Fulham have announced the departure of Marco Silva, bringing an end to his five years at the club.The Portuguese tactician is expected to sign a three-year deal with Benfica to succeed Jose Mourinho.Silva was one of the longest-serving managers in the Premier League having joined Fulham in 2021GettyIn an open letter to the supporters, Silva said: “To our fans – I asked you, from day one, to always be with us. And that’s what you did these past five years. We achieved a lot together.“My staff and I always felt your support. It will never be forgotten. Fulham will always be in my heart, and sooner or later I will be back at Craven Cottage.”Fulham will now begin their search for Silva’s successor and talkSPORT understands they are interested in Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna. However, the newly-promoted Premier League manager could prove difficult to appoint as a result of his £8million release clause. Fulham chairman Shahid Khan said: “Marco Silva leaves our Club with my gratitude and best wishes. Fulham and Marco were an excellent fit for five seasons, but change is inevitable in this game, and we’ve accordingly prepared for this moment.“The talent in our squad, our historic home ground of Craven Cottage, our faithful supporters, and my commitment to backing the Club, all make Fulham an extraordinarily attractive destination for an incoming head coach.“We will soon appoint a new leader in a timely but deliberate manner, who will meet the standards of our Club and expectations of our fans throughout the world.”Meanwhile, Silva’s move to Benfica looks set to come after Mourinho agreed to rejoin Real Madrid, 13 years after he first left the club.‘The Special One’ took charge of Benfica for a second time in September, but is now set to depart just nine months into his two-year contract.As for Silva, his appointment at the Portuguese side brings an end to months of speculation over his future at Fulham.GettyJose Mourinho’s eagerly-anticipated return to Real Madrid looks to have paved the way for Silva’s appointment at Benfica[/caption]With his contract at Craven Cottage expiring at the end of the month, the 48-year-old has refused to pen a contract extension.That is despite the Whites tabling an offer of a three-year contract worth £8million-a-year, which is believed to be far more lucrative than the deal he is signing at Benfica.talkSPORT previously reported Benfica were offering a salary of around £4m-a-year to the Portuguese.Silva has been chosen ahead of another familiar name, with ex-Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim also emerging as a target, having been out of work since January.It was reported that Amorim had held talks with the Primeira Liga outfit, but this was later denied by his agent, with the 41-year-old reluctant to take the job.Benfica finished third and unbeaten in the Portuguese top flight under Mourinho this season, eight points behind champions Porto.GettySilva has re-established Fulham in the Premier League[/caption]Silva success at FulhamSilva heads to Benfica having boosted his reputation significantly during his five years at Fulham.Formerly of Hull City, Watford and Everton, he joined the Cottagers as head coach in July 2021 after their relegation to the Championship.In his first season in charge, Silva guided them to the title and therefore sealed their instant return to the Premier League.Fulham have since finished 10th, 13th, 11th and 11th in the top flight, with 54 points in the 2024/25 campaign their record tally.Silva has also taken them to two FA Cup quarter-finals, as well as the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup during his time at Craven Cottage.His impressive stint in west London has seen him linked with several managerial positions, especially as he entered into the final year of his contract this season.Silva was recently linked with the Chelsea job, but they have instead opted to name Xabi Alonso as manager.Despite continued speculation, Fulham vice chairman Tony Khan had told talkSPORT in February that he believed Silva would be at the club for ‘a long time’.Should Silva’s move to Benfica now materialise, it would see him return to the Primeira Liga in Portugal 11 years after he left their rivals Sporting.There, he would be tasked with guiding them to the Europa League league phase, as they have reached the second qualifying round.