Another summer morning, another sensational transfer story. Pete O’Rourke, who used to be trusted with sorting out the salacious from the serious on Sky Sports News, has had another go at hyping up Leicester City’s interest in Fulham skipper Tom Cairney.
There’s more problem with O’Rourke’s Football Insider exclusive. He reports that the Scottish international is about to enter the final year of his contract at Craven Cottage. The only way that is accurate is if you ignore the fact that Fulham hold an option to extend the 32 year-old’s deal by a further twelve months. The classy midfielder has just passed eight years in SW6 and has made 283 appearances for Fulham.
Leicester might well identify Cairney, who has won promotion from the Championship with the Whites on three occasions, as the type of experienced head to inspire them back to the top flight at the first attempt but the peerless playmaker excelled for Fulham last season after recovering from injury to become a key part of the side that finished tenth on their return to the Premier League. Cairney made 38 appearances in total, beating Duncan Ferguson’s record for the highest number of substitute appearances in the Premier League, but stepped into the shoes of the injured Andreas Pereira superbly for the final month of the season – scoring a brace against the Foxes at Craven Cottage in May that pushed Dean Smith’s side closer to the drop.
The former Hull and Blackburn midfielder might not be guaranteed a starting spot in Silva’s first choice elven next season but he has conclusively shown that he can still shine at the highest level. The Foxes wouldn’t be able to match Cairney’s wages and the midfielder’s family are settled in London, so however highly Fulham’s number ten features on Leicester’s recruitment shortlist, I’d suggest this feels like another slow news day story.
