Why Fulham’s January Transfer Window Failure Will Cost Them Marco Silva

Another transfer window draws to a close, and for the third window running, Fulham fans’ and Marco Silva’s feelings the other side of deadline day remain the same — disappointed, frustrated, and let down.

Window after window, promises made to Marco Silva are broken time and time again. Last January, we didn’t bring in a single player, last summer, the board ignored Silva’s pleas to do business early — resulting in a slow start to the season — and failed to address the position we are crying out most for: a №8. This month, Marco’s trust has been broken again.

Despite expecting to bring in a striker, central midfielder, and winger, Fulham only addressed one of the three positions we needed to strengthen. And despite the Bobb deal seemingly having the full backing of Marco Silva, after numerous windows of inadequate activity, one third of your transfer targets being delivered won’t convince a top Premier League manager to sign on the dotted line this summer.

I understand that the January market is a tough market to operate in, but surely, with a man that holds the club together months away from an exit, you’d surely go the extra mile — pay the extra million — to leave no doubt in Marco’s mind that Fulham has the same ambition he does.

But, as seen with the Ricardo Pepi saga, Fulham fail to listen to Marco, or learn from their mistakes. In fact, the Ricardo Pepi saga is typical of how the Khans and co conduct their transfer business.

In an effort to save a million pound or two, Tony Khan waited till the final day of the window to agree a deal with PSV. Subsequently, we didn’t afford PSV enough time to get a replacement in and we got our just reward for the way we conduct ourselves in the transfer market — the deal fell through.

While I’m not gutted the Pepi deal didn’t go through — I think there are better value, non-injured options out there — but what signal does scrounging over measly sums of cash, only to buckle at the final hour, send to the manager you are trying to convince to sign a new long term deal at the Cottage?

It tells him that we haven’t learnt from our failings in previous windows; we refuse to business in timely manner; we lack the foresight to realise clubs need replacements in for their assets; and we seemingly value half a million pound more than our one the best manager in Fulham history.

Ultimately, any future promises the club to make to Silva are meaningless. Put yourself in Marco’s shoes, would you sign a long term deal with employers you can’t trust?

Even with Sasa Lukic fit, a central midfielder should have been our priority, without Lukic, it was an absolute must, a deal you had to get in the door early doors, especially with players initially away for AFCON. But still, Fulham are injury away from starting an ageing Tom Cairney, or Harrison Reed every week in a battle for a cup competition or a spot in Europe.

That’s criminal negligence.

Will Fulham get by for the rest of the season? Of course, but is that really what the Khans are in it for? Is it survival and anything else is a bonus for the Khans? Because that’s what their actions suggest.

For a second consecutive season, Fulham are set to have another ‘nearly’ season. A season where Fulham find themselves at the cusp of something special, but fail to fully equip their manager to achieve something special.

It’s time the Fulham faithful stop being happy with failing to grasp an opportunity to kick on. These seasons where Europe or a cup look realistic don’t come around often, and yet again, we are throwing a golden opportunity, and a gold standard manager away.

When it’s all said and done, the past three windows will be seen as the difference between mediocrity and places this club has rarely, if ever, gone before. You know who you can thank for that…

This window wasn’t about preparing for the second half of the season, it was about convincing perhaps the best manager in Fulham history to sign a long term deal. We haven’t done that.

This window has been a failure.