Bernd Leno exclusive: Fulham goalkeeper talks Premier League ambitions, Marco Silva and the importance of Aleksandar Mitrovic | Football News

“The time off was more than enough – it’s good to be back,” said Bernd Leno from the stands of Motspur Park, as he contemplates the start of his second season as a Fulham player after parting ways with Arsenal last summer.

Relaxed in his stance, Leno extends his right leg and places it on the worn wooden seat in front of him, bracing for a series of interviews while wearing a warm expression, smiling as he greets reporters and camera operators with a friendly handshake.

The overriding feeling, he begins explaining, is one of fulfilment. “In general, I feel happy. I’ve been enjoying Fulham from the very first day,” the German international exclusively tells Sky Sports, two days out from facing Everton in a season opener at Goodison Park.

The sun skulked on to the terraces as the chat begun to flow, while the smell of freshly cut grass lingered, bringing with it an unmistakable air of anticipation as players buzzed about before afternoon training at Fulham’s south-west London base.

Team-mates shot a glance in the direction of the towering Bavarian as he spoke with a business-like efficiency, but Leno was unfazed by the hum of an audience.

“Finally, the weather is better,” he gestured, when asked about the excitement of a new season at Craven Cottage, as if the comfort of sunshine beckoned the return of competitive action. “You can smell it on the pitch – everyone is sharper, players are louder, we all want the season to start,” he added.

Leno was one of Fulham’s standout performers last term – a season he admits may have “surprised” many within football’s hypercritical ecosystem. “Even the fans didn’t expect it. I heard a lot of people speaking before, ‘Fulham will go down’, but I think after the way we played, and the energy, it was quite impressive.”

Indeed, the Cottagers have been grappling with their top-flight status for the past five years or so. Movement has been up, down, then back up again, flirting with the Championship before reaching for the security of the Premier League once more.

Their most recent ascent, however, has born much riper fruit, while demonstrating a staying power absent in previous attempts to become an established Premier League power.

For the first time since 2013 Fulham are assured of a second successive season among the Premier League elite, finally breaking with the yo-yo tradition that has seen the club switch divisions six times in the past six years.

It’s a pattern Leno is familiar with, as part of Fulham’s recent history, but something he’s keen to avoid repeating. “Yes, the last four or five years, twice down, twice up, so now we surprise a lot of people,” he said. “We deserved where we finished last season. Maybe now teams know what to expect, they’ve played us, they’ve watched us, but it doesn’t change our mindset. We approach games to dominate, the same as we did last season.”

The 31-year-old speaks with all the clarity and coherence of an experienced head. “It’s because I’m German,” he jests, but the articulacy is no act. A player of Leno’s ilk and intelligence was never going to be satisfied playing second-fiddle, not even at Arsenal – he describes last summer’s move across London as a “very good decision”.

At the time, a newspaper journalist asked Leno about his transfer fee, which was over £20m less than the Gunners originally paid Bayer Leverkusen for his services back in 2018.

“I think I can say that [my transfer] was a bargain,” he joked, while revealing he was “forced” into describing himself in those terms by said journalist 12 months ago.

Still, by virtue, and today’s inflated market, Leno was a steal. 144 saves, eight clean sheets, and untold match-saving moments later, Fulham boss Marco Silva has labelled Leno as “exceptional”. By minutes played, the German national ranked second only to Brentford’s – soon to be Arsenal’s – David Raya in the Golden Glove standings.

“He’s a very straightforward guy,” Leno said of his manager, who was heavily linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League in the off season. “Whatever he thinks he says straight away. If he’s not happy with your performance, he shows it. We’re very happy the club could keep him, you can see he’s enjoying being here as well, and I’m very sure we’ll improve more with him as manager.”

Another individual who had the rumour mill swirling is Fulham’s talismanic frontman Aleksandar Mitrovic, who at one time, appeared set on a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia. The man Leno describes as a “monster” scored 15 goals in 28 domestic appearances last season, and is a thorn for almost any side he faces.

Luckily, the Saudi Arabian overtures have subsided for now, but refocusing unsettled minds may not be quite as simple.

“Mitro is a beast,” the former Arsenal stopper explained. “Just look at the number of goals he’s scored only playing 60 or 70 per cent of games. It’s not just his goals, it’s his personality and leadership in games and the way he keeps the ball. All my friends in the Premier League say he’s difficult to play against – you can’t move him, you can’t get the ball, and in the box he’s such a threat.”

Leno is no stranger to speculation himself. “It’s part of our business,” he continued. “First of all, it’s a good sign that other clubs are interested in our players and our manager. If that was not the case, we are not good. It’s a good sign but the club did a great job to keep most of the team – we have a spine with leaders.”

A positive start to the season, as was gleaned last year in a pulsating 2-2 draw with Liverpool, is “good for your feeling,” Leno continued. “We need good energy, momentum, and confidence,” he carried on, reflecting on the Liverpool tie, which he watched from the stands.

Now Fulham’s established No 1, Leno has a different role to play. His job is to command and lead. “I face many more shots on target,” he admits, comparing his 12 months at Fulham with his time at the Emirates. “At Arsenal you are like an outfield player, playing outside the box. The demands here are much more on shot-stopping.”

Talk turned serious as the interview was reaching its conclusion. Leno’s cheery demeanour became sterner as he tackled a question on the Premier League’s ambition to clamp down on time-wasting – and add extra injury time as a penalty for those found to be guilty. A move that may prove unpopular among players, Leno asserts.

“My honest opinion is that it doesn’t make sense. I understand there is time wasting, so to add one or two minutes, that’s okay, but when you put nine or ten minutes more it’s not good for the players.

“Two minutes on top is fine, but now I’ve got the feeling they’re doing more and not thinking about looking after us as players. For me, as a goalkeeper, it’s fine, it’s not a big problem but for the outfield players to run 100 minutes or more it makes a massive difference.”

What is assured, however, is Leno’s commitment to success at Fulham. A 10th place finish in 2022/23 was impressive to onlookers but inside the club there is a desire for more. Can the Cottagers upstage and unsettle this time around?

Leno finished by saying: “We’ve created a habit, especially at home, and now the people expect the same. That’s positive pressure, it’s a special pressure, we’ve showed brilliant performances and I hope we can do the same or even better.”

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