Fulham are reportedly close to signing Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Garcia, who played under Alvaro Arbeloa last season.
The Cottagers could be providing familiar help for their new manager. Arbeloa and Garcia have known each other for years, having worked together at Real Madrid Castilla and, more recently, the first team.
Reports indicate that Fulham and Madrid have already agreed a £34 million fee for the transfer of the striker. Though it seems to be a double deal worth £42.3 million that will also see midfielder Cesar Palacios follow Garcia’s path from Santiago Bernabeu to Craven Cottage.
The West London side saw Raul Jimenez leave as a free agent to go back to former club Wolves. But the move for Garcia may be more than just a striker replacement.
Why can Gonzalo Garcia help Alvaro Arbeloa double down and ‘fix’ Fulham’s play style?
Big chances
Fulham have always had some nice stretches of football under Marco Silva. However, they never seemed to be able to maintain consistency throughout campaigns and truly contend for European football.
There was plenty of attacking talent last season, with the likes of Harry Wilson, Samuel Chukwueze, Kevin, Oscar Bobb and Josh King. And yet, the Cottagers ranked 18th in big chances in the Premier League (1.6 per game). Only relegated duo Burnley (1.4) and Wolves (1.4) had fewer.
Gonzalo Garcia, for perspective, ranked in the 89th percentile of forwards (8th out of 72) in the 2025/26 LaLiga for big chances received per 90 minutes (1.0).
And he finished them at a 45% rate, converting five of his 11 clear-cut opportunities. The average for both LaLiga and Premier League forwards last season was 39%. Additionally, he overperformed his expected goals tally by 1.8 (6 goals from 4.2 xG).
Of course, the creativity of Real Madrid stars behind boosts his tally, having teammates who are able to find him in goalscoring positions. But he does a good job getting in those in the first place.
And there is a question to be asked whether he is able to create those scenarios for himself in a more competitive and physical league. The transition to English football is always a hard one, and a 22-year-old with limited minutes could struggle in this environment.
Off-ball work
Still, Garcia has a privileged build and great work rate. Arbeloa will hope he is a nuisance to opposing defenders, chasing them down and pressing relentlessly. This is what moved him ahead of other big-name players in the pecking order under Xabi Alonso last year.
The Spaniard ranked in the 83rd percentile among all LaLiga forwards in tackles per 90 minutes last season (1.0). Advanced Opta metrics also corroborate his defensive work, placing him in the 82nd percentile in pressures applied per 90 (76.1) and the 78th percentile in high-intensity pressures applied per 90 (46.7).
Fulham finished last season’s Premier League in the bottom four for PPDA (13.6), ahead only of Nottingham Forest, Burnley and West Ham. Garcia’s presence may bump the Cottagers higher up the table in this regard next year, considering Jimenez ranked in the 44th percentike for pressures applied among strikers and wingers.
But his off-ball movement also stands out when his team has possession. He constantly looks for in-behind runs, which was Fulham’s preference last year under Marco Silva. Only Liverpool (43.2) and Manchester United (42.1) saw their players perform more in-behind runs per game than the Cottagers (41.9).
Garcia was the 10th forward with the most in-behind runs per 90 minutes in LaLiga last season (10.9). For comparison, Raul Jimenez ranked 22nd in the Premier League and Rodrigo Muniz 48th.
Arbeloa seems to be leaning into this type of play during pre-season, trying to take advantage of Joachim Andersen’s passing range and the movement of the forwards.
The Real Madrid man will make Fulham’s attack lighter and faster, replacing target man Jimenez. Alongside their pacey wingers, his presence could turn the Cottagers into a machine of pressing and running in behind next season.