Fulham wrapped up a busy summer transfer window with a flurry of late activity, bringing in three new signings before Deadline Day closed, as manager Marco Silva—working alongside sporting figures including Alvaro Arbeloa's connections at Real Madrid—continued to reshape the squad following a difficult start to the Premier League season.
Having lost both of their opening two league fixtures, Fulham turned once again to Real Madrid's pipeline of young talent, a source that has already yielded Shea Charles, Gonzalo Garcia, and Cesar Palacios earlier in the window. The latest arrival from Valdebebas is 22-year-old midfielder Angel, who has agreed a three-year contract with the option of a further year.
Angel's connection to Arbeloa runs deep. The coach handed him the captaincy at Real Madrid Castilla before the pair were promoted together, with Arbeloa subsequently giving the midfielder his senior debut. Angel went on to make four La Liga appearances for Real Madrid and also featured in the Champions League before making the move to west London.
Reflecting on the switch, Angel spoke warmly about working under Arbeloa again. "Training under Arbeloa is a real privilege," he said after putting pen to paper. "I've known him for many years from the Real Madrid youth academy, and he's a coach who brings out the best in players, gets the most out of each one and, most importantly, understands them. Now, he's going to be coaching me at a higher level, and I must give him the same intensity and commitment – or even more – than ever before."
Joining Angel in a significant midfield refresh is Sweden international Hugo Larsson, who arrives with 12 caps for his country. The 22-year-old has completed a move that will initially operate as a season-long loan, before becoming permanent for a fee in the region of £18.3million. Fulham have already confirmed that Larsson will sign a long-term contract once the switch is finalized.
Larsson brings a winning pedigree to Craven Cottage, having previously claimed both league and cup honors with Malmo in his native Sweden. His arrival is seen as filling the void left by Sasa Lukic, who departed for Ipswich Town earlier in the transfer window on a permanent basis.
"It's a very proud moment for me and my family – I'm honoured to be here," Larsson said upon completing his move to the club.
Both new midfielders will be pushing for involvement when Fulham host Crystal Palace this weekend, a fixture that offers an immediate opportunity to make a first impression in Cottagers colors.
Completing the trio of incomings is centre-back David Affengruber, who has already arrived in west London and put pen to paper on a four-year deal, with the club holding an option to extend by a further season. Fulham paid £8.5million to bring the 25-year-old defender to the Premier League, bolstering their options at the back as they look to arrest their slow start to the campaign.
With the transfer window now closed, all focus turns to how quickly the new signings can integrate and help reverse Fulham's fortunes after back-to-back opening defeats. The weekend clash with Crystal Palace will provide the first real test of whether this reshaped squad can deliver the results Silva and the club's hierarchy are seeking.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.