Arbeloa eyes four Real Madrid academy talents as he nears Fulham move – report | OneFootball

Fulham have already begun laying the foundations for the reign of Alvaro Arbeloa, with the former Real Madrid coach set to take charge on a three-year contract.

Although the appointment is still awaiting the completion of final administrative formalities before becoming official, the Premier League club have already started planning for a new era under the Spanish tactician.

Four Castilla Players on Fulham’s Radar

Now, according to MARCA, Fulham’s first recruitment targets could come directly from the Real Madrid academy.

Indeed, four RM Castilla youngsters Cesar Palacios, Manuel Angel, Thiago Pitarch and Jorge Cestero are among the leading candidates to reunite with the former Real Madrid coach in England.

Arbeloa seeks to reunite with Pitarch at Fulham. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

The coach has shown considerable faith in each of them during their development and is believed to be interested in bringing some of his former players into his new project if agreements can be reached.

Their familiarity with Arbeloa’s methods could help accelerate the implementation of his footballing philosophy at Craven Cottage.

Youth development at the heart of the project

One of the key pillars of Arbeloa’s vision for Fulham is a stronger commitment to youth development.

Fulham intend to combine academy promotion with the recruitment of promising young players capable of developing into first-team regulars.

It is an approach that perfectly suits Arbeloa, whose reputation at Real Madrid was built on his willingness to trust young talent and accelerate their development.

Manuel Angel and Cesar Palacios are expected to leave. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

During his years at La Fabrica, he earned praise for identifying and nurturing some of the academy’s brightest prospects, including Joan Martinez, Diego Aguado, Pitarch, Cestero, Gonzalo Garcia, Palacios, Manuel Angel and Jesus Fortea.

The likes of Pitarch, Cestero, Palacios, and Angel went on to make their Real Madrid first-team debut under him. However, none of them are guaranteed a spot in Jose Mourinho’s plans for next season.

As per the report, several of the youngsters who flourished under Arbeloa’s guidance are believed to be open to following him should opportunities arise.

Now that Fulham have won the race for his signature, attention will turn to whether any of those academy graduates choose to continue their development under the coach who played a key role in launching their careers.