Fulham have agreed a club-record deal for Brazilian winger Kevin from Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, providing some relief after a frustrating summer that saw manager Marco Silva openly criticize the club’s transfer approach and endure refereeing controversy in Saturday’s 2-0 Chelsea defeat.
The 22-year-old Brazilian’s £35 million deal surpasses the previous record paid for Emile Smith Rowe last season. Terms are still being finalized, but it should complete before Monday’s 7pm transfer deadline.
Silva’s public frustration
Silva has become increasingly vocal about Fulham’s minimal transfer activity this summer. The Portuguese manager didn’t hold back in recent press conferences, stating the club had “wasted a lot of time” and been “passive” in the market.
“We need at least three players,” Silva declared last week, while also confirming “we probably need a striker as well but that probably isn’t going to be possible.” His assessment was clinical: the squad was “100% exposed” due to lack of depth, with particular concerns about having just three wingers when one would miss seven to eight games due to the Africa Cup of Nations.
The manager’s frustration reached boiling point as he revealed plans established months ago had fallen through: “We’re still working to correct things we haven’t done in the last three months.”
VAR adds to woes
Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Chelsea compounded the sense of injustice. Josh King’s opening goal was controversially ruled out by VAR after Rodrigo Muniz was penalized for stepping on Trevoh Chalobah’s foot.
The decision was so clearly wrong that the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) officially acknowledged it was an error and pulled VAR official Michael Salisbury from Sunday’s high-profile Liverpool vs Arsenal match.
Chelsea were then awarded a penalty for Ryan Sessegnon’s handball following another lengthy VAR review, leaving Silva visibly frustrated on the touchline and at one point laughing sarcastically in disbelief.
Kevin’s impressive record
Kevin has scored 17 goals and made 10 assists in 57 matches since moving from Palmeiras in 2023, and will bring European experience having played seven times for Shakhtar in last season’s Champions League. This season, he has started strongly with 4 goals and 2 assists in just 3 Europa League qualifiers.
The signing addresses one of Silva’s key concerns about attacking options, particularly with Willian and Carlos Vinicius having departed on free transfers this summer.
However, the Kevin deal only partially addresses Silva’s stated needs. The 22-year-old will become just the second signing of the summer for Silva’s side, with only backup goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte previously added.
Silva’s requirement for “at least three players” plus a striker remains largely unmet with just days left in the transfer window. The manager’s warning about having “big problems” if reinforcements didn’t arrive has been only partially heeded.
With the window closing Monday, Fulham’s record signing represents progress but falls short of the comprehensive squad overhaul Silva has publicly demanded. Kevin’s potential debut could come against Leeds United after the international break – assuming personal terms are finalized in time.
