I hope this is just a backup plan.
Although if it is, it’s going to be one seriously expensive backup plan for us to get involved in. According to a report from talkSPORT, Fulham and Wolves have both made a late attempt to grab Watford’s French midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Even though there are reports (Telefoot Chaine via GFFN) that terms have been agreed, a bid has yet to be accepted by the Hornets, meaning that there is still plenty to play for when it comes to his services as Watford claim to be asking for between £20-£25m.
I say he’d be a backup, because as I’ve said before on this page Harrison Reed needs to be our number one priority when it comes to summer transfers, and with his deal set to cost £8m, it’s a far cheaper option than going after Doucoure.
I hinted in that piece about the importance of keeping things as close to last season as possible, and if we are to continue with the midfield three of Josh Onomah, Tom Cairney and the aforementioned Reed that did so well for us in the latter stages of the season, then anyone else will just be playing second fiddle.
How much will Fulham spend this winter?
Less than £10m
More than £10m
And paying that much for someone to sit on the bench, when we already have the returning Jean Michel Seri and André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, as well as Stefan Johansen and Kevin McDonald as the experience veteran backup/rotation options, just smacks of a return to the summer of 2018 and the so-called ‘worst £100m ever spent’.
Scott Parker hinted that we wouldn’t make the same mistakes that we did last time we went up, and if we were to go after Doucoure, then that’s exactly what we would be doing.