Alvaro Arbeloa ‘Finalizing’ Return to Management in Premier League

The former Real Madrid boss is out to rebuild his reputation.

Álvaro Arbeloa is set for an immediate return to work. | Angel Martinez/Getty Images

Former Real Madrid manager Álvaro Arbeloa is in the process of finalizing an agreement to take charge at Fulham, a report has revealed.

Arbeloa was highly rated thanks to his work in the Real Madrid academy but watched his reputation take a beating during a grueling four-month spell in charge of the senior team. That saw him relieved of his duties at the end of last season, 12 months before his contract was due to expire.

Talks between Fulham and Arbeloa were held earlier this month and, according to The Athletic, both parties are now working to seal a deal to take the boss to Craven Cottage as a replacement for Marco Silva, who has taken charge at Benfica.

---

Arbeloa Looking to Right the Wrongs of Real Madrid Tenure

Arbeloa had a mixed spell in Madrid. | Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press/Getty Images

The sight of Arbeloa replacing Xabi Alonso in the Madrid dugout earlier this year was a surprising one, so much so that few could believe he was anything more than an interim boss. It was during his time in charge that the wheels really started to fall off at the Bernabéu.

Performances were inconsistent and a lack of locker-room discipline proved to be a serious problem. Fortunately for Arbeloa, while it may have happened under his watch, the general consensus is that he was not solely to blame.

After all, similar issues had flirted with the surface during Alonso’s reign and it is now widely accepted that both managers were victims of a toxic environment in Madrid, even if both Alonso and Arbeloa could have handled some of their issues better.

Managing some of the larger-than-life egos in Madrid was always going to be difficult for a rookie boss who, despite flashing significant potential, was clearly not ready for such an illustrious position. Few managers can make the leap from academy soccer to a Clásico giant, with big names like Pep Guardiola and Zinedine Zidane the exceptions.

In truth, a post like Fulham is exactly what Arbeloa needs at this stage in his young career. He showed plenty of potential during his time with Madrid—seeing off Manchester City in the Champions League was truly impressive—and now needs to hone those skills away from the lights of the Bernabéu.

Should all go to plan, Arbeloa will be in the Fulham dugout well before the start of the new season, which just so happens to kick off with a visit from Alonso and Chelsea on August 24.

---