Revealed: Fulham to raid Real Madrid for THREE players as Alvaro Arbeloa utilises links with Liga giants

The Spaniard, who has signed a three-year contract at Fulham, is reportedly keen on attacking midfielder Franco Mastantuono, full-back Fran Garcia, and forward Gonzalo Garcia. All three players are well-known to the new boss, having developed close relationships with him during his time in the Madrid dugout. Arbeloa led Madrid for the final 28 games of the 2025-26 campaign, guiding them to a second-place finish in La Liga and a Champions League quarter-final exit at the hands of Bayern Munich, after originally moving up from his role as a youth coach following Xabi Alonso's exit.

The most high-profile name on the list is Mastantuono, but securing his signature will be no easy task for the Cottagers. The teenage sensation is expected to be available on loan this summer, attracting interest from at least 12 major clubs across the continent, meaning Arbeloa will have to lean heavily on his personal rapport with the youngster to win the race.

Elsewhere, the path for Fran to move to London looks slightly clearer. The full-back could be sold following Madrid's high-profile acquisition of Marc Cucurella from Chelsea, leaving Fran surplus to requirements. Meanwhile, Gonzalo is set to join Jose Mourinho's pre-season tour, but there is a strong belief he could become available later in the transfer window.

Arbeloa arrived in London with a glowing reputation, backed by some of the biggest names in world football. His candidacy was supported by excellent references from recently re-elected Madrid president Florentino Perez and Mourinho, who the former Spain full-back played for at the Bernabeu.

"It is a real honour for me to be embarking on this new stage at Fulham FC, the oldest club in London," he said. "I feel a great sense of responsibility and I'm deeply grateful to [chairman] Mr [Shahid] Khan and [vice-chairman] Tony Khan for the trust they have placed in me with Fulham in the Premier League."

The move for Arbeloa came after the club explored several options to replace Marco Silva. While former Tottenham and Brentford boss Thomas Frank was linked to the Fulham job, and ex-Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna was deemed too expensive at £8m before factoring in his salary and other staff costs, the board eventually settled on the Spaniard's unique connection to the European elite.

Khan is clearly impressed by the new man's pedigree and vision for the future. "Alvaro is, by his own admission, very ambitious. He has spent quality time around the best players, clubs and methods in the game, experiences which will serve him well here at Fulham. Alvaro also has great interest in our academy set-up and believes in giving young players a chance. I loved hearing that from Alvaro, as well as his intent on playing attacking football," Khan explained.