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Newly appointed Fulham head coach Álvaro Arbeloa, who has penned a three-year deal to take charge at Craven Cottage, is said to be keen on bringing three former Real Madrid players with him.
Arbeloa departed his position at the Bernabéu at the conclusion of the 2025–26 campaign, having stepped in for Xabi Alonso back in January. The ex-Real Madrid B team manager had no senior coaching experience before being handed the role by Florentino Pérez mid-season, yet was regarded as a loyal club figure and a steadying influence during a turbulent spell.
In the end, though, he was unable to turn things around at Madrid, with the club finishing the season without silverware and embroiled in controversy.
Following his exit from the Bernabéu, Arbeloa has wasted no time returning to the dugout with Fulham as part of an unusual three-way managerial shuffle that has seen José Mourinho move from Benfica to Real Madrid, Marco Silva depart Fulham for Benfica, and now Arbeloa make the journey from Madrid to Fulham.
"It is a tremendous honour for me to be starting this new chapter at Fulham FC, the oldest club in London," he said in his official unveiling statement. "I feel a great weight of responsibility and I'm sincerely thankful to [chairman] Mr [Shahid] Khan and [vice-chairman] Tony Khan for the confidence they have shown in me with Fulham in the Premier League."
The BBC reports that Arbeloa's appointment at Fulham was backed by glowing references from Real Madrid president Pérez as well as Mourinho.
Arbeloa Eyes Madrid Trio for Fulham Project
It also appears that the new boss will look to leverage his Madrid connections to strengthen Fulham in the transfer window, with the BBC report noting that Arbeloa has his eye on a trio of Franco Mastantuono, Fran García, and Gonzalo García.
All three are fringe figures at Real Madrid and could realistically be made available on loan or sold outright this summer.
18-year-old attacking midfielder Mastantuono's name will be an especially exciting prospect for Fulham supporters. The Argentine moved to the Spanish capital for €45 million ($50 million) amid considerable expectations last summer, yet struggled to make an impression on the first team in his debut campaign, netting just once in La Liga.
Arbeloa spoke glowingly of Mastantuono in May, pointing to the "extraordinary future" that lies ahead of him "because of his talent, his commitment and his mentality."
Left back Fran García has previously attracted interest from the Premier League, with Bournemouth among his suitors, and looks set to be deemed surplus to requirements at Madrid following the signing of Marc Cucurella. Meanwhile, 22-year-old striker Gonzalo García was a prolific performer for Real Madrid's B side, but has struggled to force his way into the senior setup due to the presence of Kylian Mbappé.
Opportunity for More Real Madrid Clauses
Real Madrid have shown a particular knack for extracting value from players considered either not ready or not quite up to first-team standard.
Sell-on clauses and buyback options have been embedded into deals for a number of young talents now flourishing across Europe, including the likes of Nico Paz and Jacobo Ramón at Como.
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Furthermore, this summer the club is reported to have collected as much as €20 million ($23 million) from Víctor Muñoz's sale from Osasuna to Liverpool, €12.5 million ($14 million) from Álvaro Rodríguez's move from Elche to Bournemouth, and €3.5 million ($4 million) from Mario Martín's transfer to Getafe.
It appears likely that any agreements with Fulham involving high-potential youngsters would include similar sell-on clause arrangements.