Fulham in talks to sign Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Garcia | OneFootball

Fulham are in talks to sign Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Garcia, according to NY Times. The 22-year-old could follow new head coach Alvaro Arbeloa from Madrid to west London.

Arbeloa, regarded as Garcia's mentor, is involved in the talks. He was appointed earlier this month after leaving Madrid, where he was replaced by Jose Mourinho.

He would be Fulham's first new arrival of the summer, with Swedish forward Jonah Kusi-Asare having joined permanently from Bayern Munich after a 2025-26 loan at Craven Cottage.

The Spaniard would bolster Arbeloa's attack after the club confirmed Raul Jimenez will depart when his contract expires this summer. Rodrigo Muniz missed 20 games with muscular issues, including a hamstring injury that required surgery.

Madrid are expected to retain a preferential right over his future in any deal. The club had decided months ago that Garcia would leave, but the process paused after Jose Mourinho arrived to assess him in pre-season. Mourinho likes the player but cannot guarantee a prominent role next season, so the decision rests with Garcia.

An academy product, Garcia debuted in November 2023 under Carlo Ancelotti and has played 51 times, scoring 13 goals with seven assists. He shone in last summer's Club World Cup run to the semi-finals, winning the Golden Boot with four goals, then signed a contract to 2030.

Last season he scored eight in 39 appearances, starting only nine La Liga matches with France captain Kylian Mbappe first choice. He has one Spain cap as a June substitute against Iraq, and was not selected by Luis de la Fuente for this summer's World Cup.

Source: NY Times