Following the end of the Premier League season that saw Fulham relegated, a host of European clubs will be circling for some of the Whites’ finest talents.
On Wednesday, top-scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic was linked with a move to German club Bayer Leverkusen by a report in Sport Bild.
The reported move itself is not outrageous, as Mitrovic has shown his worth in the top flight, and Leverkusen are a strong Bundesliga side that are currently fifth in the table.
But the reported fee renders the transfer rumour laughable. According to Bild, Leverkusen are prepared to make an offer of at least €20 million — substantially less than what Fulham paid for Mitrovic last summer.
In the negotiations, the London club hold the clear upper hand. After joining on loan in January 2018, Fulham tied Mitrovic down to a permanent, five-year deal in the summer, for a fee of around £22 million that could rise to £27 million in add-ons.
Why would Fulham sell Mitrovic, who still has four years left on his contract, for a lower fee than what they bought him for last summer? The maths do not add up and it is extremely unlikely that Fulham would part ways with their star striker for such a fee.
It is only May and there is plenty of time for deals to be renegotiated before August. But at least at this point, there are few signs Fulham would sell Mitrovic to Leverkusen for a fee of around €20 million.
