Fulham dealt transfer blow with deals for Arsenal defender Cedric Soares and Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure in doubt due to wage demands

Cedric Soares and Abdoulaye Doucoure’s proposed transfers to Fulham are in doubt to the wage demands, according to reports.

Arsenal full-back Soares was expected to make the move to Craven Cottage, with the Gunners ready to sell the Portuguese ace.

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The 31-year-old, having played just 28 minutes of football so far this campaign, has become a fringe player at the Emirates Stadium.

Soares’ only start this season came in the 3-1 loss to Brighton in the Carabao Cup.

The Portugal international is in the final 18 months of his contract in north London and, with Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu both ahead of him in the pecking order, he will be allowed to leave.

According to the Evening Standard, though, the transfer has stalled due to Soares’ wage demands.

The player earns around £65,000-a-week at Arsenal but Fulham are reluctant to pay him a similar fee.

He joined the Gunners from Southampton on a free transfer in 2020, and has made 59 appearances for the club to date.

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Should Soares make the move to Craven Cottage, it would see him link up with former Arsenal players Bernd Leno and William, who joined Silva’s side in the summer.

Fulham are also understood to be finding it difficult to tie up a deal for Everton star Doucoure, again due to wage demands.

The 30-year-old, who played under Silva at Watford, has featured in a cameo role under Frank Lampard so far this season, and is surplus to requirements.

Fulham face Leicester at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday, and currently sit eighth in the table with 25 points.

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