twice helped Fulham win promotion from the Championship. If Rodak departs, another academy graduate George Wickens, last season’s third choice keeper, is a ready-made homegrown replacement.

Fulham’s back four conundrum remains a bit of a tough puzzle to solve. I’m of the view that the 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 system Silva favours is outdated. I would love to see Fulham line in a more attacking formation [take your pick from a 3-4-3, 3-5-2, 3-2-3-1 or 5-3-2], but I’ll return to that later.

Right Back – Kenny Tete shouldn’t be going anywhere other than up down the right flank at the Cottage as he did so superbly last season. I’ve changed my mind on Kevin Mbabu, who is back at Motspur Park. Plenty of Fulham full backs have had tough starts at the club, look how Chris Baird struggled before morphing into Bairdinio, and I think he could be a serviceable back-up to King Kenny if given the opportunity.

Left Back – I must admit to considering cashing in on Antonee Robinson this summer, but the American’s five-year contract is a significant statement of intent from the ownership. The fact that a key part of last season’s side is willing to commit his future to the club is also a strong hint that Silva is going nowhere. Fulham badly need a back-up for Jedi, though, and my choice would be between two players I’ve bored you about before: Ciao Henrique and Borna Sosa.

League Stats	Caio Henrique	Borna Sosa
Appearances	32(3)	22(3)
Minutes	2898	1961
Goals	1	2
Assists	9	7
Yellow	3	5
Red	0	0
Blocks	44	23
Interception	26	19
Shots per Game	0.3	0.6
Total Shots	10	15
Pass Successful %	80.3%	82.2%
AVG Passes per 90 Mins	44.2	41
Number of Passes Completed	1248	843
Key Passes	52	67
Long Balls Per Game	1.7	1.8
Through Balls Per Game	0.1	–
Crosses Per Game	1.1	3.2
Aerials Won	18	15
Aerials Lost	27	13
Fouls For	25	12
Fouls Against	15	12
Offsides Against	1	–
Tackles Attempted	106	38
Successful Tackles	74	27
Successful Dribbles	19	17
Unsuccessful Dribbles	14	16
Unsuccessful Touches	27	20
Dispossessed	10	16

Sosa and Caio Henrique are criminally underrated internationals who would be available this summer whilst Sosa can also operate as a left midfielder or winger when required, which would suit Silva’s penchant for an attacking full-back. Sosa is a set-piece specialist, whilst I see Caio as the perfect competition for Robinson. Are these targets too ambitious after Fulham finishing tenth? Surely, there’s nothing wrong with aiming high, especially in the summer of silly links.

Centre Back – I did chuckle at the video of the Fulham first team seemingly agreeing centre half was the easiest position to play – it’s clearly the toughest task on the field. We’re still no closer to knowing where Tosin will be at the end of the transfer window, although it seems he has made it clear he won’t sign a new long-term deal with Fulham. I’ve got a new name to replace the Manchester-born man if he does leave and that is Tiago Djalo (no relation to Marcelo, before you ask).

Tiago Djaló – League Stats
Appearances	24(1)
Minutes	2022
Goals	1
Assists	0
Yellow	7
Red	0
Blocks	24
Interception	23
Pass Successful %	93.1%
AVG Passes per 90 Mins	62.9
Number of Passes Completed	1463
Key Passes	2
Long Balls Per Game	2.6
Through Balls Per Game	–
Aerials Won	28
Aerials Lost	31
Fouls For	18
Fouls Against	19
Tackles Attempted	38
Tackles Successful	31
Unsuccessful Touches	5
Dispossessed	8

Djalo is a young, versatile and talented central defender who has experience of playing at a high level with Lille. He can cover both full-back positions as well as doing a job in midfield if required. The Portuguese would add some physicality and pace to Fulham’s backline and has good dribbling skills, a like for like replacement. I’ve identified Roger Ibanez as a left-sided centre back previously and the Whites are still very interested in acquiring the Roma defender.

Left sided centre back has already been cover in my previous article Roger Ibanez

Midfielder – I’d be very surprised if Fulham aren’t casting a close eye over Thiago Almada, the Argentinian sensation who surely can’t linger in the MLS beyond this summer. We’ve been heavily linked with Yunus Munsah, who I have covered in previous postings, and Brazilian international Andre.

André – League Stats (League is still continuing)	Fluminense 22/23
Appearances	11
Minutes	977
Goals	0
Assists	0
Yellow	3
Red	1
Blocks	11
Interception	15
Pass Successful %	93.7%
AVG Passes per 90 Mins	73.5
Number of Passes Completed	757
Key Passes	8
Long Balls Per Game	3
Through Balls Per Game	–
Crosses Per Game	–
Aerials Won	4
Aerials Lost	4
Fouls For	26
Fouls Against	16
Tackles Attempted	37
Tackles Successful	26
Successful Dribbles	19
Unsuccessful Dribbles	11
Unsuccessful Touches	12
Dispossessed	4

Andre, who we have recently made a new offer for, would be a serious signing for the Whites and he would be the perfect partner for Joao Palhinha in what would become one of the most aggressive double pivots in the Premier League. The Fluminese youth product is already lauded for his tackling, passing, work rate and leadership and would add balance to our engine room, as he excels at breaking up play, distributing the ball and doing the unglamorous but vital off-the-ball work.

Thiago Almada – League Stats	22/23
Appearances	21
Minutes	1869
Goals	8
Assists	9
Yellow	3
Red	0
Shots Per Game	3.9
Total Shots	82
Pass Successful %	83.5%
AVG Passes per 90 Mins	58
Number of Passes Completed	1018
Key Passes	65
Long Balls Per Game	5
Through Balls Per Game	0.3
Crosses Per Game	1
Aerials Won	2
Aerials Lost	5
Fouls For	41
Fouls Against	18
Tackles Attempted	34
Tackles Successful	20
Successful Dribbles	69
Unsuccessful Dribbles	58
Unsuccessful Touches	48
Dispossessed	47

Almada would be an awesome acquisiton for Fulham as a creative and versatile playmaker who can play as a number ten on both wings and in a conventional central midfield role as well. Almada, a star at Carlos Bocanegra’s Atlanta United, would add flair and dynamism to Fulham’s attack, with devastating dribbling, perceptive vision and deadly finishing ability. The Whites might have to beat off some competition to ensure they are the side to fulfil the 22 year-old’s desire of playing in a top European league, but the club’s storied history of helping MLS imports flourish would make a move to Fulham an attractive proposition surely?

Wingers – Fulham’s dire need for wingers has eased somewhat with yesterday’s announcement that Willian has signed for another year. But the Whites are suddenly short of wide options having lost Neeskens Kebano, Manor Solomon and Dan James over the summer. I’m not enamoured by our interested in Callum Hudson-Odoi, who struggled on loan at Leverkusen, and scored just four league goals at Stamford Bridge. I’m not sure he’s delivered enough of an end product to match the hype that accompanied his arrival into senior football and there would be better value for the £15m our sanctioned-neighbours seem to demanding.

CHO – League Stats	Chelsea 2021/22	Bayer Leverkusen 22/23
Appearances	11(4)	7 (7)
Minutes	966	609
Goals	1	0
Assists	2	1
Yellow	1	0
Red	0	0
Shots per Game	1.2	0.3
Total Shots	18	4
Pass Successful %	87.7	86.9%
AVG Passes per 90 Mins	48.7	16.4
Number of Passes Completed	128	199
Key Passes	6	13
Long Balls	1.3	1.1
Through Balls	0.3	0.1
Crosses	0.3	0.3
Aerials Won	5	0
Aerials Lost	3	5
Fouls For	5	20
Fouls Against	3	2
Offsides Against	0	2
Successful Dribbles	3	14
Unsuccessful Dribbles	4	14
Unsuccessful Touches	12	7
Dispossessed	6	14

The counterpart is that the former under-17 World Cup winner could resurrect his career at the Cottage like a number of former Chelsea wingers, including Bjarne Goldbaek and Damien Duff. He has plenty of time ahead of him and possesses real nature talent as well as having significant resale value. Is he the man we desperately need? I’m not so sure.

By comparison, I think we should jump at the chance to sign the Fiorentina winger Nicolás González, who Fulham have been linked to already this summer. He has a £40m release clause and, whilst that seems an incredible amount, I firmly believe González could add a new string to our attack if we could snare him.

Nicolás González– League Stats	Fiorentina 22/23
Appearances	13(11)
Minutes	1355
Goals	6
Assists	1
Yellow	3
Red	0
Shots per Game	2.5
Total Shots	60
Pass Successful %	69.3%
AVG Passes per 90 Mins	21.8
Number of Passes Completed	362
Key Passes	19
Long Balls	1
Through Balls	–
Crosses	0.3
Aerials Won	64
Aerials Lost	36
Fouls For	55
Fouls Against	16
Offsides Against	4
Successful Dribbles	25
Unsuccessful Dribbles	48
Unsuccessful Touches	45
Dispossessed	14

My third choice is a man who didn’t feature in my wishlist, the Japanese international Ritsu Doan. The tricky winger has had a tough time at SC Freiburg and but he will offer real competition to the newly bleach-blonde Harry Wilson on the right.

Striker – This is the one that I’ve been dreading: finding a replacement for Aleksandar Mitrovic. It doesn’t feel real writing that, but successful sides plan for every eventuality. The Serbian is Fulham’s focal point and the replacements I’ve been reading about are frankly laughable. Che Adams would be back up at best just like Toni Martinez and the only forward with potential to be a first-choice would be Beto. If we are to lose our talisman, then Fulham would need to splash the cash on a replacement with real pedigree, which is why I’d throw Andre Silva into the mix – even despite a disappointing season last year.

Andre Silva – League Stats
Appearances	20(11)
Minutes	1741
Goals	4
Assists	3
Yellow	3
Red	0
Shots per Game	1.9
Total Shots	60
Pass Successful %	73.7%
Number of Passes Completed	345
Key Passes	26
Long Balls Per 90	0.3
Through Balls Per 90	0.1
Crosses Per 90	–
Aerials Won	20
Aerials Lost	35
Fouls For	44
Fouls Against	32
Offsides Against	10
Successful Dribbles	21
Unsuccessful Dribbles	40
Unsuccessful Touches	65
Dispossessed	43

You can call me crazy but Andre Silva would be a Champions’ League striker rather than a Championship one. If Fulham could get the Eintracht Frankfurt version of the Gondomar-goalscorer firing, we’d be tough to stop in front of goal. With the right service, I’m convinced he’d score loads in the Premier League.

Beto – League Stats
Appearances	23(10)
Minutes	2132
Goals	10
Assists	1
Yellow	2
Red	0
Shots per Game	1.8
Total Shots	61
Pass Successful %	65.7%
Number of Passes Completed	190
Key Passes	23
Long Balls Per 90	0.2
Through Balls Per 90	–
Crosses Per 90	–
Aerials Won	71
Aerials Lost	64
Fouls For	26
Fouls Against	36
Offsides Against	9
Successful Dribbles	32
Unsuccessful Dribbles	44
Unsuccessful Touches	114
Dispossessed	43

Lisbon-born Beto will be well known to Marco Silva and his coaching staff following his three years at Portimonense. He’s hit double figures in both campaigns in Italy with Udinese and could be an attractive alternative should we want to operate with a different profile of forward.

Those are a few of my personal suggestions but we all know the toughest part of a Fulham summer is getting those potential signings over the line.