Fulham Keen On 22 Y/O English Fullback: A Shrewd Move In The Offing?

According to a recent report by Daily Record, Fulham are still pursuing Southampton left-back, Matt Targett. The Cottagers saw their bid of £5million get rejected by the Saints and have reportedly upped their bid to £8million to lure Targett to the Craven Cottage before the summer transfer window shuts down.

Fact File

Targett emerged through the youth ranks of Southampton and was eventually promoted to their senior side. He has represented England’s Under-19, Under-20 and Under-21 sides and during the second half of the previous term, he was sent out on loan to the ranks of Fulham. He helped the London based outfit earn promotion to the Premier League and no wonder Slavisa Jokanovic wants to sign him permanently.

Attributes

The 22-year-old is a modern-day full-back and has raw pace in his legs. He toils up and down the pitch to knit a fine balance between his defensive and offensive endeavours. He is an excellent crosser of the ball, maintains his composure more often than not and his well-built frame allows him to deal with the physical challenges that the English top flight has on offer.

He might not be very commendable in the air but he is an excellent reader of the game. Besides, he holds the ball well in the final third as he waits for the midfielders and attackers of his side to maraud forward. By no means is he a finished product but he is still young and his development trajectory should see an ascendancy in the coming seasons.

How Did He Fare Last Season?

He secured just 2 starts for Southampton and this season is unlikely to be vastly different if he stays on. In 21 appearances after his loan move to Fulham, Targett scored 1 goal and registered 2 assists. Moreover, he mustered 1.9 tackles, 1 interception, 2.9 clearances and 0.2 blocks per game on an average. He quickly acclimatized himself with the tactical nous of Jokanovic.

Why Fulham Need To Sign Him?

Jokanovic has brought just two new players in Jean Michael Seri and Maxime Le Marchand to his arsenal so far this summer. His troops are due to face the elite clubs in the country and someone like Targett should be an excellent signing for them. The English defender has a notable amount of top-flight experience under his belt, is well familiar with the way Fulham cater to their tasks and thus, signing him wouldn’t involve a huge deal of risk.

Statistics Credits: WhoScored