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Real Madrid aren't anticipating any new arrivals on Deadline Day, yet they're still generating headlines before the window closes—with former manager and newly appointed Fulham boss Álvaro Arbeloa unsurprisingly at the heart of the activity.
The 15-time European champions have reportedly approved a departure for Castilla talent Manuel Ángel to Craven Cottage. The Athletic reports the 22-year-old midfielder has traveled to London to undergo a medical ahead of his reunion with Arbeloa in the Premier League.
Ángel will link up with fellow Castilla alumni Gonzalo García and César Palacios at Fulham. All three players chose to follow Arbeloa to west London in pursuit of greater opportunities after it became clear they had no place in José Mourinho's plans at the Spanish capital.
Los Blancos are set to receive approximately $4.6 million (€4 million) for Ángel. When combined with the $58 million (€50 million) generated from the sales of Gonzalo and Palacios, Real Madrid collected close to $63 million (€54 million) from those three academy departures alone, further boosting what has already been a record-setting summer of outgoing transfers.
It proved to be shrewd business for the club, but could there be lasting consequences from allowing three promising young talents to depart the Bernabéu?
Real Madrid's Complex Midfield Predicament
On the surface, it appears somewhat self-defeating for a side desperately seeking midfield reinforcements to offload two talented, homegrown options. Last season, Palacios made seven first-team appearances and 32 outings for Castilla, contributing 15 goals throughout the campaign.
Ángel also featured in seven first-team appearances during 2025–26, having been handed his senior debut by Arbeloa, as was Palacios. Both players showed encouraging signs and were highly regarded—so much so that Palacios has already started Fulham's opening two Premier League fixtures of the season.
There's little question that either—or both—players could have eventually established themselves as key figures in Real Madrid's midfield, much like fellow Castilla product Federico Valverde. However, that transition was never going to materialize this season, even following the club's failure to secure Rodri.
Mourinho already has Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga, Bernardo Silva, and Arda Güler available to him. On top of that, Castilla standout Thiago Pitarch earned his way into Mourinho's first-team squad following a breakthrough campaign last season.
Realistically, there simply wasn't space for Ángel and Palacios at the Bernabéu. Mourinho was never going to deploy either player with any consistency, and that reality became crystal clear when the club brought in 19-year-old midfielder Sergio Martínez from Racing Santander to bolster the Castilla setup.
It makes perfect sense that Real Madrid chose to profit from both transfers and allow the academy players to reunite with Arbeloa. Regardless of whatever midfield challenges arise under Mourinho, Ángel and Palacios were never going to be the solutions.
Gonzalo Might Just Be the One Who Got Away
Unlike Ángel and Palacios, Gonzalo had carved out a genuine role in Real Madrid's squad. The striker had already demonstrated his quality in a white shirt, netting four goals at the Club World Cup before adding eight more last season despite enduring frustratingly inconsistent playing time.
Gonzalo even did enough to see Endrick sent out on loan to Lyon, firmly establishing himself as Kylian Mbappé's primary backup. However, the Brazilian's return this summer ultimately pushed Gonzalo out of the door and straight into Arbeloa's arms.
It came as little shock to Real Madrid supporters when the striker scored on his Fulham debut against Chelsea and then added another in the team's 3–0 Carabao Cup victory over Wimbledon. Gonzalo is a natural No. 9 with exceptional positioning, clinical finishing, and an instinct for goal that simply cannot be coached.
It's entirely conceivable that within the next few years, the 15-time European champions will come to regret parting ways with the young Spaniard—particularly if he continues to thrive in England. That said, the fee Fulham was prepared to pay was simply too attractive to decline, given that he would likely have spent more time warming the bench than playing at the Bernabéu.
Los Blancos wasted little time in securing Gonzalo's replacement in Carlos Espí, who marked his debut with a dramatic late winner against Espanyol. Mourinho will also have Endrick at his disposal once the Brazilian returns from a muscle injury.
Real Madrid boast plenty of attacking depth even without Gonzalo in the squad. Yet in a few years, the club could find themselves facing another Achraf Hakimi-type situation.