This evening (Monday the third of August 2026), it has been confirmed that two Real Madrid players have departed the club, both on a permanent basis.
Although much of the attention and consciousness of Real Madrid fans is on the renewal or otherwise of Vinicius Jr's contract, as well as the potential signing of Rodri from Manchester City and Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig, there have still been plenty of things going on in the background.
Towards the end of last week, the club moved very fast to bring in striker Carlos Espi from Levante, who scored 11 goals in La Liga last season despite limited minutes, winning the league's U23 Player of the Year in the process.
But for him to come in, someone had to leave (or vice versa), and that player is La Fabrica graduate, Gonzalo Garcia. Indeed so, and after lots of media talk and speculation, it has this evening (Monday the 3rd of August 2026) now been officially confirmed that he and fellow youth team graduate Cesar Palacios have joined Fulham on a permanent basis.
In reality, it makes a lot of sense. They were going to find game time hard to come by in the first team this season, and it would not have been good for development. With Premier League side Fulham, they will be playing under the stewardship of a very familiar face in Alvaro Arbeloa, so you would imagine they will be in safe hands and will find it easier to settle than if they had moved somewhere else.
Back in March of this year, Garcia turned 22, and later this year, Palacios will turn 22. They are not super young kids anymore. Perhaps if they were 19 or 20, they could be able to wait another year or so for opportunities, and see what comes up in the meantime with suspensions, injuries, a lack of form for others etc. But at their age, it is clearly the right idea to go out and play, especially under Arbeloa.
No doubt that all Real Madrid fans wish them both, as well as Arbeloa, very well in their adventure in the English capital. There will be plenty of supporters watching on with keen interest. Funnily enough, their first game of the season will be against Xabi Alonso's Chelsea to round off match day one of the Premier League season, on Monday the 24th of August at 21:00 CEST. Exactly three weeks from now. Plenty of narrative there.
All the very best to both players over in West London. Go well.
