Ryan Bennett in action for Wolves. (Getty Images)
According to a report from the Press Association (h/t Shropshire Star), Fulham have been linked with a move for out-of-favour Wolves centre-back Ryan Bennett. The Cottagers are plotting a loan move for the 30-year-old, who is yet to feature in any of Wolves matchday squads in the Premier League this season so far.
Fulham co-owner Tony Khan took to his Twitter account to issue a public apology to the club’s fans in the wake of the Cottagers’ humiliating 3-0 defeat at home against Aston Villa on Monday night.
He also promised better efforts from the current crop of players moving forward while assuring that a lot of hard work is being put in behind the scenes to bring in a new centre-back.
Ryan Bennett spent 10 years in the youth ranks of Ipswich Town before enjoying his senior breakthrough with Grimsby Town in League Two. He subsequently caught the eye at Peterborough United in League One and the Championship before being snapped up by Norwich City in January 2012.
The former England U-21 star made over 100 appearances for the Canaries in all competitions and proved his worth as a quality defender in the Premier League. Bennett joined Wolves in 2017 on a free transfer following his release from Norwich. He went on to play a key role as the Midlands club won the Championship title under Nuno Espirito Santo’s stewardship.
Bennett made 40 appearances in all competitions during the 2018-19 season as Wolves secured a 7th-place finish in the PL and made it through to the semi-final of the FA Cup. However, he slipped down the pecking order at Molineux last term, making 19 appearances during the first half of the season before completing a loan move to Leicester City in January.
It is a no-brainer that Fulham are in desperate need of bringing in reinforcements at the heart of the defence after conceding as many as 11 goals in their first four games in the Premier League this season so far. Lack of stability at the back was one of the major reasons behind the club’s relegation from the top-flight in 2018-19 and they simply can’t afford a repeat of that disastrous campaign.
The Cottagers were completely ripped apart during their latest 3-0 defeat at the hands of Aston Villa, which further epitomises the need for some defensive upgrades. Scott Parker went into the game with three central defenders – Tim Ream, Dennis Odoi and Michael Hector – but Fulham’s backline was pretty much non-existent throughout the 90 minutes.
None of the existing centre-backs in the squad has managed to inspire much confidence in the top-flight and Parker certainly can’t wait until January to sort out such a grave issue. Ryan Bennett, to that end, would be a welcome addition to a Fulham backline that surely needs a bit of reshuffling at the moment.
A veteran of 111 PL appearances for Norwich, Wolves, and Leicester, the 30-year-old ticks the box as a tried and tested option with loads of experience in the top-flight. Bennett is at his best when deployed as a right-sided centre-back in a back-three system. With Parker utilising a similar formation, the Englishman seems like a good fit for the Cottagers.
With the transfer deadline just hours away, Fulham need to strengthen their backline. They should ideally look at some low-risk options in a bid to sort out their defensive conundrum. Ryan Bennett might not be among the high-profile names in English football but his quality and experience at this level certainly can’t be called into question.
The 30-year-old’s chances of playing regularly at Wolves look slim and Fulham need to capitalise on this opportunity to try and convince Bennett to join their ranks on a loan deal.