Mitroglou deal ‘not a mistake’ – Magath

Fulham manager Felix Magath insists the club did not make a mistake by buying £12m striker Kostas Mitroglou.

The Greece international, 26, has hardly played since the Whites smashed their transfer record to sign him from Olympiacos in January.

He has featured just twice in four months, scoring no goals, and Magath’s side are in a perilous position in the bottom three with five games left.

But Magath said: “You can say it is a mistake but to build up a team and improve it during the season with new players you do not have much choice – there are not many players you can get.

“You have to see the long term. If you take a player like Mitroglou you are not thinking only for a few weeks but for the future and for that reason buying him was not a mistake.

“Kostas is a very good striker and he has scored goals not only in the Greek national league but in the Champions League too, and maybe he will still help us.

“If he scores in the last game and we stay up it would be good enough for us.”

Mitroglou’s continued struggle for fitness means he will miss Saturday’s crucial relegation clash with Norwich, who sit one place and five points above Fulham, but Magath hopes to have him back in training next week.

And Magath says he is unconcerned about losing Mitroglou should they be relegated.

“We have a contract with him so there is no question. I don’t worry about it,” he said.

“You will have to ask him if he wants to play in the Championship.”

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