Fulham and Brighton now keen on signing £25m Player of the Season winner

Fulham and Brighton could be set to battle it out for an “absolutely sensational” player, who just won the Player of the Season award.

Cottagers planning for the summer amid Marco Silva uncertainty

It remains unclear whether Marco Silva will remain at Craven Cottage beyond the summer, with the 48-year-old recently confirming he is set to make a decision about his future soon.

Silva said: “I don’t see it [uncertainty] as an issue. I’m going to make a decision next week. I have one offer on the table to think about from Fulham. I am Fulham manager going into the last game of the season.”

Should the former Everton manager decide to stay in west London, he may be tasked with replacing some key players, given that the futures of Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez are also up in the air.

When asked about the duo, he added: “So far he [Wilson] hasn’t decided, everything is in his agent’s hands. It’s his decision. For Raul it’s the same.”

Despite the uncertainty surrounding which manager will be in charge next season, the west Londoners are continuing to make plans for the summer transfer window, and they have now entered the race for a midfielder.

Fulham battling Crystal Palace to sign “sensational” star

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Fulham and Brighton have now soared into the race to sign Hayden Hackney, following Middlesbrough’s 1-0 defeat against Hull City in the Championship play-off final.

With Kim Hellberg’s side coming up short at Wembley, there is a growing feeling Hackney could be available this summer, and Boro are looking to hold out for a fee of £25m.

This summer could be the Championship side’s last opportunity to cash-in for a siezeable fee, with the midfielder about to enter the final year of his contract, and a plethora of Premier League clubs are keen.

Fulham have actively been searching for new midfielders ahead of the summer transfer window, with Aston Villa’s Ross Barkley also being named as a target, and the Middlesbrough star could be an exciting option too.

Hackney was lauded as “absolutely sensational” by reporter Scott Wilson at an early stage of the campaign, and he subsequently went on to be named the Championship’s Player of the Season.

As such, the central midfielder, who chipped in with five goals and eight assists during the regular season, could now be ready to make the jump to the Premier League, and £25m would be a reasonable fee.

Read next: Fulham looking to raid another EFL club