Fulham could be about to lose Cameroonian international Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa on the eve of the Championship season with reports from Spain suggesting that the midfielder is poised to join Villarreal.

The former Marseille midfielder endured a difficult first season at Craven Cottage, having made a reported €25m move on transfer deadline day. Anguissa struggled to acclimatise to both the pace and the physicality of the Premier League and was found wanting as a lone holding midfielder in Fulham’s system – a role he hadn’t previously played. The 23 year-old made 23 appearances as the Whites were relegated from the top flight, although his performances did improve towards the end of the season when former Fulham  captain Scott Parker was appointed as a caretaker manager.

Anguissa, who was part of the Cameroon squad that reached the second round of the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt this summer, had been pinpointed as a potential key player as Fulham plotted a promotion push from the Championship under Parker this term. It is believed that the player himself was keen to assess all of his options this summer and would be open to a potential move to Spain. Villarreal are considered to be in prime position to complete a deal in the next couple of days having been in negotiations with Fulham over the past few weeks and the move could be a loan with an option to buy.

Anguissa’s departure would leave Parker’s squad worryingly light on options to fill the holding midfield role. Veteran Scottish international Kevin McDonald starred as a deep-lying midfielder when the Whites won promotion via the Championship play-offs in 2018, but was a bit-part player upon their return to the top flight. Youth team player Jayden Harris has been handed a couple of appearances during pre-season, whilst Fulham also have Ibrahima Cisse still on their books, although he has struggled to make an impression on the first team in recent seasons.