Fulham Football Club

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

• Ground:Craven Cottage
• Capacity:26,600

Hodgson cools Smalling link

21 Jan 2010 - 15:26:24

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Fulham manager Roy Hodgson has dismissed recent speculation linking Arsenal with an approach to sign Cottagers defender Chris Smalling.

The 20-year-old England Under-21 international has become a regular first-team squad member this season, but Hodgson has played down talk of a move across the capital for his player.

He told reporters: "If Arsenal are interested, then I guess they better get in touch with us.

"I have not spoken to Arsene (Wenger) at all. It has never been mentioned and our chief executive has not spoken to their chief executive, so presumably that means they have got no interest, or the interest is being generated by someone else in the club or outside the club.

"Arsene made it clear to me with Brede Hangeland, he said 'if I had been interested in signing Brede Hangeland, the first person I would have contacted would have been you'.

"I believe that and fully expect when he wants to sign a Fulham player, I will be the first one to hear."