Fulham have the option to make Anthony Knockaert’s loan from brighton and hove albion permanent this summer.
Signing the French winger after relegation from the Premier League last term was a big statement of intent by Scott Parker’s side.
On paper, you could argue Fulham’s squad should be in the top two of the Championship with the likes of Knockaert, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Ivan Cavaleiro. However, they currently find themselves six points behind West Brom and seven behind Leeds United.
Knockaert’s influence
He rocked up at Craven Cottage with Championship promotion expertise. He had won promotion with Leicester City in 2014 and then with Brighton in 2017.
Knockaert had also scored a combined 36 goals in his past four seasons in the second tier from the wing, making him a very exciting coup for the Cottagers.
He has made 34 appearances for Parker’s side this term, scoring four goals and gaining five assists. He has not quite managed to bag the same amount of goals as he did at Leicester and Brighton, but he has still been a useful player for Fulham.
If the season does resume, he could play a massive part in their promotion push as he seeks his third to the top flight.
Can he do it in the Premier League?
Knockaert’s long-term future prospects with the London side could depend on what league they are in. Both times he has gone up to the Premier League he has found himself drop back into the Championship shortly after.
If Fulham do go up and exercise the option to sign him permanently over the coming months, the 28 year old will want to prove he can cut it at the top level. Failing to get promoted could result in financial implications that mean they don’t sign Knockaert and may also have to sell of their high-earners.
