Former Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa has taken the helm at Fulham FC, embarking on a challenging journey in one of the toughest leagues in the world, the Premier League.
His initial experience at the London club has been a mixed bag. He suffered a defeat in his opening match of the season against another ex-Madrid manager, Xabi Alonso, whose Chelsea side triumphed with a 3-2 scoreline. However, Arbeloa’s squad bounced back with a strong showing in their second game, securing a convincing 3-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup.
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The Spanish coach, who spent several years within Real Madrid’s youth academy, has a keen eye for young talent and has successfully recruited two players from La Fabrica, Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios, to join his team.
Arbeloa is actively seeking to bolster his squad further, with midfielder Thiago Pitarch being one of his targets. Unfortunately, Real Madrid has firmly rejected his transfer. Consequently, MARCA indicates that Fulham has now shifted their focus to another Real Madrid midfielder, Manuel Angel.
Thiago recently faced an unfortunate injury shortly after returning to training with Jose Mourinho following his triumph in the U-19 European Championship with Spain. Mourinho views him as an important asset for the future, leading to Madrid’s decision to retain him this summer.
Meanwhile, Manuel Angel remains a promising target for Arbeloa, as he is a player the coach heavily relied upon towards the end of last season. La Liga side Cadiz is reportedly willing to let him go for €4 million, which means Fulham will need to meet this asking price if Arbeloa is to strengthen his squad with the talented midfielder as he aims for success in England.