Marco Silva leaves Fulham to replace Jose Mourinho at Benfica

Marco Silva has left Fulham after five years ahead of becoming the next Benfica manager.

Fulham confirmed on Tuesday evening that Silva will leave his role as head coach when his contract expires at the end of this month.

In an open letter to the supporters, Silva wrote: “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.”

Marco Silva leaves Fulham to replace Jose Mourinho at Benfica

Silva has reportedly agreed a three-year deal, with the option of an additional year, to succeed Jose Mourinho in the dugout at Benfica. Mourinho is expected to return to Real Madrid, if Florentino Perez is re-elected as club president.

Fulham chairman Shahid Khan paid tribute to the departing Silva, calling the Portuguese tactician an “excellent fit” for the club over the past five seasons. Khan added that a replacement will be appointed in a “timely but deliberate manner”.

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Silva was the third-longest serving manager in the Premier League after joining the Cottagers in 2021. He achieved instant success by leading an entertaining team to the Championship title in his debut season.

After several years of flitting between the divisions, Silva managed to establish Fulham in the Premier League over the past four seasons. Under his leadership, the west London outfit earned 54 points in 2024/25, their record points tally in the Premier League. They also won 15 games that season, as they did in 2022/23, which is the most victories they have ever had in a single Premier League campaign.

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