Fulham today struck a £55,000 compensation deal with Bristol City for highly-rated teenage right-back Liam Rosenior, ending a seven-month wrangle over his signature.
The 19-year-old, son of former West Ham and Fulham striker Leroy Rosenior, today signed for the Cottagers, who he has been playing reserve games for since the start of the season.
Rosenior junior had been prevented from officially joining the club due to the long-running dispute with Second Division City.
That has now been settled thanks to a package which pays his former club a total of £55,000 up front and in performance-related payments – with a ‘substantial’ sell-on clause kicking in if Fulham sell him.
The delay in his move row centres on the date in May when Danny Wilson’s side formally offered Rosenior an extension to his contact, which was due to expire in the summer.
The Football League said the offer came too late under its regulations – and therefore ruled City had no right to compensation under the Bosman ruling.
The west country side appealed but dropped the case today after Fulham came up with the cash.
Rosenior had been with City since the age of 15 – and his exit left the club’s chief executive Colin Sexstone rueing City’s failure in the play-offs last season.
‘Liam’s a very ambitious young player,’ Sexstone told The Press Association.
‘And I suspect that, if we’d been promoted to the First Division, he’d willingly have accepted a new contract.
‘But we’d still have liked to have received more for him from Fulham.’
Cottagers coach Paul Nevin added ‘Liam’s very athletic and intelligent – but the first thing I noted was his fantastic attitude.
‘We initially felt he lacked technical qualities other players his age have.
‘But, as soon as he got into a game situation, he showed a natural understanding and we’ve already seen a massive improvement in his play.
‘He has a lot of raw potential which is there for us to build on.’
