Fulham boss Kit Symons has stuck to his vowed intent over new faces by signing Danny Guthrie and Richard Lee until the end of the season.
The Whites boss insisted he would only be signing players from the Championship, or even leagues below, as he attempts to rebuild the squad.
Midfielder Guthrie arrives from Reading on loan where he is out of favour, and Lee from Brentford as cover for keeper Marcus Bettinelli.
Guthrie, whose contract expires this summer, has agreed terms with Symons’ side.
The 27-year-old is expected to move away from Reading in the summer with Royals manager Steve Clarke saying the signs were clear.
He said: “It is very clear to all concerned that Danny’s time at Reading Football Club is coming to an end this summer. When this opportunity presented itself it was only right to allow Danny the chance to play some matches.”
Guthrie has made two appearances for the Royals so far this season and has struggled with injuries.
Lee is out of favour with Brentford, and has not played since the 6-6 draw against Dagenham & Redbridge before the west Londoners triumphed on penalties in August. The 32-year-old has decided to retire at the end of the season.
The Fulham gaffer is of the walk-before-you-run mentality in winning back top-flight status as he looks to rebuild the squad after a semi-disastrous campaign.
The club are not wholly out of the woods. But with an eight-point gap back to the last relegation slot following last Saturday’s exciting 2-0 win over Huddersfield, bookies are now offering longer odds on Whites’ demotion.
Punters can get 10-1 on the Cottage roof falling in after last season’s plunge. Rotherham, one place above the bottom three, are 3-1.
However, Symons reckons he won’t gamble on expensive Premier League players coming down a division for the next campaign.
“For now, obviously it’s the Championship at mind,” he said. “We’ve got to get out of the Championship, and then there can be a difference between players that get you out of the Championship, and those play in the Premier League. So it’s one step at a time.”
The manager has already indicated there is to be a massive clear out of 11 players and rising if he can swing it, with the calibre of Guthrie and Norwich loan defender Michael Turner now in the manager’s priority.
He said: “No point signing Premier League players, and you don’t get there. We need to walk before we run. At the moment we’re still in the bottom half of the Championship.”
