Fulham Football Club has appointed Alvaro Arbeloa as its new manager, signing him to a three-year contract. The former interim Real Madrid boss succeeds Marco Silva, who has agreed to join Portuguese club Benfica.
"It is a real honour for me to be embarking on this new stage at Fulham FC, the oldest club in London," Arbeloa said. "I feel a great sense of responsibility and I'm deeply grateful to [chairman] Mr [Shahid] Khan and [vice-chairman] Tony Khan for the trust they have placed in me with Fulham in the Premier League."
Fulham chairman Shahid Khan noted Arbeloa's ambition and experience with top clubs. "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," Khan stated. He also highlighted Arbeloa's interest in the club's academy and his commitment to developing young players, as well as his intention to play attacking football.
Arbeloa's appointment was bolstered by strong endorsements from Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and the club's new manager Jose Mourinho, with whom Arbeloa previously played.
Marco Silva had been with Fulham for five years. According to the club's vice-chairman, Silva had previously indicated a desire to stay but ultimately changed his mind, surprising the board with his decision to leave.
Arbeloa, 43, previously served as a youth coach at Real Madrid before taking over as interim manager following Xabi Alonso's departure in January. He managed the final 28 games of Real Madrid's season, during which the team finished second in La Liga and reached the Champions League quarter-finals before being eliminated by Bayern Munich. Arbeloa is reportedly looking to bring players such as attacking midfielder Franco Mastantuono, full-back Fran Garcia, and forward Gonzalo Garcia to Fulham.
Other candidates linked to the Fulham managerial role included Thomas Frank, former manager of Tottenham and Brentford, and Kieran McKenna, ex-Ipswich boss. McKenna was reportedly considered too costly due to his salary and staff expenses.