Arsenal & Liverpool are reportedly chasing a Fulham youngster whose form has attracted significant transfer attention - so what does his future hold?
It’s been some time since Fulham’s youth academy last produced a truly first-rate prospect. The emergence of Josh King suggests that the long wait for a home-grown star is at an end – but now the Cottagers might have to worry about how long they will have him around.
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New reports suggest growing interest in King from both the Premier League and overseas, and the 19-year-old’s future is already in some doubt. So will King move on in the near future or stay to establish himself as a star at Fulham?
Arsenal & Liverpool among sides chasing Fulham starlet King – reports
19-year-old Josh King has turned heads since the summer - and transfer interest is mountingplaceholder image
19-year-old Josh King has turned heads since the summer - and transfer interest is mounting | Getty Images
A number of media outlets have speculated about King’s future in recent months, with the most recent report coming from Swiss website 4-4-2 – who allege that Arsenal, Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund are all “seriously considering” a bid for the teenage starlet.
As it stands, Fulham have yet to receive a formal offer from any of King’s alleged suitors, and have supposedly ruled out a mid-season move already. Unsurprisingly, King is more likely to move next summer if he leaves at all.
Fulham have King tied down to a contract which runs until 2029, a deal which was signed back in July 2025 when he was just starting to break in to the first team. There are no immediate signs of an extension, however, and that means that Fulham’s leverage will quickly become quite limited.
If King hasn’t agreed to a new contract before the end of the season then he will be entering the final two years of his deal. That’s usually the point at which clubs consider selling players in order to extract a reasonable fee – and Fulham may yet find themselves in that exact position.
According to 4-4-2, the Cottagers have already established an asking price of around €60m (£51m). If that part of the reporting is accurate, it suggests that Fulham are preparing for the possibility that King may not see himself as having a long-term future at Craven Cottage.
Will Josh King stay at Fulham or leave?
King is still waiting for his senior England debut but was in action for the Under-21s over the international breakplaceholder image
King is still waiting for his senior England debut but was in action for the Under-21s over the international break | Getty Images
The player’s own thoughts on his future remain unknown, although he has made the right noises in the past. When he signed his contract extension in 2025, he said that “Fulham is where I want to be,” adding that he saw the club as his “second home.” He would hardly be the first player to have his mind changed by a big transfer offer, however.
Those offers seem likely to come if he continues his current progress. Although he took a little while to get up to speed at the top level, King has been outstanding since the summer, scoring twice in his first five league games and demonstrating enough directness and dynamism that he even earned words of praise from England head coach Thomas Tuchel, who told the media that he had been close to selection ahead of the current international break.
Liverpool are on the lookout for midfielders over the coming months, a reflection both of a lack of depth in the position and their growing concerns over the form of Florian Wirtz. Borussia Dortmund are always keen to sign young talents at a similar stage of their career, where they can help the first team while still providing potential for a future profit. Arsenal’s need for a player like King seems rather less pressing, but they may still see a player of his ability and age as a worthwhile investment.
Whether 4-4-2’s specific reporting is accurate or not, the fact is that Fulham are likely to receive offers in the near future, especially in the summer of 2027, if they don’t tie King down to a new deal. Given the situation, they will almost certainly be working to agree terms at this very moment. If they fail, then it would serve as an indicator that King himself wants to move on. At that point, he would most likely get his wish as long as he continues his form and development.
Much, then, depends on contract negotiations as the months tick by. A new deal would suggest that King intends to stay with Fulham for a few more seasons, at least, and to develop at the team he has played for since he was eight years old. The absence of a new deal would strongly imply that his head has been turned by the burgeoning interest. The result of contract discussions which are probably taking place already is unknown.