Marco Silva has cast doubt on the idea that Fulham could get better value for money in the final days of the transfer window – saying he doesn’t believe in deadline day ‘miracles’.

The Portuguese head coach reiterated that he desperately needs signings to strengthen his slender senior squad this week, explaining to Jack Kelly that his preference would have been to make additions earlier in the summer ‘and have everything much more under control’. Silva said:

“I said it before, we don’t have any other chance. The ones we talked about two or three months ago, [are] probably not [going to come now]. The market is always moving – I’d prefer to have everything much more under control and not leave [it] for the last final days.”

Asked by Kelly about whether waiting sign players on deadline day – as Fulham have in recent times – delivered better results, Silva emphatically disagreed.

“I don’t believe it. It’s not the way I see the business of football. It’s not the way I see the market. If you are waiting because the final day can give you that miracle? I don’t think [so]. Even if you can find an amazing deal on the last day, I think in a completely different way … football is much more than ‘Wait for the last day, let’s see if the miracle comes.’