LONDON (AP) — Fulham coach Marco Silva is leaving the Premier League club after five years in charge, the sides confirmed Tuesday.

The Lisbon native is reportedly a target for Portuguese giant Benfica as a replacement for Jose Mourinho, who it is widely speculated is about to return to Real Madrid.

“Fulham and Marco were an excellent fit for five seasons, but change is inevitable in this game, and we’ve accordingly prepared for this moment,” said owner Shahid Khan, adding that the club was an “extraordinarily attractive destination for an incoming head coach.”

“We will soon appoint a new leader in a timely but deliberate manner, who will meet the standards of our club and expectations of our fans throughout the world,” he said.

Silva led Fulham to the title in the second-tier Championship in his first season in charge in 2021-22, securing promotion to the Premier League and retaining its top-flight status since then.

Fulham described him as a “fiercely passionate and relentlessly hard-working individual” whose impact on the club would not be forgotten.

“I leave with a feeling I was told when I first arrived – that Fulham Football Club is a family,” Silva wrote in an open letter to fans. “Fulham will always be in my heart, and sooner or later I will be back at Craven Cottage.”

Widespread reports in Spain say Mourinho is the leading contender to take over at Madrid if president Florentino Perez wins the club’s upcoming presidential election.

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