Fulham are reportedly considering a summer swoop for former Manchester City starlet Rabbi Matondo as they get ready for life back in the Premier League.
According to the Telegraph, Fulham are interested in signing Wales forward Rabbi Matondo, who is currently out on loan at Cercle Brugge from German giants FC Schalke.
A product of the Cardiff City youth setup, Matondo was regarded as one of the most exciting young British talents when he was signed by Manchester City in 2016. The versatile forward impressed for the club’s youth teams but departed for Schalke in January 2019 in search of a faster pathway to the first team.
However, the move did not pan out as expected for Matondo as he managed just 32 appearances for the German outfit, scoring two goals in eighteen months. He returned to England in January last year, joining Stoke City on loan but failed to make much of an impression.
Following Schalke’s relegation from Bundesliga, he was on the move again last summer, signing for Cercle Brugge on a season-long loan deal. Matondo has been able to rediscover his spark with the Belgian outfit, bagging ten goals and two assists from 27 appearances across all competitions.
It has put the 21-year-old forward on the radars of several clubs, including Fulham. The Cottagers will return to the Premier League next season after being crowned the winners of the EFL Championship 2021/22. Marco Silva’s side have been prolific in the second division, scoring a whopping 106 goals in 45 matches.
Aleksandar Mitrovic has been the main man in attack for Fulham, leading the chart with 43 strikes to his name. However, his record in the Premier League does not inspire much confidence. At the same time, the Londoners are set to lose Fabio Carvalho, who will be joining Liverpool at the end of the season.
So, additions need to be made to the attacking department in the summer as Fulham plan to retain their Premier League status instead of immediately dropping down to the second division like in their last two attempts. To that end, Fulham have already been linked with a move for Swedish attacker Viktor Gyokeres. And now, the Cottagers have set their sights on Rabbi Matondo.
The 21-year-old is a promising young talent who can play anywhere in the final third and would add a sense of dynamism to Fulham’s attack that is set to lose Carvalho. But, Cercle Brugge have an option to make Matondo’s move from Schalke permanent in the summer. So, Fulham will have to act fast if they wish to land the former Manchester City starlet.
