‘Going to’ - Marco Silva makes big Aleksandar Mitrovic claim ahead of Everton v Fulham

Marco Silva has insisted that Fulham plan to get the best out of Aleksandar Mitrovic ‘until the last day’ he’s with the club.

Mitrovic has been the subject of interest from Saudi Arabia side Al Hilal in the summer transfer window. The Cottagers have been determined to keep hold of the striker, however, as they aim to build on a 10th-place finish in the Premier League last season. Mitrovic finished as the club’s top scorer with 15 goals, having netted 43 times when they won the Championship title the previous campaign.

Sky Sports reported last month that the Serbia international told family members he would ‘never play for Fulham again’ after having a lucrative move to Saudi blocked.

However, after not training with the London outfit during a pre-season tour of America, Mitrovic 23-minute cameo in a 2-1 pre-season win over Hoffenheim last weekend.

Everton raise the curtain to the new season with a clash against the Cottagers at Goodison Park on Saturday. And speaking to The Athletic, Silva insists that he and his backroom staff will continue to ‘defend the club’ and look to keep their best players.

The Craven Cottage boss said: “Between me and Mitrovic, it was so clear from the first day. Not just because of the Saudi situation, but from the first conversation I had with him when I joined the club. We have gotten the best out of him since and we are going to do that until the last day.

“Of course (the Al-Hilal proposal) was something that made him think. We are here to support him but to defend the club in every moment as well.

“I know the professional Mitro is. Sometimes players take some decisions and you are here to show them the right way to do things. When you talk about the financial point of view that is involved, sometimes it makes the players think and sometimes think too much. Financial things is not for me to talk because we have a board (to deal with that). We have people to take care of the situation.”