Fulham look set to mount another strong challenge for promotion to the Premier League this season under the management of Slaviša Jokanović. They are currently sat just one point off the play-off places in the Championship and only eight points off Gary Rowett’s Derby County side, who occupy the second automatic promotion place.
The Whites made a relatively slow start to the season, but they are now starting to show why they should be seen as genuine promotion contenders. The squad includes a host of attacking talent, including Ryan Sessegnon, Aboubakar Kamara, Stefan Johansen, and more.
However, the influential midfielder and club captain Tom Cairney seems to be attracting the most interest from Premier League sides this month. We take a look at how the 27-year-old could flourish in the top flight should he secure a move away from Craven Cottage before the transfer window closes next week.
A proven performer
There is no doubt that Cairney deserves an opportunity to test himself at a higher level. He has been outstanding for Fulham since joining Blackburn Rovers in 2015 for a fee of around £3 million. He made 45 league appearances for the club last season and helped guide them to a play-off finish. Many saw them as favorites to achieve promotion via the playoffs, but they were ultimately eliminated by Reading over two legs in the semi-finals.
It was believed that Cairney might have departed the club following their failure to achieve promotion, but he remained at Craven Cottage and has continued to perform this season. He has made 17 appearances in the Championship in this campaign and has found the back of the net once. However, he brings much more to the team than his goalscoring ability. He is an excellent leader with a wealth of experience and has the quality to open teams up. He is undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the Championship and is up there with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Rúben Neves.
The fact that he did not leave Fulham at the first opportunity last summer is also a good sign regarding his character. He wanted to remain at the club and try to help them earn promotion this season. Whether Cairney has changed his mind on his future during the last six months remains to be seen, but whatever he decides to do, everyone connected with Fulham cannot fault his commitment to the club.
Several sides are reportedly interested
If Cairney decided to leave Fulham, he would have plenty of options, including teams from the Premier League. West Ham United have reportedly already had a £15 million bid rejected by Fulham, and it remains to be seen whether they will come back with an increased offer. West Bromwich Albion are also said to be tracking the midfielder’s situation but at this moment in time have only registered their interest. Cairney may decide that the best option is for him to remain at Fulham due to both West Ham and West Brom being in relegation trouble and Fulham having a very good chance of securing promotion to the Premier League themselves in May.
Fulham’s next match is against Barnsley in the Championship on Saturday afternoon at Oakwell. It will be interesting to see if Cairney plays in this game or whether all the transfer talk has swayed his mind.