Fulham sign former European champion on free transfer

Fulham were in need of some midfield reinforcements after the departures of Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey late in the transfer window and Martin Jol has jumped at the chance to sign Giorgos Karagounis on a free transfer.

Karagounis has penned a one-year deal at Craven Cottage and will bring a wealth of experience to the midfield of the Londoners.

Although now a 35-year-old, Karagounis is likely to be employed in a role similar to that of Danny Murphy before his summer departure to Blackburn.

He will be the ideal player to introduce if Fulham need to hang on to a lead, as his experience should ensure that he remains calm in possession and even potentially frustrates the opposition.

Karagounis was part of the Greece squad that surprisingly triumphed at Euro 2004, while he captained the nation in Ukraine and Poland earlier this summer, when equalling the record for the most Greece caps at 120.

Signing for Fulham after being released earlier this year by Panathinaikos would also provide Karagounis with the opportunity to add to his caps, after being left out of the squad for the recent World Cup qualifiers.

Jol said of the midfielder: “He’s been an influential player for his club sides and is a renowned player in world.

“He brings many certain qualities to our squad.”

Fulham host West Brom in their next Premier League game looking to end a run of three successive defeats in all competitions after their 5-0 trouncing of Norwich on the opening day.

It is 1/1 that Fulham do inflict a first defeat of the season on West Brom and it is a home fixture that the Cottagers have won five times from six in the Premier League era.

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