Permanent Pogrebnyak placement?

Happy-go-lucky Fulham gaffer Martin Jol has expressed his belief that he will be able to make Pavel Pogrebnyak’s loan deal permanent in the summer.

Pogrebnyak, despite being in a crisis after not scoring in his last two games (sarcasm, ladies and gentleman), has racked up five goals in five starts for the Cottagers, including a perfect hat-trick against Wolves.

One might suggest that was probably not the impact Jol had in mind when he was looking for a replacement for Bobby Zamora but, hey ho, you take what you can get in this life and Jol wants to take things even further.

The 28 year-old, with the curious and very contrasting nicknames of “the Cellar” and “Po the Great”, will be a free agent come the end of the season when his contract with Stuttgart expires and so, on the basis that the best transfer fee is no fee at all, he will be an attractive prospect.

Jol , drawled; "Yes [I am confident of signing him permanently]. I told him [on Wednesday] and he wanted to come to my office at one o'clock [on Thursday] but I now realise that is impossible because I am here at the press conference.”  At which point Pogrebnyak didn’t turn up at the press conference, annoyed at his manager’s lack of organisation skills, thrusting a diary into his hands to avoid situations like this happening again in the future.

Jol added; "I want to speak to him first [before sorting out a contract]. I think he wants to stay because Pavel knows football. Things were not always easy for him but now he is the main striker for us. Hopefully he will appreciate that."

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