Skip to content

Hodgson expects Dacourt battle

Image: Dacourt: Free agent in summer

Roy Hodgson fears Fulham could lose out on signing Olivier Dacourt on a permanent basis in the summer.

Cottagers chief keen on keeping Frenchman

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson fears the club could lose out on signing Olivier Dacourt on a permanent basis in the summer. Dacourt, who is on loan at Fulham until the end of the season, sees his contract at Inter Milan expire in the summer and he is expected to leave on a free transfer. Hodgson is a big admirer of Dacourt, but he accepts other clubs could try and sign the former Leeds and Everton man on a free transfer when his loan deal finishes. "We realised we had him on loan until the end of the season, by which point his contract will have run out," Hodgson told the Daily Star Sunday. "I think we will face competition for him - certainly if he does well while he is here."

Interest

Meanwhile, Almeria striker Alvaro Negredo claims Fulham are tracking him. Fulham are believed to be monitoring the 23-year-old as they weigh up a summer move for his services and Negredo admits he would consider a move to England. "They and other English clubs are watching my games but that doesn't make me nervous," Negredo told the News of the World. "To play in the Premier League is not easy but, today, there are many Spaniards over there and this is opening the door for others. "If a big offer comes I don't believe that it would be a problem to close the deal. That is something the president told me."

Around Sky