Fulham agree double deal for Real Madrid starlets after Alvaro Arbeloa request | OneFootball

Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios will trade the Bernabeu for Craven Cottage

Standard Sport understands that Fulham will pay a total fee of around £42.8million. Garcia will cost in the region of £34.3m, while the west London club will part with around £8.5m for Palacios.

Real Madrid will retain a 30 per cent sell-on clause for both players, who both came through the club’s academy before breaking into the first team.

Alvaro Arbeloa worked extensively with Garcia and Palacios while manager of Real Madrid Castilla, and he was keen to raid his former club to bring the pair to Craven Cottage.

Alvaro Arbeloa worked extensively with Gonzalo Garcia at Real Madrid

Getty Images

Arbeloa was named interim manager of Real Madrid’s first team in January 2026 following the departure of Xabi Alonso.

During that time, he handed Garcia a number of first-team opportunities, ultimately culminating in the 22-year-old earning his first and to date only senior Spain cap in a 1-1 draw with Iraq in April 2026.

Fulham have been in the market for another striker to provide competition for Rodrigo Muniz, and Arbeloa identified Garcia as one of his top targets during discussions with the club’s board.

Real Madrid had initially told Fulham they did not intend to sell Garcia, but that stance softened this week, and Fulham re-entered negotiations, having briefly moved on to other targets.

Palacios, meanwhile, will provide competition in central midfield, with Sasa Lukic potentially on the move to Ipswich Town.

Standard Sport understands that Ipswich have Lukic high on their list of potential midfield targets, though they have yet to enter club-to-club talks with Fulham over a deal.