Mourinho to Real Madrid causes Iwobi, Bassey to lose manager

Fulham officially confirmed on Tuesday, June 2nd, that head coach Marco Silva is leaving his role at Craven Cottage after a successful five-year reign.

 The 48-year-old Portuguese tactician is reported to be heading to his homeland to take charge of Benfica, succeeding José Mourinho, who is set for a blockbuster return to Real Madrid. 

Silva's departure marks the end of a transformative era for the West London club, which he revitalised following his arrival in 2021. 

He famously guided Fulham to the 2021/22 EFL Championship title while scoring a staggering 110 goals. He successfully re-established them as a Premier League force, a status they have maintained since. 

He achieved a club-record 54 Premier League points in 2025 and led them to their first-ever Carabao Cup semi-final in 2024. 

Following a respectable 11th-place finish in the just-concluded campaign, Fulham owner Shahid Khan expressed deep gratitude for Silva's tenure and confirmed the boardroom is already preparing to appoint a successor, with Ipswich Town's Kieran McKenna and former Brentford manager Thomas Frank emerging as early frontrunners.

Silva’s impending exit holds significant weight for the Nigerian national team duo of Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi, both of whom thoroughly thrived and developed into mainstays under his expansive tactical system.

His exit could also determine whether the Cottagers sign Chukwueze permanently, as Silva found great use for the Nigeria international winger. 

The Portuguese manager brought Iwobi to Craven Cottage after previously managing him during his tenure at Everton. Under Silva's direct tutelage, Iwobi consistently produced some of the most commanding football of his Premier League career, while Bassey cemented his status as a robust, qualitative defender.