Some concrete transfer news livened up our day today.
Wayne Brown, thought to be one of the best prospects to come through the youth set-up at Fulham in recent times, has been loaned out to Finnish side Turun Palloseura until August.
Brown made his first-team debut in one of Hodgson’s first games, a disappointing penalty shoot-out defeat to Bristol Rovers in an FA Cup replay last year. He made his league bow as a substitute at Old Trafford in February.
There are two ways of reading this transfer. One is that Hodgson isn’t sure whether Brown has got enough about him to make it in the top flight and is loaning him out to give him some first-team experience before moving him on. The second view, which I subscribe to, is that Roy rates Brown highly and – knowing the standard of the Finnish league – thinks that it would provide an invaluable opportunity for Brown to get himself ready to play a bigger role next season.
It could also hand loan signing Giles Barnes more of a chance to make an impact before his loan deal runs out in May.