Matthew Treadwell at Sky Sports
Brighton winger Anthony Knockaert has joined Fulham on a season-long loan with a view to a permanent move for an agreed undisclosed fee.
Knockaert joined Brighton from Belgian side Standard Liege in January 2016 and played a key part in getting them promoted in the 2016/17 season, when he was named the EFL Player of the Season.
The 27-year-old scored 27 goals in 159 games for the Seagulls and is now keen to help Fulham return to the Premier League at the first attempt.
Brighton head coach Graham Potter admitted the move is positive for them and the player.
"The move is a good one for the club and Anthony. The wide positions are areas in which we have a lot of competition within the squad," he told Brighton's official website.
"I've only worked with Anthony for a short period of time, but that's been a pleasure and he's been very professional and hardworking throughout pre-season."
Fulham begin their Sky Bet Championship season away to Barnsley on August 3.
Fulham FC statement:
The Club is absolutely delighted to confirm that Anthony Knockaert has joined on a season long loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, with a view to a permanent transfer.
The 2017 Championship Player of the Year arrives in SW6 with an abundance of pedigree in both England’s second tier and the Premier League.
A tricky winger, Knockaert boasts a prolific record of 33 goals and 29 assists in just three-and-a-half Championship campaigns.
Speaking to fulhamfctv after putting pen to paper, Knockaert said:
“It feels amazing to be here. I feel really welcome already. It just feels great to get this done and for me to be a Fulham player.
“I can’t wait to get started and obviously help the Club achieve its goal.
“The goal is to get back to the Premier League where Fulham belongs. I have come here with the clear intention to get promoted and I want to help in any way that I can.”
On his latest addition, Tony Khan added: “Anthony Knockaert is a valuable addition to Fulham Football Club. Anthony's a talented and accomplished attacking player who will strengthen our team, and his past contribution to successes in the Championship will bring important experience to our squad as we pursue another Fulham promotion to the Premier League.
“Anthony's been one of our top targets for the past several years, and I'm thrilled that he's come to Fulham to play for our great supporters at Craven Cottage! Come on Fulham!”
Frenchman Knockaert first arrived on these shores in the summer of 2012 when he joined Leicester City as a 20-year-old. He scored nine goals in his maiden campaign, the most important of which came on the final day when his dramatic late winner at Nottingham Forest saw the Foxes jump from eighth into the last remaining Play-Off spot.
They lost to Watford in the Semi-Finals in one of the most enthralling ties in recent memory, but bounced back in emphatic style to claim the Championship title with 102 points a year later, with Knockaert featuring in 42 of their 46 league matches.
After a year in the Premier League – in which he helped Leicester secure their top flight status - Knockaert joined Standard Liège on a permanent deal. He was only in Belgium for six months, though, as his five goals and six assists in just 19 starts prompted Brighton to bring him back to the UK.
He carried that form on in the Championship, with his 12 goal involvements (five goals, seven assists) in the second half of the season helping the Seagulls to a third place finish, with goal difference alone denying them an automatic promotion place.
In a sense of deja vu for Knockaert, the PlayOffs again ended in disappointment, but there were no signs of a hangover the following campaign as Brighton finished second in the standings.
That was arguably the best season of his career so far, as he netted 15 times and laid on nine assists in his 45 league outings. He was also subsequently named in the Team of the Year, and won the Championship Player of the Season trophy.
Knockaert continued to be a regular for Brighton in the Premier League, amassing 63 appearances across the past two seasons, and won the Premier League’s Goal of the Month award as recently as March for his stunning effort against rivals Crystal Palace.
The arrival of the 27-year-old adds an extra dimension to Fulham’s forward line - which has already been boosted by the signing of Ivan Cavaleiro and Aleksandar Mitrovic’s new contract – with Knockaert’s career stats making for impressive reading, with 68 goals and 59 assists for his various clubs.