As promoted sides, Nottingham Forest and Fulham will take a keen interest in each other's results in the Premier League this season as they both bid to beat the drop, but their stories have been subtly intertwined since last summer.
Following Scott Parker's drawn out departure from Craven Cottage to join Bournemouth, the club were on the lookout for a new manager. One of the early names linked with the job was none other than Steve Cooper.
The Welshman, who already had an U17 World Cup win on his CV, was out of a job after two impressive seasons at Swansea City. Instead Fulham hired former Everton boss Marco Silva, who subsequently led them to the Championship title in stunning fashion.
READ MORE: Jurgen Klopp's 'incredible' admission explains Nottingham Forest transfer decision
SEE ALSO: Nottingham Forest eye transfer swoop for Southampton striker after £17m deal
That paved the way for Cooper to eventually replace Chris Hughton at the City Ground in September. Given their dreadful start to the season, it seemed as if both sides would be fighting at either end of the table, but in the end the Reds very nearly joined the Cottagers in going up automatically.
History could have been so different had Cooper ended up in SW6, but everyone can agree that it worked out best for all involved. Now they will be crossing paths again at, presumably, the lower end of the Premier League and already they have tussled in the transfer market.
Neco Williams was the subject of serious interest from both clubs after the Liverpool right-back impressed while on loan with Fulham for the second half of last season. Despite the inherent advantage that would have given the London outfit in this particular transfer race, Forest have emerged the victors.
Liverpool have agreed to sell the 21-year-old for £16 million, which could rise by another million with add-ons. That's a tidy return for the Merseysiders given the youngster has never made more than three top flight starts in a single season.
Fulham baulked at the minimum £15 million fee the FA Cup winners were seeking for a permanent deal, even though he seamlessly slotted into Silva's press-and-possess system midway through 2021/22. To this writer, the numbers touted to get a deal done seemed broadly fair, especially given his contract ran until 2025.
It raises the question: why were they so willing to drop their interest in WIlliams when they knew exactly what they would be getting from the player? If last season was a test, he passed it with flying colours.
It is also made more confusing by the fact that Fulham are in need of a new right-back. Cult hero Denis Odoi departed in January, Cyrus Christie was released at the end of last month and Steven Sessegnon, brother of Spurs defender Ryan, will be sent out on loan to Charlton this season.
That said, Fulham already have Kenny Tete, a Dutch international who played in the semi-finals of the Champions League for Lyon in 2020. There are bigger priorities on which that money can be and will be spent, as we'll get to. Instead they will sign Wolfsburg right-back Kevin Mbabu in a deal worth around €6 million.
While the Whites do not think Williams is worth the money, Steve Cooper evidently does. He is well aware of his compatriot from his days coaching the Liverpool academy and would have seen him up close in April when his side claimed victory at the Cottage.
Although Williams does not possess the elite speed and athleticism of Djed Spence, he is a much more accomplished passer of the ball. His end product is not at the same level, but I do believe his all-round play is superior.
Fulham may feel content that, in their minds, they have not overpaid for a player, yet they must also contend with the fact that he will definitely be strengthening a direct rival next season. And that could make a telling difference come May.
Transfer business
Unlike Forest, Fulham have been slow to get their transfer dealings over the line. Much to chagrin of supporters, they have only signed one new player at the time of writing.
That has also irked Silva, who was reportedly unhappy with the fact that there were no new signings when training resumed in the first week of July. In fact, he was working with just ten first-team players, with many returning at a later date.
The biggest gripe the fanbase has had with the club's transfer business is the tendency to leave deals until late in the window. That has been fatal the last two times they've been in the top flight.
In fairness, gaining promotion via the play-offs gave Fulham a short amount of time to get transfers done, especially in 2020. But they can't use that excuse this summer.
Winning the league was supposed to give them a headstart on their rivals. Yet Forest have managed to sign five players in the time it took the Londoners to get one.
That man is former Sporting midfielder Joao Palhinha, who looks like a cracking player. The Portuguese is the kind of defensive midfielder we have been crying out for for years and will hopefully will stem the leakiness that has dogged each of last two trips to the Premier League.
By the time you read this Fulham may well have also signed Bernd Leno from Arsenal, Manchester United's Andreas Pereira, and Manor Solomon from Shakhtar Donetsk. The latter move has been in the pipeline for months, making its lethargy all the more frustrating.
There is also a massive need to strengthen at centre-back, which has been an Achilles' heel in recent years. West Ham's Issa Diop has reportedly been the subject of two bids, the most recent one coming to £12 million.
They cannot let these potential deals drag on much longer, though. Fulham need to take a leaf out of Forest's book and be more decisive and expeditious in negotiations.
Expectations
As any good Fulham fan, I am hoping for the best, but ready to be disappointed. Last season was a whirlwind and may never be topped. The coming campaign will be a different beast and, in this writer's opinion, potentially the most stacked top flight we'll ever see. I'll take staying up by our fingernails.
Predicted finish: 17th
READ NEXT:
