Fulham Football Club News

• Nickname:Cottagers
• Founded:1879
• Manager:Martin Jol

• Ground:Craven Cottage
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Hangeland tipped to stay

12 Jul 2009 - 10:11:31

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Fulham manager Roy Hodgson remains hopeful that highly-rated Norwegian defender Brede Hangeland will still be at Craven Cottage when the new Premier League season starts in five weeks' time.

Arsenal, Aston Villa and Manchester City have all been linked with Hangeland, who played a key role in the Cottagers' seventh-placed finish last term.

Speaking after Fulham's friendly win over Melbourne Victory, Hodgson said: "He's a Fulham player, he's got a two-year contract at Fulham.

"We don't really intend to sell him, and he's very happy at the club. We've even offered him a new contract, an improved contract, which I think he's mulling over.

"Because he hasn't immediately jumped at the chance of a new contract, people are suggesting that there will be some movement. But I'll be surprised if he moved.

"Like everything else, Cristiano Ronaldo goes from Manchester United to Real Madrid, Kaka leaves Milan, there's always going to be bigger teams out there than the team you're working for.

"But Hangeland is a very loyal man, he's very happy at Fulham, so it would take a lot to move him but I can't give a stone-based guarantee that he won't leave us at some stage."