Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Garcia to join Fulham in €70m deal including buy-back clause

Real Madrid have agreed a €70m deal with Fulham for striker Gonzalo Garcia, with the Spanish club retaining a buy-back option on the 20-year-old.

The agreement, reached during the current summer transfer window, will see Garcia leave the Santiago Bernabeu for the Premier League after breaking into the first team last season.

According to Spanish radio station “Cadena Cope”, Real Madrid have ensured they can re-sign the forward in the future as part of the terms of the transfer to the west London club.

Garcia made 39 appearances for Real Madrid’s first team in the 2023-24 campaign, scoring eight goals in all competitions. Six of those came in La Liga.

The move will reunite Garcia with new Fulham head coach Alvaro Arbeloa for a third time. Arbeloa previously worked with the striker in Real Madrid’s reserve side and later in the senior set-up, and is now set to coach him again in the Premier League.

La Fabrica continues to deliver major sales

Garcia’s departure is the latest in a series of significant outgoing transfers generated by Real Madrid’s academy, known as “La Fabrica”.

In addition to the €70m agreed with Fulham for the forward, Real have also raised substantial funds this window from academy-developed players.

The Spanish giants have brought in €60m from the sale of Nico Paz, €20m from Victor Munoz, €12.5m from Alvaro Rodriguez, €15m from Rafa Marin, €12.5m from Alex Jimenez, €3.5m from Mario Martin and €4m from Fran Garcia.

The succession of deals underlines Real Madrid’s strategy of developing talent through their youth system and then converting that into significant revenue, while in Garcia’s case keeping open the possibility of a future return.

Opportunity for Endrick

Garcia’s exit is also expected to have an impact on the pecking order among Real Madrid’s young forwards.

Once the transfer is completed and officially confirmed, the move is anticipated to boost the prospects of Brazilian teenager Endrick, who hopes to secure more opportunities at the club after spending the second half of last season on loan at Lyon.

Endrick, who has been striving to establish himself at Real, could benefit from the vacancy created in the attacking department by Garcia’s switch to Fulham, although no guarantees over his role have been given.

Real Madrid have not yet issued an official statement on the agreement, and Fulham are also still to confirm the transfer. However, all key terms between the clubs have been settled, with the buy-back clause seen as a crucial element for the Spanish side as they part with another product of their academy for a substantial fee.