Real Madrid midfielder Thiago Pitarch agrees to Fulham move, says Marca

Fulham are making progress in their efforts to sign Real Madrid midfielder Thiago Pitarch, who has welcomed the prospect of moving to the Premier League and working again under manager Alvaro Arbeloa, according to Spanish newspaper Marca.

The English club have already reached an agreement with Real Madrid for the transfers of Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios. Under the proposed deal, the Spanish club would receive 50m euros for 70% of the players’ rights.

Fulham then turned their attention to Pitarch as they continue to strengthen their squad during the summer transfer window. The midfielder is understood to be one of the club’s leading targets at the request of Arbeloa, who previously worked with him at Real Madrid.

Negotiations over Pitarch have moved more slowly, however. Fulham are also focusing on other areas of the squad and are interested in Southampton midfielder Shea Charles, for whom his club are seeking about 30m euros.

Pitarch’s current injury has also encouraged Fulham to take a cautious approach. The 19-year-old has suffered an injury to his left knee which is expected to keep him out for several weeks, meaning the club are not rushing to complete the transfer.

Despite that delay, Fulham remain confident an agreement can be reached. Pitarch is said to be highly receptive to the move, both because it would allow him to work with Arbeloa again and because he could join former team-mates Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios.

The midfielder’s representative has already held initial meetings with Fulham officials, with the English club optimistic that their plans will persuade the player to make the switch.

Pitarch’s position at Real Madrid changed after Arbeloa left the club’s academy. He had been expected to receive an opportunity during pre-season under the management of Jose Mourinho, but Real Madrid’s current plan is for him to remain with Castilla rather than become a permanent member of the first-team squad.

His future at senior level is not entirely settled, though, after an impressive end to last season. Pitarch made 16 appearances across La Liga and the UEFA Champions League and started several matches, including both of Real Madrid’s games against Manchester City in Europe’s premier club competition and a fixture against Bayern Munich.

Pitarch is regarded as one of the most prominent talents identified by Arbeloa during his time in the Real Madrid academy. Arbeloa gave him his first opportunity with the youth team in January 2025 before introducing him to Castilla in September of the same year.

The midfielder made his official first-team debut in February 2026, continuing a relationship with Arbeloa which could now enter a new chapter if Pitarch completes a move to Fulham. The transfer has not yet been finalised, but the player’s enthusiasm is viewed as a significant factor in the negotiations.