Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Garcia is set to move to Fulham. The two clubs have agreed a €70m package for the youngster.
Cadena COPE report the Spanish giants and Fulham have reached an agreement for the transfer of the academy graduate. Madrid will also retain a ‘preferential buy-back option’.
€70m deal
Reports throughout this week have indicated that Fulham were advancing in their efforts to sign the 22-year-old. He is a player manager Alvaro Arbeloa knows well.
Those efforts were handed a boost yesterday, with Sport Witness covering a report explaining that the striker was leaning towards joining Fulham this summer. A separate report this morning indicated that a deal was close between the two clubs.
Cadena COPE now report that a €70m agreement is in place for García to join Fulham. That deal also includes a preferential buy-back option for the Spanish giants. This is likely a first refusal on signing the youngster in future if any clubs try to sign him from Fulham.
Interestingly there is no mention of Fulham only buying a percentage of García’s rights, which had been prominent in talks over the last few weeks. Instead, they appear to have settled for just a buy-back option.
Real Madrid exits
At €70m, García will slot into the top five most expensive departures from Real Madrid in their history. That figure will reach the fee Manchester United paid for Casemiro in 2022.
It is also the latest departure from “La Fábrica” to bring money into the coffers. They had already been boosted by the sale of Nico Paz for €60m, Victor Muñoz (€20m) and other various players from their youth system.
It means the Spanish giants are unlikely to stop their pursuit of young talent around the world anytime soon. The benefits it brings down the line are clear.
For Fulham, it’s a huge, club-record gamble on a player who Arbeloa clearly wants to build his team around and has faith in. It remains to be seen if that faith is justified.
UPDATE: Conflicting claims on price
The Premier League club, according to these conflicting claims, will pay €40m. However, they would only get them 66% of Gonzalo Garcia’s rights. That means Real Madrid would be entitled to 34% of a future transfer fee.
Cadena COPE have updated their own information and put it at €40m for 70%.
