(Football news) Fulham are all set to sign Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha. He is moving to the Cottagers as his contract at Lazio ends this month. Newcastle were also keen on the goalkeeper, but talks with Fulham have been ongoing for some weeks and they finally reached an agreement regarding the personal terms. His deal with Fulham could be up to four years and worth around £1million a year. He is also expected to receive a hefty signing-on bonus along with a hefty salary per week for the Albania international.
The Cottagers have been on the prowl for a new goalkeeper as they prepare to return to the Premier League for the 2022/23 season after winning the Championship season last season. In the Championship, former Tottenham goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga made just 15 appearances, with Marek Rodak slotting back into the starting role for the latter half of the season. It was also reported that they had explored re-signing Alphonse Areola from Paris Saint-Germain after his successful loan spell in west London during their 2020/21 campaign. However, the France international is now likely to join West Ham on a permanent deal and Marco Silva swiftly turned his attention to get Strakosha to the other side of London.
Strakosha came through the academy at Lazio, where he has been in the club for the past ten-years. He played 208 games for the club and won two Coppa Italia titles along the way. He will end his 10-year association with Lazio this summer, having joined the Italian side at a tender age of 17. He went on a brief loan spell with Salernitana in Serie B. Since then the goalkeeper made his first team breakthrough in Rome in 2016 and went on to play 208 for Le Aquile. Strakosha started last season as the number two goalkeeper in the squad behind Pepe Reina, but played every Serie A game from December 5 onwards and kept seven clean sheets in 23 matches as Lazio finished fifth. At international level, the 6ft 4in stopper has earned 19 caps for Albania and played in the Euros last year
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