Fulham target Youssouf Fofana to replace Joao Palhinha

Premier League club Fulham are eyeing a move for AS Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana as a replacement for Joao Palhinha.

According to the Daily Mail, the Cottagers are racing against time to secure the services of the Frenchman before the transfer window closes on Friday.

Fofana has undergone quite a journey to arrive at the upper echelons of the sport.

The Monaco midfielder’s roots trace back to Strasbourg’s youth academy, where he honed his craft before debuting for the senior squad in 2018.

Monaco signed him for £13 million in 2020. Fofana has flourished since then, amassing 141 appearances across various competitions.

He has bagged three vital goals for the club in that period and become a mainstay first team.

Fofana’s meteoric rise has not gone unnoticed as France head coach Didier Deschamps called him into the national team squad in September last year. 

The 24-year-old played in the 2022 World Cup as Les Bleus reached the final before the heartbreaking defeat to Argentina in Qatar.

Fulham’s pursuit of Fofana holds the key to Bayern Munich’s potential move for Fulham star Joao Palhinha.

The Cottagers are discussing the transfer with the Bundesliga champions but will wait until they bring in a replacement. 

Bayern’s advances for Palhinha could pave the way for Ryan Gravenberch’s transfer to Premier League giants Liverpool. 

The Reds have Gravenberch as one of their primary midfield targets and are trying to agree a deal with Bayern, but they will not let him go unless they bring in Palhinha.