Marco Silva departs Fulham to become Benfica head coach on three-year deal

Marco Silva is set to leave Fulham after five seasons in charge and will take over as Benfica head coach, replacing Jose Mourinho in Lisbon. The Portuguese coach has agreed to a three-year contract with an optional fourth year, keeping him at Benfica until 2029.

Silva’s exit from Fulham was confirmed after the club announced his impending departure. He spent five years at Craven Cottage, winning the Championship in his first season (2021–22) and then establishing Fulham as a stable Premier League club. In the top flight, Fulham finished 10th, 13th, and then secured back-to-back 11th-place results under his leadership.

Fulham owner Shahid Khan said the club had prepared for this moment and will appoint a new head coach soon. “Marco Silva leaves our club with my gratitude and best wishes,” Khan said. “Fulham and Marco were an excellent fit for five seasons, but change is inevitable in this game.” He highlighted the squad’s talent, Craven Cottage, and the club’s global supporters as reasons Fulham remains an attractive destination for the next manager.

Silva thanked fans in a heartfelt message: “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. Fulham will always be in my heart, and sooner or later I will be back at Craven Cottage.”

Sky Sports News reports that Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna is expected to be high on Fulham’s list of candidates to succeed Silva, though no formal contacts have been made. Appointing McKenna from Ipswich would likely require around £8m in compensation, given his success in guiding the club back to the Premier League for the second time.

Analysis from Sky Sports News’ James Cole describes Silva’s tenure as “fantastic” given Fulham’s relatively small budget. He praised how Silva brought the club into a stable position and even made European football a realistic conversation, though Fulham fell away late in the campaign for the third season in a row. Fans are expected to remember this era as a period of stability and progress under Silva’s leadership.