Premier League 2025-26 Preview No 10: Fulham

Guardian writers’ predicted position: 11th (NB: this is not needfully John Brewin’s prediction but nan mean of our writers’ tips)

Last season’s position: 11th

Prospects

There is overmuch talk of nan maturation of nan Premier League’s mediate class, and yet Fulham, who vanished 11th past season, person received thing for illustration nan aforesaid garlands arsenic Brighton, Bournemouth and Brentford, nan clubs instantly supra them successful nan table. That whitethorn beryllium a bequest of nan 13 consecutive seasons Fulham spent successful nan section until 2014, and this being Marco Silva’s 5th play astatine Craven Cottage. The nine are a known quantity, receiving alternatively little than nan respect owed to Silva and his players. Since promotion successful 2022, only Brentford and Nottingham Forest person emulated Fulham successful beating nan driblet to create a continuing Premier League legacy.

Fulham don’t springiness disconnected nan aforesaid ultra-modern ”model club” vibes arsenic those others contempt often playing highly charismatic football. There was disappointment past play that European shot has not returned to nan Cottage. Silva’s squad had an unhappy wont of squandering promising positions, amid immoderate chaotic inconsistency. Beating Liverpool 3-2 connected 6 April was a keynote capacity for Silva’s style of play, taking nan crippled to nan eventual champions, playing muscular, high-risk football. On 10 May, contempt taking nan lead, a 3-1 nonaccomplishment to an inferior Everton squad ended dreams of moreover nan Conference League.

That Everton nonaccomplishment coincided pinch a motorboat time for nan Riverside Stand, a £350m task designed to future-proof nan nine by bringing non-matchday gross into nan coffers arsenic a haute cuisine rank constitution serving up nan luxury lounge life connected nan banks of nan Thames. For less-well-heeled fans who wonderment why nan nine person been frankincense acold inactive successful nan summertime transportation marketplace and obstruction against immoderate eye-watering prices being charged for Craven Cottage tickets, nan Riverside development’s architectural attraction facing distant from nan transportation whitethorn go symbolic. The dream among fans is that nan owners don’t effort to tread water. So galore person taken that bet and lost.

The manager

Silva has been a premier plus to Fulham, proven successful regenerating fallen talent, Alex Iwobi a premier example. Cottagers fans are treated to immoderate fine, attacking shot but, entering nan last twelvemonth of his contract, really committed should Silva remain? Beyond a reserve goalkeeper, he welcomed cipher caller to summertime training successful Portugal. “Unfortunately, we don’t person players to accommodate for our group … we usually usage this clip for caller signings to adapt,” said Silva. He was besides quoted thus: “In nan short term, I’m looking astatine Fulham and past we’ll spot what happens adjacent season.” That suggests ambitions will request to beryllium matched to clasp him.

The position from nan apical of nan caller Riverside Stand, portion of a £350m task designed to future-proof nan nine by bringing non-matchday gross into nan coffers. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Off-field picture

To complete nan Riverside Stand, nan proprietor Shahid Khan’s imagination overran importantly successful timing and finances. It will return clip to consciousness nan benefit. The Khan family’s ownership has truthful acold travel astatine their important loss, an estimated £417m since 2013, averaging £38m a year. Relegation would beryllium disastrous, arsenic Khan has admitted erstwhile doubly suffering that fate. Described by Forbes arsenic nan “face of nan American dream”, Shahid has an extended portfolio of sports and business interests, arsenic does his boy Tony; nan head of shot operations is besides supremo of All Elite Wrestling. How focused connected Fulham they stay is being queried.

Star signing

Benjamin Lecomte, to day nan only signing, is nobody’s thought of a transformative, elite summation to nan squad. The 34-year-old Parisian is champion known arsenic a erstwhile Monaco goalkeeper and for nan play he spent connected indebtedness astatine Atlético Madrid, wherever he did not play a infinitesimal arsenic Jan Oblak retained nan gloves. “His presence will further fortify nan squad and adhd extent to Marco’s squad,” said Tony Khan connected Lecomte’s unveiling, words that drip pinch heavy irony arsenic fans hold – progressively impatiently – for someone, anyone, other to arrive.

Stepping up

Joshua King, not to beryllium confused pinch nan Norwegian guardant of nan aforesaid name, is simply a teenage, playmaking midfielder who featured 8 times past play successful nan Premier League. A four-year statement successful July confirmed Fulham’s faith, and fans dream he does not travel nan way of different graduates from a highly regarded academy. Jay Stansfield, Fábio Carvalho, Patrick Roberts and Ryan Sessegnon, nan past of them now returned, were mislaid talents who ne'er sewage to flower. Silva usually prefers his elder pros hard-bitten but said past play of King: “A apical talent we person connected our hands that we person to support giving these experiences to.”

A large play for …

Last season’s club-record addition, Emile Smith Rowe, has plentifulness to beryllium aft an unconvincing first campaign. Silva’s reign has been notable for its deficiency of transportation duds but nan erstwhile “Croydon De Bruyne”, arsenic he was hailed astatine Arsenal, grounded to enforce himself. That came arsenic Iwobi and Andreas Pereira were Silva’s astir favoured attacking midfielders. Behind them, Sasa Lukic and Sander Berge offered tallness and musculus to cardinal areas. Six goals and 3 assists was not a disastrous return for Smith Rowe but a subordinate of undoubted talent was excessively often connected nan periphery. At 25, he remains ripe for nan restorative powers pinch which Silva has revived a number of nan squad.