Fulham have signed Real Madrid duo Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios for a combined fee of £42.5m.
Garcia has joined for £34m, with the 22-year-old signing a five-year deal at Craven Cottage, with a club option to extend by a further 12 months.
Garcia, who was the top scorer at the Club World Cup last summer, has been joined at Fulham by Palacios.
The Whites announced the signing of the attacking midfielder 30 minutes after Garcia's arrival.
The 21-year-old has joined for around £8.5m and has signed a five-year deal with the club holding an option to extend by 12 months.
The Spaniards become new Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa's first signings, as they reunite having worked together at Real Madrid last season.
Fulham FC statement
The Club is delighted to announce the signing of Gonzalo García from Real Madrid for an undisclosed fee.
The highly rated striker, 22, has signed a five-year deal, tying him to Craven Cottage until the summer of 2031, with a Club option to extend by a further 12 months.
Speaking to FFCtv after signing, Gonzalo said: “I’m very grateful, very happy to be here.
“I have to thank the board and Arbeloa for the trust they’ve put in me, and I’m very, very excited to start.”
Tony Khan added: “I’m thrilled to welcome Gonzalo García to Fulham! Gonzalo is a very talented young striker, and he is excited to come to Fulham and play in the Premier League.
“We all believe that Gonzalo will be a tremendous addition to the squad and will prove to be an excellent player for the Club under Álvaro’s leadership! Come on Fulham!”
Born in Madrid, Gonzalo has spent much of his life in the Spanish capital, joining Real’s academy at the age of 10. He would later spend a solitary season in the Mallorca youth setup, before returning to Real in 2019.
It was back in Madrid where he began working with Álvaro Arbeloa, who helped the youngster take his game to a new level, most notably in 2023/24 when Gonzalo’s 35 goals helped the Under-19s secure a historic treble.
The following year, Gonzalo was up with Castilla for another prolific campaign in which he registered 29 goal involvements (25G, 4A) in 36 appearances – numbers that are all the more impressive when you consider 19 of those involvements came while operating on either the left or right wing.
That season also brought about his first goal for the senior Real Madrid side – a late winner against Leganes in the Copa del Rey – before a summer which catapulted him to new levels courtesy of his performances in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Los Blancos may have exited the tournament at the Semi-Final stage, but that didn’t stop Gonzalo from claiming the golden boot, scoring four times and assisting once more in the United States. It was form that led then-coach Xabi Alonso to compare him to club legend Raúl.
Gonzalo was now firmly in the first team picture at the Bernabéu, scoring eight times and laying on three assists in 39 appearances for the Spanish giants last season – the latter half of which were back under Arbeloa.
The highlight of his campaign must surely have been the 5-1 victory over Real Betis. Not only did he net a perfect hat-trick, but the calibre of the treble perfectly encapsulated the different types of finish he’s capable of – one header, one chest and volley, one deft flick.
His form saw Gonzalo push himself into the thinking for the national side ahead of this summer’s World Cup. He didn’t quite make the final squad, but was handed a senior debut in one of their warm-up fixtures.
Prior to that, Gonzalo had scored six times in seven caps for Spain Under-21s, for whom he wore seven on his back – the same number he will adopt here at Craven Cottage.
Fulham FC statement
The Club is delighted to confirm the arrival of exciting young playmaker César Palacios on a long-term deal from Real Madrid.
Signing for an undisclosed fee, the 21-year-old attacking midfielder has agreed a contract until June 2031, with a Club option to extend by a year.
He will wear the number eight shirt.
Speaking to FFCtv, Palacios said: “I am very emotional to be here. I believe it is the perfect step in my career.
“The Club is showing a lot of trust in me, and I’m going to show it on the pitch.”
Tony Khan added: “I’m excited to welcome César Palacios to Fulham! César is a hard-working and creative young midfielder, and we believe that he will be a good addition to our squad under Álvaro’s leadership.
“This is an important day as we have signed two exceptional young talents to the team whom we believe will both be part of a bright future for the Club!
“Come on Fulham!”
Having spent most of his youth in the Numancia academy, Real Madrid came knocking six years ago, with Palacios working his way up to Castilla for the 2023/24 campaign.
When Álvaro Arbeloa took charge of the club’s B side, Palacios became a key member of the team, registering 19 goal involvements (15G, 4A) in 32 appearances.
Arbeloa clearly trusted the player, handing him a senior debut in his first game in charge of Real’s first team, one of seven appearances Palacios made for Los Blancos in the second half of last season.
He has been capped up to Under-20 level for Spain, having boasted a strong record of seven goals in 12 games for their Under-19s.