Premier League 2026-27 preview No 10: Fulham
Fulham begin the 2026-27 season under Álvaro Arbeloa after Marco Silva left for Benfica following five years that re-established the club as a stable Premier League side. Arbeloa’s arrival signals a shift towards recruiting and developing younger players, aided by his Real Madrid connections, but his relative inexperience makes Fulham’s prospects uncertain. The Guardian’s writers predict a 15th-place finish, down from last season’s 11th.
Gonzalo García and César Palacios have joined from Real Madrid, while further links to Endrick and Thiago Pitarch have fuelled expectations that Fulham could become a destination for Madrid prospects. Raúl Jiménez and Harry Wilson have departed, with Wilson joining Leeds, leaving the club to replace experienced contributors. Financially, Fulham reported a £44.5m pre-tax loss for 2024-25, staff costs of 117% of turnover and no recent major transfer windfall, helping explain Silva’s frustration over investment.
- Fulham enter a new era under Álvaro Arbeloa.
- Real Madrid links may reshape recruitment.
- Financial pressure limits the club’s spending.
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Fulham are a west London club who have spent recent years rebuilding their place in the Premier League, English football’s top division. Under former manager Marco Silva, they moved away from the repeated promotions and relegations that had marked much of the previous decade, finishing 11th last season.
Silva has since left for Benfica, one of Portugal’s biggest clubs, and Fulham have appointed Álvaro Arbeloa, a former Spain and Real Madrid defender with limited senior management experience. His links with Real Madrid may help Fulham bring in younger players from the Spanish club, including prospects seeking regular first-team football.
The change comes as Fulham also need to replace experienced players such as striker Raúl Jiménez and winger Harry Wilson. The club’s recent financial figures show a substantial loss and high wage costs, which may limit how much it can spend as it tries to maintain its Premier League position.