This one’s come out of left field. The Evening Herald are suggesting that Fulham are the favourites to sign Stoke City’s Glenn Whelan should he leave the Britannia Stadium this summer.
Despite ending the season well and helping Stoke to the FA Cup final, Whelan endured a long spell out of the side and held talks with manager Tony Pulis in January about a move away from Stoke. The Herald reports that Pulis now once again considering letting Whelan leave and that he has already received interest from West Ham.
Whelan doesn’t seem to be keen to drop down to the Championship and the Herald reckons that, with Wovles moving closer to finalising a permanent deal for the Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara, that the Republic of Ireland international could be on his way to Craven Cottage. Whilst Martin Jol will have identified midfield cover as a neccessity, this move would certainly surprise me. Even if Whelan was available for less than a £1m, would he usurp the likes of Sidwell and Etuhu to play alongside Danny Murphy?
I agree. Unless it’s a ‘left over small change’ deal for a back up squad / Euro qualifiers player once Jol’s done his proper signings, there is no point in getting someone like Whelan.