Fulham have signed French midfielder Sylvain Legwinski for £3.3m from Bordeaux. The player put his name to a four-year contract this morning, after passing a medical, and takes the Cottagers’ summer spending past the £20m mark.
The 27-year-old played under Fulham coach Jean Tigana at Monaco. During the 1996-97 season, he featured in almost every game for the club, winning the French Championship and reaching the semi-finals of the Uefa Cup.
Tigana said: “I am delighted to welcome Sylvain to Fulham. I have great confidence in his playing ability as I have worked with him previously at Monaco.
“I think he will be a great asset in strengthening the squad, and I look forward to him playing for us.”
Like Tigana’s other summer signings, Legwinski opted to join the Craven Cottage revolution after hearing of chairman Mohamed Al Fayed’s determination to establish the club in the top flight.
He said: “I have played under Jean at Monaco, and also with [Fulham midfielder] John Collins, and I have heard great things about the vision of the club.
“When I knew that Jean Tigana was manager at Fulham, it was a great ambition of mine to work with him again. When the opportunity arose it was an easy decision for me to make to leave Bordeaux.
“I am looking forward to playing football in the Premiership and I have great hopes for Fulham and myself.”
Legwinski is the latest big-money coup in a frantic summer of transfer activity at Craven Cottage.
Dutch international goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar joined in a £7m deal from Juventus, while Steed Malbranque signed for £4.5m from Lyon. Chelsea’s Jon Harley also completed a £3.5m move from Chelsea and £2m Abdeslam Ouaddou arrived from Nancy.
