Fulham have completed the signing of Republic of Ireland international Damien Duff from Newcastle for a fee believed to be about £4million. As reported earlier on the site, Roy Hodgson was very keen on the 30-year old winger who had played for him before at Blackburn Rovers. Duff becomes the eighth player to leave Newcastle after the Magpies were relegated from the Premier League. He follows Michael Owen, Obafemi Martins, Habib Beye, David Edgar, Peter Lovenkrands, Sebastien Bassong and Mark Viduka out of the exit door.
Duff has signed a three-year deal at Craven Cottage and will go straight into the Fulham squad for the game against Chelsea on Sunday. The move to the Premiership was also welcomed by Ireland manager Giovanni Trappatoni who had expressed concerns over Duff’s international future if he continued in the Championship. The lure of playing Europa League football was also a major factor in Duff’s decision. Fulham start their Europa league campaign against Amkar Perm on Thursday. Duff becomes Fulham’s third signing of the window after Stephen Kelly and Bjorn Helge Riise.
Fulham confirmed they have landed the Irish winger on the club’s official website stating, “Fulham Football Club is delighted to announce that Damien Duff becomes the Club’s third signing of the summer having put pen to paper today on a three-year deal.”
Duff also expressed his delight over playing for Hodgson and Fulham –
Fulham had a fantastic season last year and I know that having spoken to the manager in recent days that the club’s ambitions remain high and I am looking forward to the challenges ahead.’
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