Fulham's Marco Silva issues Jay Stansfield transfer stance following Birmingham City loan | OneFootball

Fulham boss Marco Silva has revealed that Jay Stansfield won’t be leaving the club in the summer, with the forward very much in the first-team plans at Craven Cottage.

The striker has enjoyed two EFL loans over the past two seasons; firstly with hometown club Exeter City, before spending the previous campaign with Birmingham City in the Championship.

The 20-year-old netted 12 times in 43 second tier games for the Blues, but was ultimately unable to stop them dropping down into League One for the next campaign, having finished one point adrift of safety.

Ipswich Town and Sunderland had both been linked with moves for the frontman in the past, and he was likely going to be a target for many second tier clubs, but the latest admission from Silva has stopped any rumours of another move away from the Premier League side in their tracks.

Marco Silva expresses Jay Stansfield plans for Fulham in 2024-25 season

Stansfield is a player that has always been rated at Fulham, with the forward joining the club as a 16-year-old from Exeter City: the club his late father, Adam, also played for.

Having made his debut for the West London side as a 17-year-old in January 2020, he has played just eight times for them to date, with his only goal for the club coming against Birmingham in the League Cup back in 2021.

With two successful loan spells under his belt - which have seen him develop his prowess in front of goal - his current boss now believes he is ready for a shot at the Premier League.

Silva said, per the Evening Standard: “He’s going to be back with us. Everything we planned, apart from the collective goal of Birmingham which was not what we wanted, was a box [ticked].

“He played the season before in League One [with Exeter City], and to be able to give a step forward in the Championship and be an important piece in the attack-line and score important goals [was pleasing]. Jay achieved all the important things.

“Now is the moment for him to come back and be one of the players in our attacking line for next season.”

Stansfield impresses despite Birmingham City Championship relegation

Birmingham City’s season was one mired by happenings off the pitch, with the takeover of the club and managerial changes galore having an adverse effect on what was happening on the pitch.

Having started so brightly under John Eustace, new Chairman Tom Wagner decided to oust the former Watford man and appoint Wayne Rooney; a move which backfired spectacularly with just two wins from his 15 matches in charge.

With the slump already in full flow, Tony Mowbray and later Gary Rowett failed to stop the slide, leaving the Blues facing a first season in the third tier for 30 years.

In a season mainly filled with lows, the one bright spark at St Andrews was the hope and inspiration gathered from Stansfield’s performances, with the young forward terrorising many a Championship defender with his incredible movement and eye for goal.

The striker has all the skills ready to flourish at the highest level, so it was no wonder he cleaned up in the recent end of season awards night for the Blues, something he was immensely proud of as he waved City goodbye.

From his debut goal against Plymouth Argyle to his last in a 3-0 victory over Coventry City, Stansfield proved he is Premier League quality in the making, and next season it would be no surprise to see him perform just as well in the top flight, but it will disappoint the likely suitors that would have been keen on the young forward going into the summer window.