Marco Silva to leave Fulham this summer after rejecting contract | OneFootball

Marco Silva will leave his role as Fulham head coach this summer, bringing an end to his five-year spell at the club.

Silva’s future has been up the in air all season with negotiations over a new contract stalling.

After rejecting Fulham’s final offer, he is now reportedly on the verge of returning to his homeland of Portugal to become Benifca manager.

He would succeed Jose Mourinho at the Estadio da Luz, who is set to replace Alvaro Arbeloa in a sensational return to Real Madrid.

In an open letter to Fulham’s supporters, Silva said: “To our fans – I asked you, from day one, to always be with us. And that’s what you did these past five years. We achieved a lot together.

“My staff and I always felt your support. It will never be forgotten. Fulham will always be in my heart, and sooner or later I will be back at Craven Cottage.”

Silva’s tenure at Craven Cottage made the third longest serving boss in the Premier League, and fifth longest in the top four divisions.

He leaves the club having re-established them as a Premier League side, topping the Championship to earn promotion in 2021/22 before bucking Fulham’s recent trend of going straight back down by securing a 10th-place finish the following season.

Silva went on to lead the Whites to a three further mid-table finishes, breaking the club’s record Premier League points tally when they racked up 54 in 2024/25.

“Marco Silva leaves our club with my gratitude and best wishes,” Fulham owner Shahid Khan said. “Fulham and Marco were an excellent fit for five seasons, but change is inevitable in this game, and we’ve accordingly prepared for this moment.

“The talent in our squad, our historic home ground of Craven Cottage, our faithful supporters, and my commitment to backing the club, all make Fulham an extraordinarily attractive destination for an incoming head coach.

“We will soon appoint a new leader in a timely but deliberate manner, who will meet the standards of our club and expectations of our fans throughout the world.”