Why the arrival of Kenny Tete comes as a massive boost for Fulham
According to Sky Sports, Premier League newcomers Fulham have completed the signing of Dutch international right-back Kenny Tete from Lyon for a fee of £3million.
As per the report, the 24-year-old has put pen to paper on a four-year deal with the Cottagers, with Fulham holding the option to extend his stay by a further 12 months.
Tete has expressed his delight after securing a move to Craven Cottage while assuring the fans that he will give his 100% to try and help the club preserve their Premier League status. (h/t Sky Sports)
Profile
Born in Amsterdam, Kenny Tete rose through the youth ranks of Ajax and initially featured for the club’s reserve side in the second tier before making his competitive debut for the first-team during the 2014-15 season.
The 24-year-old made 55 appearances for the Eredivisie giants across all competitions, guiding his boyhood club to the 2016-17 Europa League final before departing for Lyon in the summer of 2017.
Tete struggled to establish himself as an undisputed starter in France due to stiff competition for places but he still managed 80 appearances for Lyon in all competitions across three seasons, scoring once and supplying nine assists.
He featured sporadically last term, starting nine times in Ligue 1 and just once in the club’s march to the semi-finals of the Champions League. A full international for the Netherlands since 2015, Tete has 13 senior caps to his name so far.
Tete should add some real quality to Fulham’s backline
Fulham have adopted a really smart approach in the transfer window this summer, adding some important players to their squad without spending an awful lot of cash.
The Cottagers have completed permanent deals for last season’s loanees, Anthony Knockaert and Harrison Reed. They have also up full-backs Antonee Robinson and Kenny Tete for thrifty amounts in the market. Alphonse Areola and Ola Aina have been roped in on loan deals to add more cover between the sticks and at right-back.
Tete has plenty of top-flight experience in the Netherlands and France, while also boasting of considerable exposure in the Europa League and Champions League. That, coupled with his status as a Dutch international, means that the 24-year-old has the right kind of CV to slot seamlessly into a club of Fulham’s stature in the Premier League.
The Dutchman comes through the door an instant upgrade on the likes of Dennis Odoi and Cyrus Christie, both of whom struggled to cope with the intensity of the top-flight during Fulham’s relegated 2018-19 campaign.
It will be interesting to see him compete with former Chelsea star Ola Aina for a regular starting role on the right-hand side of Fulham’s backline. Both tick plenty of boxes as exciting young attack-minded full-backs and such competition for places could be a real asset to any promoted club.
Read more
- Fulham join Leeds in the race for Florentino Luis – A bargain move to add depth?
- Why Fulham must secure a loan deal for Ethan Ampadu
- Why a permanent move for Anthony Knockaert is good for Fulham
Verdict
Lack of defensive stability was one of the major contributing factors behind Fulham’s relegation from the top-flight back in 2018-19. The club’s transfer business this summer clearly shows that they have learned from their mistakes.
Kenny Tete looks more than capable of adding a lot of quality to the Cottagers backline and still has his best years ahead of him. With that in mind, the Dutch international’s modest-looking £3million price tag could well make him a bargain for Fulham if he manages to prove his credentials in English football.
