Hangeland sick of seeing name in papers
442 Staff - Wednesday 19 August 2009, 19:11
Fulham defender Brede Hangeland has once again insisted that he expects to stay with the Cottagers this season, as speculation linking him with a move across London to Arsenal refuses to disappear.
The 6ft 5in stopper has made 53 league appearances since arriving in January 2008, with the 28-year-old's rock-solid form last season helping the West Londoners seal a Europa League place, 12 months after avoiding relegation on the final day of the campaign.
As a result, the Norwegian international - who has featured 53 times for his country - has been linked with moves to Aston Villa, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal during the close-season.
But despite the player stating on more than one occasion that he is happy to stay at Fulham, and manager Roy Hodgson adament that nobody has made a bid for his prize asset, reports have continued to predict Gunners' boss Arsene Wenger to make a move.
And although Hangeland has admitted that he has considered the possibility of plying his trade elsewhere, he does not expect to be packing his bags before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month.
“I’m not going to sit here and lie, you do think about these things," he told VG.
“I thought about it a lot when I was with the national team, when there was a lot of talk.
“I don’t see anything happening now. I would be surprised.
“All indications are that I will stay. It has actually always been that way.
“There are probably a lot of people who are sick of seeing me in the newspapers and I’m one of them.”