By Charles Maduka
Premier League club Fulham have appointed former Spain international Álvaro Arbeloa as their new manager on a three-year contract following the departure of Marco Silva to Portuguese giants Benfica.
Silva ended his five-year spell at Craven Cottage after accepting the managerial role at Benfica, where he replaces José Mourinho.
Speaking after his appointment, Arbeloa expressed his excitement about taking charge of the London club and thanked the club’s owners for the opportunity.
“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 Mr. Shahid Khan and Tony Khan for the trust they have placed in me with Fulham in the Premier League.”
Fulham chairman Shahid Khan welcomed the appointment, describing Arbeloa as an ambitious coach with valuable experience gained from working at some of the biggest clubs in world football.
“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 said.
“Alvaro also has a great interest in our academy set-up and believes in giving young players a chance. I loved hearing that from Alvaro, as well as his intent on playing attacking football.”
Arbeloa’s appointment was reportedly supported by positive recommendations from Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez and the club’s new manager José Mourinho, under whom he played during his time at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The former Liverpool and Real Madrid defender took charge of Real Madrid on an interim basis following Xabi Alonso’s departure in January. He guided the Spanish giants through the final 28 matches of the season, finishing second in La Liga before their UEFA Champions League campaign ended in the quarter-finals against Bayern Munich.
According to reports, Arbeloa is already planning to strengthen Fulham’s squad ahead of the new Premier League season. The Spaniard is reportedly interested in signing several Real Madrid players, including attacking midfielder Franco Mastantuono, left-back Fran García and forward Gonzalo García.
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