Mourinho's uncertainty pushed him to the difficult decision: Pitarch follows in the footsteps of the Real Madrid duo

Fulham and Real Madrid are shaping up for one of the summer's biggest transfer sagas. Manager Alvaro Arbeloa has added a third player from the Spanish giants to his list of targets: young Thiago Pitarch, who is keen to reunite with his former coach in the Premier League.

Fulham want Pitarch after wrapping up deals for Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios, an agreement worth 50 million euros to Real Madrid in exchange for 70% of the rights to the two attacking players.

Two signings have not sated the English club's appetite. They continue to monitor the talents at Valdebebas, and rate the midfielder of Moroccan origin as their next target, according to Spanish newspaper "Marca".

The Pitarch deal remains at an early stage. Fulham are working on more than one option to reinforce the midfield, among them Southampton's Shea Charles, whose club want around 30 million euros to let him go amid interest from elsewhere.

Pitarch's injury also buys Fulham time. Recovering from a problem in his left knee that will keep him off the pitch for several weeks, he gives the club room to handle negotiations calmly and without haste.

Fulham hold a crucial advantage nonetheless: the player wants the move. Pitarch welcomes the idea of returning to work under Arbeloa and taking on the English challenge alongside his former teammates Gonzalo and Palacios.

Initial contacts between the player's representative and Fulham have already taken place, with the club aware that his desire could smooth the path to a deal.

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An uncertain future after Mourinho's arrival

Arbeloa's exit changed everything for Pitarch at Real Madrid. His biggest backer gone, the player had been preparing to work under Jose Mourinho during pre-season, but the Spanish club now want to keep him with the Castilla side.

No clear plan exists to promote him to the first team, despite the strong finish he produced last season. He became a key player in the final months, outperforming names such as Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos.

Pitarch played 16 matches for Real Madrid in La Liga and the Champions League, starting many big fixtures. Among them were the two knockout-round ties against Manchester City and the first leg against Bayern Munich.

With his role under Mourinho unclear, the player views a move to Fulham positively. There he may find a greater chance to prove himself in the Premier League, one of the biggest stages in world football.

Arbeloa's most prominent discovery at the Real Madrid academy

Pitarch ranks among Arbeloa's finest discoveries during his time at the Real Madrid academy. The coach pushed him towards the first team in a short space of time, lifting his market value to around 20 million euros.

The journey began on 18 January 2025, when Arbeloa handed him his first appearance for the youth team "Juvenil A". He repeated the trick on 14 September that year, giving him his official debut for Castilla.

Then came the crowning moment. On 17 February 2026, Arbeloa handed Pitarch his first official appearance for Real Madrid's first team, making the player the owner of three exceptional debuts under the same coach inside a single year.

A move to Fulham could now open the next chapter in the relationship between Arbeloa and Pitarch, after the coach played the greatest role in the player's rise within the Real Madrid project.

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