Fulham are set to sign the Dutch international Edwin van der Sar after agreeing a fee of £7m for the transfer of the out-of-favour goalkeeper with Italian giants Juventus.
The former Ajax goalkeeper has agreed a four-year contract at Craven Cottage having been deemed surplus to requirements by Juventus after the Turin outfit paid a world record fee to bring in Gianluigi Buffon from Parma. van der Sar, who was forced to train with the Juventus youth team over the past month, said in a Fulham statement this evening:
“I am happy and relieved to have signed for Fulham. The plans that Fulham presented to me were impressive and I like the ambition the club has. I spoke with the manager and we had a good conversation about the way he wants to play. Jean Tigana wants to go to the top with Fulham and he proved he could do that with Monaco. I like that ambition. At Ajax, Juventus and with Holland I have played with top teams and I now want to use my experience to reach the same goal with Fulham.”
The Premiership newcomers have been heavily linked with a new goalkeeper since they stormed to the Division One title last season but the Whites had failed to reach agreement with Coventry City for their wantaway custodian Magnus Hedman. Tigana added:
“We are delighted to welcome Edwin to Fulham. His playing ability has been proven at the very highest level both domestically and internationally and we believe that he will be a great asset to the squad.”
van der Sar, who has won 44 senior international caps for the Netherlands, is set to undergo a medical at Fulham’s Motspur Park training ground tomorrow.
