With Marco Silva confirming his departure for Benfica and Arne Slot now available after his Liverpool sacking, the race to become the next Fulham manager is taking shape and the outcome matters enormously for the three Nigerians at the heart of the squad.
Arne Slot has been added to Fulham’s managerial shortlist as the west London club moves quickly to find a successor to Marco Silva, whose five-year tenure at Craven Cottage officially ends when his contract expires on June 30, FootballInNigeria.com.ng reports. The development means Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, and Samuel Chukwueze the three Nigerians who formed a significant part of Silva’s squad in 2025/26 could find themselves playing under a former Premier League title-winning manager when they return for pre-season.
Slot’s availability is the direct result of his dismissal by Liverpool last week, just 12 months after guiding the club to their 20th English league title in his debut season. His second campaign at Anfield unravelled badly Liverpool lost nine of 12 matches in all competitions during their worst run of the season, the football was widely criticised as pedestrian and uninspired, and the club finished fifth. Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes led an end of season review that concluded a change was necessary, and Slot was informed of the decision on a Saturday morning before the official announcement went live. The Reds are now understood to be closing on a deal to appoint Andoni Iraola, who guided Bournemouth to sixth in the Premier League and their first European campaign before departing at the end of the season.
Super Eagles fans following the careers of Iwobi, Bassey and Chukwueze can use the latest Bet9ja promo code as Fulham’s managerial situation and pre-season betting markets become available.
The Full Shortlist: Who Fulham Are Considering
According to The Standard, Fulham have drawn up a five man shortlist with Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna identified as the front runner. The 39 year old Northern Irishman has built a remarkable reputation at Portman Road, winning successive promotions from League One and the Championship before establishing Ipswich in the Premier League. His energetic, high pressing style and his clear ability to develop players quickly make him an attractive proposition for a club that wants to push beyond mid-table. Bringing him away from Ipswich would cost Fulham somewhere in the region of £8 million in compensation.
Oliver Glasner, who won the FA Cup with Crystal Palace in 2024 before leaving the club, is also of specific interest to Fulham. The Austrian coach brought an intensity and tactical structure to Selhurst Park that transformed a struggling side into cup winners, and his availability makes him a credible option. Alongside Slot, Thomas Frank who managed Brentford for several years before a stint at Tottenham and Liam Rosenior complete the reported shortlist of five.
Fans wanting to bet on who gets the Fulham job can check the latest odds at Bet9ja’s YOHAIG sign-up page before the club makes a formal announcement.
Why the Choice Matters for Nigeria’s Three
For Iwobi, Bassey, and Chukwueze, the identity of the next Fulham manager is not a background story. It will shape everything about their 2026/27 season and, in some cases, their futures at the club. Iwobi had one of the best seasons of his career under Silva, developing into a reliable Premier League midfielder with both legs on the scoresheet and several important contributions during the campaign. He is under contract through the end of next season and the question of whether a new manager rates him will be significant. Bassey is the most valuable player of the three at €28 million, and at 29 is entering the period where a stable coaching environment matters most to sustaining the standards he has set. Chukwueze’s loan from AC Milan expires at the end of June, so the incoming manager’s preference will play a direct role in whether Fulham pursue his signature permanently, with a reported purchase option of around €24 million on the table.
Silva’s departure closes a chapter. He took Fulham from the Championship in 2021, won promotion in his first season, established them in the top flight across four consecutive Premier League campaigns, and set a club record of 54 points in 2024/25. Owner Shahid Khan said in a statement that the club had prepared for the change and would appoint a successor in a manner that is “timely but deliberate.” Whether that successor is Slot, McKenna, Glasner, Frank, or Rosenior, the arrival of a new head coach will define the next era of Fulham and three Nigerians will be watching from Portugal, where they are currently on international duty with the Super Eagles, as the decision takes shape. Supporters keeping track of Fulham’s pre-season and the Premier League opening fixtures can find the latest markets at Bet9ja’s Premier League betting page.
📌 Did You Know?
- Marco Silva agreed a three year deal at Benfica with the option of a fourth year, running until 2029. He accepted a reported 50 percent pay cut from his Fulham salary to take the job, citing his desire to coach in Europe and return to his home country as the primary motivations.
- Jose Mourinho, whom Silva will replace at Benfica, is widely expected to return to Real Madrid if Florentino Perez is re-elected as club president. Mourinho left Benfica after the club finished third in the Portuguese Primeira Liga, which means they will play in the Europa League qualifiers next season rather than the Champions League.
- Arne Slot is the first Premier League title-winning manager that Liverpool have sacked. His 2024/25 season was outstanding Liverpool won the league by a clear margin but his second campaign in 2025/26 saw them finish fifth after a dramatic mid-season collapse that included nine defeats in 12 matches across all competitions.
- Kieran McKenna, the front-runner for the Fulham job, is only 39 years old and has never managed in the Premier League as a head coach in a settled role. His record at Ipswich three promotions in successive campaigns from League One to the top flight — marks him as one of the most sought-after managerial talents in English football.
- Thomas Frank, who is on Fulham’s shortlist, managed Brentford across 11 seasons in various roles and built one of the most distinctive analytical and recruitment models in English football. After leaving Brentford, his tenure at Tottenham Hotspur ended before the end of the 2025/26 season.
- Samuel Chukwueze’s loan deal from AC Milan expires on June 30, 2026. The incoming Fulham manager’s assessment of the winger during pre-season is likely to be decisive in determining whether the club exercise their reported €24 million purchase option before the summer transfer window closes.
- Fulham’s record Premier League points tally of 54, set under Silva in 2024/25, placed them 10th that season — their highest finish in the top flight since they were in the Premier League during the early 2000s under Jean Tigana, when they finished 13th in 2001/02.
