Fulham have reportedly opened talks with Álvaro Arbeloa as they begin the process of appointing a new manager following Marco Silva’s exit from the club.
Silva has left Craven Cottage after five years in charge to join Benfica, bringing an end to a successful tenure in which he guided Fulham to stability in the Premier League, including an 11th-place finish last season.
According to BBC Sport on Saturday, the 43-year-old Arbeloa has quickly emerged as a leading candidate, although discussions are understood to still be at an early stage.
The former Spain international is highly regarded by Fulham’s recruitment team due to his coaching development within Real Madrid’s system, where he rose through the youth ranks before briefly stepping into a senior interim coaching role last season.
During his time at the Santiago Bernabéu, Arbeloa gained experience across several coaching levels, working within the club’s youth setup and later serving in an interim capacity with the first team amid a period of structural change at the club.
His background also includes involvement during a transitional era at Real Madrid that featured managerial shifts involving high-profile figures such as José Mourinho and Xabi Alonso, both of whom have been linked with coaching moves across Europe.
Arbeloa’s playing experience in the Premier League with Liverpool F.C. and West Ham United F.C. is viewed as an added advantage, giving him familiarity with English football as Fulham assess their options.
Fulham have also considered other candidates, including former Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna, although his situation became complicated by contractual matters before he ultimately stepped away from management for a break.
For now, Arbeloa remains among several names being evaluated as Fulham look to make the right appointment ahead of another push to build on their steady Premier League progress.
