By Opta Analyst | Created at 2026-08-07 13:42:40 | Updated at 2026-08-07 15:35:41
7 hours ago
Perhaps unexpectedly, three people have moved to Fulham from Real Madrid this summer. With Álvaro Arbeloa at the helm, could Gonzalo García and César Palacios prosper?
Upon joining them this summer, Bernardo Silva claimed that Real Madrid are the “greatest club in football history”. Fulham, with all due respect, don’t have quite the same standing.
Yet the Cottagers have found the 15-time European champions to be a useful supplier for their summer 2026 needs in the transfer and coaching market.
Álvaro Arbeloa found himself in a managerial merry-go-round with José Mourinho and Marco Silva, ultimately ending up at Craven Cottage following a brief spell as Madrid head coach in the second half of last season.
His first two signings in west London, Gonzalo García and César Palacios, are two players he knows well from his time in charge of the first team and Real Madrid Castilla, the club’s reserve side.
But what could the pair offer Fulham?
Gonzalo García: The Next Raúl?
Gonzalo García’s 2025-26 season got off to a flying start. During the FIFA Club World Cup, Xabi Alonso entrusted the young Spaniard to lead the line, and García impressed.
He scored four times in five games as he ended the tournament as the joint-highest goalscorer. Impressively, García showed up in big games, netting against Juventus and Borussia Dortmund.
In a team that contained Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, García somehow emerged from North America as the star, with fans somewhat optimistically dubbing him ‘the next Raúl’.
Unsurprisingly, though, talents like Mbappé and Vinícius were always going to prevail over the course of a season, and García was only able to start nine La Liga games in 2025-26.
Despite his gametime being limited, Garcíá still had his moments. He scored six goals at a rate of 0.57 per 90 in Spain’s top flight, a better record than Vinícius (0.51), and behind only Mbappé (0.86) when compared to other Real Madrid players, albeit from less than 1,000 minutes.
Furthermore, his shot conversion rate was 28.6%, by far the best of any of his teammates. For comparison, Mbappé’s shot conversion rate was 17.1%, over 10 percentage points lower than García. However, we do have to point out that Mbappé’s was from 146 shots, a massive increase on García’s 21 attempts – so we certainly aren’t trying to claim he’s a better finisher than the France superstar.
Nevertheless, García did manage something that no one, not even Mbappé, achieved for Real Madrid last season: scoring a La Liga hat-trick.
The 22-year-old’s standout game came against Real Betis at the Bernabéu in January. He showed his broad range of skills with his three goals, opening the scoring with a well-directed header before doubling Madrid’s lead thanks to a stunning volley from outside the box. He completed his perfect hat-trick in the 82nd minute, producing a delicate left-footed flicked finish at the front post.
Where García was most consistently able to add value relative to Mbappé was out of possession. The Frenchman isn’t someone who works relentlessly to win the ball back, whereas García worked his socks off every time he stepped on the pitch.
Mbappé, for instance, averaged a mere 0.03 tackles won per 90 in La Liga last season (the same as Thibaut Courtois), but García made 0.57 per 90.
García also applied 27.7 pressures in the final third per 90 last campaign, more than any other Real Madrid player (500+ minutes), and, once again, comfortably more than Mbappé (16.2).
Overall, García is an old-fashioned leader of the line. He can come short to link up play, and he can run in behind. But where he really comes alive is inside the box. He is an inventive yet instinctive finisher, and this ought to stand him in good stead when it comes to filling in for the man he’s essentially replacing, Raúl Jiménez.
Speaking of, Fulham’s strikers in recent years have been dependable, but not quite prolific enough to carry them to a European place.
Their two top scorers from last season, Harry Wilson (10 Premier League goals) and Jiménez (9 PL goals), have both left the club, meaning there is a large scoring void that needs to be filled.
Consequently, García may be under pressure to hit the ground running, especially given he’s reportedly cost £34 million. But he will also likely be backed to start over the inconsistent Rodrigo Muniz, who netted just once last season in 25 appearances (12 starts).
César Palacios – The Wildcard
César Palacios has made just seven senior appearances in his career, yet he was one of Arbeloa’s priority targets this summer. But why?
The 21-year-old is an attacking midfielder who likes to drift towards the left flank. The former Spain youth international has bags of natural flair and enjoys the odd flick or audacious first-time pass. An excellent runner on and off the ball, Palacios looks to get on the turn and drive towards goal, or he’ll arrive late in the box to get on the end of crosses. This helped him to score prolifically last season, when he netted 15 times in 32 Primera División RFEF games for Real Madrid Castilla.
While only in Spain’s third tier, it was still an excellent return for someone who is not primarily a centre-forward.
Palacios also has an athletic frame, potentially making him well suited to coping with the physicality of England’s top flight.
Arbeloa obviously rates him highly, having worked with Palacios when coach of the Castilla team and also given him his senior Real Madrid debut in the Copa del Rey just two days after he was promoted as boss. He also brought Palacios on to try to change the game in a crucial Clásico at the sharp end of the La Liga season, highlighting just how much faith he has in the 21-year-old.
Discussing Palacios’ decision to follow him to west London, Arbeloa said: “I think César is the type of player that you buy a ticket to watch. He’s like a magician, he has this type of talent. He’s a player that is very different, but also a player that works really, really hard.”
For a reported fee of around £8.5m, Palacios almost seems a risk-free signing, especially given the inflated amounts other clubs are paying to strengthen their squads.
Will This Suffice for Fulham?
There is a feeling that Fulham are on the back foot heading into the 2026-27 season.
They have lost experience in the dugout and on the pitch, getting little/no money in return. With García and Palacios, they’ve turned to youth in response.
While Arbeloa was an experienced player, he is entering just his second full season in management, and he spent half of last season coaching what is effectively a youth team.
Moreover, depending on whether Alex Iwobi and Tom Cairney are used in the number 10 position, Fulham’s oldest attacker is Emile Smith Rowe, who is only 26.
Youngsters like García and Palacios may have the potential to thrive and possibly even earn Fulham a considerable return on investment in the coming years. But young players, especially when they are completely new to English football, represent a significant gamble, and the Premier League is a ruthless place.
If a couple more experienced attackers are recruited to mentor Fulham’s younger talents, they should be set for another relatively comfortable season.
For now, though, they might be looking over their shoulders…
Enjoy this? Add Opta Analyst as a preferred source by clicking here.
Subscribe to our football newsletter to receive exclusive weekly content. You should also follow our social accounts over on X, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.
