Fulham have entered the race to sign Koffi Djidji this January and could pip Anderlecht and Bristol City to the capture of the Torino central defender.
According to Sportmediaset, Premier League surprise package Fulham are in a tussle with Championship side Bristol City and Belgian giants Anderlecht to sign Torino centre-back Koffi Djidji ahead of the January transfer window.
Djidji started his career at French club Nantes, initially joining their Under-18s. The central defender went on to make his first-team debut for the then-Ligue 2 outfit in 2012 and would spend six years in the west of France, making 111 first-team appearances, the majority of which arrived in Ligue 1 as he helped them find a footing in the French top-flight.
His consistent displays earned him a loan move to Serie A outfit Torino with a buy option, which was activated after an impressive loan spell. However, an injury-riddled first full season saw Djidji being loaned out to fellow Serie A side Crotone in the summer of 2019, before returning to establish himself as a regular for Torino last season.
Brazilian defender Gleison Bremer dominated the headlines, was named Serie A’s best defender, earned a big-money move to Juventus, and is in the Brazilian squad for the World Cup. But his partner Djidji has quietly gone about his business and has flown under the radar of better-placed clubs due to his age profile.
This season, the 29-year-old has been a regular fixture for the Italian club in Serie A, making 13 league appearances as his side has had a good start to the season. And Djidji’s performances haven’t gone unnoticed, attracting the attention of Fulham.
Following their promotion from the Championship, Fulham have transitioned well to life in the Premier League, bucking the trend of their yo-yo status. Marco Silva’s men currently sit ninth in the standings and may consider Djidji as someone to bring more experience to their defensive ranks ahead of the second half of the season.
If Fulham can get a deal done, this could turn out to be a shrewd bit of business. Djidji is a very solid operator and has only one year left on his contract. So, his signing will unlikely break the bank.
Summer additions like Joao Palhinha, Issa Diop, and Bernd Leno have had a positive impact on the defensive stability of the team, while often-beleaguered Tim Ream is silencing his doubters with stellar performances at the back. However, the more quality depth the Cottagers have, the better their prospects will be of achieving a solid top-ten finish on their return to the English top flight.
However, Fulham are not the only club reported to be in the race, with Anderlecht also offering a lucrative option. The Londoners will hope to fend off competition to secure their transfer target. It remains to be seen whether Marco Silva will bring Djidji as a stop-gap solution.
