Kevin McDonald has urged Fulham to keep up their summer spending spree in order to ensure that the club can compete in the Premier League this season.
The newly-promoted Whites have already signed six new faces for an estimated total of around £72m since winning the play-off final against Aston Villa in May, with defender Alfie Mawson arriving from Swansea this evening. The Scottish midfielder called on Fulham’s recruitment team, led by the club’s head of football operations Tony Khan, to continue spending in the final days of the August transfer window to increase the chances of Slavisa Jokanovic’s side making a strong start to their first top flight campaign in four years.
Speaking to Football.London’s Ryan O’Donovan after Wednesday night’s friendly against Sampdoria, McDonald said:
We’ve strengthened where we needed to strengthen and I’m sure they’ll bring in a few more as well, but we need strength in depth. We need two players in each position and that’s what they always say. There will be a lot of rotation throughout the season and it’s good to have these players.
We brought in some real quality players and you saw them show up tonight and they’re all great additions and it can only be a bonus for us all.
McDonald was full of praise for loan signing Andre Schürrle and the way the German winger has fitted in to the team ethic since coming to the club.
Schürrle came in. He’s a World Cup winner so he’s a big player as such and he’s such a down to earth guy. It’s a pleasant surprise because it could be a bit different coming to Fulham. But he’s been a real nice guy, settled in well. He’s a good guy and loves a laugh and he is enjoying himself and you saw on the pitch tonight that he has that real quality to him. He’s such a great signing for us, along with the rest of them.
The Scottish international also highlighted the qualities of Jean-Michael Seri, a surprise capture from Nice earlier in the window, who could add a touch of craft and class to the Whites’ possession-heavy game.
Seri’s English is alright as well – he’s good and he’s come in again and done well. He’s played a defensive role and the box-to-box [role] through pre-season. He’s come in and settled really well and looks another great signing, as they all do. Every single people we’ve brought in looks good and has strengthened the squad and we’re ready to get the season started. No one likes pre-season but it has to be done, everything’s getting their fitness levels up and everyone is good.
McDonald believes that the permanent signing of striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who enjoyed a cameo off the bench at Aldershot in midweek, will provide a significant boost to the players and fans alike.
Mitro is Mitro – for the fans he’s a massive signing. He’s come in and work hard and brings a real platform for us when we need one. He was brilliant last season and one of the main reasons we got promoted and it was great to get him over the line and back at the club.
He’s the number one striker – he’s a big number nine and we’re looking for Mitro to play every game and that’s the way it is. Hopefully, he brings the same form from last season to this one and he can be a real force in the Premier League.
boom bang a bang – Mitro glycerine!
Have to agree with the need for more signings. Maybe the Targett deal is not over? What happened about Piazon and Kalas, both useful squad players?