Dutchman Martin Jol will return to London, this time to manage Fulham, which signed him to a two-year contract to replace Mark Hughes, who moved to Aston Villa.

The Cottagers had wanted Jol last summer following Roy Hodgson's departure for Liverpool, but Ajax won't release him from his contract. Jol, who worked at Tottenham, had also been mentioned as a candidate for the Aston Villa job, but he was known to favor Fulham because of the attractive contract its chairman, Mohamed Al Fayed, offered and the reputaion the Egyptian has for giving managers what they want.

"Martin understands my vision for the club," Fayed said, "and he believes in what we are striving to achieve. I know that he will dedicate himself to helping us move forward and he is with us for the long term. We have enjoyed three incredibly successful years, and my hopes and dreams for this club are for that journey to continue."