Fulham have reached an agreement with Real Madrid to acquire striker Gonzalo Garcia for a transfer fee of 70 million euros, as reported by Cadena COPE on July 30, 2026.
The move reunites the 22-year-old forward with head coach Alvaro Arbeloa in London.
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The deal includes a preferential buy-back option for Real Madrid, allowing the Spanish club to potentially retain control over the academy graduate's future.
The transfer equals the 70 million euros Manchester United paid for Casemiro in 2022, making it the joint-third most expensive departure in Real Madrid's history.
Negotiations and Competition
Real Madrid initially sought 30 million euros for 50 percent of the player's rights during early negotiations.
However, Fulham pressed to secure 100 percent ownership of the striker, viewing him as a central figure to strengthen their attack following the departure of Raul Jimenez.
The London club had previously encountered resistance from Real Madrid after new manager Jose Mourinho sought to evaluate Garcia during pre-season.
Mourinho expressed a desire to retain the striker following a 4-1 training match victory against Leganes, in which Garcia scored a goal from a Trent Alexander-Arnold pass.
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Despite Mourinho's interest in keeping him, Garcia faced intense competition for central attacking roles at the Bernabeu alongside Kylian Mbappe and Endrick.
The limited prospects for starting minutes in La Liga ultimately cleared the way for his move to the Premier League.
Arbeloa, who previously managed Garcia in Real Madrid's youth academy and first team, made the forward a priority signing upon taking charge at Craven Cottage.
During his time with Real Madrid Castilla, Garcia scored 25 goals in 36 appearances under Arbeloa before recording eight goals in 39 first-team matches last season.
Fulham are also continuing negotiations with Real Madrid to sign 21-year-old midfielder Cesar Palacios.
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The double pursuit marks a significant summer window for the Cottagers, who previously secured forward Jonah Kusi-Asare on a permanent deal from Bayern Munich following a loan spell.
