Fulham have reached agreements to acquire Gonzalo García and César Palacios from Real Madrid for a combined transfer fee of €50m. This figure includes €40m for García and €10m for Palacios, with both deals reportedly including a 30 per cent sell-on clause. The two players are expected to join head coach Alvaro Arbeloa at Craven Cottage.
The London club had been in advanced discussions for García, a 22-year-old striker, and were making progress in their efforts to sign Palacios, a 21-year-old attacking midfielder. Both players previously worked with Arbeloa during his time in Real Madrid‘s youth system, where he served as a youth coach before taking interim charge of the Spanish club last season.
Sources familiar with the negotiations expressed confidence that the signings would be finalised. Both García and Palacios are reportedly keen to play in the Premier League under Arbeloa, who recently signed a three-year contract with Fulham this summer, succeeding Marco Silva.
Key Acquisitions for Fulham
The arrival of García and Palacios marks a significant move for Fulham, who have seen several attacking players depart this summer. The club’s top scorer from last season, Harry Wilson, joined Leeds United on a free transfer after his contract expired. Additionally, Raul Jimenez re-signed with Wolverhampton Wanderers following the expiration of his contract at Fulham.
These transfers follow the permanent acquisition of Swedish forward Jonah Kusi-Asare from Bayern Munich. Kusi-Asare had spent the 2025-26 season on loan at Craven Cottage before his move was made permanent. García and Palacios are set to become the first new arrivals of the summer window, beyond the permanent deal for Kusi-Asare.
García has attracted interest from multiple clubs across Europe this year, having progressed through Real Madrid‘s academy to the first team. He made 39 appearances for the senior squad last season, predominantly as a substitute, and scored eight goals. This tally included a hat-trick against Real Betis in January. His performances at last summer’s Club World Cup were also notable, where he secured the Golden Boot with four goals.
Meanwhile, Palacios featured seven times for Real Madrid‘s first team last season, with five of those appearances coming in La Liga after his debut in January. The failure of Real Madrid Castilla to achieve promotion to the Spanish second tier last season was reportedly a factor that could accelerate the departures of several academy players seeking regular senior football.
Mourinho’s Influence and Arbeloa’s Role
The decision regarding García‘s future at Real Madrid was reportedly put on hold following the arrival of new head coach Jose Mourinho. Mourinho, who replaced Arbeloa at Real Madrid, wanted to assess the striker during pre-season. While Mourinho reportedly liked the player, he could not guarantee a prominent role for García in the upcoming season, leaving the final decision on his future to the player.
Reports indicate that Real Madrid had decided months ago that García would leave this summer. Notably, four of García‘s eight goals last season were scored after Arbeloa took over as head coach in January, succeeding Xabi Alonso. This connection between Arbeloa and the two young talents from Real Madrid‘s system appears to be a driving force behind their move to Fulham.
Arbeloa‘s appointment at Fulham came after Marco Silva moved to Benfica to succeed Mourinho. The transfer of García and Palacios represents a significant investment for Fulham as they prepare for the new season.
Despite earlier doubts regarding a move for García due to Mourinho‘s desire to retain him, and the possibility of Real Madrid placing a high valuation on the striker, Fulham has now secured the deals. The club had been considering various options for priority positions ahead of the new season.
The combined fee of €50m for García and Palacios highlights Fulham‘s commitment to strengthening their squad with young talent from Real Madrid‘s academy, under the guidance of their new head coach, Alvaro Arbeloa.
Source: bbc.co.uk
Ama Serwah
Yaw Appiah
Evelyn Mensah