Fulham’s surprisingly good transfer window is a reason for some optimism

With the transfer window having closed with Moussa Dembele and Ross McCormack still at Fulham, and with the squad having been freshened up despite a transfer embargo, Whites fan Kris Balkin believes the club could now be heading in the right direction….

For a club under a transfer embargo, Fulham’s deadline day was a joy to behold for fans previously well versed in uninspiring signings.

Last summer, under the tutelage of Felix Magath, the likes of Kay Voser, Adam Taggart and Mark Fotheringham joined the club in a window of overwhelming mediocrity.

And now January 2016 has passed, we find ourselves free from the majority of deadweight Magath brought in and, to add icing to the cake, we have a sizeable incoming of talent.

Centre-back Michael Madl was the first to join, supposedly a result of our new stats-centric approach to scouting. Rohan Ince and Zakaria Labyad joined on the final day, with Fernando Amorebieta returning from his loan spell at Middlesbrough early.

Retaining both Ross McCormack and Moussa Dembele, though, is perhaps the biggest coup of what could have been a depressing window, especially given our transfer ban.

Of course it means Dembele is free to leave in the summer, and it’s almost certain that he will, but his importance so far in this campaign cannot be underestimated and there will be more heroics to come from him this year.

If we lose him to a foreign team for minimal compensation then, perhaps, you could label the club’s decision to pull out of a sale to Tottenham a foolish one. But, lose him to an English club and we should receive a multi-million fee.

As for the incomings, Madl comes as a highly thought-of defender, if only in his native Austria.

The stats aficionados at the club clearly saw something in his performances to warrant a move and, with Amorebieta back as well, questions will be asked over the role Richard Stearman and Shaun Hutchinson, both of whom have featured sparsely under new boss Slavisa Jokanovic.

Brighton’s Ince is the kind of player we’ve craved. A defensive midfielder who is tough in the tackle, he will help break up play and provide support to the more creative minds in the side.

In the absence of Ryan Tunnicliffe and the gradual decline of Scott Parker, Ince’s role could be crucial as we look to climb the table during the final few months of the season.

Without the adequate protection of a battle-hardened midfielder, our defence has continued to be outlandishly porous, but that record will now hopefully begin to change.

Labyad is perhaps the most exciting signing, though – a skilful player who will hopefully add the dynamism we’ve been lacking since Jokanovic adapted both our system and style of play.

Comfortable on either wing or behind an attacker, his versatility could prove valuable; though you have to feel that in the absence of a right winger – Tom Cairney can play there, but he’s far better in the middle – his best position will be on the opposite flank to a considerably improved Alex Kacaniklic.

All in all, we’ve added depth and quality to key areas without losing our most valuable assets and for that, praise must go not only to Jokanovic, but to those above him too.

Mike Rigg and Shahid Khan have found themselves under considerable pressure since the sacking of Kit Symons and prolonged saga of replacing him. Here, though, they have done well.

Let’s hope it marks an upward trend in our fortunes.