Fulham chief Tony Khan is confident Marco Silva will remain in west London for a ‘long time’ to come, as talks over his future drag on.
The Portuguese manager has been at the helm since July 2021, and has been key in keeping the club a Premier League mainstay.
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Silva’s deal expires this year but Fulham chief Khan is hopeful he will extend his stayCredit: Getty
Silva achieved promotion back to the top flight in his first season at Craven Cottage, and followed that up with a 10th placed finish.
In the last two seasons, Fulham have finished 13th and 11th, respectively, and also made respectable runs to the latter rounds of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
The 2024/25 campaign also saw the club deliver its highest-ever Premier League points tally.
Despite a heartbreaking defeat at the weekend, which saw Bernd Leno’s late blunder gift Everton a 2-1 win, the Cottagers remain in the top half of the table heading towards the run-in, having struggled early on.
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Silva’s contract is set to expire this summer, and reports claim a new deal was tabled to the Portuguese boss three months ago, but no official announcement has been made on his future.
Fulham chief opens up on ‘fantastic’ Marco Silva relationship
Khan, who serves as Fulham’s vice-chairman and director of football operations, is hopeful a deal will soon be agreed.
“I think we have a great squad and a great manager,” the American told talkSPORT’s Will Gavin, ahead of Super Bowl LX in San Francisco last week.
“We have Marco Silva, who’s done a fantastic job coaching this team, and I love working with Marco. This squad is doing incredibly well.
“I have a great relationship with Marco. I love working with Marco and I absolutely want Marco to be here for a long time. I think he will be, and I believe that.
“We’ve had a lot to do, and we’ve just had a great recent signing that we spent a lot of time on… we’re all very aligned as a club, working together. I absolutely believe the way we’re all working together and the way we all enjoy it.
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Khan loves working with Silva and insists the club are alignedCredit: Getty
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The Portuguese manager has been key in keeping Fulham a Premier League mainstayCredit: Getty
“In Marco’s own words, I think there’s great chemistry and everyone is very aligned working together here at Fulham.”
Transfers, though, have been a point of frustration for the Portuguese manager.
Silva accused the board of being ‘passive’ on the eve of the Premier League season last August, after around £40million was spent on five players.
Statement Oscar Bobb signing was discussed for years
He has since admitted he is ‘not an easy guy to deal with’ during contract negotiations, and revealed the wider project at Craven Cottage has also been at the forefront of his thinking during talks.
In January, Silva’s squad was strengthened by the arrival of Oscar Bobb on a £27m deal from Manchester City, and Khan noted he is a player the club had been trying to secure for some time.
“We’ve all wanted Oscar Bobb at Fulham for years,” Khan continued.
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Fulham signed Bobb from Man City during the winter transfer windowCredit: Getty
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Tony Khan (L) revealed the signing had been targeted for many yearsCredit: Getty
“Marco has been at Fulham for several years now and in multiple summers, multiple Januaries in a row, Oscar Bobb was always a name we discussed.
“Marco really wanted the player, I really believe in the player — and we’ve felt that way for years.
“He’s still such a young talent coming into the club with already so much, but we’ve seen players at Fulham come in and even raise their level with Marco.
“He’s such a tremendous coach and he always gets the best out of people. He’s a tremendous motivator and a great leader for Fulham.
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Khan wants ‘tremendous’ motivator Silva to remain with the clubCredit: Getty
Marco Silva’s Fulham record
Silva has been in charge at Craven Cottage since July 2021.
2021/22: EFL Championship – 1st place (promoted as champions)
2022/23: Premier League – 10th place
2023/24: Premier League – 13th place
2024/25: Premier League – 11th place
2025/26: Premier League – 10th place (after 25 matches)
“With Oscar Bobb, to bring such an exciting young talent that all of us really wanted to join — and knowing Marco’s phenomenal track record of coaching players up — it felt like a strong investment and it’s really exciting for all of us.”
In Silva, Fulham has a manager capable of propelling them into European contention.
He has masterminded wins against some of England’s top clubs in recent years, against the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal.
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Signings like 22-year-old Norway international Bobb, who has joined direct from a Premier League rival, prove the club is ready to invest for both now, and for the future.
That kind of statement could also help convince Silva to extend his stay, too.