Aleksandar Mitrovic ‘forced’ transfer from Fulham to Al Hilal
Fulham confirmed on Saturday that Aleksandar Mitrović left to join Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League for a Club record transfer fee of £42.7 million. The club reluctantly accepted a revised offer, as the player had consistently made his desire to leave known. Mitrovic will be working with Brazil’s Neymar after the Saudi club signed him from Paris Saint-Germain.
Mitrović joined Fulham in January 2018, initially on a loan deal from Newcastle United. After a successful loan spell he signed permanently that summer. In his first season, he helped Fulham to a Championship Play-Off Final win, securing promotion to the Premier League, the first of his three promotions to the top division while Mitrovic was playing for the club.
During the Club’s 2021/22 Championship title-winning campaign, he scored 43 times to set the record for most goals scored in a 46-game English league season. Mitrovic equalled a Club record for most goals scored in one campaign. Aleksandar Mitrovic was not named in Fulham’s squad for their 3-0 home defeat to Brentford on Saturday.
Hard to Replace
Mitrovic will be a massive loss for Fulham. In his time at the club, he scored over 100 goals. Mitrovic had three years left on his contract, and Fulham had already rejected multiple offers from Al Hilal.
When asked about it, Marco Silva said:
“I got information before the match and now the confirmation from the club after the match too that he’s on his way to leave the club,” the Portuguese told reporters at Craven Cottage.
Silva did not provide any details about the deal.
“Both clubs they got an agreement and now is the moment to finish the era of Mitrovic in our club.
“As you know, he forced everything to leave the club, he wanted to leave the club,” he added. “In the end they reached an agreement and now is the moment for us to keep playing and working without him.”
Replacing their Striker
Silva said that Fulham would seek to replace Mitrovic within the transfer window, but it would not be easy with such short notice.
“Unfortunately for me as manager we have four or five players to sign in 15 days. The striker position and striker market is not an easy one,” he said.
“Many clubs are looking for the same. We are going to do our best to do it.
“We have to find the right player to replace him. If not we’re going to face the Premier League with the players we have here.”
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