Marco Silva says talk around his future is a distraction as he admits Fulham have no choice but to sign players before the end of the window.
Silva, who has been left frustrated by Fulham’s transfer business this summer, has less than a year remaining on his contract.
However, the Fulham boss, who reiterated that Andreas Pereira was a Fulham player despite being left out of the matchday squad against Manchester United, says his future or that of his players won’t be a distraction as the club focus on building on bringing players in before the transfer deadline.
“I think my situation and my future, and the future of the players can never be something that can be a distraction at all. Fulham is the main thing for all of us,” Silva said, speaking ahead of Fulham’s Carabao Cup clash at home to Bristol City.
“When you are at this level, you have to think first of all about the club, and that is the main thing for us. It's never going to be a distraction for anything that we have to do.”
Fulham are looking to wrap up a number of deals before next Monday’s deadline, and Silva admitted the club have to act decisively, having only brought in one new signing, backup goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte, so far this summer.
“We have to (sign players). This is the situation. I'm answering this way to you, and it's not to put any more type of pressure at all. It's because we don't have other solutions,” he continued.
Silva went on to say that whilst he’s been involved in the club’s transfer decisions, he couldn’t be sure that any players who did come in before the deadline were part of the plan he and the club had formulated.
“If it's going to be what we did plan or not is another thing. When you leave everything for the final stages. Some things are not under your control no more. Some targets are not there no more.
“I think I'm the type of person that if you prepare the things and if you go in a certain direction, I believe that with time you can take better decisions and probably don't do certain type of mistakes too. Right now, I'm not in charge of negotiations. It's not for me. It's not my job.”
When you leave everything for the final stages. Some things are not under your control no more. Some targets are not there no more
Fulham are in the market for a winger and have been weighing up a second bid for Shakhtar Donetsk forward Kevin. They also hold a long-term interest in Reiss Nelson, who spent last season on loan at the club. However, neither deal is close to completion with less than a week left of the window.
Silva called for the club to back him at the end of last season after guiding them to a record Premier League points tally and an 11th place finish.
But a frustrating summer has left Silva short of options and with his contract expiring in June 2026, doubts have emerged about his long-term future at the club.
