Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 23/09/25...

[WhiteJC]

Manchester United interested in Marco Silva
Manchester United are looking at Marco Silva as a possible option to replace Ruben Amorim with if at all they decide to part ways with their manager.

According to Football Insider, Manchester United have maintained a list of potential candidates to replace Ruben Amorim. Marco Silva is also being looked at for the post, if at all the Red Devils ended up parting ways with Amorim, which looks unlikely at this stage, owing to multiple factors.

Ruben Amorim has become the constant topic in the media as speculation surrounding his future at Manchester United continues to be a subject of discussion. There are no clear indications that the club are ready to sack him as multiple reports are running different narratives about his immediate future.

A recent report stated that Manchester United may not sack Amorim owing to the financial implications such a decision would bring, with suggestions that his departure could cost them £12 million. There have been names mentioned in other reports that the club are already considering replacing the Portuguese with.

Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner were mentioned recently, while there are others like Gareth Southgate, long linked with an appointment for INEOS. Meanwhile, Marco Silva is the latest to be linked with a switch to Manchester United, with the Portuguese manager considered high on their shortlist.

Silva was reportedly dissatisfied at Fulham earlier in the summer, given they were inactive for large periods in the window. For now, the 48-year-old Premier League manager has stayed with the Cottagers, but his future there is not considered foolproof and completely secure.

Ruben Amorim is unlikely to leave Manchester United
Manchester United are reportedly not looking at replacements as per another report, which tends to suggest that they want to stick with Amorim and continue building the project under him. However, should results continue to evade Manchester United, the club might be forced into making an important decision on the Portuguese even if it hits them from a financial standpoint.

As for Silva, he could be a solid choice given that he has stabilised a club like Fulham over the years and has managed to bring consistency to that team. Hence, the 48-year-old Premier League manager might be retained on that shortlist for future reference, as a move later is still possible.



https://thehardtackle.com/news/2025/09/23/manchester-united-interested-in-marco-silva/

[Woolly Mammoth]

Joachim Andersen is the perfect man to replace Tom Cairney as Fulham captain
Our Danish centre-back is enjoying a fine start to the campaign with the armband on.

What makes a great captain?

Is it their propensity to galvanise their teammates when things are going wrong? Is it their diplomacy skills when dealing with the referee? Or is it their ability to lead by example; by being consistently being the best player on the pitch?

Joachim Andersen is hitting all of these touchpoints so far this season – and he increasingly looks to be the perfect candidate to replace Tom Cairney as club captain once our skipper departs in the summer.

He's arrived
Joa's man-of-the-match performance against Brentford showed exactly what we paid £30m for him last summer. He was defensively resolute, and offensively astute, threading a wonderful long ball for Sess in the build-up to our third.

He came in for a fair bit of criticism last season, the majority of which was likely due to his price tag and age profile. We expected him to come in and hit the ground running, particularly as he knew the league well having performed so well for Crystal Palace for three years.

But he took a little while to re-acclimatise his to surroundings in SW6. That's not to say he had a terrible campaign. While defensively solid overall, he came in for criticism in some quarters for a dip in pace and a lack of long ball accuracy, something he was revered for in the past and certainly something we would've hoped for when paying for him.

But it looks like it was just Andersen finding his feet, and this season he's really purring. And it's clear Marco sees him as the man to lead the side. Scott Parker saw it too, of course, handing him the armband for almost half our games in 2020/21.

A long-term asset
There have been concerns about spending so much on a player of Andersen's age, leaving little-to-no resale value. But I'm a strong advocate of signing some players for the here and now. Frankly, who cares how much we get of Joa if he performs on the pitch during this five-year deal and starts to represent the club as our figurehead off it? He's then more than repaying his fee.

Andersen was born to be a captain. He has the defensive consistency and prowess of a Brede Hangeland (plus now the haircut to boot), the footballing brain of Danny Murphy in the way he reads the game, and he leads by performance on the pitch, much like TC and Luis Boa Morte in years gone by. He's got all the qualities you need from a captain. And if we can reap the benefits of that from him for the next four years, then £30m, in my opinion, is a snip.

We have enjoyed a really strong start to this campaign, and a lot of that is due to our robustness in defence. If we continue at this clip we could surpass 60 points, and if that happens who knows where that places us. One thing is for sure, we'll need Andersen firing on all cylinders if we want to get there.

So far, so good.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/p/joachim-andersen-is-the-perfect-man

I agree with all you say.

[WhiteJC]

U's Matchday: Fulham (A)
Cambridge United head to Fulham for Round Three of the Carabao Cup (7:45pm)...

Fresh from Saturday's victory over Fleetwood Town, Cambridge United are set for a huge night under the lights as they travel to Premier League side Fulham, hoping to spring a major upset in the Carabao Cup.

Ticket Information
An incredible 5,150 U's supporters will be making the journey to West London for tonight's tie.

    Sales: Ticket sales close at 10am this morning.
    Collections: The Club Store is open until 2pm for ticket collections. Any uncollected tickets will be transferred to Fulham for collection.
    On the night: Supporters can collect tickets from the Mobile Ticket Unit on Stevenage Road, next to the Johnny Haynes statue (near turnstiles 1–17).

For full ticket, collection, and away supporter information, please click here.

News & Views
Head Coach Neil Harris previewed the challenge ahead and praised the remarkable travelling support in his pre-match press conference. Watch the full interview on CUFC TV.

Follow the Action
If you can't make it to the match, UK based fans can watch the action live on Sky Sports+, or listen to match commentary with CUFC TV. Overseas supporters should check their local listings to see if the game is being broadcast in your territory.

Stay Connected
Download the official Cambridge United App on Google Play or the App Store and follow our X account for live updates throughout the day.



https://www.cambridgeunited.com/news/us-matchday-fulham

[WhiteJC]

Exclusive: Lee Hendrie names the best 3 EFL Championship players of all time
There have been a plethora of quality players to have graced the Championship at some point in their careers.

Players who have gone on to be full-time internationals, winning trophies at the height of the domestic and continental games, have either started down in the English second tier or have had to drop down to realise their top-class potential.

Picking out the definitive top three greatest Championship players of all time is an incredibly tough task, but former Aston Villa midfielder and current EFL pundit Lee Hendrie has named his during an exclusive interview with Football League World.

There are plenty of factors to take into account here. Should just the time spent in the Championship count, or should it include the wider context of their careers? In the end, Hendrie decided to provide a mixture of both, listing three players who dominated in short bursts in the second tier, before going on to bigger and better things.

Lee Hendrie reveals his top three Championship players of all time
 Lee Hendrie prefaced his answers by stating that it's a "difficult one" to single out just three players, but he initially outlined Aleksandar Mitrovic, whose most dominant moments during his time in England came in the Championship with Fulham, especially in the 2021/22 campaign, where he netted 43 in 44 en route to the title.

"Just looking back, and one who stands out to me is Mitrovic," Hendrie said. "He scored bundles of goals at Fulham.

"You felt that at one stage he was just going to be a Championship player; when Fulham went up, he didn't really meet the expectation levels of what he was in the Championship, where he scored so many goals and was an absolute handful.

In the end, Mitrovic's goalscoring antics did translate to the top flight, and he's spent the last few seasons terrorising defences in the Saudi Professional League.

Secondly, Hendrie mentioned Jack Grealish, who was a big part of the Aston Villa sides that spent three seasons in the Championship in the late 2010s.

"For me, [Grealish] was absolutely unbelievable when he was with Villa in the Championship," Hendrie continued.

"He was key going forward for them and had a massive say in their promotion, being the captain at the time."

Grealish would go on to join Manchester City for £100 million and win the Champions League. Similarly, Hendrie's third pick, Gareth Bale, went on to achieve continental success at Real Madrid, winning the Champions League five times.

Bale only played one season in the English second tier, helping Southampton reach the play-offs as a 17-year-old in the 2006/07 campaign, but his influence was enough to land him among the best to ever do it at the level.

"You look at the likes of Bale, who played in the Championship, and you think to yourself how good he was," Hendrie said.

"Obviously, he went on to bigger and better things, as did all three of these players. So much quality to watch, and that's why they went on to be so successful, be that at Real Madrid, Manchester City, and obviously, Mitrovic moved to Saudi Arabia, where he's smashed it out of the park.

"These players have been top Championship players in my eyes, but I've probably missed some out, there's been so many!"

Picking just three top Championship players is almost impossible
 As Hendrie alluded to, there are so many talents who have graced the English second tier, from those who spent the early stages of their careers here, such as Bale and Grealish, to those who enjoyed their primes in the Championship, like Mitrovic did.

Then you factor in those whose majority of their careers took place in the Championship and excelled as a top second-tier operator; the likes of Peter Whittingham and Billy Sharp, to name a couple.

It goes to show how incredible a division the Championship is — that you can take players at different stages of their careers and create a competitive, fun league with plenty of talented individuals.

Any top three will divide opinion, but you can't argue against the quality that Bale, Grealish and Mitrovic had both in the Championship and then later on in their careers.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/exclusive-lee-hendrie-names-his-top-three-championship-players-of-all-time/

[WhiteJC]

Marco Silva trying to avoid Fulham player 'breaking down' – Worry over muscle strain
Raúl Jiménez started for Fulham in their 1-1 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion in the first game of this season and that's been his only start in the Premier League so far.

The striker's situation at Fulham didn't impact his role with Mexico as he started in both matches earlier this month, playing 16 minutes for Fulham since the international break.

Jiménez's restricted role has seen him linked with a move away from Fulham, mostly by the Mexican media, and 365Scores have an update on why Marco Silva hasn't utilised him regularly.

They have found out from sources close to the 34-year-old that he's 'recovering from a muscle strain' that he suffered while in action for the national team in September.

Therefore, Marco Silva has handed him less minutes in recent weeks as a precautionary measure, to 'avoid injury' and prevent Jiménez from 'breaking down'.

The Mexico national team's medical staff have 'coordinated a physical training plan' with Fulham to manage his workload. Jiménez knows that a muscle tear would 'keep him out of rhythm for months' and that won't help him be at his best for the next World Cup.

The same sources have informed 365Scores that the Fulham player is expected to start a match in two weeks even though he's now 100% fit.

Silva and the London club are managing Jiménez well to make sure he doesn't suffer a serious setback.



https://sportwitness.co.uk/marco-silva-trying-to-avoid-fulham-player-breaking-down-worry-over-muscle-strain/

[WhiteJC]

"Philosophy and mentality" – Player explains why he snubbed West Ham and Fulham in summer
West Ham United and Fulham had interest in Rômulo Cardoso before he completed a permanent move from Göztepe SK to RB Leipzig in the summer window.

Two months ago, we covered claims from Turkey that Fulham had offered €16m for the striker, while the Süper Lig side's owner, Sport Republic had reportedly requested at least €20m to sell him.

As well as Fulham, West Ham were also said to have looked at the 23-year-old to improve their attack.

On August 15th, he completed a move to Leipzig and Leipziger Volkszeitung, a newspaper local to the German club, have published an interview with the Brazilian.

He explained a move to the Bundesliga has helped the attacker fulfil one of his dreams.

"Being in the Bundesliga now is, of course, a dream come true for me. It's one of the top leagues in the world. I'll do my best here to help the team get back into Europe," he said.

The newspaper points it out that many players would prefer the Premier League over the Bundesliga, but he only wanted Leipzig despite interest from West Ham and Fulham.

LVZ specifically mentioned the two London clubs, and the South American explained why he picked the German side over West Ham and Fulham.

"I think it's down to the club's philosophy and mentality. Behind you is the club's motto: 'You can do anything', you can do and achieve anything. We can do anything. We play intense football. That thrilled me," Rômulo explained.

The frontman has scored two goals from four games for Leipzig so far.



https://sportwitness.co.uk/philosophy-and-mentality-player-explains-why-he-snubbed-west-ham-and-fulham-in-summer/

[WhiteJC]

Leeds United transfer news as Fulham boss outlines Harry Wilson contract talks and Whites move stance
Leeds United saw a late move for the Fulham and Wales winger fall through.

Fulham manager Marco Silva is confident Harry Wilson will commit his future to the Cottagers after a late-summer transfer to Leeds United fell through.

Leeds made a surprise deadline-day move for Wilson in their ultimately failed attempts to further strengthen Daniel Farke's attacking unit, falling victim to a late change of heart from Fulham. Elland Road chiefs submitted a deal sheet as the deadline passed but were eventually left wanting as those at the other end of a potential transfer pulled out.

Managing director Robbie Evans told the YEP Leeds submitted an offer above the 'right price' and were given an indication a late deal for Wilson could be done with Fulham. That deal never materialised but speculation continued, particularly given the winger has now entered the final year of his Craven Cottage contract.

Since that potential move to Elland Road fell through, Wilson has started Fulham's last two games including a 1-0 home win over Leeds and a 3-1 victory against Brentford in which he scored a lovely goal. And Cottagers boss Silva appears supremely confident this season will not be the 28-year-old's last in West London.

"I know him very well, he's not a player that is with me just one month, two months or two years," Silva told the Evening Standard. "It's his fifth season with us. It was my first signing in this football club when I joined and I know him very well. For me, it was never a problem and I know really how much he wants to stay in the club.

Marco Silva on Harry Wilson Leeds United 'conversations'
"Of course, conversations between us and his representatives as well, and let's see what is going to happen, but I know really the aim of him is to stay in the football club, and if we can get an agreement, his future is going to be with us. He's 100 per cent sure, he's part of the business, of course he's looking for what is best for him like the club is trying to get the best for the football club, but I know what his aim is.

"I think it's normal, a player with the quality that he has and [into the] last year [of his] contract in terms of interest in him. For me, it was not a situation, that was the reason he started the first Premier League game before Deadline Day, and he had a great pre-season, probably was the player that had the best pre-season."

That failed move for Wilson only heightened concerns over a lack of goal threat at Leeds, whose only Premier League goal in three games up to that point has been a Lukas Nmecha penalty. The Whites then drew another blank at Fulham but produced a clinical attacking performance to beat Wolves 3-1 on Saturday.

New signings Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anton Stach and Noah Okafor were all on target for the Whites at Molineux, with all three goals coming inside 14 first-half minutes. Leeds are now 12th in the Premier League and welcome Bournemouth to Elland Road on Saturday.



https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/leeds-united-transfer-news-marco-silva-harry-wilson-contract-5329586

[WhiteJC]

Marco Silva speaks about the 'good relationship' between two key forwards in his squad
Silva spoke about a moment that reflected the mood of the group after a weekend win.

Marco Silva spoke glowingly of his men after a 3-1 win over Brentford on another West London derby day. A clash with Cambridge Unitedin the Carabao Cup means rest and rotation for some, and in one position of debate, a "good relationship" between teammates bodes well for the team.

    'They mood is different'

Fulham went winless in their first three Premier League fixtures against Brighton, Man United, and Chelsea. Results were not rewarding their efforts and the emergence of academy graduate Joshua King in the way that was deserved. But even with a mistake from the teenager, the Cottagers claimed three points for the second time in a row against Brentford in a big victory for Silva and the squad.

"The mood is different when you win this type of football match, when you win these types of games that are special to the fans, and the way we did it, we were dominant and the best team on the pitch."

After an Alex Iwobi equaliser, the Nigerian nailed a through ball for Harry Wilson, who put the team ahead against the Bees. His contract runs out at the end of next summer and is on the manager's mind.

"I know him very well. I know how much we wants to stay at the football club. If we can get an agreement, his future is going to be with us - 100% sure. The links with other clubs are normal."

But the vibes are going in the right direction internally, as shown by a celebration between Rodrigo Muniz and Raul Jimenez.

"It has been so nice to see the competition between both and the respect that they have for each other and the support. They have a good relationship outside of the pitch. Every single day, they are on the same table eating meals and have a good relationship even if they know they are fighting for a place."

Fulham finally followed through with squad depth in the wide areas on deadline day to give Silva some more options. He is willing to work with the players to make sure they have their time to shine.

"They know how important they have been for this group and football club the last few seasons. Sometimes one is in front of the other but the other can recover and score important goals."



https://www.vavel.com/en/football/2025/09/22/fulham/1234808-marco-silva-speaks-about-the-good-relationship-between-two-keyforwards-in-his-squad.html

[WhiteJC]

Marco Silva provides update on Harry Wilson's future amid January links with Leeds United
Marco Silva has provided an update on Harry Wilson's Fulham future following interest from Leeds United in the summer transfer window.

It was our exclusive at Leeds United News which first revealed Leeds' interest in Harry Wilson, with a loan bid from Leeds to Fulham rejected initially in the mid-afternoon of deadline day.

It was then revealed that the deal for Wilson and Leeds was still alive permanently, especially if Fulham found attacking players to replace Wilson, with a number of big-money deadline day moves eyed by the Cottagers.

Fulham even agreed to two Wilson replacements but the deal was still not guaranteed with the hours then counting down to the deadline at 7pm. Then, Wilson to Leeds looked in doubt amid the need for a deal sheet to finalise a deal with Fulham.

It was later clear that the 28-year-old was not coming and the crucial details of the transfer collapse between Fulham, Leeds, and Wilson have been revealed since.

Marco Silva comments on Harry Wilson's Fulham future
Other details have emerged after Fulham did deals for Kevin and Samuel Chukwueze, but some reports say the inability to bring in Chelsea's Tyrique George meant Fulham chose to keep Wilson.

That said, Fulham could make Wilson available in January but not if Marco Silva's comments are anything to go by recently. It appears Wilson remains a part of his long-term plans.

Speaking via a press conference ahead of Fulham facing Cambridge United in the Carabao Cup, Silva said: "It is not a player who is with me just one month, two months, or two years.

"This is his fifth year with us. He was my first signing when I joined the football club, and I know him very well.

"For me, it was never a problem. I know, really, how much he wants to stay in the football club. Of course, conversations, they are there, the conversations between us and his representatives.

"Let's see what is going to happen. But I know, really, the aim of him is to stay in the football club and if we can get an agreement, his future is going to be with us, [I'm] 100 per cent sure.

"It's part of the business. Of course, he is looking for what is best for him. But the club is trying to get the best for both.

"It was never something that was concerning about possible links [away from the club] with him. I think it's normal with the quality he has and the last year of contract.

"Things are normal in terms of interest in him."

Robbie Evans' view of the Harry Wilson situation
Beren Cross explained the Wilson to Leeds collapse. However, Robbie Evans also detailed Wilson staying at Fulham, stating: "It's pretty straightforward in that we had a player targeted. It didn't come through.

"We thought we had the right price. We put the offer in above that price. The player was on board. Club couldn't get it done.

"Their club couldn't get it done. We sent the deal sheet in after being given some indication it could work. But they were also doing three deals at once. So Fulham signed €85 million (£74 million) worth of wingers yesterday.

"Whether it was out of time or they decided not to sell, we don't know. But it didn't happen. Thankfully for us, that's why we did the overwhelming majority of our business before the last day of the window."



https://www.leedsunited.news/transfers/marco-silva-provides-update-on-harry-wilsons-future-amid-january-links-with-leeds-united/

[WhiteJC]

How Fulham have taken the FA WNL by storm
Now in Division One South East, Fulham have won their first five league games to make quite an impression on the league.

Fulham have taken the FA Women's National League by storm as they carried their unbeaten run into Tier 4.

Ellie Olds and Jade Bradley were part of the Cottagers' victorious Tier 5 campaign that saw them win 20 and draw two of their matches on the way to promotion.

Now in Division One South East, Fulham have won their first five league games to make quite an impression on the league.

"I think last season, knowing that we had to win every game really, to get out of that league was important and I think that has spilled over into this season," Olds said.

"I think it'd be silly to say that you wouldn't want to win the league. Whether that's really ambitious, I don't know, but we'll see.

"At the moment, obviously, we're doing well. But we're five games in and it's a long season and a lot can happen."

https://x.com/FulhamFCWomen/status/1970095742204215450

Bradley added: "We know we've got the squad to compete, and that's what this season's all about.

"If it means we get more points on the board than other teams, then brilliant, and if not, then as long as we're showing up and doing what we do, week in, week out, we can't really complain."

After three agonising years of third placed finishes in the regional league, Fulham finally achieved their goal of reaching the FA WNL. 

The success sent a wave of relief washing across the club, which had come so close so often, especially Olds, who was involved in all three near misses.

She said: "It meant a lot. We were trying to get out for many years. So there have been a few of us who've been there for quite a few years and have been through a lot of changes.

"So, to finally get the promotion, I know it meant a lot to everyone, team, teammates, staff, squad and fans."

Fulham started their 25/26 campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Cambridge United, snatching three points right at the death as Olds scored with only added time remaining. 

The result over their fellow title challengers has proved to be a springboard for the Cottagers, who are now the only unbeaten side remaining in Division One South East. 

Bradley, who joined from Tier 3 side Watford in February, said: "You can prep all you want, but nothing matches that first game, and how that feels. You could play your best, you could play your worst at the end of the day. I think for that game, you want points. 

"So, to come away with three points from the first game in Tier 4 was important as a club, but especially for us girls as well, considering the work that has been put in. 

"It carried over from last season, knowing we had to get points on the board, that mentality didn't really drop."

With such high ambitions around the club, recruitment focused on bringing in players who could drive the group forward to reach the lofty heights that Fulham are aiming for.

As a result, aiding the Cottagers' efforts this season are a raft of new signings that have been brought in to make sure they can compete at a higher level.

Katie Dungate joined from Northern Premier Division champions Nottingham Forest, having also spent time in WSL2 with Birmingham City.
Taome Oliver and Molly Holder also joined from Tier 3 sides to bolster Steve Jaye's squad.

Bradley said: "We've got girls that have played in the Championship and Tier 3, that have come in and that are pushing everyone, and I think that's the good thing about it. 

"If you were to go off stats, I'd say Katie Dungate has done very well at the start of the season. But honestly, in terms of the squad, everyone's levels have gone higher and higher."



https://womenscompetitions.thefa.com/en/Article/How-Fulham-have-taken-the-FA-WNL-by-storm-20250923

[WhiteJC]

Harry Wilson move to Leeds United now unlikely after latest Marco Silva reveal
Harry Wilson was on the verge of joining Leeds United on transfer deadline day.

With Wilson's move not materialising for Leeds, the winger remained at Fulham and even played against the Whites when the two sides met at Craven Cottage.

The Wales international also scored his first goal of the season over the weekend as Fulham beat Brentford 3-1.

Whilst previous reports suggested Leeds were going back in for Wilson in January, Marco Silva's recent comments appear to have poured cold water over that possibility.

Marco Silva confident of Harry Wilson staying at Fulham
Although Noah Okafor impressed against Wolves as the summer signing scored his first goal for Leeds, having Wilson on the opposite flank would have significantly enhanced United's chances of avoiding relegation this season.

With just one year left on Wilson's current deal at Fulham, his manager, Silva, is confident that the 28-year-old will stay put in the capital.

Speaking to the Evening Standard, Silva said: "I know him very well, he's not a player that is with me just one month, two months or two years, it's his fifth season with us.

"It was my first signing in this football club when I joined, and I know him very well. For me, it was never a problem, and I know really how much he wants to stay in the club."

    Wilson scored six goals and registered one assist in 25 Premier League appearances last season
    Of these 25 appearances, only 12 were starts, as he averaged just 47 minutes per game
    Data also suggests that Wilson was extremely clinical last season, as his six goals came from an xG of 4.21 (Sofascore)

Silva continued: "Of course, conversations between us and his representatives as well, and let's see what is going to happen, but I know really the aim of him is to stay in the football club, and if we can get an agreement, his future is going to be with us.

"He's 100 per cent sure, he's part of the business, of course, he's looking for what is best for him, like the club is trying to get the best for the football club, but I know what his aim is."



https://motleedsnews.com/transfers/harry-wilson-move-to-leeds-united-now-unlikely-after-latest-marco-silva-reveal/

[WindyCity]

Ha, funny......FFC leading scorer so far this season is Own Goal.

[WhiteJC]

Marco Silva's expiring contract makes for an intriguing West Ham scenario
While it has been widely reported that West Ham are only considering managers that are currently out of work for the role that Graham Potter is likely to relinquish in the near future, Martin's earlier article shows there may be finally some movement on that front by West Ham's board.

One name, who is widely admired by David Sullivan has been discussed by the board, would cost the Hammers a mighty £8.6m! This from a clause his club put in place when he signed a new contract in October 2023. The manager in question is Marco Silva, currently manager of London rivals Fulham who sit in eighth place with two wins, two draws and one loss.

Ironically, Silva's current contracts expires at the end of this season, and the Portuguese manager is yet to sign an extension.
There are some reports suggesting this is why West Ham are looking for a short term option, with a view to approaching Silva for the role next year.

The 48 year old transitioned into management in 2011 where he guided minnows Estoril into the Primeira Liga. In 2014 he joined Portugese giants Sporting CP, finishing third and won the Taca De Portugal. Then in 2015-2016 at Olympiakos he won the Greek Super League with a 79.17% win rate. In 2017 he suffered relegation with Hull City, yet earned plaudits for revitalising the squad. He then joined Watford and had his head turned by Everton where he struggled for consistency and was sacked in 2019. Craven Cottage has been his home since 2021 where he achieved promotion to the Premier League and stabilised the club with a number of top ten finishes.

Silva's hallmark is attacking football with tactical flexibility, and his work at Fulham has been particularly impressive, which has not gone unnoticed by the West Ham board. Stories in the media rumoured Silva to be the favoured option of Hammers' shareholder Daniel Kretinsky: No substance that we know of, but yet the rumours persist.



https://www.claretandhugh.info/marco-silvas-expiring-contract-makes-for-an-intriguing-west-ham-scenario/

[WhiteJC]

Matchday Preview: Cambridge
🆚 Cambridge United
🏟 Craven Cottage
🏆 Carabao Cup
🗓 Tuesday 23rd September
⏰ 7.45pm

The opposition

Two draws, three defeats and four victories represents a solid start to the League Two season for Cambridge, following their relegation last year, and Saturday's win over Fleetwood Town means it's now just goal difference keeping them out of the Play-Off places. They booked their spot in Round Three of the Carabao courtesy of a 2-0 triumph at Bristol Rovers, and an impressive 3-1 victory over Championship side Charlton Athletic at Abbey Stadium.

Team news

🤍 Marco Silva has no new injury concerns to deal with.

🟠 Korey Smith will make his first appearance of the season after recovering from a knee injury, but striker Louis Appéré misses out with a hamstring strain.

Tickets

Adult tickets start from just £20 and all junior supporters will be able to enjoy the magic of the cup for just £1!

Weather

☁️ A dry evening is forecast, with temperatures around 14 degrees.

Arrive early

Until 6.45pm, all pints of beer, cider & cans of wine will be priced at just £5, with soft drinks available for just £2, as part of our early bird drinks offers.

Penalties

If the score is level after 90 minutes, a penalty shoot-out will decide the outcome.

Round Four draw

Should we be successful, the draw for the Fourth Round will take place on Sky Sports on Wednesday night, following the conclusion of Port Vale versus Arsenal.

Coverage

The game will be available on Sky Sports, while FFCtv subscribers can listen to commentary from Gentleman Jim and Jamie Reid.

Programme

Issa Diop's only appearance of the current campaign came in the previous round of the League Cup.

For players on the fringes, these ties are a valuable chance to remind Marco Silva of what they can do, and Diop makes no secret of his eagerness to build on that against Cambridge United on Tuesday.

"Of course I'd like to play more," he tells the official matchday programme. "But it's football. I'm not a guy who's going to bring a bad mood to the place. I just help the guys try to do the best for us to win, even if I'm not in the team."

Elsewhere in the publication, we hear from Silva and Tom Cairney, while Lewis Holtby is the latest interview in our Cult Heroes series.

Darren Freeman also recalls a famous meeting with Cambridge 28 years ago, we remember John Mitchell's stunning strike in the FA Cup semi-final and Ken Coton digs out some past pictures of clashes with the U's.

The 64-page programme will be on sale around the ground on Tuesday, priced £3.50. Alternatively, you can pick up a copy online.

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2025/september/23/matchday-preview-cambridge/

[WhiteJC]