Fulham have immediately rejected Al-Hilal’s £25.5m bid for striker Aleskandar Mitrovic and insist the Serbian striker is not for sale.

Al-Hilal, who also targeted Fulham head coach Marco Silva this summer, are keen to sign the 28 year-old forward and have the resources of the state-owned Public Investment Fund, the major backer behind Newcastle United, to spend. Although Mitrovic is reported to be open to a move to Saudi Arabia, Fulham consider themselves in a strong position as the former Newcastle United centre forward is under contract at Craven Cottage until 2026 and the Whites consider Al-Hilal’s initial offer to be derisory.

Fulham are not countenancing selling Mitrovic, who has scored 111 goals in 204 games since moving to west London initially on loan in January 2018, and Silva considers the striker central to his future plans.