Marco Silva reveals Fulham transfer target before window slams shut

Marco Silva insists Fulham will sign a wide forward before Friday’s deadline.

The Fulham head coach has also suggested the club were never close to signing Fluminense midfielder André despite a year-long transfer saga.

Willian and Bobby De Cordova-Reid both left Fulham as free agents this summer and the Cottagers have not replaced them.

Despite Emile Smith Rowe’s ability to play on the left, he was signed from Arsenal as a central attacking player, and Silva insists the club “definitely need” to sign a new winger to provide competition for Alex Iwobi, Adama Traore and Harry Wilson.

“We have to look at different players, because it’s not easy. We know the profile we need — that is clear — but, of course, at this stage of the market, it’s not always easy for us as a club to find the player we want and say: ‘Okay, let’s take him’. From a business point of view, it’s not always possible.

“You have to have different solutions for the position that we want to fill. It’s clear in that attacking line it’s one player that we need. Let’s see if we are going to get one of the main ones or if we have to go in a different direction.

“We need one, definitely. We lost Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Willian in that position and didn’t sign any player in that position. We are working hard to achieve it.”

Fulham were linked heavily with 23-year-old Brazilian midfielder Andre last summer, in January, and again earlier this summer.

The Fluminense man is now a target for Manchester United, while Wolves are hoping to win the race for him.

Silva was asked about Fulham’s interest in Andre.

“You [the media] like sometimes to create your own stories”, he said. “Keep creating, keep doing it. I will not mention any player who is not our player.”