Soccer

Jayson Molumby charged over punch during West Brom’s friendly with Mallorca

Emile Smith Rowe has completed his move from Arsenal to Fulham for a fee that could reach €39.8m

West Brom’s Jayson Molumby has been charged with violent conduct by the FA following his side’s pre-season friendly against Mallorca. Photograph: Adam Fradgley/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images
West Brom’s Jayson Molumby has been charged with violent conduct by the FA following his side’s pre-season friendly against Mallorca. Photograph: Adam Fradgley/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images
Fri Aug 02 2024 - 17:41

West Brom’s Jayson Molumby has been charged with violent conduct by the FA following his side’s pre-season friendly against Mallorca.

The 24-year-old was involved in an altercation in the 39th minute of the match during which he appeared to punch Mallorca’s Samu Costa in the face, resulting in a melee involving players from both sides.

Moments earlier Molumby had been fouled by the Portuguese midfielder after which the pair squared up to each other, before Albion’s Republic of Ireland international swung at his opponent’s face.

No action was taken by the match referee though boss Carlos Corberan substituted the player at half-time. Molumby has been given until August 9 to respond to the charge.

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West Brom lost the game, which was played behind closed doors at their training ground, to a goal in the second half by Mallorca’s David Lopez.

Signed from Brighton in 2022 after a successful loan spell, Molumby played 24 times last season in the Championship as West Brom narrowly missed out on promotion after losing 3-1 on aggregate in the play-off semi-finals to Southampton.

Elsewhere, Emile Smith Rowe has completed his move from Arsenal to Fulham for a fee that could reach €39.8m (£34m) with add-ons. It is a record buy for Fulham and Arsenal’s biggest sale since Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Liverpool for €41m (£35m) in 2017.

Smith Rowe, who came through Arsenal’s academy, has found opportunities limited in the past two seasons, not helped by groin and knee injuries. Of his 25 Premier League appearances across that period only three have been starts – all last season – and he will hope the move can push him back into England contention. The attacking midfielder won three caps across late 2021 and early 2022.

Fulham failed with a €35m (£30m) offer before striking a deal that surpasses the club record €31.6m (£27m) paid for the Ivory Coast midfielder Jean Michaël Seri in 2018. The fee is the most Arsenal have received for an academy graduate.

Smith Rowe told Fulham’s website: “I’m really excited, I just wanted to get here as quickly as possible so I could get going with my teammates. Listening to the project, speaking to the manager [Marco Silva], and seeing what players we have here already, I think it’s an exciting project for me, and definitely the perfect step for my career going forward.”

The 24-year-old is Fulham’s second summer signing after Ryan Sessegnon, who rejoined on a free transfer after leaving Tottenham.