Exclusive by Kaus Pandey

In-demand Cameroon midfielder Petrus Boumal has confirmed that Fulham are interested in signing him and talks with the London club are ongoing.

The 27-year-old FC Ural midfielder’s current deal at the Russian club runs out at the end of the current season. He has been at the club since the summer of 2017 and he has spent many years of his career at French club Sochaux in the past.

Boumal was exclusively talking to Football League World recently. He confirmed talks with Championship clubs Fulham and that a move to Craven Cottage is very much possible.

He said: “They contacted my agent. But we have to be patient because of everything that is going on in the world today. Teams can’t make decisions just like that and they need time. They need to check the players who will leave. 

“But I hope everything will be done soon with my agent and we can find something nice and we can join those teams.

“For Fulham, I know the club and I have friends playing there even now. I hope soon that something concrete comes but we need time. We need to wait because it is not easy for players and agents. There is something more important in the world. But slowly, we are keeping contact. But I think we can get a contract there.”

Boumal has previously been linked with a move to Ligue 1 club Bordeaux and the central midfielder addressed these rumours too.

He said: “It has been two years since I have been in contact with them. I didn’t join them because my president wanted me to stay here. But now I’m free, I can join a team without a transfer fee. Bordeaux is a big team in France. They took an ex-Arsenal player last year. I’m interested to go back there.”

Not just Bordeaux, but Boumal had also drawn links with a potential transfer to Everton in the summer of 2019. It was stated that he would be a replacement for former Toffees midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye, who left Goodison Park for Paris Saint-Germain.

When talking about the Merseyside club, Boumal said: “They’ve looked at me last season but it was light interest. But Everton are a big club. It is a dream for me to join that club if it can be possible. 

“But for now, I have to go step by step. I will go step and step and see where I should go. I’m still young and have many years in front of me. Now I’m just waiting and let my agent manage everything. Then we’ll see what decision to make. We have to wait before making any decision.”

While no one knows if a Premier League move would be possible for Boumal, but he has made it clear to Football League World that Chelsea is his dream club. He has also admitted to seeing former Blues midfielders Claude Makelele and Michael Essien are potential role-models.

The former Sochaux man said: “My dream club is Chelsea. Makelele and Essien are two players I really loved. I loved watching their style of play, how they move, how they tackle and how they attack the ball. They maintained the balance between attackers and defenders. They played for Chelsea and since they played there, I really loved Chelsea. I watch their games and support them. It is the best team for me.”

Serie A club Torino were also interested in Boumal in the past. But an offer from Il Toro was rejected by Ural in the summer of 2019.

Boumal’s agent Gregoire Akcelrod compares the Cameroon international to former Lyon and current Tottenham midfielder Tanguy Ndombele. Akcelrod feels that Boumal is a very good player in physical terms and is a very good passer, who can pick out passing lanes from the middle of the park with a lot of ease.

The 2019-20 Russian Premier League season saw Boumal make 11 appearances in all competitions, with ten of them coming in the league. He has been a regular in central midfield for Ural over the years, ever since he joined the club from CSKA Sofia.