'He's going to improve': Marco Silva says Fulham have a top talent in their ranks who's bound to explode
Today at 04:50 PM
Fulham have enjoyed a superb start to the Premier League season, sitting sixth in the table after three draws and two wins from six.
The Cottagers finished 13th last season, a slight regression from their impressive 10th-placed finish in 2022/23, and they’ll be eager to kick on this term.
So far so good for Fulham, who will look to spring a surprise on Manchester City when they face the reigning champions at the Etihad on Saturday.
Marco Silva has now spoken about one of the Cottagers’ top talents, confidently claiming he’s “going to improve more and more and more” as the season goes on.
Fulham star Emile Smith Rowe is ‘going to improve’
The player in question is Emile Smith Rowe, who has hit the ground running at Craven Cottage since his move from Arsenal in the summer.
Smith Rowe, who has started each one of Fulham’s Premier League games this season, has registered two goals and one assist in the English top flight.
The 24-year-old will have fancied his chances of claiming a spot in Lee Carsley’s England squad for their UEFA Nations League double-header against Greece and Finland this month.
Smith Rowe was sadly overlooked for the squad, but Silva is confident that he’ll work hard in order to force his way back into contention, and Fulham will be eager to help him out.
"He is motivated [to return to the England set-up], definitely,” Silva said, as per the Evening Standard. "He's enjoying his football, enjoying his team-mates, enjoying the way we've been playing.
"He fits really well in the way we want to play, fits really well in some aspects where he's been decisive for us. He's going to improve.
"We have to be really pleased with the impact he's already had in our squad. But I think he is going to improve more and more and more."
Silva added: "About the national team, of course it's always a proud moment for any English player. We are here to help him. It has to be a goal for him, definitely.
"Some time ago he was there. It was just one or two caps, but he was there. He felt the moment for sure. It has to be a goal for him to fight for it. The competition in his position is top.
"He has this goal, and we are here to help him to reach his best level for this football club.
“Of course, when you play at a top level in your football club, you are always there, knocking on the door to be called up by your national team.”
Smith Rowe’s England caps
Smith Rowe made his England debut on 12 November 2021, when he came off the bench with 13 minutes to go in the 5-0 win over Albania in World Cup qualifying.
He then started in the 10-0 win over San Marino three days later, helping himself to a goal and assist against the European minnows.
Smith Rowe’s final England cap to date came in a 3-0 friendly win over Ivory Coast on 29 March 2022, coming off the bench midway through the second half.
