Owner Mohamed Fayed has said that there would be few limits placed on the new manager. But his policy of building a British-grown side may quickly be broken as former France midfielder Tigana has lined up 29-year-old Marseille defender Lilian Martin as his first signing.

Other Frenchmen could follow and the current playing staff includes an American, a Canadian, a Dane and a German but they have just released Dutchman Gus Uhlenbeek.

There will be no problems in Tigana smashing the non-Premiership transfer record set when Middlesbrough paid £5million to sign Paul Merson from Arsenal in 1997.

Fayed said: 'Everything has to be considered and £8million would be no problem. If he finds a player and says we need him and he will do well for Fulham, I will trust him. We want to go up to the Premiership, so we have to make sure we have the best.

'The priority for me is British players. This is a British team and we must have British players first. That is very important.'

Fayed issued a barely coded warning that he expects success almost instantly, adding that he felt Fulham would already have been in the top division if Kevin Keegan had not been allowed to leave to take over as England coach.

Paul Bracewell was sacked for failing to achieve promotion this season - Fulham finished ninth - and Fayed said: 'I told Paul he had one year. He was aware from the start.

'I am confident Tigana will get us promotion. A delay of one year is not a problem but, obviously, if the team lose every game under him, we might have to look again.'

Fayed revealed that he had in the past considered buying Manchester United and investing in Chelsea, but he added: 'I have been a fan of Fulham for 30 years. That makes the difference.'