Fulham are pressing on with their raid on Real Madrid's youth academy, turning their attention to the promising midfielder Thiago Pitarch. The move underlines manager Alvaro Arbeloa's strategy of building his side around players he oversaw and trained at Valdebebas.
Spanish newspaper "Marca" revealed that the London club are already exploring a deal for the young midfielder. This one is moving more slowly than the previous two, though, with the player currently recovering from a knee injury and Fulham weighing up other midfield options in no great rush.
Their interest in Pitarch follows the successful captures of Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios from the Royal academy, a joint deal worth 50 million euros in exchange for 70% of their rights. It says everything about Arbeloa's faith in Valdebebas graduates to hold their own in the Premier League.
Pitarch came on in leaps and bounds under Arbeloa in Real Madrid's youth setup. That earned him promotion to the first team last season, where his appearances confirmed the huge potential that had marked him out as one of the brightest talents at the club.
Cut-throat competition in Real Madrid's midfield may limit his chances of regular football, however. That makes a move to Fulham an attractive one for a player who would relish reuniting with his former manager, with whom he enjoys an excellent relationship.
Fulham reckon the Premier League offers Pitarch the ideal environment to gain experience and keep sharpening his game in one of the toughest competitions in the world, all the more so under a manager who knows his strengths and weaknesses inside out.
For now it remains at the stage of expressing interest. Even so, the move confirms the clear approach Arbeloa has taken since arriving at Craven Cottage: investing in young talents whose development he has tracked closely over recent years at the Royal club's academy.