Fulham have completed the signing of Spanish forward Gonzalo García from Real Madrid for a reported fee of €40 million. The 22-year-old has signed a five-year contract running until 2031, with the deal including an option to extend by a further year.
According to reports, the fee could eventually rise to €42 million through performance-related bonuses. Crucially, Real Madrid have retained 30 per cent of García’s economic rights and hold preferential options should Fulham sell the player in the future.
Academy graduate seeks regular football
García joined Real Madrid’s academy as a ten-year-old and made 35 first-team appearances for the club. He scored four goals in six senior outings, having stepped up during the Club World Cup when Kylian Mbappé was unavailable. At Castilla level, he enjoyed a prolific 2024-25 campaign, netting 25 times in 36 matches.
However, with competition for attacking places at the Santiago Bernabéu intensifying, regular first-team opportunities proved difficult to secure. The presence of established stars such as Vinícius Jr, Rodrygo and Brahim Díaz, coupled with the imminent arrival of Yan Diomande, limited García’s path to consistent minutes.
Reunion with Arbeloa
The transfer reunites García with Fulham manager Álvaro Arbeloa, who replaced Marco Silva at Craven Cottage this summer. Arbeloa previously worked with the striker during his time in Real Madrid’s academy set-up and is understood to have played a significant role in convincing the player to move to west London.
Several other clubs had expressed interest in García, including Borussia Dortmund, Stuttgart, Fenerbahce and Sevilla, but Fulham secured the signature of the Spain international.
Fresh start in Premier League
García arrives at Fulham as the club looks to strengthen its attacking options following an injury-hit campaign for Rodrigo Muniz, who managed just one Premier League goal in 21 appearances last season. The new signing is expected to compete with young striker Jonah Kusi-Asare for a starting berth.
Upon completing the move, García expressed his enthusiasm, stating: “I am very grateful and very happy to be at the club.” He thanked both the Fulham board and Arbeloa for the faith they had shown in him.
Real Madrid issued a warm statement thanking García for his commitment and describing the club as a place that would “always be his home.”