Martin Jol is considering making a summer move for Brighton winger Will Buckley as he pushes ahead with plans to revamp Fulham’s squad ahead of the new campaign, according to the Mail on Sunday.
The 23 year-old enjoyed an outstanding season as the Seagulls narrowly missed out on a place in the Championship play-off final, impressing on either flank under Gus Poyet. Buckley, who joined Brighton for what was then a club record £1m from Rochdale in 2011, has scored sixteen goals in 65 league appearances for Albion and offers both pace and penetration out wide, a combination that Jol pinpointed in his very first press conference after replacing Mark Hughes as being what he wanted from his wingers.
The Whites, however, are well-stocked for wingers. Swedish international Alex Kacaniklic finished the season strongly after his loan spell at Burnley, Damien Duff has signed a one-year extension to his contract and Ashkan Dejagah was developing into a potent threat down the right flank before an untimely injury against QPR brought his season to a premature end. Turkish youngster Kerim Frei will also be pushing for a place in the first-team next season having seen this year’s campaign severely interrupted by injury problems.
Should Jol be tempted to make a formal offer for Buckley, it is far from certain that Albion would entertain his departure. The winger signed a new four-year contract in January and whoever replaces Poyet at the AMEX might will consider him a key part of the squad that could push for promotion to the Premier League come August.
