‘Fulham aim to better promoted clubs in worst-case-scenario spending plan’
Fulham are doing the bare minimum that is necessary to maintain their status as a Premier League club this season and will likely sell before buying.
That is according to football finance expert Dan Plumley, who told Football Insider exclusively that the Whites don’t appear to have any financial issues that are stopping them from spending this summer.
Fulham were the last Premier League team to make a senior signing this summer when Benjamin Lecomte arrived from Ligue 2 side Montpellier.
The French shot-stopper will serve as back-up to Bernd Leno, and he has been the Cottagers’ only signing of an underwhelming window.
Marco Silva has made clear his frustrations with Fulham’s transfer strategy, and The Sun reported that Fulham’s manager is unlikely to sign a contract extension due to his growing concerns.
And with time running short before the Premier League season begins, Rodrigo Muniz may be on his way to Newcastle, leaving the Whites’ squad worryingly thin.
Fulham doing the bare minimum to survive
This article contains exclusive comment from Dan Plumley, a football finance expert and senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University.
The club’s lack of transfer activity has been a source of annoyance for many, given that the Whites are fresh off recording their best ever Premier League points total.
Had it not been for a drop in form at the back-end of the season, Fulham may have been able to qualify for Europe, and yet the club’s hierarchy has done nothing to improve the starting XI that finished 11th last year.
Speaking to Football Insider, Plumley explained that as the Cottagers have no glaring financial issues, it was likely that the club are simply looking to do the bare minimum to retain their status as a Premier League club.
He said: “It’s always like that in a like-for-like situation, isn’t it?
“A player out is ultimately going to enable you to bring a player in for a variety of reasons, and you know how your squad makeup looks.
“And I think with Fulham as well, they’re not in that category of clubs that have got huge issues that we can see behind the scenes.
“There is perhaps a little bit of money there to spend if they want to spend, but also they’ll be looking at where their budget is compared with where they think other clubs’ budgets are.
“Then, in terms of what the expectations are for the club this season, they’ll be looking at the clubs that have come up and saying, right, do we think we’re absolutely better than them? What’s the worst case scenario? Where’s our squad?
“I think they can spend a bit, but they’re not going to be a club that’s going to be able to break the bank and pay huge fees in a way we’ve seen some of the other clubs do.
“If they are in the market for a couple of players, they’ll continue to do that throughout the course of the window.
“But logically speaking, selling one ultimately enables you to do more. It’s just a natural consequence.”
Reiss Nelson to Fulham update
One player who does look likely to be signed by Fulham this summer is Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson.
The 25-year-old spent 2024/25 on loan at Craven Cottage, but suffered a season-ending injury midway through the campaign.
Arsenal are keen to sell the winger thanks to their glut of options in wide positions, but the two teams are yet to find a resolution on a deal that works for both parties.
Nelson would offer a more natural option in the wide areas than Emile Smith-Rowe, who has been used at left-wing in various pre-season games.