Fulham Opinion: Matt Targett would be a good alternative to Joe Bryan and Sessegnon
According to Sky Sports, Fulham are interested in signing Southampton left-back Matt Targett in the summer transfer window, with reports claiming that the Cottagers are set to reignite their interest in the versatile 23-year-old.
Targett spent the second half of the 2017-18 season on loan at Fulham in the Championship and played a key role for the West London outfit, as Slavisa Jokanovic’s side beat Aston Villa in the playoff finals to secure promotion to the Premier League.
Sky Sports claims that Fulham wanted to sign Targett on a permanent basis last summer but their £5 million bid was turned down by Southampton, who were keen to retain the services of their highly-rated academy product. Instead, Fulham ended up signing Joe Bryan from Bristol City, which virtually put a full stop to their links with the Southampton man.
However, Fulham face the risk of losing Joe Bryan this time around, with The Northern Echo reporting that Newcastle United are keen to keep the left wing-back in the Premier League.
Bryan was one of the shining lights of the Cottagers calamitous campaign in the Premier League which ended in relegation and they face a fight to hold on to their prized asset, as Scott Parker and company prepare for a long and hard slog in the Championship next term.
Targett, on the other hand, has largely been used as a squad-rotation player at St. Mary’s since making his debut back in the 2014-15 season. A youth product of Southampton, the 23-year-old has struggled to nail down a regular starting role at his boyhood club, although he featured prominently under Ralph Hasenhuttl this past season and showed strong signs of promise.
The 23-year-old largely played as an understudy to Ryan Bertrand in that left wing-back role but he still managed a total of 21 appearances in all competitions, scoring once and assisting a further 3 in the process. Targett, who is equally adept at playing left-back and further up the pitch as a wing-back or a winger, has made a total of 63 appearances for the Saints in all competitions till date.
To put things into perspective, Fulham need to bring in a specialist left-sided player this summer if they lose the services of Joe Bryan to Newcastle. Targett’s talent and potential in the Premier League haven’t gone unnoticed and he does, indeed, fit the bill at Craven Cottage, although it remains to be seen whether or not he would be open to the prospect of playing regularly in the Championship.
Fulham are set for a massive clear-out of players this summer following their relegation from the top-flight given that they need to cut down their expenses and balance the books. They are at risk of losing several of their highly-rated first-team stars, including the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Jean Michael Seri, Andre Schurrle, Ryan Sessegnon and a few others.
Sessegnon has been linked with a move to several Premier League clubs and his potential departure would leave the Cottagers short of cover on the left-hand side of the pitch. And now, with Joe Bryan also linked with a move away, Fulham find themselves under pressure to dip into the market for alternatives.
Targett is versatile enough to shoulder both offensive and defensive responsibilities effectively given his good understanding of the game and well-rounded passing and crossing attributes. Fulham still have the services of Maxine Le Marchand as an orthodox left-back but one can get the feeling that someone like Targett would offer a lot more in terms of attack.
To Read More Fulham News, Click Here:- Latest Fulham News
The 23-year-old is held in high regard at Southampton, and with Hasenhuttl showing an inclination to sue him more regularly, the Saints are unlikely to let him depart on the cheap. However, that should stop Fulham from using their financial muscle to test their resolve, as they look to secure promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
