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Scott Parker wants defensive reinforcements at Fulham

| 02 October 2020

The Cottagers have conceded 10 goals in their opening three league fixtures.

Fulham boss Scott Parker is hopeful of adding defensive reinforcements to his squad ahead of Monday's transfer deadline but admits it is "touch and go".

The Cottagers have leaked 10 goals in their opening three Premier League games and shipped three more in a humbling 3-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Brentford on Thursday.

Fulham owner Tony Khan felt the need to apologise for his side's defeat against Aston Villa on Monday – a tweet that annoyed Parker – while also revealing that they had failed to bring in four central defensive targets.

Time is ticking until the international transfer window shuts on Monday night.

"I would like to think with the centre-backs that by Monday we will have some additions in the building to help us and help the squad," Parker said.

"That is what you need when you take the step up from the Championship to the Premier League, you need to evolve and add that quality as well.

"We are all aware that come Monday hopefully there are some players here.

"I'm not sure when they will arrive. We are currently in the market, we have been for some time. There are three days left, it is obviously touch and go, but hopefully we will get some business done in the next coming days and see where we are.

"If that's not the case that's not the case. If not, we will reboot and see where we are when it is all closed up and we will keep pushing."

Fulham have done some business this week, bringing Ademola Lookman in on loan from RB Leipzig.

The former Charlton and Everton winger made his debut from the bench in the Carabao Cup on Thursday and Parker knows he will be an asset, with a possible first start on the cards at Wolves on Sunday.

"He has not had a lot of match minutes, he has obviously trained with Leipzig, it was good to get him on the pitch for 45 minutes," said the Fulham boss.

"I think we have seen in a short space of time, in that 45 minutes, the quality he has got. In those wide areas he has got a lot of qualities.

"Hopefully he will be involved at the weekend in some capacity, whether that is at the start or on the bench. Then he can give us exactly what we need."