A report this week has suggested that Fulham may have been given a "major lift" in their pursuit of a Marco Silva transfer target.
Ambitious Fulham seek to climb
The Whites have been making some serious strides off-the-field recently as they aim to climb up the Premier League table and potentially challenge in cup competitions. Last month, Fulham secured a real boost in this respect by tying down head coach Silva with a brand new contract which will run until 2026.
The Portuguese was attracting rumoured interest from the likes of Spurs, before they appointed Ange Postecoglou, but now any interested side won't have the leverage of an expiring contract to try and sway him away from Craven Cottage.
"It's what I would like to leave one day when I leave the club, everyone is going to remember ourselves and our work," said Silva on his ambition at Fulham.
"I would like to leave a legacy. With titles it's going to be much better, it's going to be perfect, but you know our reality, you know that we are Fulham, for us to fight for titles you have two chances, they are going to be the cups, you have to be realistic.
"And even the cups, you know that you have probably a big number of clubs more favourite than us to get that title. But to know that [we go] game-by-game and we have to look for it with full ambition."
Fulham also managed to keep star midfielder Joao Palhinha out of Bayern Munich's clutches in the summer window, again showcasing their determination to improve as a club.
The west Londoners currently have gaps in quality across the striking position, midfield and defence, but Silva is apparently looking to rectify that with potential moves for Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy and Fluminese star Andre.
Fulham given "major lift" in race for Andre
According to a report by TEAMtalk this week, sharing an update on the latter target, Fulham may have been handed a "major lift" in pursuit of the 22-year-old.
Andre was being chased by Liverpool, but the outlet backs that Jurgen Klopp's side have now completely pulled out, giving Fulham a clearer pathway to sign Andre.
The race was allegedly becoming too crowded for Liverpool's liking, and it now looks likely that they will take their business elsewhere in a boost for Fulham and Silva. Speaking to Sky Sports in the summer, South American football expert Tim Vickery explained he is in no doubt that Andre could do a job in the Premier League.
“There’s a reason that he’s probably at the top of many club’s wish lists from South America at the moment,” said Vickery on Andre.
“He’s a defensive midfielder. The way that Fluminense play, they’re very, very front loaded. They’re a very unorthodox side. The way that they play means they leave a huge amount of space to cover, and he’s the man who has to cover that space.
"So, he’s quick. He’s quick around the field, he’s quick running back. They also pass out from the back in an almost suicidal manner, which means he’s continually having to receive the ball close to his own goal under pressure. So these are really honed skills that are useful."