Danny Murphy has urged the Fulham hierarchy to do everything in their power to ensure that Bobby Zamora is not tempted to leave Craven Cottage this summer.
Zamora's well taken strike in the first minute of Thursday night's clash with Wolfsburg was enough to see off the German champions and book the Cottagers' place in the semi-finals of the Europa League. Murphy admits that Zamora, whose contract runs out at the end of next season, could be a target for other Barclays Premier League sides this summer.
He believes Fulham must do their best to keep the striker at the club if they are to continue their remarkable progress that has seen them go from relegation candidates to European semi-finalists within a two-year period. "He has been our best player by far this season. He's causing big problems for so called top-class defenders week in week out," said the Fulham captain of Zamora.
"The only worry for us now is whether we will be able to keep hold of him but let's hope that we can.
"I'd be surprised if there aren't clubs coming in for him this summer.
"There are financial restrictions at every club. Fulham can't compete with a club like Man City, obviously, so you have to be realistic but Bobby is an important part of the team and I think it is important that we keep all our best players at the club."
Zamora looked set to leave Craven Cottage last summer after the club accepted a bid from Hull for the striker following a dreadful first season in which he scored only four times in 41 appearances.
Murphy admits Fulham would not be able to stand in Zamora's way if a bigger club came in for the Londoner this summer though.
"We want him to stay but of course the flip side of that is if a so-called bigger or more successful club than Fulham come in for him then you can't stand in his way," said Murphy, who will face his old side Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.
"But I think that Bobby wants to stay, he's happy. He showed great desire to stay at the club by rejecting the move to Hull and things have gone from strength to strength for him now."
Source: PA
