Former Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa has held talks with a Premier League club about a potential managerial appointment, just days after leaving Real Madrid
18:28, 11 Jun 2026Updated 18:28, 11 Jun 2026
Alvaro Arbeloa on the touchline during a Real Madrid game.
Alvaro Arbeloa on the touchline during a Real Madrid game.(Image: M Gracia Jimenez/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Former Liverpool right-back Alvaro Arbeloa, who was officially released by Real Madrid a few days ago, is in talks to replace Marco Silva at Fulham.
Former Reds and West Ham defender Arbeloa took over from Xabi Alonso in January when he was fired by the Bernabeu side. But the appointment was never really clarified in terms of being permanent or short-term.
Real Madrid ended the season trophyless and Barcelona won La Liga for a second successive campaign. Los Blancos officially confirmed Arbeloa's departure earlier this week, ahead of Jose Mourinho's appointment.
According to The Athletic, Arbeloa could take over at Premier League side Fulham this summer. Kieran McKenna, who has left Ipswich Town, is not thought to be a contender for the vacancy.
Silva is expected to take over from Mourinho at Benfica, and Arbeloa could complete a neat triangle of managerial moves by switching Real Madrid for West London.
Aside from Real Madrid, Arbeloa has not worked in the senior game before. He came through the ranks as a youth coach in Spain before taking on the main job for a few months.
Alvaro Arbeloa greets Trent Alexander-Arnold after he is replaced during Real Madrid's win Manchester City
Alvaro Arbeloa greets Trent Alexander-Arnold after he is replaced during Real Madrid's win Manchester City(Image: (Visionhaus/Getty Images))
Ruben Amorim, the former Manchester United manager, has also been tipped as an option for Fulham. However, it is thought that he is more inclined to wait for another opportunity elsewhere in Europe. Arne Slot also supposedly turned down an approach.
Arbeloa is now the bookies' favorite to take over at Craven Cottage. And he already has experience of beating English opposition, having knocked Manchester City out of the Champions League a few months ago.
Real Madrid was eventually eliminated from that competition by Bayern Munich at the quarter-final stage.
Arbeloa also oversaw a 3-2 derby win over Atletico Madrid, so there were good points during a difficult campaign for Real Madrid in general.
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"I'm getting to know the players more and more," said Arbeloa a few weeks into the role.
"I arrived at a time when I practically had no time to work with the players, to understand where they felt comfortable, and to see how they mixed with each other.
"For me, it's not easy to arrive mid-season and observe how the team functions, and that's what has changed over these two months.
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"Now I know my players personally and professionally, where I can get the best performance from them, and where I can make adjustments."