Josh King’s star continues to rise at Fulham, but will the teenage wonderkid go on to be as good as fellow creative influences Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Morgan Gibbs-White? That trio all have senior England caps to their name, with King eager to tread a similar path. Former Cottagers midfielder Ray Houghton has told goal why a future transfer may help to unlock full potential.
English football loaded with creative No.10s
The highly-rated 19-year-old has already come a long way in a relatively short space of time. A product of the Craven Cottage academy system, King made his competitive debut in August 2024. He has now passed the 50-appearance mark.
Three Premier League goals have been recorded, with a regular role in west London being nailed down. The fleet-footed youngster has nudged former Arsenal star Emile Smith Rowe down the playmaking pecking order.
He is still growing and maturing, as a person and player, with extra strings being added to his bow all the time. He has already mastered the art of gliding across the pitch, picking defensive locks and carving open goal-scoring opportunities as he goes.
English football boasts an abundance of those talents at present, with the likes of Phil Foden and Eberechi Eze also knocking on the England door – while Real Madrid ‘Galactico’ Jude Bellingham is considered to top the No.10 depth chart.
Can King emulate the likes of Palmer & Rogers?
King has some way to go before he can claim to rub shoulders with such illustrious company, but he is very much on the right track. Asked if the Kingston native can go on to emulate the likes of Palmer, Rogers and Gibbs-White, ex-Fulham star Houghton – who was speaking in association with IrishBetting.ie – told GOAL: “I think so.
“I spoke to someone, I can’t reveal who it was because it would be wrong of me to do that, but they were a little bit like, ‘oh, I’m not quite so sure’. Nothing against Fulham, I think the better players he plays with, the higher up he goes, the better he’ll become.
“He’s got all the attributes you need as an attacking player – he’s got pace, he can run with the ball, he can see players in good positions, he’s got an eye for a goal. I really like him and I think he’s going to have a good future.
“I hope he doesn’t disappoint, I hope he’s not one of them that the more adulation he gets, then maybe his ego gets too high. I think you’ve got to be really balanced at that age, a lot of things are going to be said about you, but most of it you’ve just got to sweep to the side and you’ve got to be focused, laser focused on what you want to do in football. That’s to be the best that you can be and play at the highest level that you can and win trophies, and I’m sure that’s his goal.”
Will a big-money transfer form part of King’s future?
King formed part of England’s training camp ahead of the 2026 World Cup, giving him a taste of what that environment is like. The expectation is that a big-money transfer will form part of his not too distant future.
Another former Cottagers star, Bobby Zamora, told GOAL recently when asked if there is an air of inevitability on the departure front: “He’s a fantastic talent. Again, 19 years of age and doesn’t fear receiving the ball, wants the ball, wants to be in these positions, wants to create chances, wants to score goals.
“It’s who does he go to? Lately I’ve seen a lot of stars leaving the Premier League, which I don’t like. I want the best players and certainly the English boys to be playing in England. The issue is that the English boys are normally priced out or demand a little bit more money, which is a little bit upsetting because I’d love to see all the English boys playing in the Premier League.”
When King’s contract at Craven Cottage expires
Fulham are under no pressure to part with one of their most prized assets, as they have King tied to a contract through to the summer of 2029. He has spoken of wanting to become a “legend” at Craven Cottage.
That will be music to the ears of supporters that have witnessed his meteoric rise to prominence, but there may no holding him back as he ultimately treads a similar path to other match-altering magicians.
Be the first to comment