Arbeloa hails new Fulham striker Garcia as one of the best in the world | OneFootball

Fulham head coach Alvaro Arbeloa hailed new signing Gonzalo Garcia as "one of the best strikers in the world". He told Sky Sports.

The 22-year-old completed a £34m move from Real Madrid to Craven Cottage on Monday, signing a five-year deal with a club option for a further year.

Arbeloa, who replaced Marco Silva this summer, briefly coached Garcia during his five-month spell in charge at Madrid last season, having first worked with him in the club’s academy.

Garcia finished as the Club World Cup’s top scorer in 2025, then hit eight goals in 39 outings for Madrid last term, mostly as a substitute, averaging a goal every 184 minutes.

Garcia will wear Raul Jimenez’s vacated number seven after the striker joined Wolves as a free agent following nine league goals last season. He will compete up front with Rodrigo Muniz, who managed one Premier League goal on the opening day in an injury-hit campaign.

Fulham also unveiled 21-year-old attacking midfielder Cesar Palacios from Madrid on a five-year deal with an option, for around £8.5m.

He made seven senior appearances for Madrid in 2025-26, five in La Liga, and takes number eight after Harry Wilson left for Leeds United. Madrid retain a 30% sell-on for both, plus matching rights on any future bid. Arbeloa begins by hosting Chelsea on 24 August, with Xabi Alonso in the opposite dugout, whom he succeeded as Madrid boss last season.

Source: Hounslow Herald

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