Fulham Transfer News: Hammers Pair On Meulensteen's Radar

By Jamie Clark /

Premier League strugglers Fulham are plotting audacious swoops for West Ham midfielder pair Mohamed Diame and Ravel Morrison. Whites head coach Rene Meulensteen has also told Costa Rican forward Bryan Ruiz he can leave Craven Cottage. The Daily Express claims Fulham are set to make a £7.5 million double offer for Senegal international Diame, 26, and England Under-21 star Morrison. Ruiz meanwhile has fallen out of favour since Meulensteen replaced fellow Dutchman Martin Jol in the dugout. Diame has a reported release clause of £3.5 million in his Hammers contract. Fulham are willing to pay that after learning he is unsettled across London. Meulensteen will also test the water with a £4 million bid for Morrison €“ a player he knows from the Manchester United reserves and academy. Ruiz, 28, joined Fulham for £10.6 million from Eredivisie outfit Twente in August 2011, but has scored just eight Premier League goals for the club. Since Meuelsteen succeeded Jol, he has only started one match. Of Ruiz, Meulensteen told the BBC:
"We have allowed Bryan Ruiz to talk to a number of clubs to see if something can come out of that. "Don't get me wrong, he is a very good player. I've come in, I've looked at the squad, worked with these players, I've picked my teams on what I think are the right reasons and motivations, but I can also understand Bryan's point of view. "He is a good player, has a World Cup coming up and he obviously needs to play, but I can't, like with any other player, guarantee that."
Spanish La Liga side Real Betis are strongly linked with taking Ruiz on loan to give him regular football ahead of the World Cup.