Marco Silva has confirmed striker Jay Stansfield will stay with Fulham next season after his loan spell at Birmingham City this term.
The England Under-21 international could not prevent Birmingham’s relegation from the Championship, but he impressed by scoring 13 goals in all competitions for the Midlands side.
Stansfield, 21, spent last season on loan with Exeter City, netting nine goals in League One. That led to a number of loan offers from Championship clubs this summer, including Queens Park Rangers, as Standard Sport revealed at the time.
“He’s going to be back with us”, Silva said of Stansfield. “Everything we planned, apart from the collective goal of Birmingham which was not what we wanted, was a box [ticked].
“He played the season before in League One [with Exeter City], and to be able to give a step forward in the Championship and be an important piece in the attack-line and score important goals [was pleasing]. Jay achieved all the important things.
“Now is the moment for him to come back and be one of the players in our attacking line for next season.”
Meanwhile, Silva said a social media clip showing some Fulham playing flying kites does not indicate his team are mentally “on the beach” before the season has ended.
Mid-table Fulham have little left to play for this season, and a clip on Raul Jimenez’s Instagram account of Willian, Andreas Pereira and Rodrigo Muniz flying kites at Fulham’s Motspur Park training ground was widely circulated this week.
Fans of Arsenal, whose title challenge depends on Fulham picking up a result against Manchester City on Saturday, were left concerned about the Cottagers’ preparation for the game.
But the kite-flying took place after training, as well as on the squad’s days off this week, and Silva was frustrated at being asked about it.
“They had one moment [after training]”, he said. “It’s not even a case to be talked about.
“We are going to do our job like we have been doing so far this season We are going to do our maximum to get points for us, not to do favour for anyone.
“I have been asked, as we say in England, whether the players are going to be ‘on the beach’ or not? It’s not the case. If [my players] are a little bit relaxed, I am the first one to put some pressure on them.”
Fulham have a clean bill of health for the City game, except for Sasa Lukic who has picked up an injury in training.
“Sasa Lukic is going to be out of the squad list”, said Silva. “All the others are going to be available. A small issue in his calf, nothing serious. I think he’s going to be ready soon. We don’t take a risk.”
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