Fulham appoint Arbeloa as Silva’s successor

Premier League club Fulham has named Álvaro Arbeloa as their new manager, signing him to a three-year contract. Arbeloa takes over from Marco Silva, who recently left Craven Cottage to become the head coach at S.L. Benfica, succeeding José Mourinho.

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It is a real honour for me to be embarking on this new stage at Fulham FC, the oldest club in London. I feel a great sense of responsibility, and I’m deeply grateful to Mr. Shahid Khan and Tony Khan for the trust they have placed in me with Fulham in the Premier League.

Arbeloa expressed his enthusiasm for the new role, calling it a "real honour" to begin this "new stage" at Fulham, London's oldest football club. He conveyed a "great sense of responsibility" and expressed gratitude to club owners Shahid Khan and Tony Khan for their confidence in him.

Fulham chairman Shahid Khan highlighted Arbeloa's ambition and dedication to developing young players as significant factors in the decision. Khan noted that Arbeloa's experiences with top clubs and players would be beneficial. He also praised Arbeloa's interest in the club's academy and his intention to implement an attacking style of play.

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Alvaro is, by his own admission, very ambitious. He has spent quality time around the best players, clubs and methods in the game, experiences which will serve him well here at Fulham.

Arbeloa's appointment reportedly received positive endorsements from Real Madrid figures, including Florentino Pérez and José Mourinho, under whom Arbeloa previously played. Arbeloa recently managed Real Madrid CF on an interim basis, guiding them to a second-place finish in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Reports suggest Arbeloa is interested in bringing several Real Madrid players to Fulham, including Franco Mastantuono, Fran García, and Gonzalo García.

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Alvaro also has a great interest in our academy set-up and believes in giving young players a chance. I loved hearing that from Alvaro, as well as his intent on playing attacking football.