Fulham uneasy about Marco Silva’s move to Benfica: “He said…” | OneFootball

Tony Khan, Fulham’s vice-chairman and director of football, admitted the surprise and disappointment caused by Marco Silva’s decision to leave the London club to take charge of Benfica. In a lengthy interview with the Cottagers’ official media channels, the executive revealed that the club’s hierarchy had expected the Portuguese coach to stay, but he ultimately turned down a contract renewal offer to take over the Eagles.

“Obviously, it is important to look at the next step, and we have to hire a new coach. It’s something we have been actively working on, and we have been actively talking and working to bring someone in,” he began. Tony Khan explained that, until very recently, the most likely scenario pointed to Marco Silva staying at Craven Cottage.

“Here, the expectation for some time was that Marco would end up staying; he said he would stay. It has been less than two weeks since we found out that Marco had changed his mind, when he had really indicated that he wanted to stay and was planning to do so, but, obviously, we understand the reasons,” he said.

The remarks show the impact of the Portuguese coach’s departure, as he had become a highly respected figure among the fans and within the London club’s own structure. Marco Silva arrived at Fulham in the summer of 2021, after his spell at Everton, and quickly managed to leave his mark on the English club.

Despite the efforts of the English club’s officials, Marco Silva chose to return to Portugal to take charge of Benfica. With the move to Lisbon, the coach is now beginning a new chapter in his career, while Fulham look to find the successor to one of the most significant managers in the club’s recent history.

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