Silva insists Stansfield will stay at Fulham

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Marco Silva says Jay Stansfield will be part of Fulham’s Premier League squad this season and will not be sold. 

Stansfield spent last season on loan at Birmingham, where he scored 12 goals and won the club’s player of the season award despite their relegation from the Championship.


The big-spending Blues want to sign the 21-year-old striker, who joined Fulham from Exeter when he was 16, on a permanent deal and there have been interest from Championship clubs in taking him on loan this season.

But Whites boss Silva says he wants to give the England Under-21 international every chance to prove himself at Craven Cottage.

Silva explained: “Everything we have planned for Jay over the last two seasons happened.

“The first season was to go to League One for six months, the second a full season in Championship where he was one of the best players for Birmingham and scored a lot of goals.

“There have been approaches for him from Championship clubs but I have decided he will be part of the squad.”

Injury disrupted Stansfield’s pre-season but Silva insists he will be in the squad that travels to Manchester United for Friday’s season opener.

“He didn’t play in Portugal because he had a small issue which we had to protect him from,” Silva said.

“He is  going to be a player for Fulham Football Club. We can keep receiving approaches but we are going to keep him.”