Marco Silva has admitted he feels his Fulham contract extension could have been completed sooner.
The Fulham head coach this week signed an extension that sees his deal expire in the summer of 2026 rather than next July.
Fulham chairman Shahid Khan first approached Silva to try and extend his deal last October. A year later, the club have finally agreed a deal to keep him on as head coach.
Silva regards the Premier League as the best league in the world and turned down a lucrative £35million two-year deal to manage Saudi side Al-Ahli this summer.
“It was the decision that myself and the club were happy to take," he said about extending his stay in west London.
“It was something we had been talking about for long time. It probably could have happened earlier, to be honest. It was a decision that was a simple one and an easy one.”
Speaking about Fulham’s supporters, he said: “Their support has been really important, not just for me, for the players, in the last two years and what we have achieved. It’s really good to have the feeling that the fans are happy with everything we have been doing at this football club.
“It’s going to be hard work to get this club recognition. Everyone recognises this club as a Premier League club but after that we have to take the step and achieve different things. Off the pitch we have to improve and keep improving many things to keep meeting everything the Premier League demands to you.”
Silva added: “We are ambitious people. I want more for this football club and for my career as well.”
On Sunday, Fulham visit Brighton, who on Thursday won their first-ever European match by beating Ajax in the Europa Conference League but haven’t beaten Fulham in any of their six Premier League meetings.
Silva confirmed that centre-back Issa Diop will not be fit for the Brighton match due to a foot injury which kept him out of Monday’s 2-0 defeat at Tottenham. Diop is expected back in the next three-to-four weeks.
The match will also come too soon for Kenny Tete, Adama Traore and Tosin Adarabioyo, Fulham’s other injury absentees.
“Good to see him back on the grass," Silva said about Adarabioyo.
“Not truly involved with the team. It’s just individual stuff he’s doing. Nice to see Kenny as well. Adama is coming back as well. I cannot say it’s going to be one or two weeks’ time, but it’s not going to be too [much] longer than that [before Adama returns].”
