Marco Silva reveals when he will decide Fulham future as Benfica temptation remains

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Evening Standard

·24 May 2026

Marco Silva reveals when he will decide Fulham future as Benfica temptation remains

Portuguese tipped as potential replacement for Jose Mourinho, reportedly Real Madrid-bound

Marco Silva has promised to decide his Fulham future by next week as he reportedly fields interest from Benfica.

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The Cottagers capped their season with a 2-0 home defeat of Newcastle on Sunday, perhaps a fitting send-off for Silva, and missed out on qualifying for Europe in doing so as they crossed the line 11th.

Silva is now out of contract and is reportedly subject to interest from Benfica, who are said to have tipped him as a leading option to replace Real Madrid-bound Jose Mourinho.

Fulham are said to have tabled an offer for him to extend his contract, but Silva insists his mind is not yet made up.

“In this moment, I’m being honest with you, I don’t feel like that, because I haven’t decided,” he said after the Newcastle match. “If I have made my decision, I don’t have any problem to say.

“If I haven’t announced anything and the club haven’t announced anything, it’s because I haven’t decided. It’s not going to be longer than next week. It cannot happen.

Marco Silva’s Fulham missed out on European qualification by a single point

PA

“I don’t like to play games. In this moment I haven’t made my decision. It’s going to be next week for sure. We have to announce because the club has to move on, or for me to be here we have many things to prepare.”

Also out of contract this summer is Fulham’s talisman forward Harry Wilson, who is fielding interest from various Premier League clubs.

Silva signed Wilson to Fulham when the club was in the Championship, but now, four years later, he will be disappointed to have missed out on the European places.

Fulham’s 11th-place finish saw them finish level with Chelsea on 52 points, with both west London outfits one point shy of a Conference League berth.

Of failing to secure European competition, Silva added: “We missed the cherry on the cake. I’m the first one to say.”

Silva suitors Benfica, meanwhile, finished third in Liga Portugal despite going unbeaten in the league this season. That finish is good enough to qualify them for the Europa League.