On a Wing and a Prayer: Are Fulham Woefully Short on the Wings?

There are just over 30 days until Fulham take on Man Utd to open the 24/25 Premier League season and the club finds itself in a precarious situation when we look out wide. The recent departure of Bobby Decordova-Reid, the expected rejection of a new contract from Willian and the ongoing transfer rumours have left many fans concerned about the club's depth on the wings. We look at what Fulham have in their squad, where the gaps lie and how some new faces we've been linked with could potentially make us even stronger.

Current Squad and Departures

Willian has contributed 10 goals and 7 assists during his 67 games with Fulham and if he is to leave, Fulham will be sorely missing his creativity and experience out wide. Additionally, Bobby Decordova-Reid has been a dependable source of goals over the last few seasons, popping up with vital finishes in recent years against Liverpool and Arsenal. His ability to play centrally and on both flanks also opens up even more gaps in the Fulham depth chart.

These departures have left a noticeable void in the squad, reducing both experience and creativity on the flanks and leaving Fulham with a handful of players able to fill the gaps. Let's take a look at what options Marco Silva has out wide.

Adama Traoré is known for his blistering pace and exceptional dribbling skills, averaging 6.90 progressive carries per game. His ability to take on defenders and exploit the space in behind, making him a constant threat on the counter-attack, is a significant asset that Fulham never really made the most of last season. However, his crossing accuracy is relatively low at 22% and his end product has always been a topic of discussion. On his day, he is unstoppable but we're yet to see the best of him at Fulham

Harry Wilson certainly has the ability to excel in the Premier League and we see glimpses but his consistency continues to be an issue. His 4 goals and 6 assists last season were a good return but he struggled to hold down his spot in the side and he occasionally struggles against more physical defenders, which can limit his impact in certain matches.

Alex Iwobi is an effective playmaker and his vision, passing ability, and work rate make him a valuable asset both offensively and defensively. However, with only 4 goals and 2 assists last season, Iwobi needs to increase his goal-scoring contributions. Additionally, his crossing accuracy, standing at 18%, needs improvement to better serve the strikers, especially if he is to step out to the left to replace Willian.

Jay Stansfield and Martial Godo both had successful loan spells as Birmingham and Wigan respectively but shouldn't be relied upon to be regulars this season. Stansfield, who impressed with 7 goals and 3 assists during his loan spell last season, is versatile and hardworking. However, he previously seemed to struggle with the physicality of the Premier League. A full season in the Championship will have certainly helped and Jay will be one to watch closely in pre-season. Similarly, Godo’s technical ability and dribbling, averaging 3.15 shot creating actions per 90 minutes for Wigan, make him a standout young talent. He scored 4 goals last season but needs to work on consistency and improving his crossing accuracy, currently at 23%.

Transfer Rumors and Potential Signings

Harry Wilson has recently been linked with a €20m move to Ajax and that would be a significant blow to our squad depth out wide. On top of that, recent rumours of Andreas Pereira being chased by a number of sides would potentially see Alex Iwobi move into the 10 slot, further reducing the number of players available out wide.

Fulham has been linked with several potential targets who could fit well into Marco Silva's system. Emile Smith-Rowe is looking like the most likely of these with Fulham having made an initial bid and likely to return with further bids. Known for his versatility, ESR can operate as an attacking midfielder or on the wings, offering creativity and dynamism. His ability to exploit spaces and link up play makes him a potential asset, though his injury history and the substantial financial commitment required are considerable risks.

Reiss Nelson from Arsenal, known for his pace and dribbling, could be another valuable addition. His ability to stretch defenses and provide width aligns well with Fulham's tactical approach. Francisco Conceição from FC Porto brings technical skills and creativity, while Cameron Puertas from Union Saint-Gilloise impressed with his high assist tally last season. Richard Rios from Palmeiras is another versatile winger who impressed at the recent Copa America and could add depth, excitement and options to Fulham’s attacking lineup. Fulham has also been linked with Hoffenheim's winger Jacob Bruun Larsen who spent last season on loan at Burnley. Known for his pace and technical skills, his ability to cut inside and create scoring opportunities would be a valuable addition. All have recently been linked with Fulham but only Smith-Rowe appears to a confirmed rumour at this stage.

Possible Solutions

Whilst it's clearly not an area of focus for Fulham and Marco Silva, the club need to strategically bolster their wing options. Potential signings like Emile Smith-Rowe will add depth out wide but are we any better off that we were last year if that's the only move we make?

Fulham should look to leverage their youth potential but is it asking too much of Stansfield and Godo to make a huge step up to the Premier League and make an immediate impact? Both players clearly have bundles of natural talent and, whilst giving these youngsters a chance would provide valuable experience for their development, are Fulham taking too big a risk but relying on youth?

Fulham’s current situation on the wings is a mixed bag of potential and uncertainty. There's some really exciting names being linked but, as always, we are woefully slow in the market and, as each day passes, time runs out. So will we be left ruing yet another opportunity to take Fulham to the next level or are there big moves still to come?

What are your thoughts on Fulham's current wing options? Do you think the club should pursue Emile Smith-Rowe, or are there better alternatives available? Share your views in the comments below!