During the first six months of the recently concluded 2017-18 season, Aleksandar Mitrovic was handed merely six substitute appearances at Newcastle United under the tutelage of Rafael Benitez. The Serbia international found the back of the net on just one occasion and it was evident that Benitez didn’t prefer using Mitrovic up top in his starting line-up owing to his temperament.
He was deemed as a surplus to the requirements and was shipped out on loan to Fulham during the January transfer window.
Mitrovic’s move to the Craven Cottage turned out to be a good piece of business for the Cottagers as well as for the striker, which is why he is keen to sign for Fulham permanently in the summer after his loan deal with them expires at the end of this month.
Fulham earned a ticket to the top flight after their stupendous run of form in the Championship last season.
The London based outfit narrowly missed out on an automatic promotion after a final-day defeat at the hands of Birmingham City, which was unexpected. However, they came back stronger in the playoffs and breezed past Derby County and Aston Villa to meet their ambitions of promotion.
Intriguingly, Mitrovic was one of the players who facilitated Fulham’s surge towards the top flight. The former Anderlecht hitman smashed 12 goals in 20 appearances in the Championship after his exit from St. James’ Park. He was instrumental in Slavisa Jokanovic’s tactical nous and helped his side to a 23-match unbeaten run which turned the momentum in Fulham’s favour.
He was a livewire in the final third and owing to his pace and mobility on and off the ball, it was difficult for the opposition to mark him.
Mitrovic linked up well with the likes of Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon and his ability to hold the ball up front enabled the midfielders to make the forward runs and try to find the back of the net. Besides, he proved to be clinical inside the box and offered notable predatory instincts.
With the World Cup set to begin in a couple of weeks, a good spell with Fulham probably saved Mitrovic’s chances of featuring for Serbia on the grandest stage of them all.
It will be intriguing to see whether Newcastle allow the exit of the striker permanently or not but it will make a lot of sense if Jokanovic tries to rope him permanently.
