Fulham have told a host of Premier League and European sides that their Brazilian striker Rodrigo Muniz is not for sale.
The former Flamengo forward has attracted interest from a number of leading clubs after scoring eleven goals in 36 games last season, including a stoppage-time winner as Marco Silva’s side won at Stamford Bridge for the first time in 45 years on Boxing Day. The 24 year-old, who also scored against Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and twice against champions Liverpool, is valued at £50m by the Craven Cottage club and they want to tie him down to a long-term contract rather than countenance a sale.
Fulham have an option to extend Muniz’s current deal, which expires next summer, by a further twelve months and are opening discussions with the striker’s representatives about a new contract this summer. The Whites rejected approaches from West Ham United in January and will give any official bids further short shrift. Silva, who pushed for Fulham to make Muniz one of his first signings after taking over following their relegation from the Championship, insisted last month during his pre-match press conference that he was not surprised with Muniz’s development and that the forward ‘would be a big part of this football club for many years \[to come\].’
Fulham are targeting further striking reinforcements to compliment Muniz and first-choice centre forward Raul Jimenez this summer and have made an approach to sign the American international Ricardo Pepi from PSV Eindhoven. They will are not interested in bringing Aleksandar Mitrovic back to SW6 despite the former Fulham number nine being made available for transfer by Al Hilal.