Saudis tempt Silva with £40m offer to be a top-paid manager
Fulham head coach Marco Silva is now a target for Saudi Pro League club Al-ahli, who are prepared to make the Portuguese one of the best-paid managers in the world.
It is understood that managerless Al-ahli, one of the quartet of Saudi teams recently acquired by the Public Investment Fund, have made an offer that could be as much as £40million for a two-year contract. It would dwarf the £7milliona-year offer made to Silva by Fulham and give the 46-year-old a decision to make.
Silva is understood to have a £6million release fee in his Fulham contract, which runs until next summer. Al-ahli are already in pre-season in Austria but working without a manager. They are seeking to appoint one quickly.
Fulham may feel under some pressure from the SPL factor now ripping through the Premier League. Aleksandar Mitrovic, their star player, is understood to be unhappy that the club are valuing him at £52million, thus precluding a move to Saudi side Alhilal, who have already signed Ruben Neves from Wolves and Kalidou Koulibaly from Chelsea, among others. Fulham have been reported to have already rejected a bid of £25million for Mitrovic.
Meanwhile, Joao Palhinha is being looked at by Liverpool and West Ham United as they seek to fill midfield vacancies created by recent transfer moves. Silva’s future has been the subject of some doubt all summer with a heavily trailed pursuit of him by Al-hilal, who have since appointed another Portuguese coach, Jorge Jesus. Silva flew with the Fulham squad to the United States yesterday for pre-season preparation and games in the Premier League Summer Series. They are due to play Brentford in Philadelphia on Sunday.