Jose Mourinho has reportedly stopped Thiago Pitarch's proposed move to Fulham, with the Real Madrid academy midfielder now expected to stay and return to the squad by the end of the month after a knee injury layoff. Alberto Pereiro said Mourinho “put a stop to his move to Fulham and told him not to go anywhere”, and added: “Thiago is going to be important.”
Mourinho's intervention
The move had a neat bit of symmetry to it. Fulham were managed by former Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa, and Arbeloa had already handed Pitarch his senior debut. That made Fulham a plausible landing spot for a young player looking for a quicker route into senior football.
Instead, Mourinho has reportedly kept him at Madrid. That fits with the club's current level of competition, too. Real Madrid finished second in La Liga in 2025, while Fulham ended that year 11th in the Premier League. One club is already juggling a crowded senior squad, the other is a respectable top-flight side, but not one that makes a move feel automatic for a teenager trying to break through.
Injury and the return date
Pitarch's immediate issue is still fitness. He suffered a sprain to the medial collateral ligament in his knee, and he had yet to properly train under Mourinho.
Pereiro's update also pointed to a relatively quick return: “I reckon that once he’s fit, he’ll get plenty of playing time. He should be back with the squad by the end of the month,” he said. That is the part Madrid will care about now. Pitarch is staying, but the real next step is getting him healthy enough to compete for minutes rather than just a place in the squad.
The other academy names around the first team show what that fight looks like. Gonzalo Garcia has been active in the senior setup, with a 7.5 rating in his most recent match and 74 minutes in his latest appearance. Pitarch is back in the frame only once the knee is fully settled, and Madrid want him available by the end of the month.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
