Fulham Premier League Odds: Cottagers aiming for consistent campaign

After Aleksandar Mitrovic's departure from Craven Cottage last summer, many feared for Fulham's safety in the Premier League. However, Marco Silva managed to steer the Cottagers to a 13th-placed finish, despite the off-field turbulence. Joao Palhinha is the latest big-name departure, as the Portugal international finally sealed the switch to Bayern Munich, meaning that Silva will have to conjure up a miracle once again.

Ahead of the new season, I have taken a look at the Fulham Premier League odds and given my prediction on how the Cottagers will fare this season, which you can check out below.

Last Season: 13th

Top Scorer: Rodrigo Muniz (9)

Transfers In: Emile Smith Rowe - Arsenal (£34m), Jorge Cuenca - Villarreal (undisclosed), Ryan Sessegnon - Tottenham Hotspur (free)

Transfers Out: Joao Palhinha - Bayern Munich (£47.16m), Tosin Adarabioyo - Chelsea (free), Bobby De Cordova-Reid - Leicester City (free), Marek Rodak - Al-Ettifaq (free), Tim Ream - Charlotte FC (free), Tyrese Francois - Wigan Athletic (free), Luke Harris - Birmingham City (loan), Willian - released, Terence Kongolo - released

First Game: Manchester United (A)

Prediction: 17th

Premier League Odds

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As mentioned in the introduction, the loss of Mitrovic to Saudi Arabia on the final day of the transfer window last summer looked to be the nail in the coffin of Fulham's Premier League's safety hopes. Palhinha almost joined the Serbian striker out of the door, but the move to Bavaria was pulled at the 11th hour of deadline day.

Silva managed to fill the void of Mitrovic by unearthing a gem in Rodrigo Muniz. The 23-year-old came alive in the second half of the campaign despite not scoring in the league until early February. He ended up with nine strikes which included braces against Bournemouth and Tottenham, also claiming the Premier League Player of the Month award for March. The Cottagers will need to provide the Brazilian with quality chances to keep them in the hunt for top-flight safety.

A year on, Palhinha has now been granted his move to Bayern Munich, and experienced centre-back Tim Ream has also departed for pastures new, opting to return to his native homeland of the United States of America, meaning that Silva must once again work his magic to keep the Cottagers in the top flight.

Football Odds

There's no doubting that Palhinha will be a huge miss for Fulham. Last season he was statistically the best tackler in Europe’s top five leagues - just about any team would miss him. However, Silva's two seasons in the Premier League with the Cottagers has seen them finish 10th and 13th, so all hope is not lost.

Scott McTominay is a name being linked with the club as a potential Palhinha replacement and, although they're different kind of players, it would certainly give the Cottagers a boost in the engine room, if that deal was to get over the line. However, the most prominent arrival is Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal, who has barely featured in the last couple of years at the Emirates. Mikel Arteta famously labelled the 24-year-old the "Croydon De Bruyne" and if Fulham get to see that player, they will have a graceful new hero to shout about. Players such as Willian, Andreas Pereira, Raul Jimenez and Tom Cairney have revived their careers under Silva’s tutelage so I suspect expectations will be high from the Craven Cottage faithful.

Fulham haven't been dragged into a relegation battle during Silva's time in charge, but I fear this season could be different. They still need to replace Palhinha - at the time of writing - and I still think the squad lacks depth, particularly in the defensive department. A couple of signings in that area should bolster their chances of survival, but I can see them surviving by the skin of their teeth.

Offers

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