Fulham's pursuit of Rennes centre-back Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal appears to be cooling, even though the Morocco international is reportedly open to a move to Craven Cottage. The Premier League club had an opening £20million offer for the defender turned down by the French side, and reports suggest they are unlikely to follow up with an improved bid as they explore alternative options in the transfer market.
The decision to step back from a second offer comes as new head coach Alvaro Arbeloa looks to reshape his defensive options ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign. Fulham had also been monitoring other centre-back targets, including Trabzonspor's Chibuike Nwaiwu and England youth international Charlie Cresswell. However, that particular avenue has now closed after Cresswell completed a switch to Rennes from Toulouse earlier this week, effectively removing him from Fulham's list of options and, ironically, strengthening the very club they are negotiating with over Ait Boudlal.
With Cresswell no longer available and the asking price for Ait Boudlal seemingly too steep for Fulham's liking, the west London club are said to be turning their attention elsewhere as they continue to build their squad under Arbeloa. The Spaniard, who took charge of the club this summer, is understood to be prioritising defensive reinforcements as one of his key areas of focus heading into the new season.
Elsewhere in Fulham's transfer business, progress is reportedly being made on a deal to sign Charles, a 22-year-old whose transfer to Craven Cottage is edging closer to completion, though not yet finalised. Fulham are said to have won the race for his signature ahead of competition from Leeds United, who had also shown interest in acquiring the player.
Should the move for Charles go through as anticipated, it could have a knock-on effect on Fulham's midfield, potentially opening the door for the club to consider offloading Sasa Lukic. The Serbian international has reportedly attracted interest from Ipswich Town, who are said to be keen on bringing him to Portman Road. With Lukic entering the final year of his contract at Fulham, the club may be willing to sanction a sale rather than risk losing him for nothing when his deal expires.
Fulham's transfer strategy this window appears to be a mix of opportunism and pragmatism, balancing the pursuit of specific targets with a willingness to pivot when deals stall or better options emerge. The situation surrounding Ait Boudlal illustrates this approach - while the player himself is said to be keen on the move, financial considerations and the shifting landscape of available targets have led Fulham to reassess their priorities.
As the summer transfer window progresses, Fulham's business will likely continue to evolve, particularly in defense, where Arbeloa is eager to add depth and quality. The futures of both Ait Boudlal and Lukic remain storylines to watch, with the coming weeks likely to clarify Fulham's final squad shape before the new Premier League season gets underway.
For now, Fulham's focus remains on completing the signing of Charles while keeping their options open regarding further defensive additions, having decided that matching or exceeding Rennes' valuation of Ait Boudlal is not currently a path they wish to pursue.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport (standard-football).