‘In Advanced Talks’ – Fulham Look To Hijack Southampton’s Swoop | OneFootball

Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Fulham have opened talks to beat Southampton to the signature of Elche defender David Affengruber.

The Cottagers are desperate for centre-back additions and have several irons in the fire on deadline day, as they bid to strengthen in defence.

While a move for Rennes defensive prospect Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal came to nothing, there are efforts under way for Augsburg’s Chrislain Matsima and AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori.

Tomori is currently giving consideration to an offer on the table from Fulham on deadline day; he has been frozen out at AC Milan and is not in Ruben Amorim’s plans.

The Cottagers are now also moving for Elche’s Austria defender Affengruber.

It had been thought the Elche man would be moving to Southampton as a replacement for Taylor Harwood-Bellis, with Saints pushing to sign him.

Fulham though ‘are in advanced talks’ to sign Affengruber, according to Italian journalist Matteo Moretto.

Affengruber would be likely to prefer a move to the Premier League over dropping into the Championship with Saints, who could now lose out on signing him.

The former Sturm Graz defender helped Elche to win promotion from La Liga 2 and then stabilise themselves in La Liga.

He was included in the Austria squad for the World Cup and could now have his summer capped off by a move to the Premier League.

Affengruber, 25, is considered to be effective at aerial duels, while he is also comfortable with the ball at his feet.

The potential terms of the deal to take Affengruber to Fulham are yet to emerge, as is whether Southampton are still fighting for his signature.

Now all eyes are on where Affengruber, who came through the youth set-up at Red Bull Salzburg, is playing his football when the window closes.