Arbeloa announced as Fulham boss following Real Madrid exit

Fulham have announced former Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa as their new head coach following Marco Silva’s departure from Craven Cottage. 

Arbeloa has put pen to paper on a three-year deal with Fulham after confirming his departure from the LaLiga giants at the end of the 2025-26 campaign. 

The 43-year-old replaced Xabi Alonso in the Spanish capital in January and went on to win 18 of his 28 games in all competitions (D2 L8), but finished without any silverware. 

Madrid finished second in LaLiga, behind rivals Barcelona, while they were knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and the last 16 of the Copa del Rey. 

Arbeloa’s tenure was affected by several issues off the pitch, with high-profile players including Kylian Mbappe, Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni in the spotlight. 

However, Arbeloa is now relishing the chance to manage in the Premier League and build on the solid foundations laid by Silva, who is now in charge of Benfica. 

“It is a real honour for me to be embarking on this new stage at Fulham FC, the oldest club in London,” Arbeloa told the club website.

Welcome to Fulham, Álvaro Arbeloa. 

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) July 7, 2026

“I feel a great sense of responsibility, and I’m deeply grateful to Mr. Khan and Tony Khan for the trust they have placed in me with Fulham in the Premier League.

“I am really looking forward to experiencing the atmosphere at Craven Cottage with Fulham fans and beginning pre-season with the players next week.

“I am sure we are going to enjoy an incredible journey together.”

Arbeloa’s first competitive game in charge comes at home against local rivals Chelsea, who are managed by Alonso, on August 24.

Fulham finished 11th in the Premier League last season under Silva, level on points with 10th-place Chelsea and just one off the Conference League spot.