‘Medical completed’: Crystal Palace and Fulham linked player to leave Chelsea after refusing pay cut
As he concludes his more than 10-year tenure at Chelsea, Callum Hudson-Odoi underwent his medical at Nottingham Forest.
Although Crystal Palace and Fulham were both interested in the English forward, the Chelsea forward’s move was ultimately successful thanks to the influence of manager Steve Cooper.
Conor Gallagher is now up for sale if Spurs or any other team interested in him can meet the £50 million asking price, as Chelsea has confirmed the acquisition of Cole Palmer from Manchester City.
In order to get an opportunity to impress the new manager, Hudson-Odoi spent the previous campaign on loan at Leverkusen. However, due to concerns with his £120k-per-week salary, Hudson-Odoi was constantly looking to be moved, along with players like Hakim Ziyech and Romelu Lukaku.
For Chelsea’s owners, who are currently trying to generate some cash after spending nearly £1 billion on players since they took over the club a little over a year ago, the sale of Hudson-Odoi will be a twofold boost.
Elsewhere When Chelsea hosts Nottingham Forest in the Premier League this weekend, they will be hoping that their investment in the summer window will continue to pay off on the pitch.
When Steve Cooper’s team visits Stamford Bridge, they will be looking to win three straight games for the first time in six months. They have won their last two games.
Fulham: Cottagers working on Sofyan Amrabat move
The Fiorentina midfielder appears to be able to leave before the deadline of 11 p.m.
Sofyan Amrabat, a midfielder for Fiorentina who is also a top target for another Premier League team, is currently “working on” a transfer to Fulham.
What’s the latest Fulham transfer news?
With a verbal agreement over a transfer fee now struck with Bayern Munich, it appears as though Joao Palhinha could be on his way out the door before tonight’s 11 p.m. deadline, though the precise terms and clauses still need to be clarified.
As a result, the Cottagers will need to find a replacement immediately. To that end, they have begun negotiations with Tottenham Hotspur for a trade involving Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who is open to the idea given his lack of playing time in north London.
According to the same report, Marco Silva is eager to sign another central midfielder before the transfer window ends and has approached a number of players, including Scott McTominay of Manchester United and Youssouf Fofana of AS Monaco.
Early in the transfer season, Man United turned down a £30 million bid for McTominay, indicating that the Scotland international may now cost even more now that the deadline is so close, especially if they are unable to sign another central midfielder themselves.
Amrabat is actually the player the Red Devils have been most interested in signing, and according to Football Insider, recent progress in negotiations with Fiorentina has made it possible for him to fly to Manchester for his medical.
According to The Telegraph, Fiorentina is willing to loan the midfielder to Manchester United as long as there is an obligation to purchase at the conclusion of the season for a sum of about €30 million (£26 million).
The 27-year-old has been waiting for United’s interest to manifest, hinting he would be keen on a move to Old Trafford, but Fulham have been mentioned as potential bidders and there may soon be another Premier League offer on the table.
The Cottagers are aggressively “working on” a deal to buy the Moroccan for €30 million (£26 million), according to a report from Sky Sports writer Gianluca Di Marzio on X, so they may end up sabotaging Man United’s approach.
Is Sofyan Amrabat a CDM?
Although he can play a little bit further forward, the Moroccan international’s primary position is defensive midfield. This suggests that he may replace Palhinha in a similar manner, but the two players have different skill sets.
Amrabat’s greatest strength is his passing, putting in the 99th percentile for his pass completion rate, while Palhinha is strong defensively, ranking in the 99th percentile for tackles and the 90th percentile for aerials won and clearances per 90 during the last year.
The Fiorentina star has received praise for being a “raging bull” and “the best midfielder” at the 2022 World Cup from Moroccan journalist Amine El Amri, thus it is obvious that he is a top-tier talent. Amrabat would still be a fantastic addition to the team, but it could be wise to consider other defenders with greater defensive specialization; Hojbjerg might be a better choice.
In a related development:
Fulham: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg transfer update
The Cottagers are keen on the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder…
Fulham have now opened talks to sign Tottenham Hotspur’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and a report has revealed whether the midfielder would be willing to make the move to Craven Cottage…
What’s the latest Fulham transfer news?
There is now likely to be a major outgoing for Fulham on deadline day, with Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg recently claiming Joao Palhinha has now been given permission to fly to Germany, ahead of a move to reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
Gianluca Di Marzio of Sky Sports has now confirmed they are working on a deal for Sofyan Amrabat of Fiorentina, which might cost a total of €30 million (£26 million). A medical has not yet been scheduled since further information is needed, including who would replace the Cottagers.
However, Manchester United is also vying for the central midfielder’s services, and according to Football Insider, the Red Devils are currently putting the finishing touches on a deal. The Londoners are not the only Premier League team in this race.
As a result, Fulham may have to shift their focus, and they may have a strong chance of landing Hojbjerg since, according to a report from The Evening Standard, the midfielder would be “willing to listen” to any offers made.
Since he hasn’t started any of Tottenham’s first three Premier League games under new boss Ange Postecoglou, the 28-year-old is open to the idea of moving to Fulham before the transfer window closes.
The Cottagers have started negotiations to bring in the Dane, who might replace Palhinha, but they may have to compete with Atletico Madrid, a La Liga powerhouse that is hoping Spurs will decrease their asking price before tonight’s deadline at 11 p.m.
In addition to targeting the Tottenham midfielder at this late stage of the transfer season, Marco Silva has also made contact with a number of other players, including Scott McTominay of Manchester United and Youssouf Fofana of AS Monaco, so there are plenty of available choices.
Who has Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg played for?
The Danish international began his professional career at Bayern Munich, where he made a total of 25 first-team games. He later spent time on loan at FC Augsburg before joining Schalke 04, where he played 30 times.
The former Bayern player, who played every league game for Southampton in the 2020–21 season, earned his mark in the Premier League by making 134 appearances. Since then, he has developed into an important player for Spurs.
Despite Postecoglou’s obvious distaste for him, the £102,000-per-week maestro has put in some incredible performances over the past year, ranking among his positional peers in the 91st percentile for pass completion rate per 90 and in the 80th percentile for interceptions.
Hojbjerg is a top-tier player who has been praised as “unbelievable” by Jamie O’Hara, and he might be the ideal substitute for the Portugal international. However, he is not as defensively powerful as Palhinha, who is in the 99th percentile for tackles.
