Fulham have completed the signings of Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Garcia and attacking midfielder Cesar Palacios, with both players agreeing five-year contracts at Craven Cottage.
Garcia, 22, arrives for a reported fee of about £34m and will work again with new Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa, having previously played under him at the Bernabeu.
The Spain international made his senior debut for the national team in June after an impressive season with Real Madrid. He featured 39 times for the Spanish club last term and scored eight goals across all competitions.
Garcia was also joint-top scorer at the Club World Cup last summer, underlining the growing reputation that made him one of the most highly rated young forwards at Real Madrid.
“I’m very grateful, very happy to be here,” Garcia said.
“I have to thank the board and Arbeloa for the trust they’ve put in me, and I’m very, very excited to start.”
His move to Fulham reunites him with Arbeloa, who has taken charge of the Premier League club and previously worked with the forward at Real Madrid. The reported £34m fee makes Garcia the central figure in Fulham’s double deal for players from the Spanish giants.
Palacios, 21, has also joined Fulham on terms running until the summer of 2031. The club has the option to extend both players’ contracts by another 12 months.
The attacking midfielder made five senior appearances for Real Madrid, with each of those outings coming from the substitutes’ bench. He has also represented Spain at under-20 level.
The two arrivals move directly from Real Madrid to Craven Cottage, giving Fulham a pair of young players with experience of the Spanish club’s first-team environment.
Garcia’s senior involvement was considerably greater last season, when he made 39 appearances and scored eight times. His first Spain cap in June followed that campaign and came before his move to England.
Palacios, meanwhile, has made his early progress through limited senior opportunities at Real Madrid and appearances for Spain’s youth teams. His contract length means Fulham have committed to retaining him through to 2031, subject to the club’s option for a further year.
Both players are now set to continue their careers in England under Arbeloa, with Garcia arriving as a Spain international and prolific recent scorer, while Palacios provides another attacking option after making five substitute appearances for Real Madrid’s senior side.
