Fulham may get another shot at signing Thiago Pitarch in January – that’s if Álvaro Arbeloa is still their manager by then, of course.
The Spaniard pushed hard to bring another former Real Madrid youngster to Craven Cottage in the summer. José Mourinho stopped the deal, but Pitarch is already thinking about leaving Madrid if his playing time doesn’t improve.
That could give Fulham a second chance, provided Arbeloa survives the next few months.
Pitarch already considering January exit
According to AS, the 19-year-old is open to a loan move this winter.
He hasn’t made a final decision. Much will depend on what Mourinho does with him between now and January. But they’re considering ‘the Endrick formula’ – sending a promising youngster elsewhere for a while to get the minutes he badly needs.
The Portuguese manager said he wants Pitarch around and believes he can help with squad rotation. But sitting on the bench for another few months isn’t going to do much for his development. And well, a loan could solve that problem.
Fulham get a mention in the Spanish coverage, although there’s no indication they’ve returned with another approach.
Their interest was serious in the summer. As we covered last week, Arbeloa’s side tried until the very end of the window to sign Pitarch. Madrid wouldn’t even entertain negotiations, with Mourinho determined to keep him.
Mourinho has a decision to make – so does Fulham
Pitarch has done his part to get himself back into contention. After a knee injury ruined his pre-season, he spent the recent international break getting minutes with Castilla and Spain’s U20s.
He played 288 minutes across four matches, scoring for Spain and impressing Mourinho during a derby against Atlético Madrileño.
Marca point out that he’s now fully fit and ready to compete with Madrid’s other midfielders.
There’s even an opening for him. Mourinho has struggled to settle on a midfield partnership and has already tried his available specialists in the double pivot. Pitarch is the one option he hasn’t tested.
So the next few weeks should tell us quite a lot. If Mourinho gives him opportunities, a January departure might never become necessary.
If those minutes don’t arrive, however, Fulham could find themselves looking at a player they were desperate to sign just a few months earlier.
Now, the catch is Arbeloa. Whether the Cottagers will still have the man who wanted to make the most of this situation by January is another matter.
