By Joe Ellis

12th Oct, 2022 | 9:12am

View: Fulham must recall Jay Stansfield in January amid Aleksandr Mitrovic injuries

For the last two matches, Fulham have been without leading striker Aleksandr Mitrovic through injury and they have gone on to lose both.

The Serbian’s impact on the Cottagers knows no bounds but Marco Silva could do with a solid backup option if he remains on the sidelines.

Carlos Vinicius was signed in the summer for just that eventuality but he has failed to live up to the levels required and it might spark Silva to look elsewhere.

19-year-old attacker Jay Stansfield made a number of early-season appearances for Fulham before being loaned out to League One side Exeter City, where his dad Adam also played.

Adam Stansfield died of bowel cancer aged 31 and his son has taken his previously retired number nine shirt at St James’ Park and started to live up to his old man’s reputation.

In his last two matches, Stansfield has scored three times and looks like the real deal whenever he steps onto the pitch against players far more experienced than him.

The teenager is not yet ready to be a leading man in the Premier League and he wouldn’t be expected to do so with Mitrovic at the club and hopefully back fit soon but he deserves the chance more than Vinicisu to be the second choice.

Fulham have a rich history of developing their own talent and while Stansfield began his career in the Exeter academy thanks to his dad’s own career, he would still be classed as homegrown having been there since 2020.

It would be far more beneficial in the future for the 19-year-old to get the chance ahead of a Brazilian who has already squandered his chance in the Premier League after failing miserably at Tottenham Hotspur.

In other Fulham news, another of their academy prospects is catching the eye of Chelsea who are reportedly willing to spend a monumental amount to sign him.