FULHAM are in talks with boss Marco Silva over a new contract.
The Portuguese, 47, has been a sensation in West London since taking over in 2021, taking the club into the FA Cup quarter-finals and chasing a Champions League dream this term.
And with his current deals only having a year to go in the summer, the Cottagers are keen to tie him down to fresh terms.
Their need has also been greatened by Silva being among the list of possible candidates to take over at Tottenham should the North Londoners part ways with Ange Postecoglou.
Postecoglou’s future at Spurs will likely hinge on the club’s Europa League campaign.
If the Aussie can be successful by going deep in the competition – or better yet, winning it – he is expected to be safe.
But go out in the quarter-finals to Eintracht Frankfurt after the international break and it could be curtains, given how poorly the club’s Premier League campaign is going.
Spurs lost their 15th league game of the season last weekend, ironically at the hands of Silva’s Fulham.
The ex-Watford boss, who has an £8.6million release clause in his current deal, is believed to be admired among the Tottenham hierarchy, along with Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola.
Yet Fulham do not want to lose him, given the stellar job he has done, and will hope to persuade him to commit his long-term future to them.
Silva took over a recently-relegated Fulham in 2021 with his reputation having taken a hit following his axing by Everton two years prior.
But he proved his quality by instantly winning the Championship, before guiding the Cottagers to tenth and 13th in the following two Premier League seasons.
Sunday’s win against Spurs in Silva’s 200th Prem match as a manager moved Fulham into eighth, just four points off the top four.
The former Hull chief was in his native Portugal on Monday to be presented with a coach of the year award at the Gala D’O Gaiense by compatriot Carlos Queiroz.
Silva spoke at the do of how England is the place to manage right now – two years on from snubbing a lucrative switch to Saudi Arabia with Al Ahli.
He said: “After two or three years of my coaching career, I was already thinking about training abroad.
“But you have to think about the best championship in the world, which was a goal.
“I didn’t expect to have so many games in the Premier League but I am very pleased to have reached this number.”
Silva is one of four Portuguese bosses managing in England’s top flight, along with Manchester United’s Ruben Amorim, Nuno Espirito Santo at Nottingham Forest and Vitor Pereira at Wolves.
The double Prem centurion added: “All of us there know the Premier League has a different competitiveness and requires very great preparation.”
Speaking of his own achievements so far, after receiving his gong, Silva said: “The most special year is yet to come.”
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