Fulham reportedly failed with a late bid for Fenerbahce defender Bright Osayi-Samuel despite having six months left on his current deal.
According to Football Insider, Fulham failed with a late bid for Bright Oyasi-Samuel on deadline day. Marco Silva was keen to recruit a new right-back before the window shut following Kenny Tete’s long injury, as Fenerbahce did not want to sell the player despite having only six months left on his deal.
Fulham wanted to bring a new right back as Marco Silva felt shortages in that position. Timothy Castagne is the only fit player in the position, as Kenny Tete is set to remain sidelined until early April, which calls for a new addition.
There were early links to Emerson Royal, who was thought to be expendable at AC Milan following the arrival of Kyle Walker from Manchester City. However, nothing came of those links as Fulham searched for alternative options.
AS Roma rejected a bid for Zeki Celik, as Fulham seemed intent on bringing a new player to the position. Meanwhile, the main story here points out how Fenerbahce also turned down a late offer from the Cottagers for their right-back Bright Osayi-Samuel, which might have come very late for the Turkish giants to consider.
Jose Mourinho’s side might have had a decent opportunity to sell the player for some cash, given he has only less than six months left on his existing deal. The idea here from Fenerbahce might have been to retain the player essential for their plans this season, although Fulham’s offer is not out in the open.
Fulham could still sign Osayi-Samuel for the future
Fulham does not have sufficient coverage at right-back, as Silva desperately wanted to bring cover for Tete. The failed bid for Osayi-Samuel will not have gone well with the manager, although going by the many links, the 27-year-old African defender was probably not their first choice.
In theory, if Fulham feels the 27-year-old African defence could be a substantial addition to their squad, Silva could potentially push to sign him on a free transfer next summer. While the Cottagers are free to discuss a pre-contract agreement with Osayi-Samuel, it remains to be seen whether they press ahead with the idea or look for another player in the position next summer.