Fulham completed a busy transfer window by signing Manuel Angel from Real Madrid on a three-year deal worth £3 million, alongside arrivals from Eintracht Frankfurt and Elche, as manager Alvaro Arbeloa reshapes his squad ahead of the autumn campaign.
The summer transfer window closed with a flurry of activity at Craven Cottage as Fulham secured a permanent deal for Manuel Angel from La Liga giants Real Madrid. The 22-year-old midfielder put pen to paper on terms through the summer of 2029, arriving for a reported fee of £3 million with a 50% sell-on clause retained by the Spanish club.
Angel’s arrival marks the third player to move from the Santiago Bernabeu to west London during the window, following the earlier summer acquisitions of Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios. All three young Spaniards have reunited with former Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa, who took over the managerial reins at Craven Cottage last month following the departure of long-serving boss Marco Silva.
Deadline Day Additions Bolster Craven Cottage Squad
In addition to Angel, Fulham added significant European pedigree with the deadline-day acquisition of Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Hugo Larsson. The Sweden international arrived on an initial loan deal that obliged the Cottagers to make the transfer permanent at the end of the season for a fee of £18.3m. Larsson, also 22, brings experience from 87 Bundesliga appearances over three years in Germany, having originally moved to Frankfurt from Swedish club Malmo in 2023.
Fulham’s defensive ranks were similarly reinforced with the signing of Austrian centre-back David Affengruber from Elche. Affengruber, 25, signed a four-year contract with an option for an additional year, bringing international tournament experience after featuring for the Austria squad at the World Cup alongside 84 appearances in Spanish football.
“It’s an incredible feeling to have signed for such a legendary club as Fulham, the oldest in London,”
Angel
“And to compete in a league like the Premier League, where every player dreams of playing at some point in their career.”
Angel
Complicated Negotiations and Outgoing Interest
Not all targeted business reached the finish line before the 11:00 PM BST deadline. Fulham spent significant time locked in negotiations with Rayo Vallecano for right-back Andrei Ratiu. Although the 28-year-old defender was keen to make the switch to west London, Vallecano proved reluctant to sanction a departure so close to the window’s close, complicating talks.
Departure interest also swirled around Craven Cottage as the clock ticked down. Long-standing Everton target Kenny Tete attracted attention from the Merseyside club as they searched for defensive reinforcement, while Under-21s captain Jayden Quashie drew strong interest from an unnamed League Two club regarding a potential loan move.
Strategic Real Madrid Recruitment Strategy
As the Spanish giants worked on separate deals for prospects like Racing Santander midfielder Sergio Martinez and his £3 million release clause, the club continued its established strategy of identifying rising international and domestic talent before their market valuations escalate.
