LONDON (AP) 鈥� Fulham coach Marco Silva is leaving the club after five years in charge, the sides confirmed Tuesday.
The Lisbon native is reportedly a target for Portuguese giant Benfica as a replacement for Jose Mourinho, who it is widely .
鈥淔ulham and Marco were an excellent fit for five seasons, but change is inevitable in this game, and we鈥檝e accordingly prepared for this moment,鈥� said owner Shahid Khan, adding that the club was an 鈥渆xtraordinarily attractive destination for an incoming head coach.”
鈥淲e 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,鈥� he said.
Silva led Fulham to the title in the second-tier Championship in his first season in charge in 2021-22, securing promotion to the Premier League and retaining its top-flight status since then.
Fulham described him as a 鈥渇iercely passionate and relentlessly hard-working individual鈥� whose impact on the club would not be forgotten.
鈥淚 leave with a feeling I was told when I first arrived 鈥� that Fulham Football Club is a family,鈥� Silva wrote in an open letter to fans. 鈥淔ulham will always be in my heart, and sooner or later I will be back at Craven Cottage.鈥�
Widespread reports in Spain say Mourinho is the leading contender to take over at Madrid if president Florentino Perez wins the club’s .
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