Martin told to ‘respect the contract’

Slavisa Jokanovic has insisted that Fulham will not agree to terminate Chris Martin’s season-long loan and allow the striker to return to Derby County.

Martin pulled out of the Whites squad for Friday’s game at Reading – which was abandoned at half-time because of fog – and has made it clear he wants to leave Craven Cottage and return to the East Midlands.

But Fulham head coach Jokanovic says his club expect Martin, who was brought in from Derby in August, to honour his loan contract.

The loan cannot be ended without the agreement of both clubs.

“I am not going to send him back to Derby. He is going to stay with us, and he is going to respect the contract,” Jokanovic said.

“We are not a train station. You can’t come in and out when you want. We need to respect ourselves.

“I don’t know if he’s going to play for Fulham – but he’s not going to play for Derby.”

Jokanovic battled to sign Martin, 28, when the Serb was at odds with the Fulham hierarchy over the club’s transfer policy.

West London Sport revealed that Jokanovic was keen to sign the former Norwich forward amid behind-the-scenes tensions at the Cottage.