Forget Mitrovic – Fulham could strike gold by completing this £26m deal for Brazilian star

Why Fulham bidding for Willian Jose is the right choice by                  them                                 

Fulham have made a £26m bid for Real Sociedad’s Brazilian striker Willian Jose, as an alternative to Aleksandar Mitrovic. The latter was on loan at Craven Cottage last season and manager Slavisa Jokanovic wants him to join from Newcastle United. But the deal is yet to materialise.

So, the Cottagers targeting Jose as a substitute option is a fantastic choice made by the club because the Brazilian has the qualities to be a success in the Premier League. He has had an impactful couple seasons in La Liga, playing for Real Sociedad, scoring 27 goals in 62 league appearances.

Here’s everything you need to know about the player and why he can make the difference if bought by the Premier League newcomers:

Player Analysis – Willian Jose

Age – 26

Main Position – Forward

Jose is a very good all-around centre-forward with an array of attributes to trouble the defenders. His impressive height (189cm) and physical stature allow him to win aerial duels at a rate of 1.5 per game and dominate the centre-backs with ease. This aids him to provide knock-downs for midfield runners when a ball is played towards him.

The 26-year-old likes to shoot from distance and more or less hit the target to test the goalkeeper. He attempted 89 shots from 34 appearances last season, with 27 of them from out of the box.

Furthermore, Jose has an acute eye for picking out a crucial through ball or accurate layoff to open a defence up, at a rate of 1.2 per game. He also has a pass completion of 75.2%, which showcases his ability to not waste possession.

So, Fulham will get a striker who can cope with the physicality of the Premier League and be lethal in front of goal when needed. The Brazilian won’t just be an alternative but also a very good first-choice option for the Cottagers if are they fail to get Mitrovic.

Verdict

It’s true that Jokanovic would still prefer the Mitrovic deal to be completed, however, the fact that Jose is such a high-quality player won’t affect Fulham’s plans. Both players have similar attributes in the air and would be ruthless.

Read More: Go for it Jokanovic – Fulham should follow up on their £5m interest in this Premier League ace

Hence, it won’t make much difference for Jokanovic. Anyway, Fulham would get a quality striker in Willian Jose, if not Mitrovic.

Stats Courtesy – Whoscored.com