Fulham has officially announced that Marco Silva will leave his position as head coach after five successful years. The Portuguese manager has attracted interest from Benfica, who are preparing for the potential departure of José Mourinho to Real Madrid.

In their statement, Fulham confirmed: “We can confirm that Marco Silva will leave his role as head coach at Fulham this summer. It’s a position that Silva has held for five years – a spell which was laden with success.”

During his tenure, Silva guided Fulham to notable achievements:

• Promotion to the Premier League in his first season
• Consistent finishes of 11th in his last two seasons
• A run to the Carabao Cup semi-final

Despite Fulham's attempts to retain Silva by offering a new contract, the lure of managing in Europe with Benfica, who finished third in Portugal and qualified for the Europa League, presents an enticing opportunity for him.