Roberto De Zerbi has a target in mind at Fulham, and the English club fears the second assault from the French club. To the point of preparing for the departure of Andreas Pereira.
Once something almost unthinkable, picking up a starting player in a team at the top of the Premier League table no longer surprises anyone at Olympique de Marseille. Pablo Longoria showed that, with the financial support of Frank McCourt, no operation could scare him. And after testing the waters about a signing of Andreas Pereira last summer, he has reconnected with the Brazilian player's entourage in recent days. The first approach was not convincing and the Cottagers clearly did not open the door.
The OM threat shakes Fulham
But according to The Timesthe London club very much fears a new attack from OM in the second part of January, if Roberto De Zerbi pushes to have one more offensive player in his squad. The Italian coach has already ticked the name of Andreas Pereira, whose value is now beyond 22 million euros. The Brazilian is a hit this season in the Premier League, with a Fulham team which also surprises by placing in the first half of the table. Pereira, who just turned 29 on January 1, only has a year and a half left on his contract and therefore finds himself in a strong position. His contacts in Brazil are real, notably with the Fluminense club where he has already been loaned in the past, but a big sale could convince the London club to crack, while the season is already successful for the Cottagers.
Importantly, Fulham have decided to take the lead in the event of Pereira's departure, and are seeking to bring in Will Hughes from neighboring Crystal Palace to compensate for any possible transfer. Further proof that the OM threat is taken very seriously in London.
