Why Fulham re-signing Terence Kongolo would bolster their defence
According to Yorkshire Live, Fulham co-owner Tony Khan has assured the fans that the Cottagers are trying their best to bring in a new centre-back, with Huddersfield Town’s Terence Kongolo mentioned as a potential target.
Khan took to his official Twitter account to issue a public apology to the fans in the wake of Fulham’s humiliating 3-0 loss at home against Aston Villa on Monday night. The Cottagers were ripped apart at the back by the visitors and the owner acknowledged the need for some significant improvement moving forward if the club are to stay up in the top-flight.
Kongolo spent the second half of the previous campaign on loan at Craven Cottage but a foot injury restricted the Dutchman to just a single league appearance as Scott Parker’s side secured promotion to the Premier League via the playoffs.
Profile
Born in Freiburg, Germany, to parents of Congolese descent, Terence Kongolo migrated to the Netherlands at a young age and started his career with Feyenoord. He went on to make 138 appearances for Feyenoord in all competitions, establishing himself as one of the best young talents in the Eredivisie, while also catching the eye in the Europa League.
The 26-year-old joined Monaco in 2017 but made only 6 appearances for the French outlet before completing a move to Huddersfield Town in January 2018. Kongolo made 13 appearances for Huddersfield in the Premier League during the second half of the 2017-18 campaign and was instrumental in guiding the Terriers to safety.
Kongolo once again featured as a regular starter for Huddersfield in the following campaign but he couldn’t save the Yorkshire club from relegation at the end of the 2018-19 season. The Dutchman only played a bit-part role for the Terriers in the Championship last term, starting just 10 league games before joining Fulham on loan in January.
Kongolo could be the answer to Fulham’s crisis
If signing a new central defender wasn’t already top of Fulham’s transfer agenda, then it should certainly be the case after the team’s disastrous start to their PL campaign.
Having conceded seven goals in their first two PL games against Arsenal and Leeds United, Scott Parker switched to a back-three system against Aston Villa in a bid to stem the inflow of goals. That tactical tweak, however, didn’t really change Fulham’s fortunes as the Cottagers continued their torrid start to life back in the top-flight with a third straight defeat.
The central defensive triumvirate of Tim Ream, Dennis Odoi and Michael Hector was all over the place and literally non-existent at times. The wing-backs didn’t do an awful lot either. Truth be told, none of the existing centre-backs in the squad has inspired any sort of confidence in the top-flight so far.
Suffice to say, the Cottagers are in dire need of some upgrades at the back, and taking a punt on Terence Kongolo might be a smart idea. The 26-year-old struggled with injuries during his brief loan stint at Craven Cottage last season but he ticks the box as a quality defender with plenty of top-flight experience in his CV.
The Dutchman proved himself as a relegation specialist during Huddersfield’s successful bid for survival in the top-flight during the 2017-18 campaign. He failed to repeat those heroics in the following season as the Terriers eventually suffered the drop. But Kongolo showed that he is more than capable of going shoulder to shoulder with the very best in the Premier League.
Read More
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Verdict
Fulham could well be set for a repeat of their ignominy from the 2018-19 season if they don’t take immediate measures to stop the defensive rut. They conceded 81 goals back then and finished bottom of the table that season.
Terence Kongolo still has his best years ahead of him at 26 while his previous survival heroics with Huddersfield in the top-flight makes the Dutchman a lucrative option for the Cottagers.
