Jimmy Bullard To Go for £5 Million: Deal or No Deal?

Aston Villa aside, Fulham are possibly the most improved team in the Barclay’s Premier League this season and it has a lot to do with two men.

Roy Hodgson has worked miracles at Craven Cottage since taking charge last season when it seemed Fulham were odds on for relegation. Now they are a mid-table side that has no fears about relegation.

The other man is midfield sensation Jimmy Bullard. The 30-year-old has impressed in the top flight ever since arriving with Wigan Athletic in 2005. The £2.5 million spent by Fulham a year later looks like the a bargain now, but Fulham are doing little to hold onto their prize asset.

A free kick specialist and excellent passer of the ball, the midfielder has pulled Fulham up the league since returning from a bad cruciate ligament injury a year ago and has even pushed himself into England contention after impressing Fabio Capello.

So why does it look like he’ll leave this January?

It appears Bullard has fallen out with Fulham over a new contract and the London side are ready to cash in.

Bolton Wanderers have reportedly tabled a £5 million bid, but I feel that would signal a step backwards for a player of his quality. The rumours of interest from bigger fish may keep him away from Bolton with Arsene Wenger apparently an admirer, but that may depend how desperate he is to leave Fulham.

£5 million would be a snip for a player cable of winning matches and in a window that has seen Jermain Defoe go for £15 million and Wayne Bridge for £12 million and you’d surely expect Fulham to knock it back, but would he really fit in alongside Kevin Nolan at Bolton?

On paper it would look quite appealing, but so does Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard.

Having said all that, the Bolton offer does double what the club paid for him two and a half years ago and taking his age into account, might just be enough for the Fulham banker.

As for me, I say no deal as in the current market Jimmy Bullard is worth a bit more than that.