Fulham have completed the permanent signing of Huddersfield Town defender Terence Kongolo for an initial fee believed to be around £4m.
The Dutch international defender, who can play at centre back or at left back, had a short spell at Craven Cottage last season, which was cut short after he broke his metatarsal during his league debut at Blackburn. Kongolo made just two appearances for Fulham, starting in an FA Cup defeat at Manchester City and then coming on as the Whites closed out a narrow victory at Ewood Park, but Fulham kept tabs on the defender as he recovered from his injury over the course of the summer.
After completing the move, Kongolo told FFCTV:
“I’m really happy. It’s been a while, been waiting the whole day, but the end result is I can play for Fulham! I’m proud to be here, and I will give everything for this club.”
Kongolo has Premier League experience having starred as the Terriers survived their first season in the top flight, finishing 16th. He made seventeen appearances helping to steady the Town defence before completing a club-record deal to make the move from Monaco permanent over the course of the summer. The 26 year-old was a regular in the side as Huddersfield went down in 2018/2019 and moved to Craven Cottage on loan last January having indicated he would like to move on.
The move for Kongolo, who has won four senior caps for his country and was part of the Dutch squad that finished third at the 2014 World Cup, became all the more critical after recent signing Joachim Andersen injured his ankle ligaments during training earlier this week.
Dozens of unproven defenders, dozens of midfielders, still.only one striker!! This clown Tony Khan can’t be allowed to continue mucking this club up with his pitiful ignorance of the game and our needs! He’s relegated us again !!!
Totally agree with John. Such unbalanced dealings in the transfer market over 3 full windows have seen T.Khan squander, literally, hundreds of millions of pounds – for what?
We now have one of the most disparate squads in the division.
We have a static striker who has zero support. God help us if he incurs suspension or picks up an injury. Even fully fit, he couldn’t hack it on his own in the Premiership, first time around. Why do they think it will be any different now? For me, the failure to sign strike support is unforgivable.
In midfield, it will be very interesting to see Parker’s preferred selection for Sunday. Whoever he chooses, there will be twice as many unchosen, unhappy souls sitting on the sidelines.
Purchasing every central defender actually willing to come to SW6 doesn’t actually solve the defensive problem we have had for so long. Scott Parker’s wife has had to add even more aspirin to her daily shopping list because he must have one huge, permanent headache trying to figure out which 2 can mesh. Expect to see some experimentation in the coming weeks while he does his best to figure out that conundrum.
Bottom line, while he experiments, we will continue to drop points. Add to that, the huge number of squad players who can’t get a game and whose discontent slowly starts to erode at any team unity that might exist and we look a bit of a mess in the making.
Whilst i share and understand your frustrations, please give the guys a chance to perform, as for Scotty I have said for some time I believe we were promoted not because of him but despite him.
As for TK, I have it before, if you know of another billionaire who wishes to invest £100’s of millions into the playing staff (misguided or otherwise) and a further £100 into the building a magnificent new stand, please give me his number and I will be round his house in a flash to bring him in.
I know on the face of it we are going to struggle, but surely rather this, than another season in the championship.
C’mon boys and girls lets get behind them come hell or high water.
COYW
Echo the sentiments of the other guys loved to have signed another striker let’s give Scott time to gel the new players but saying that we have got to hit the ground running should have got rid of some tocut to 25 players,we desperately need a new Dof F because TK is a liability hope to see Loftus Cheek play this weekend COYW
Please tell me if Mitro gets injured who have we got that’s going to score. Answer no one.
Unbelievably, we now learn from Kongolo’s Fulham TV interview that he is not actually fit. He is, in fact, still undergoing rehab from the injury sustained during his previous, short spell at the club. By his own admission, he has to complete his rehab and then focus on getting fit. So he will not play a part in our back four for some considerable time.
There I was thinking that the Anderson injury was a shattering blow but, at least, we had signed a replacement but that proves not to be the case. This means that, in all probability, Tim Ream will continue in that position so, in fact, we have not strengthened central defence in the way we clearly needed.