Edwin van der Sar, who today is to complete a £7m move to Premiership new boys Fulham, revealed that it was Cottagers manager Jean Tigana's intense ambition that persuaded him to go ahead with the transfer. The 30-year-old Dutch international goalkeeper will sign for the club after he undergoes a medical in London today and has already agreed a four-year deal.
His arrival represents a major coup for Frenchman Tigana but as van der Sar confirmed, it was Tigana himself who proved to be the overriding factor in making his decision. "The plans that Fulham Football Club presented to me were impressive, and I especially like the ambition that the club has," he explained. "I spoke with the manager and we had a good conversation about the way he wants to play. Jean Tigana wants to go to the top with Fulham, and he proved he can do that with Monaco. I like that ambition. At Ajax and Juventus I have played with top teams, and now I want to use my experience to reach the same goal with Fulham."
The Cottagers are also on the brink of landing 21-year-old French midfielder Steed Malbranque from Lyon, for a reported fee of £4.5million. The two clubs have agreed a deal in principle and personal terms have already been agreed between Fulham and Malbranque but some administrative work must still be carried out by Lyon before the transfer can go through.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
