Fulham ‘gear up for contract talks with first-team star’ after rejecting Champions League side’s opening bid for striker

Fulham are preparing new contract terms for Rodrigo Muniz after turning down offers for the striker’s services during the summer transfer window. 

The west London club have had a challenging few months during the break between seasons, having failed to tempt more than a back-up goalkeeper in the form of Benjamin Lecomte to Craven Cottage. 

Head coach Marco Silva has bemoaned his club’s ‘passive’ activity in the window, and will be keen to swell his ranks if Fulham are expected to match or even exceed their 11th-place finish in the Premier League after the last campaign. 

The side will be keen to get a deal for Shakhtar Donetsk striker Kevin over the line before deadline day in an attempt to boost his front line, after having their opening bid knocked back. 

But Fulham will also look to strengthen up relations closer to home, after seeing off an approach for Rodrigo Muniz. 

The Brazilian star joined the club in 2021 and has been a stalwart in the side since coming back from his early loan move to Middlesborough. 

Muniz started this season in pitch-perfect form, scoring his club’s only goal to share points with Brighton in their 1-1 draw on Saturday afternoon. 

As per the Evening Standard, the club are now increasingly keen to offer the star new terms on his current deal, after rebuffing an opening £34million bid from Serie A side Atalanta. 

Atalanta had pursued Muniz in a bid to replace the departed Marco Retegui, who was top scorer in the Italian top division last term. 

But interest from Italy is thought to have cooled in the wake of the rejection of their first bid. 

Despite this, however, Fulham remain focused on tying down their star, having come close to losing him, and are confident that they can when the window closes. 

Silva had been tight-lipped on speculation that Muniz was preparing to leave the Premier League side ahead of their club with Bournemouth, only interested in confirming that he would be in contention to play. 

‘I speak with him like any other player,’ Silva added. ‘He knows what I think about him, how important he is for our club. 

‘We will decide what is best for the club and Rodrigo.’