Fulham boss Marco Silva reveals timeline for future decision amid Benfica links

Fulham manager Marco Silva has revealed he will decide his future next week amid links with the head coach position at Benfica.

Silva has spent the last five years in the Craven Cottage dugout, leading the club to promotion in his first season before establishing them in the Premier League.

The Portuguese coach had hoped to lead his side into Europe this season, but those dreams have disappeared with a three-game winless run.

There may be a feeling that the uncertainty surrounding Silva's future has contributed to the recent poor run of form.

As it stands, the 48-year-old will bid farewell to Craven Cottage when his contract expires this summer.

Silva delivers update on Fulham future

While Fulham are keen to retain his services, Silva has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the Benfica job, with Jose Mourinho set to leave the Portuguese giants for a second spell at Real Madrid.

Silva has now revealed that he plans to make a relatively quick decision over his future after Fulham's final Premier League game of the season against Newcastle United on Sunday.

"I understand why you call it as an issue, I see it as a situation that we are at the end of a contract, we have been talking to the football club and the football club is talking with us," Silva told reporters on Friday.

"And I'm going to take a decision, as are the football club, next week. I just have one offer on the table for me to think about.

"I understand my agent is speaking with the club, but I have an offer from a long, long time that we are talking about and that is Fulham Football Club."

Silva targeting top-half finish

Having collected 49 points from 37 games, the Cottagers enter the final day of the season in 13th spot in the Premier League table, level on points with the two teams in front of them, including Newcastle, and two points adrift of 10th-placed Sunderland.

While European qualification is out of reach, Silva is hoping his side can secure a top-half finish for the first time since the 2022-23 campaign.

“We still have targets, and that was the way we started the week,” Silva said.

“Of course, we analysed the game against Wolves, we analysed the chance we lost, to make this game a final for us to be in the European places. But straightaway we move on for the next one, and we still have targets.

“Newcastle have the same points as us – they are above us because of the goal difference. The first one is to try to finish above them. If we win the game, we are going to be above them.

“We don't control the other results, but it's a chance for us to finish in the top half of the table. It’s always a target for us, another motivation for us, and should be a motivation, because it's not something that the club gets often.

"We did it in the first Premier League season, but it's not something that is usual and the club gets often."

Silva will be unable to call upon the suspended Joachim Andersen and the injured Jonah Kusi-Asare for the home game against Newcastle.

Ryan Sessegnon has returned to training following a three-game injury absence, but it remains to be seen whether he will be risked on Sunday.