Mitrovic returns to Fulham training: Silva admits situation 'not easy'
Aleksandar Mitrovic returns to Fulham training: Manager Marco Silva admits situation ‘is not easy’ as star striker attempts to force a move away to Saudi Arabia
- Aleksandar Mitrovic is back training with Fulham but still wants a move away
- The Serbian star is attempting to force a move away to Al-Hilal and is unsettled
- Fulham turned down several offers from Saudi Arabia which frustrated Mitrovic
Wantaway Aleksandar Mitrovic has returned to training with Fulham though manager Marco Silva admits the situation ‘is not easy’ after his star striker was left unsettled by interest from Saudi Arabia.
Previously, Mitrovic was not training with the rest of Silva’s squad after reportedly vowing never to play for the club again having seen the Londoners turn down offers from Al-Hilal which would have allowed him to join the growing list of players making lucrative summer moves to the Saudi Pro League.
Ahead of Fulham’s final Premier League Summer Series pre-season fixture against Chelsea, Silva said: ‘Yes, Mitrovic is back. It is a process and it is not an easy situation. I am not here to talk about the negotiations and clubs that are linked with him. I am here to talk about my players. Yes, he is with the group. Let’s hope we get him as fit as we can in the next few days.
‘For me, Mitrovic never was hard to manage. Never, never, never. A lot of people say he has an aura around him but people who know him know he was never a problem or difficult to manage. We have to be honest with him. He was so easy to manage in the beginning of the pre-season and he will be if he stays.
‘Mitro knows me, I know him very well. He knows the group we are working with. Everything I said to him and everything he said to me will be between me and him.’
Aleksandar Mitrovic is back training with Fulham after vowing he would never play for the club again
Marco Silva admits the situation ‘is not easy’ but says Mitrovic is ‘not hard to manage’ and maintains a good relationship with his star striker
Fellow striker Raul Jimenez is in line to make his Fulham debut against Chelsea on Sunday following his £5.5m move from Wolves.
Silva said: He can play some minutes tomorrow but let’s see if from the start or bench. We want to see him get some minutes with his teammates. He is an important signing for us. We are looking for a player with his profile. We are planning to have three strikers in our squad.’
Silva was also full of praise for new centre-back signing Calvin Bassey, an £18m addition from Ajax.
‘He is a talented player first of all which is one of the most important things for us,’ Silva said.
‘Two seasons ago he did a great, great season at Rangers. Last season overall for Ajax was not the best but we recognise the quality from him that we want in a central defender.
Mitrovic wants a move away to Saudi Arabia and is furious with Fulham for turning down multiple bids from Al-Hilal for him
‘We were looking for a left footed defender. It is not easy to find in the market and you know why, many clubs are looking for the same and to complete out central defenders.
‘Now we have four. We are happy with him. Tim Ream did an amazing season last year.
‘We believe that he can play at the same level now with different competition from a left footed central defender that we believe is ready and can improve and get us stronger.
‘He can play as a left back too which will give us different solutions and fits well in our ways with the quality to play in the back which we are always looking for in a central defender and is a player we give the conditions to improve in his defensive process too.’
Source: Read Full Article