As the curtain falls onthe 2025 Premier League campaign clubs the length and breadth of the country will take a break, and then work out what went right and what went wrong before they make an assault on the 2025/26 campaign.
And for Marco Silva’s Fulham there is plenty to be pleased about but, equally, room for improvement. An 11th placed finish, with 54 points, and a quarter-final appearance in the FA Cup represents a good outcome, and this Fulham team were in the hunt for Europe until the closing weeks of the season.
Since promotion under Silva in 2022 Fulham have picked up three mid-table finishes and, in a league which has seen the three promoted teams immediately relegated back to the Championship in both 2024 and 2025, this is an impressive performance and a platform for the Cottagers to build on. This is a team which can beat the best, as they proved recently when they edged a five goal thriller against champions Liverpool, one of just four league defeats for Arne Slot’s Reds. Fulham also beat Euro qualifiers Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest over the past couple of months as well as, for what it’s worth, Europa League finalists Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.
By the time Manchester City visited on the final day the Cottagers’ season was pretty much over and now is a time for reflection for Silva, the club’s owners and the fans. The SBOTOP Premier League 2025 betting odds predicted a mid table finish and that’s what Silva delivered, but with some style, a flirtation with Europe and plenty of high profile scalps.
So how close are Fulham to taking it to the next level and become an established top ten side?
Well a lot depends on the future of Silva, who has one year remaining on his current contract. While there is speculation linking him with a move the widely admired 47 year old has insisted that he expects to be at Craven Cottage next season: “I’m under contract with the club and I’ve been planning next season with the board from last January,” he said. “Everything is on track and the plan is there. We have hard work in the next two months to prepare the season as well as you can.”
It could be a hectic summer transfer window for the Cottagers and Silva is certainly not a man to stand still. Two players who have likely played their last game for the club are winger Willian, who returned to the Cottage in January, and third choice striker Carlos Vinicius. But the manager has already said he hopes the out-of-contract duo of skipper Tom Cairney and wingback Kenny Tete will sign a new deal. Cairney is an influential player both on and off the pitch, well liked by players and fans and a man who leads by example, scoring in the club’s 3-2 win away to Brentford last week. Meanwhile, Tete is likely to stay at the Cottage with right back Timothy Castagne unlikely to make the start of the 2025/26 campaign having undergone ankle surgery.
At the other end of the pitch there may be a problem brewing with the clear message that Carlos Vinicius hasn’t made the grade and Fulham are ready to move him on. With Rodrigo Muniz injured in the second half of the campaign that left 34 year old Raul Jimenez as the only out-and-out striker to carry the load, which he did with distinction. Fulham have their eyes on another Brazilian player in the shape of Botafogo striker Igor Jesus. After a stint in the Saudi Pro League with Shabab Al Ahli, where he scored 34 goals in 66 games, Jesus returned to Brazil and this year the 24 year old has made four appearances for the Selecao.
Fulham will face competition from Arsenal for Jesus’ signature as the Gunners are in the market for a striker too, but they will hope the player would prefer a starting place rather than a squad position. And the Cottagers might go back in for Lyon attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki. Still only 21 the Lyon academy star has made 146 appearances for the Ligue 1 side and he starred for France at the 2024 Olympics.
There won’t be a huge overhaul of playing staff at Fulham this summer, more an evolution, as the Cottagers’ Premier League 2025 results had plenty of high points, and some superb performances from players such as Cairney, Jimenez, Alex Iwobi and Joachim Andersen.
Silva has created a strong base and now he will plan to mould a team which can put in a serious challenge for Europe.
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