According to a recent report by Express, Fulham are set to lure Swansea City centre-back Alfie Mawson to the Craven Cottage for £25million. Apart from the Cottagers, their Premier League rivals Burnley and West Ham United have also been monitoring Mawson closely but Fulham’s latest offer seems to have done the trick for Slavisa Jokanovic’s side.
Premier League Re-entry
Under the stewardship of Jokanovic, Fulham paved their way to the top-flight by defeating Aston Villa in the Championship playoff final. In order to beef up the quality of his side, with the club due to face the elite English clubs this season, he has already completed the signings of Jean Michael Seri, Andre Schurrle, Fabri and Maxime Le Marchand. In all fairness, Fulham already look like a formidable side on paper.
Owing to Swansea City’s relegation from the top flight, Mawson is expected to be tempted by the opportunity to switch to a Premier League side. The 24-year-old is still recovering from his ankle surgery that he had to undergo at the end of the previous campaign. He is expected to miss some games in the early stages of the 2018-19 season but that hasn’t stopped Fulham from pursuing the player.
Mawson: A Proven Player
Signed by the Swans in the summer of 2016 from Barnsley, Mawson has certainly proven that he is more than capable of plying his trade amidst the animosity that Premier League offers. In 38 league appearances last season, he managed to score 2 goals and register 1 assist. Besides, he mustered 0.8 tackles, 0.9 interceptions, 5.8 clearances and 0.8 blocks per game on an average.
Attributes
Mawson is a calm and composed figure at the back and owing to his height, he is a threat in the opposition box during set-pieces. He is a tough tackler and an astute reader of the game. He carries the ball out from the back with his precise passes, thus laying the foundation for his side’s offensive movements. Besides, he has plenty of experience under his belt.
Will He Be A Shrewd Signing for Fulham?
The Englishman has seen his career graph carving an upward trajectory over the past few seasons. He would certainly be an exciting addition for Fulham and would bring in healthy competition for the likes of Tim Ream and Marchand for a place in the starting XI. He has his best years ahead of him and should fit in perfectly under Jokanovic’s tactical nous.