Fulham have reportedly enquired about Sevilla attacker Lucas Ocampos ahead of a potential summer swoop.
The Argentine winger, 28, spent the first half of 2022-23 season on loan at Ajax, where he managed just four Eredivisie appearances before returning to Sevilla in January. Upon his return to Seville, he quickly became a regular member of Luis Mendilibar’s side, helping them avoid relegation from La Liga as well as winning the Europa League. He is about to enter the final 12 months of his contract at Sevilla, with a new deal yet to be agreed.
According to The Daily Mail, Fulham are aware of Lucas Ocampos’ situation with the Spanish side and are trying to take full advantage, as Marco Silva plans to bolster his squad ahead of the new season.
Marco Silva defied the expectations last term, finishing tenth in the table upon Fulham’s automatic promotion to the Premier League. The Portuguese is keen to build on the solid campaign but will need significant backing from the club’s owners this summer.
Lucas Ocampos to Fulham—A smart buy?
Lucas Ocampos joined Sevilla from Marseille in 2019 and has racked up 161 appearances so far, registering 39 goals and 17 assists. He clocked five goals and two assists in 35 outings for Ajax and Sevilla last season. The Argentinean international played a key role in Sevilla’s latest Europa League triumph in Hungary, playing the full 120 minutes and scoring the first penalty in the shootout as he helped his side beat Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma.
The 28-year-old can operate across the front three with ease, being able to play on both flanks as well as through the middle—and this could be a big bonus for Marco Silva, especially if Ocampos can find the form he displayed during his debut season with Sevilla.
Indeed, during 2019/20 campaign, Ocampos scored 17 goals and supplied five assists in 44 games across all competitions, demonstrating how dangerous he was from a wide position with a consistent run of games under his belt. It was also the season when Sevilla claimed their sixth Europa League trophy, and Ocampos had a major role to play.
Fulham boss Marco Silva is keen to bring him to Craven Cottage as he wants to add more potency to their attack. Aleksandr Mitrovic was the only consistent source of goal for Fulham this past season, and when he was slapped with an eight-game ban, Silva’s side fell off from challenging for a European spot to finishing tenth in the table.
This is why a move for Ocampos makes sense. The Argentinean’s ability to score, as well as create goals and quality opportunities on a regular basis, would make him a constant threat at Fulham’s wide areas. He would also improve the depth of the squad whilst being an upgrade on both Harry Wilson and Bobby Decordova-Reid.
Keeping that in mind, the Cottagers must go all out for the signing of Ocampos.
