A relationship that began so brightly – and both sides lauded – has abruptly ended after a very public summer saga. Aleksandar Mitrovic, the man who scored so many goals for Fulham and reignited his career at Craven Cottage, has got his big-money move to Saudi Arabia. Marco Silva, who had rejected his own offers from the Saudi Pro League, fought hard to keep the team’s talisman to no avail. It was left to the head coach to deliver the news after a home battering by Brentford. You could tell this was a messy divorce from the terseness of Fulham’s official statement. Al-Hilal’s announcement video, partially filmed on Stevenage Road, only rubbed salt into the wounds.

Whatever really happened to make Mitrovic, who was eulogising Fulham on the club’s official Fulham Fix podcast in June, force through his exit – and how we might apportion the blame – doesn’t really matter now. The Serbian striker, who scored 111 times during his five years in SW6, has gone and Fulham have twelve days to sign a new forward. Not that you’ll be adequately able to find a like-for-like replacement for his combination of physicality, hold up play and poaching prowess. It is clear from yesterday’s power puff performance in the local derby that Silva’s side are insipid without him. Perhaps the only silver lining is that he won’t take our penalties any more.

The inevitable comparisons between Mitrovic and Raul Jimenez are unfair on the Mexican, who has led the line with little service for two weeks running. The Mexican is more suited to linking the play, a smoother mover than our hulking Serbian, and probably a greater technician too. He might have broken his Fulham duck at Goodison Park with a chance he fashioned for himself, but even Jimenez himself will admit that he’s not the force of those wonderful early Wolves days – before the horrible head injury that could easily have ended his career. In a side that looked both slow and short of movement, even the game’s most devastating forward would have struggled to make an impression. It was interesting to see Rodrigo Muniz reappear from the bench – ahead of Carlos Vinicius, who finished last season so strongly.

But Fulham now head into the market for a new forward (and maybe more than one). The problem is that buying Premier League quality will cost over and above the £46m they’ve received for Mitrovic – at least judging by the prices during this window. The Whites are believed to be interested in Folarin Balogun, who scored regularly for Reims, but has managed five goals in 30 games in English football. Arsenal want £50m. Few other domestic goalscorers excite – even the £13m Southampton are seeking for Che Adams seems steep. The Whites might have to shop on the continental market but the previous forwards Fulham found there – Kostas Mitroglou, Rui Fonte and Aboubakar Kamara – don’t inspire confidence.

Silva wanted a further four or five players before the start of September even before Mitrovic’s departure became a matter of time. The Brentford defeat showed that substantial investment in a squad that so stylishly overachieved last season is sorely needed. The head coach has so far refused to sign a long-term contract at Craven Cottage, despite displaying his commitment to the Fulham project by turning down the sort of cash that turned his star striker’s head, because he wanted to see what sort of backing he would get this summer. It isn’t a secret that Silva hasn’t got what he was looking for.

Fulham’s recruitment has been a bone of contention with all of Silva’s predecessors. Tony Khan’s position of director of football has been debated endlessly since the summer of senseless spending in 2018. Make no bones about it: the next twelve days are massive for London’s oldest professional football club. Fulham fought for a fortunate win at Everton, but were well beaten by a much better run outfit yesterday. Safety, never mind the top half, looks a long way away if the Whites can’t score with regularity. We’re about to find out if there really is value at the tail end of the transfer window.