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Thursday 28 March 2019 14:49, UK
Fulham caretaker boss Scott Parker has revealed that he has discussed potential summer signings with the club's hierarchy.
Parker is yet to be officially handed the reigns on a permanent basis but insists that he is treating his interim role until the end of the season as a full-time job, already looking ahead to the summer and pre-season.
Fulham's chances of Premier League survival diminished with a 2-1 defeat to Liverpool last time out, and sitting 13 points from safety in 19th with seven games remaining, they look likely to be relegated.
The Cottagers host Manchester City on Saturday - live on Sky Sports Premier League - with Parker looking to register his first points since replacing Claudio Ranieri in February and throw a spanner into the title race.
"My main focus at the moment is each game as it comes," Parker said. "The only thing I can do is give a good impression, leave a mark.
"I'm treating this role as a long-term role, I was at this football club for a long time as a player and obviously coming back, I believe in what I'm doing and trying to create.
"There's been conversations [about next season]. Clubs are planning now for pre-season. Signings, whatever that may be, I'm involved in those conversations. We'll see where that goes.
"The lads have been fantastic. They've been very receptive to the ideas and the way we've tried to do things. We'll fight and drive as well as we can to finish the season as strongly as possible."
Fulham's performances have improved since Parker took charge, registering narrow 2-1 defeats to west London rivals Chelsea and title-chasing Liverpool, and the caretaker boss says they face another "massive challenge" on Saturday.
"I feel like I'm saying the same thing every week, but it's another massive challenge for us," Parker added. "They're a fantastic team with a manager who will go down as one of the greatest. But we're looking forward to it."
"We're up against a well-drilled, well-coached team. We need to prepare the lads as well as we can for what we're about to face. I'd like to think we're going into it prepared well, and we'll see what happens."
