The Norwegian press seem to be pretty confident that Erik Nevland will be leaving Fulham in the summer.
Nevland has agreed to return to his former club Viking Stavanger in Norway with his contract up at Fulham at the end of the 2009/2010 campaign.
The 32-year-old striker made his professional breakthrough with Viking in 1995 and also returned there following his time at Manchester United.
It makes sense. Nevland, though carrying a painful toe injury, has slipped behind David Elm in the pecking order and this would suggest that the Swede has done enough to convince Hodgson that he’s worth a long-term deal.
I can’t quite list all the reasons why I love Erik but, in no particular order, there’s:
- Just the fact he can change a game from the pitch
- His endeavour typifies Hodgson’s ideals and Erik’s enjoyed a bit of an Indian summer at the Cottage.
- Ice-cool finishes as we came haring down the home straight in the Great Escape: Reading and Birmingham spring to mind.
- He seems like a really level-headed, likeable guy too. He even asked a friend of mine whether she was sure she wanted his autograph after that horrid miss against Hull.
Top bloke and cool as ice in front of goal. Would be sad to see the sympathetic Norwegian go, and I’m not really in awe of Elms skills.
The transfer is confirmed by Viking. Returing to the club in his hearts 1.7. Stoor was also actual for a transfer to Viking, but it seems like they got their bid rejected by Hodgson. Poor Stoor…
It is sad to see him go, will definitely go down as a Fulham hero after his goalscoring antics in the Great Escape season. However, this is probably for the best as he is getting older and is probably no longer at Premiership level on a consistent enough basis to justify renewing his contract.
Hopefully he will produce a cameo performance later in the season and hit a winner (against Juventus or Tottenham would be great) in the closing stages of a game.
Gentleman Jim will be heart broken