Fulham boss Martin Jol is ready to plunge Emmanuel Frimpong into Wednesday’s vital Premier League derby at home to West Ham, so long as the injury-haunted Arsenal loanee proves his fitness in training.
Just six points clear of the relegation zone, Fulham must get some reward from the West Ham game knowing that League leaders Manchester United, who completely dominated the weekend’s FA Cup tie between the two teams at Old Trafford, are the visitors to Craven Cottage on Saturday.
Frimpong (above), still only 21, has already suffered two cruciate ligament injuries but the Ghanaian midfielder successfully came through a loan spell with Charlton earlier this season and Jol, who has signed the player on a season-long deal, said: “I feel he can play a good part in our squad.
“He will train with us and then we’ll see how fit he is and whether he can play on Wednesday. Frimpong is quite a good warrior. We are not the youngest team in the League and maybe he can give us a bit more legs.”
Jol confirmed the importance of the West Ham clash when he added: “We are not in the top half of the table, we know that. There are seven or eight teams around us and we have to pick up points against them. We need a win on Wednesday.”
Fulham are also looking to further strengthen their squad before the transfer window closes, and exciting Belgian teenager Junior Malanda signalled his possible arrival from Zulte-Waregem by tweeting “I will come maybe…”.
The stumbling block could be Waregem’s £5million valuation on the midfielder their supporters have dubbed “the new Mousa Dembele”.
