I must confess to have taken my time in writing about Aleksandar Mitrovic. As adults, we’re supposed to be smart. Heroes, especially those of a sporting variety, are for children. Loyalty as a concept should really be retired. Contracts aren’t worth the paper they are printed on. But occasionally along comes someone who seems different. I should know better. As a young fan, one of my first heroes was Louis Saha. He was sublime, skilful, French and fired Fulham to the top flight. After battling injuries and the rarefied air of the Premier League, it looked like his goals could carry Chris Coleman’s Whites to the Champions’ League. And then he was tapped up by Sir Alex Fergsuon. Saha threatened to go on strike – and score own goals – to get his move to Old Trafford.
He was a talismanic former Newcastle United centre forward, like Mitrovic. Fast forward twenty years and there’s speculation about the Serbian striker, who has carved out a very special place in Fulham folklore, wanting to secure a big-money move to Saudi Arabia. The hulking striker, supported by the club and its supporters through a period after he lost control whilst the Whites were winning an FA Cup quarter final at Manchester United, has – if you believe Sky Sports News – indicated that he feels the time is right for Fulham to accept an offer from Al-Hilal for his services. There’s no doubt Mitrovic has repaid the £22m Fulham paid for his services in 2018, but this isn’t a move to further his career – like Saha’s. Nobody could argue that the sportswashing Saudis will help him become a better player: this is all about cold, hard cash.
Mitrovic’s goals have been both a key component of Fulham’s return to the top flight, as he broke the second-tier post-war goalscoring record during Marco Silva’s first season in SW6, and one of the reasons why they comfortably survived last time. It feels a little bit premature for a forward still so adept at scoring to put his bank balance first – especially when he’s scored 111 goals in 204 games and has a decent shot at overhauling the club’s record goalscorer Gordon Davies. Do Fulham deserve more having given a mistrusted hothead a chance to establish himself again after he had been frozen out by Rafa Benitez? Possibly, but I didn’t think Mitrovic would remain with the club after one relegation, never mind two.
Fulham’s stance in response to repeated bids from Al-Hilal is that the player isn’t for sale. That’s the correct public position. Mitrovic is so crucial to the way that Silva’s side plays that selling him for anything short of his value would be malpractice – and a shrewd businessman like Shahid Khan hasn’t become successful by doing that. Then, there’s the impact a sale would have on a squad that is already smaller than it was three weeks ago. For one thing, number nines like Mitrovic are a throwback and not easily obtainable. Buying proven Premier League strikers will cost money, especially right at the start of the season. Confirmation that the Cottagers are a selling club could leave the likes of Silva – or even Joao Palhinha – to consider their future.
The silly season, as we’ve written about before, is always full of frenzied and inaccurate takes. But this summer always felt pivotal for Fulham. They could build on a brilliant first campaign back in the top tier, back a head coach who has swiftly restored stylish football to the Cottage and proven himself amongst English football’s elite, and make good on Khan’s ambition in his tenth year of owning London’s oldest professional football club. With under a week to go until the start of the Premier League Summer Series, a flagship opportunity to market Fulham on American soil, they have failed to do so. Silva has not put pen to paper on his new contract as the Portuguese boss waits to see whether the club’s ambition matches his own. Perhaps he has already got his answer.
The fans, of course, are left until last with clubs considered commodities these days. The fans who ultimately empower owners to spend so much on footballers because they’ll dutifully buy those tickets, programmes, replica strips and everything else pumped own by their beloved club. How many of you reading this are delighted that you splashed out on those season tickets – increased by an average of 18.5% during a cost of living crisis – with the club still yet to sign a senior player this summer? The chairman should be praised for his generosity, the rebuilding of a Riverside Stand that remains unfinished, apparently and not question why it is that the long-term future of the club’s head coach, leading scorer and the strengthening of a squad that needs reinforcement haven’t been advanced over the summer months. Pull the other one.
There are questions too for Mitrovic here. He’s a cult hero at Craven Cottage, a place he was happy to proclaim as home earlier this year, but if he is seeking to force through a move to Saudi Arabia as his team-mates prepare for the new season then that might not last long. He might be able to set aside the fact that torture is used as punishment, executions are on the rise, there’s no free speech or protests, women are discriminated against and migrant workers are deported en masse but no amount of sportswashing will make these things vanish. All those goals were glorious but how you leave matters. To exit in this fashion would stand in stark contrast to Joe Bryan’s recent departure, for instance. Mitrovic might even endanger his international career by seeking to join his mate Sergej Milinkovi?-Savi? in Saudi Arabia.
Who knows what the true position is? Will Mitrovic agitate for the move he is apparently so attracted to? Will Fulham be forced to sell? The football club will outlive owners and centre forwards and even ourselves eventually. It isn’t an exact parallel but I remember people suggesting that the sale of Ross McCormack would be disastrous. Slavisa Jokanovic, a man whose role in enticing Mitrovic to Fulham in the first place is always underwritten, then constructed one of the most watchable Whites’ sides I’ve ever seen. Whether those in charge of the club’s recruitment can sign a striker fit to succeed the current occupant of the number nine shirt might be the most pertinent question over the next few weeks. For Fulham’s sake, let’s hope it isn’t.
If we let Mitro leave the make sure we receive at least 70 million for him put a big price tag on his head, Neves was sold for 47 million and Mitro is worth a lot more than that
Let him go. So disappointed but this is football now. Don’t want anyone who doesn’t want to play for us.
Agree with Malcolm B great write up hammyend
For the past 12 years I have followed the ups and downs of Fulham from various international work assignments. Needless to say, it has been a rollercoaster ride for me and the team Right now I am sick of the mess we are in. Most to blame can be given to our poor (ownership) handling of player contracts and related decision making. Let’s see what happens next.
It’s not for a player to state if he should be sold or not , every player in the world is for sale at the right price and until that price is met then no sale even a 50 million offer is too cheap and we couldn’t replace his goals even by spending all of it
Such a bad offseason for us. It is logical for all to want to leave. No transfers, no future at all just try to save the season and not relegate again.
If the logic does not change will never do the step up unfortunately.
Every club puts money ontremendous players Aston Villa, Newcastle, Forest, Brighton. Why a player even want to come play for us?
First class comment by Chloe. Mitrovic has become a talisman over the years at Fulham FC, but it would be worse if Marco Silva leaves. He is the brains to Mitro’s brawn. One is replaceable, the other should be given the contract his skills deserve. Come on Khans, give Marco the ammunition he craves to put Fulham FC in contention for the European competitions.
Really good article thank you. I understood from other articles FFP was not a significant issue this year. My understanding also from the payments received as a result of 10th place and the expectation of a similar amount next year a massive increase in ticket revenues and the largest shirt sponsorship ever allowed for a more positive recruitment approach this year.
Would any of our best players and even our manager not be slightly tempted to step back and reflect by our limited successful activity and the usual drive to the lowest cost outlay that we have witnessed in past years. I was hopeful we could attract players to take us to an even higher level, Europe or a cup perhaps but it seems same old same old once again!
Quite disheartening really
With the Saudis enticing players from the Premier League – Mahrez at City is the latest rumour – it will be interesting to see if they try to lure any top players away from NUFC as it is a club they own. How’s that for a conspiracy theory?
Tony Khans handling of the transfer window is consistant. He will drive Marco away /Solomon and Willian shows Fulham are mugs at this business .Get someone in who understands football and let Tony go back to wrestling in the USA.
Agree with other posts we only want players who want to play for Fulham everone else has a price and look at what they will be doing in 12 months time-bench warming,COYW
I fully concur with Malcolm B if we allow Mitro to leave hold out for around 70 million. Maybe say to Mitro if you stay this season you will be allowed to leave for Saudi at the right price next season. Surely Mitro must realise playing in Saudi Arabia is likely to affect his international career with Serbia. Much more important to retain Marco Silva and Jao Palhinha
Definitely sell him so long as it’s big money.
Marco Silva has always stated that Mitrovic is vitally important to the way he wants to play football and the tactics for Fulham.
It is not coincidental that he hasn’t signed a contract whilst the rumours of Mitro are surfacing. If Mitro goes I feel Marco will not sign as he will feel the club aren’t supporting him and selling players he wants to keep.
Ultimately you can’t keep a player if he forces a move but I don’t see Mitrovic as that type but time will tell
Super article and agree with most of the comments.
This is a money orientated world with a few people left with principles. The obscene amounts of money being offered by large PL, Euro clubs and Saudi clubs will wreck football. As a pureist with how we did last year and the possibility of a few talented additions we could have looked forward to progression and European football in the future. With a very very slow window. We have already lost some players with more to follow, we will be very lucky to retain Marco and other talents we own. Leaving us with the very real possibility that we will have a squad of kids (some quite good) but the likelihood of fighting relagation.
As said in the article the club will last longer the owners, managers, players and us the supporters but it could and should be better run if we are to make progress.
If we can get At least £60 million for Mitro,let him go, an unhappy player is never good for the dressing room. With that money we could purchase a good .replacement and also integrate Jay Stansfield more as he has real promise.The money the Saudis are offering is obsene and no club can compete it is no wonder players head are turned
The whole sudden and over night Saudi league’ sport washing’ take over is such a shock to football, huge life changing money contracts to top players, and Mitro is a top player in the most prestigious league in the world, I fear he will go, but would it be different if T khan would have been a lot quicker to build around the team we had success with last year? And to make Mitro and Marco, and most importantly us the fans have pride and confidence to go into next season to build on. Fingers crossed it’s media speculation and just nonsense.
A very thoughtful article – thankyou. Some interesting observations particularly from Bob Renwick. Have a look at the table on December 26th 2003 with Fulham and Charlton 4th and 5th in the league. Fulham had beaten Man U 3-1 earlier at Old Trafford and Charlton had beaten Chelsea 4-2 that day. Move on a month and Chelsea buy Scott Parker and United by Louis Saha. Yes they both moved to bigger clubs but money will always prevail – now we have Saudi Arabia adding a new dimension.
How anyone can say the club have not got the contracts of players right. Mitro and Paulhinia are both on long contracts, contracts that are worth nothing if the player wants to move but should be used to gain the best transfer fee.
I am extremely disappointed in Mitro as he has previously on many occasions stated his love of Fulham and the fans. i suppose he cannot resist the money being offered but i wonder if his family will be happy living in Saudi Arabia an d will it affect his international career, He is under a long contract so the board must dig their heels in a demand a transfer fee in excess of £60 million This needs to be sorted quickly as if he leaves we need to find a decent replacement before the start of the season. Provided we receive at least 60 million this should give is plenty of scope